Truly a perspicacious evaluation of the current situation. One missing piece is that by placing ourselves in “zugswang” so many times, we have lost our credible threat advantage. Our opponents can now giggle at us and that has destabilized the world. We quit walking softly but carrying a big stick. We are now an old, arthritic bully that the young punks no longer fear.
Congratulations on correctly using a Chess anaology (unlike all the reports of a "stalemate" in Ukraine).
A number of decades ago when I was a keen young chess player I went through 20 or so of Paul Morphy's games, the 19th century Amercian attacking genius. For the first 5 or 6 I was entranced at how Morphy, on or around move 20, suddenly ripped apart the opponent with a series of gambits and outrageous advances of the kind that reminded me of Errol Flynn. Then I started to wonder why these opportunities were available to Morphy and not other masters of his day or later. So instead of rushing through the games to move 20 to be entertained I took a much closer interest at moves 10-19 and later 1-10. The patterns became clearer, and the more I looked the earlier I could observe how his advantage had been built. Observe, not imitate, sadly.
So we Chess players learn how great victories are won with great preparation, anticipation, logistics, control of routes (the ability to move about the board and control channels is crucial in chess), so that games are won and loss long before the apparent battle begins.
In Chess Zugzwang is an extreme of this. The little advantages have all been won and the opponent starts to collapse even before he is gently pushed.
Kiev, Tel Aviv, the stand against Iran are all facing Zugzwang as you explain so well.
Of course the situations have all been exacerbated by US aggression which (Rome and Dacia) has been increased because of its weakness. Israel in a world where US no longer leads (ie post 2015 or 2020) is fated for a short death.
But we should also try to identify all those Morphy like first 20 moves. Hypersonic missiles; enough MIC capacity to support all out conventional war in Europe as a pre-requisite for a full war with Ukraine in turn a pre-requisite for the SMO; preparation for sanctions and an alternative to SWIFT, the commitment to BRICS+ by both China and Russia and the winning over of others; many other steps.
The West has made plenty of mistakes, but the biggest was to play the first 10 moves without recognising who they were playing.
Stalemate as an analogy annoys me though, so I'm pleased you have avoided it. A Stalemate in Chess occurs very rarely in obscure puzzles and quite frequently when a very poor player annihilates an even worse player but carelessly and unforgiveably leaves him unable to move but not in actual check.
Ukraine is not in stalemate because while one side has pretty much annihilated the other, Zelensky (or Biden, who ever you nominate as King) is very much in check and undoubtedly will be mated very soon. (And the false concept of "stalemate" as both sides exhausted is simply a lie when applied to Ukraine.)
The Americans cannot 'commit' themselves to a so-called 'War with Iran.'
They have neither the sufficient ground forces to mount an attack, sufficient range on their jets & ships, adequate defences against Iranian ASBMs, SRBMs & IRBMs, nor the basing & access necessary to conduct such a 'War.' I cover this in my analysis here from a while back:
Aunt Lindsey would probably like that but I think he prefers his hard-body men with lighter hair color and skin tone. Rumor has it that Lindsey likes to be "air tight"...
as Ukraine war has shown, a contested Air Space via many AD/AA systems nullifies the only real Advantage current western force disposition has, its Air Power. The US/NATO would need massive ground forces to even attempt at waging war against Iran.
And how ironic - everything has been depleted. I believe a brilliant and deliberate chess move by Putin now enabling success in the Middle East. Russia China and Iran - NATO/US and Europe doesn't stand a chance. Oct 7th was premeditated.
Shorter version: Israel, the ethno-religious settler colonial project has boxed itself in as it is unable to compromise with its neighbors. Israel understands only the language of violence or threat thereof. The U.S., the exceptional country, the shining beacon on the hill, has boxed itself in as it is unable to compromise with other geopolitical powers. The U.S. understands only the language of violence or threat thereof.
When boxed in, there is no good move, except to attack or surrender. Way fewer words with the same conclusion.
The question of how we might "unbox" ourselves and the Israelis is the real problem at hand. If we had clear-eyed realists in charge of American foreign policy, Israel would very quickly be coerced into renouncing its colonial project, which has produced no end of headaches for the US...
