Israel is escalating its bombardment of Lebanon, leveling numerous buildings, including the offices of Lebanese news station Al Mayadeen. The Israeli military has also attacked the ancient city of Tyre, a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site, and killed three Lebanese soldiers in a strike in southern Lebanon, all while continuing to defy international calls for a ceasefire. “What we’re seeing is a complete degeneration into a war that has no rules, that respects no international conventions. There’s one side in this war that has complete impunity,” says Lebanese sociologist Rima Majed in Beirut. “Israel is targeting civilians in most cases. … This is just terrorism.”
This will blow back way harder on Israel than America.
Ignoring all politics, logistically this war is a rounding error in the Pentagon’s budget. America can and often does absolutely anything it wants to anyone at any point in time - and the only thing stopping it is how it feels about a subject at any given moment.
Israel is tiny and surrounded by enemies who they are pissing off.
For the record I am entirely opposed to Israel committing genocide and America funding it.
And absolutely gaslighting anyone who calls anyone out for it.
I’m really sick of the whole “criticism of Israel is antisemitism” rhetoric. NO IT ISN’T. And pushing this rhetoric harder isn’t going to make me support them either. If anything, I’m going to see it as an increasing threat to my First Amendment right to free speech.
My criticism of the Chinese government is not hateful towards the Chinese Americans in my community. It’s also not hateful towards the Chinese people living in China or anywhere else in the world. It’s a criticism of the leadership, which is fair game. Ditto for criticism of Iran, Russia, or any other nation I can think of.
But criticize the Israeli government and suddenly it’s a problem. There’s less pushback for criticizing the U.S. government!
I’m really sick of the whole “criticism of Israel is antisemitism” rhetoric.
It’s just playing dirty. Israel, much like modern conservative politicians, doesn’t care about how it achieves its goals. World War II has much of the western world hypersensitive to antisemitism, so conflating criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism has been an easy way to stifle discourse.
Yeah I’m not sure people realize how bad this is for long term American interests in the area. The Saudis and the Iranians are actually talking to each other again.
This will blow back way harder on Israel than America.
I dont think the US will walk away from this free of any consequences at all. The chickens will come home to roost. You dont kill that many people and leave that many affected victims and just saunter off into the sunset with no consequences whatsoever.
The only real chance the US had to not get caught up in the quagmire would have been to unload a battalion or three of marines and go Hamas-hunting themselves, keeping an eye on the IDF. Make sure humanitarian aid arrives. Ignore the Israeli government where necessary (after all Gaza isn’t Israel) in favour of re-iterating that you’re Israel’s friend and simply taking some load off their plate, make sure to work with Israeli lefties when it comes to pretty much everything humanitarian on the ground, or in media.
But that would’ve necessitated more wherewithal and understanding of Israel than the US could’ve ever hoped to muster.
This will blow back way harder on Israel than America.
Ignoring all politics, logistically this war is a rounding error in the Pentagon’s budget. America can and often does absolutely anything it wants to anyone at any point in time - and the only thing stopping it is how it feels about a subject at any given moment.
Israel is tiny and surrounded by enemies who they are pissing off.
For the record I am entirely opposed to Israel committing genocide and America funding it.
And absolutely gaslighting anyone who calls anyone out for it.
I’m really sick of the whole “criticism of Israel is antisemitism” rhetoric. NO IT ISN’T. And pushing this rhetoric harder isn’t going to make me support them either. If anything, I’m going to see it as an increasing threat to my First Amendment right to free speech.
My criticism of the Chinese government is not hateful towards the Chinese Americans in my community. It’s also not hateful towards the Chinese people living in China or anywhere else in the world. It’s a criticism of the leadership, which is fair game. Ditto for criticism of Iran, Russia, or any other nation I can think of.
But criticize the Israeli government and suddenly it’s a problem. There’s less pushback for criticizing the U.S. government!
It’s just playing dirty. Israel, much like modern conservative politicians, doesn’t care about how it achieves its goals. World War II has much of the western world hypersensitive to antisemitism, so conflating criticism of the Israeli government with antisemitism has been an easy way to stifle discourse.
Criticising Israel can be antisemitic. Just check out the IHRA definition of antisemitism . Basically you can’t say that:
Oh no you are a trump supporter /s
What a weird and sad thing thing to have to specify.
Welcome to the internet, Have a look around
I’m gonna go read a book. K thx bye.
Yeah I’m not sure people realize how bad this is for long term American interests in the area. The Saudis and the Iranians are actually talking to each other again.
Through Beijing, in fact.
I dont think the US will walk away from this free of any consequences at all. The chickens will come home to roost. You dont kill that many people and leave that many affected victims and just saunter off into the sunset with no consequences whatsoever.
But I was told terrorists hate America because of their freedom. Are you saying it was really their foreign policy this whole time?
The only real chance the US had to not get caught up in the quagmire would have been to unload a battalion or three of marines and go Hamas-hunting themselves, keeping an eye on the IDF. Make sure humanitarian aid arrives. Ignore the Israeli government where necessary (after all Gaza isn’t Israel) in favour of re-iterating that you’re Israel’s friend and simply taking some load off their plate, make sure to work with Israeli lefties when it comes to pretty much everything humanitarian on the ground, or in media.
But that would’ve necessitated more wherewithal and understanding of Israel than the US could’ve ever hoped to muster.