We can help unbox the Zionists by stopping funding for Isreal. They are a first world country. Their average life expectancy is about 5 yrs longer than the US (and climbing) while the US life expectancy continues to recede. They have chosen not to negotiate with the Palestinians and continue their expansion by settling more and more territory. Our (USA) entire Middle East policy revolves around Israel. Right off the bat we have taken a rook, a castle, a knight and a few pawns off the table in making Isreal happy first. Further Israel has done a masterful job of buying off our politicians or blackmailing them to keep them doing Israel’s bidding.
Joseph Schumpeter: “Politicians are like bad horsemen who are so preoccupied with staying in the saddle that they can’t bother about where they’re going.”
Anyone advocating genocidal murder is too stupid for any words.
John Kenneth Galbraith: “The modern Conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.”
Albert Einstein: "The most important aspect of our policy must be our ever-present, manifest desire to institute complete equality for the Arab citizens living in our midst … The attitude we adopt toward the Arab minority will provide the real test of our moral standards as a people. … What saddens me is less the fact that the Jews are not smart enough to understand this, but rather, that they are just not smart enough to want it.”
"Boxed in" is just another phrase for "captured by ignorant religious bigotry".
Moshe Dayan: “What cause have we to complain abut their fierce hatred of us? For eight years now, they sit in their refugee camps in Gaza, and before their eyes we turn into our homestead the land and villages in which their forefathers have lived.”
Thomas Mann (1875 - 1955): "War is a cowardly escape from the problems of peace."
Senior G7 diplomat (Newsweek, Oct 2023): “We have definitely lost the battle in the Global South. All the work we have done with the Global South [over Ukraine] has been lost . . . Forget about rules, forget about world order. They won’t ever listen to us again.”
Sorry this is not exactly a reply, but my old mac won't simply let me post. I enjoyed the analysis. I would add another narrative. After watching the 12 part documentary, `Europa´, I realized that both sides of the 2nd WW were financed by people intent on destroying previous cultural norms and mores in order to restructure the world for industrialization, cybernetics, and eugenics. They used different experiments; in the west, capitalism, and in Russia, bolshevism. Both had similar developmental trajectories in terms of scientific development and applied technologies. We should note that these wars seem rather choreographed, and that the angloamerican zionist project seems rather set up to fail, and trigger WW3. Alfred Pike wrote in the mid 1800´s about the 3rd WW starting in the middle east and Taiwan. As a high level mason, he somehow knew. Ukraine could be seen as a depopulation war, with how little sense it makes to run the meat grinder, feeding men into useless battles. If there was a purpose, it was not in the national interest, it was to get rid of NATOs obsolete weapons, create orders for new ones, and to test out the new generation of weaponry, with surveillance, drones, etc. Russia has already moved to a war production economy, and is constantly tweaking its weapon systems due to conditions in the field. The objective or at least one, seems to be to break down what is left of traditional societies, who value human life, privacy, honor, and natural relationships, to one which will accept total intrusion into the private lives of people, and accept AI as a substitute for the idea of God. The medical surveillance state, the bionano colonization of minds and bodies is developing apace. Thousands of corporations in the US, and most of the political class is in on the developments in bio tech which seem to me to be massive Mengele type experiments on humans and the natural world. This grew out of the cybernetics and eugenics craze of previous generations. There is nothing wrong with trying to understand biology and genetics at a deep level, but these scientists want to control and manipulate what they do not and probably cannot fully understand. So there is this very dangerous narrative afoot, which is nearly covered over by the divide and conquer made to order conflicts between nation states. The proposed new financial system, designed by the idiots who crashed the economy over ridiculous investment schemes in 2008, wants to commodify nature, and human development, surveil and track everything, and use these social impact investments as a gambling casino. Nothing to do with production in the real world. Many well meaning people have been drawn into the schemes. These systems have been put in place for vulnerable populations worldwide. They all depend on Web3, AI, and the destruction of nation states as a locus of power. I am surprised that more commentators do not have their eye on this particular aspect of world events. Ukraine has been a test bed for the universal ID, Diia, where one is tracked at all times, does all business through their cell, and can photograph and target `enemies of the state´ for assassination. Note also that all of that good farmland is being taken over by GMO companies, and all national assets are being sold for cheap to these international consortiums. As an aside, I would note that according to scientists who predict a pole shift, after a mini nova of the sun, place Ukraine at a similar latitude to its current location. Whereas polar regions go tropical for the next 12,000 year cycle, Ukraine will probably be able to maintain agriculture.
alison mcdowell on youtube, or argusfest on youtube Oh yeah, sorry about the run on sentence, I was in a hurry. I used to be pretty ruthless with the red pen when I tutored at UC, but I'm retired and getting sloppy!
When the Nazis realized defeat was imminent they greatly accelerated their murder of Jews, i.e. their hatred of their innocent victims did not abate even when their original and twisted rationale for it—the dream of a Thousand-year Reich—had been abandoned. On the contrary, the Nazis became ever more determined to exterminate as many Jews as possible in the time they had left.
If as you say, the Samson option is “overdue,” that would imply that Israel knows its end is near, and in that case it is acting on the same impulse that led the Nazis to take as many Jews down with them as possible. But I do not think that is the case. I do not think Israel has yet accepted that the Zionist project is doomed to fail. I think the key Israeli decision makers really believe their nation is the fulfillment of Biblical prophesy, and that G-d is on their side, and that failure is impossible. To embrace the Samson option is to accept that that premise was wrong all along, that they are not only not the fulfillment of Biblical prophesy but monsters—because Biblical prophesy was the only possible justification for their behavior. And worse still, losers. Just like Hitler in the bunker. I do not think they are yet at that stage.
And the Zionists have used their holocaust to great advantage. This conversation would be counted as racist and anti-Semitic. Interesting that we don’t daily hear about the Russian holocaust where Stalin starved millions. Ditto Mao. Ditto Pol Pot.Ditto the Armenians. It is non stop Jewish Holocaust.
I truly doubt the nuclear weapons of the Samson option work. The open secret in the US is that there's hardly anyone who knows how to maintain them anymore and they are being quietly decommissioned under the guise of 'benevolent disarmament'. Where would Isreal have gotten any such personnel to keep theirs going?
Exactly. Islam came about somethiung like 2,500 years after Judaism. Yet today there are over 50 Muslim countries all of which - despite once being predominantly populated by Chaldean, Coptic, Assyrian, Armenian, Assyrian, Buddhists, Hindus, Animists, you name it - are now ehtnically cleansed of these indiginous people. And yet this article, in no uncertain terms, ignores this reality while focusing on Israel as a colonialist state.
Another way to think about the absurdity of this article is to realize that despite Judaism's 2,500 year headstart over Islam there are currently 15 million Jews in the world and something like 1.9 billion Muslims. Yet Israel is accused of ethnic cleansing and aggression. Little wonder the author is such a mediocre bridge player.
I hope you enjoy the fact that tens of thousands of Palestinian women and children have died from munitions “proudly made in the USA” in support of our Israel.
You've completely missed the point of the article. Geopolitical imperatives exist, whether or not you find them morally acceptable.
The article is a neutral description of the geostrategic motivations of the principal actors in the conflicts, and explains why they could hardly be otherwise, given their respective roles. The US seeks to maintain imperial dominance, other great powers chafe at its intrusions into their spheres of influence, and "eschatological garrison states" like Israel (and I would argue Ukraine) become flashpoints for wider conflicts. This is a tale told and retold throughout history.
The fact that you don't like this reality and seek to jam it into your pre-existing moral framework of Islam vs Judaism is neither here not there. There is no referee in this life to whom you can plead your case. The conflict will work itself out according to the logic of the actors.
You do not seem to understand the term "ethnic cleansing". Converting to another religion is not the same as being ethnically cleansed. Being assimilated into a dominant or conquering population is also not being ethnically cleansed. Ethnic cleansing means either killing or driving out (or possibly enslaving) an entire, or most of, a population of people who are of a different ethnic or racial group than the 'cleansers'
Many of the populations that you mention - Chaldeans, Coptic Christians, Assyrians, Hindus, Buddhists, etc. chose to convert to Islam, as probably did a number of the people, including Jews, in Palestine who were not driven out by the Romans. Their genetic heritage is still present in today's populations. No doubt some of the conquering Islamic peoples forcibly imposed their religion on their subjects, as did Christian conquerors in their day, but usually that did not mean the wholesale slaughter or exile of populations. Often, once a ruler-king-governor converted to a new religion, all his subjects were expected to also convert, and did so.
Did it occur to you that possibly the reason there are so many Muslims in the world - of a great many races and ethnicities - is because Islam actually appeals to many people, and has had little difficulty gaining converts? I do not know much about Islam, but historically, Muslim ruled countries have been much more tolerant of differing cultures and beliefs than Christian or Hindu ones, and have tended to be well governed and socially responsible for the poor and ill. The main advantage the Christian conquerors seem to have had historically has been technically superior weapons, and extremely aggressive warriors!
As I understand it (I may be wrong), followers of Judaism are not proselytisers, and do not seek converts, but rather try to restrict marriage and procreation with outsiders. This would tend to keep a religious faith from expanding very much, and certainly not as much a faith that actively seeks converts. So it makes sense that there are far more Muslims than Jews. How do Christians stack up in your numbers? Are they also vastly outnumbered by Muslims?
"Israel, the ethno-religious settler colonial project has boxed itself in as it is unable to compromise with its neighbors."
Israel compromised with Egypt in exchanging the entire Sinai Pennisula in exchange for peace. Israel has compromised many times with Hamas. One example being exchanging 1,000 prisoners for one Israeli prisoner, Gilad Shalit. There have been dozens of examples of Israel bending over backwards in attempts to compromise with today's Nazis, all of which you ignore.
It's probably best you spend time learning about what you pretend to know as opposed to writing about things you know superficially.
What you say is not news to anyone paying a modicum of attention. Israel makes strategic and tactical "concessions" on issues where it has no other choice. Case in point: Returning the illegally occupied Sinai to Egypt because ongoing confrontation with Egypt would prevent it from using it's military on other fronts: Then President of Egypt, Sadat, unilaterally agreed to peace in return for the Sinai Peninsula, which freed the Israeli military to attack on other fronts, e.g., Syria and Lebanon. Long story short: How anyone at this point can defend Israel is beyond the scope of most that know some facts about this genocidal, settler-colonial entity. I would submit that globally your views comprise a small minority, mostly confined to the descending West. What, in your opinion, is Israel's plan for the 2 million human beings currently confined to the Gaza concentration camp? A final solution, as discussed in the Wannsee Conference in 1942 by folks that were not so different from the current Israeli leadership and most of its citizens?
It is said that more then 50 million Hindus and Buddhists have been killed in the never ending Muslim jihad of southern Asia. But, yeah, in Johann's world this apparently is no biggie. Muslims have pretty much wiped out the native CHaldenas, Coptics, Assyrians, Kurds, Armenians and all the Jews (except those living in Israel) from the Middle East. But our resident idiot, Johann, apparently takes no note of this. How convenient of him. No doubt he would have supported Hitler.
Johann, I do not have the time to look this up but I would guess thousandss of Nigerian Christians have been killed by Muslims. Muslims are moving south in Africa (they already have purged northern Africa of pretty much all non-Muslims) and now control something like 50% of Nigeria. Do you give two sh*ts about this or is all your angst aimed at Israel? No need to answer. I already know why.
Bob, It's true greater humanitarian tragedies have been occurring for some time - and thus a case can be made regarding American/Western hypocrisy. But the entire point isn't about morality, it's about American empire and America's effort to maintain it. Israel and Ukraine matter in this regard - thus the heavy American involvement. Nigeria, the Congo not so much at this point in time. Also, ad hominin attacks degrade the discussion and your argument.
You aren't too bright, Bob, & don't know much (if any) history. I'm a typical North "American", ethnically mixed (Irish, German, French & Spanish.) Because I was dark-skinned (hair & eyes also) like mom's Spanish-Sardinian side, I lived in Latin America when younger (it was cheaper and friendlier than the Anglo-Saxon countries) & learned my own history. The Spanish, Portuguese, etc. lived under Islamic civilization for 8 centuries (incl. my ancestors) from roughly 700 to 1492, & did okay. 1,000 years ago, of the 10 largest cities in the world, 9 were in Asia, & only Cadiz in al-Andalus, Spain, was European. Yes they were taxed a bit higher, but faced little or none of the hateful racism that MAGA CHUDs like you display for anyone slightly different. The other "people of the Book" (Jews & Christians) had very near social equality. Islamic civilization across Asia, N. Africa & Southern Europe spread the wisdom of the Ancient Greeks & Romans (among others), science, especially math & astronomy, engineering etc. They inspired the Renaissance that allowed "white" colonialists to violently invade & exploit 90% of the rest of the world for the next 5 centuries. (This is now coming to an end, sadly for fascists like you, not so sad for 90% of humanity.) Europeans are the cultural children of the wiser, older Asian world. Interesting that you hate Muslim Semites but presumably not "Jewish" ones!! In any case, if you want to see real evil, just look in a mirror. As with many who lead our cruel and violent society, "Every accusation is a confession." The days that "people" like you have power or imagine they do thru identification with clowns like Biden & Trump are winding down. The little dog barks, & the caravan moves on (as an old Arabic proverb states.)
That's not entirely fair, though if you want to go into that overly general route, jewish communism has murdered over 100 million people in a fraction of the time. That's only the communism, not the other venues of influence that overly generalized group likes to use! If I were to add deaths from medical malpractice and serums from jewish groups, suicides from jewish media, all part of the jewish 'Tikun Olam' jihad against gentiles it would go up by multiples.
But apparently hundreds of millions is 'no biggie' in Bob's world?
But crucially, the U.N. Charter does not make all war illegal. Indeed, it expressly reaffirms the legality of a defensive war. Since defensive war is not illegal, it follows that the defender's territorial gains from such a war would not be illegal.
There is no legal right to defend yourself when you illegally occupy someone else's territory. That's why the US has no legal response to any attacks on its (illegal) forts in Syria, for example. In Israel's case the only LEGAL area it can occupy is set out in the UN resolution 181 that set up a TWO state solution. This was followed by UN Resolution 242 in November 1967. The fact that there is no second state is solely down to the US playing wing-man for Israel and denying any authority for the 4 nations instructed under UN mandate to set it up.
Nonsense. Israel was repeatedly tried to compromise, only to be met with new attacks. Turns out its the Muslims who seem to only understand the language of violence and interpret compromise as weakness.
A good perspective, but I have one problem, regarding Israel. There has never been--at least since the 1930s. a decade before the Israeli War for Independence and the Nakbah--any credible Palestinian Arab faction that would accept a peaceful solution with large numbers of Jews remaining in the Mandate Palestine. One can certainly argue that the Israeli response to this fact has been strategically unsound, but the option of a peaceful side-by-side coexistence in Palestine has never been possible because the Arabs would never accept it, having twice rejected partition and initiating a war of extermination in 1948. There may have been a chance after the Yom Kippur War when Sadat made peace, but the Iranian Revolution and the Muslim Brotherhood's assassination of Sadat killed that chance in the cradle.
The broad dispersion of Israeli Jewish settlers in the West Bank is probably a good example of this article's thesis, both in that it derives from those modes of thought, and is strategically insane. However, I note that in 2005 Israel did bite the bullet to forcibly remove its settlers from Gaza, under American pressure to be sure, but it did show that even from the Israeli side, settlements need not be forever.
The Abraham Accords were an effort to get to a settlement, by having the Arab states impose one on the Palestinians. Could it have worked? Maybe, maybe not... but, certainly not after Biden was elected and continued the Obama Administration's' feckless currying of Iran, hence building Iran into a more formidable enemy of any peace that included a Jewish presence. And exacerbating Israeli sense of siege.
Arabs and Christians and Jews lived peaceably side by side in historic Palestine. It is a propaganda talking point to say Arabs hate Jews. Hatred arises when someone moves into your neighborhood, and starts stealing land, homes, and murdering their neighbors children.
Muslims and Christians and Jews still live peacefully together - in Iran. Which shows us that it is not religion dividing people but poltical fanaticism. Way too often people mix ethnicity, religion nd politics. Big Serge is speaking of Israel, the (zionist) settler sate, not Judaism as religion.
Good comment, and an important distinction. Not many people know that there is a seat reserved for a Christian and a Jew in Iran's parliament. I don't agree with much of Iran's worldview, but it is clear that they are not anti-Jewish, they are anti-Zionist.
I once heard the Israeli ambassador correct his wife exactly for this difference - the Iranian are anti-zionist, not anti-jewish.
Funny, isn't it? The only country in the middle east where Jews can live their religion in a secure way is Iran ... they even have their own hospitals.
I’m sorry but this statement is categorically false. Not all Arabs hate Jews but I lived with them long enough to know that a sizeable percentage of them do. It is very deep and very troubling hatred I’ve never encountered anywhere else.
I didn't say Arabs hate Jews, I said there is no political entity that wants to make peace... a much different thing, as organizations like the PLO/PLA and Hamas, and going all the way back to Husseini in 1920s and 1930s, have marginalized and at times killed any prominent people who wanted to reach an accommodation. The original Zionist project was to buy land from willing sellers, until some Arab leaders organized programs to forbid such sales to Jews, backed by violence. And nobody ca. 1900 envisioned the end of the Ottoman Empire, let alone Naziism, being injected into the Middle East, and the Holocaust's effect on the Jews of Europe. Or how the Brits totally screwed up their League of Nations Mandate, turning a difficult situation into an impossible one.
You argue against yourself, you say Arabs DO hate Jews, but with reason. Well, everyone has reasons, almost nobody thinks they, personally, are in the wrong. But, somehow, people have to get along.
Which is NOT to excuse the current Israeli regime that has shown little or no interest in an accommodation. And certainly not to whitewash the current Israeli settlement policy in the West Bank.
Personally, I do not see how this moves forward under current circumstances unless either (a) something is imposed... and we saw on Oct. 7 what Hamas thinks of THAT, and their ability to stop it, or (b) somehow people could agree there have been abuses and atrocities on both sides and any solution requires that everyone put aside their grievances and foreswear vengeance, try work something out. That peace is worth more than vengeance, if you will.
But given that politicians on both sides have decided they derive their power from inflaming their masses rather than solving problems, I don't hold out much hope.
Did you know that Hamas was set up and funded by the Israeli government? Go look that up.
Personally, despite the UN resolutions I can't see either Jew or Muslim setting aside their differences and accepting a two state solution. I just can't see that happening, because Jews know that demographics are against them, and also for Muslims they have had 80 years of state-sponsored terrorism, theft, persecution, and imprisonment. Not a good combo on either side, frankly.
My understanding is not that Israel set up or created Hamas, but that over quite a few years Netanyahu's governments have funneled money and maybe other forms of support to Hamas, mostly working through Qatar, to strengthen Hamas as an alternative to the PA because the Israeli far-right does not want a 2-state solution any more than does Hamas. Whereas they suspect that there may be some elements in the PA, whose role in the West Bank derives from the almost forgotten Oslo Accords, that could at some future time, be interested in the 2-state solution.
All of which proves that the Israeli far right has been living in a fantasy world--to have ever thought that is a strategy that will produce a good long-run outcome for Israeli Jews is mind-bogglingly stupid. Strategy based on wishful thinking is not real strategy.
As for "setting aside their differences," I agree with you. I thought I made it clear that with 100 years of enmity and tit-for-tat grievances, I as very remote at best. But I also don't see how a resolution can happen based on arguing over all those grievances, and it is almost as hard to see how one can be imposed from outside, after Oct. 7.
The Arab leaders had good reason to forbid land sales to Jews. This was an area with large land holdings and rich landowners living far away in the cities. The land was worked by peasants who paid rent. These peasants had no problem paying their rent to a different owner when the land was sold. However, when Jews bought the land they drove off the peasants subsequently. There is no country where a responsible leadership would not have taken measures against such practices.
"I note that in 2005 Israel did bite the bullet to forcibly remove its settlers from Gaza"
The ashkeNAZI filth removed their settlers from Gaza for one reason only, to make it easier to bomb at will as they have done many times since. Their long term plan was to do what they are now doing, and the settler scum will come back.
Stop delegating Nazis by comparing them to Jews. The Jew does what they falsely accuse Nazis of doing. We would live in a leave it to beaver country if the Nazis had won. Instead this shithole USA because of the Jew.
As usual, a great analysis. I agree that the Combined West (includes US, UK, EU, NATO) faces the choice between strategic retreat or increased and costly strategic commitment, which may not pan out, in all 3 areas: Ukraine (against extremely powerful nuclear power Russia), Mid-east (against powerful Iran and Hezbollah) and Gaza, this time with Israel (against Hamas, Houthis, Hezbollah).
The three situations generally confirm to your thesis, but there are differences. Backing Israel and aiding and abetting what is clearly genocide (does not matter if that is in the interest of Israel), US and the West risk a long term strategic defeat as far as relations with the rest of the world (ROW), who are horrified. Only by restraining Israel and supporting two-state solution can US hopefully regain its influence and hegemony over ROW. Making Israel's interests its own, US will suffer strategic defeat, not militarily but diplomatically. Doing what is right may actually aid US regain some of the loss in the strategic arena. If ROW decides that US morality is conditional, then it loses all respect needed to exert soft power over ROW.
In Middle-East, avoiding a war with Iran may be regarded as a strategic mini-defeat, but the alternative is a bloody war US cannot win in the long run.
In Ukraine again, short of starting WWIII with a nuclear nation with a capability to destroy the Combined West (because of NATO) is the ultimate strategic defeat imaginable - utter destruction of one's own homeland! A retreat at this point would be humiliating but ... the best choice for US.
very good but Israel had a choice after '67. It could have withdrew to its pre-67 borders and become a normal country except for being an apartheid state. Bided it time and eventually it would have been accepted like it almost was before Oct 7 - the Abraham Accords. Instead it has this dream of Greater Eretz - from the river to the sea and beyond. Since '48 facts 'on the ground" and continual expansion of its borders- exposition of the Palestinians as animal - subhuman. It has ignored world law, committed what would be war crimes and assassinations all over the world and gotten away with it because of "my parents died in the hoaxacaust" - not that many Jews didn't die before their time because of Nazi antisemitism (but millions more of Poles and Russians died because of Nazi chosen people ideology) but gas chambers disguised as shower chambers didn't happen. Now we have Israeli chosen people ideology acting just as bad. Comparisons of Israeli mass murder in Gaza in reaction to living in a concentration camp to the Nazis reacting to armed insurrection in the Warsaw ghetto come to mind.
My fears are that Israel will try to draw the US into a middle East conflagration when it all out attacks Hexbollah. If the US declines (as it should) and Israel loses it will use nukes. What will the world do then?
"Israel had a choice after '67. It could have withdrew to its pre-67 borders and become a normal country "
Which it offered in the 1967 Allon Plan, rejected by the Arabs at their Khartoum summit where they pledged no negotiation with Israel.
The offer to withdraw from 98% of the West Bank was repeated in 2000 during the Camp David summit and again in 2008. Both were rejected without even a counteroffer.
passia.org " by 28 June, the Knesset had amended its laws and placed the entire city and expanded municipal area under Israeli sovereignty, later annexing the 70-km2'...Allon Plan provided the initial boundaries and priorities for this settlement drive. Allon, with his assistant Dani Agmon, planned a broad corridor of paramilitary and civilian sites along the Jordan Valley, to run down the western shore of the Dead Sea in an even broader belt, reaching west to Hebron. This created a settled strip from the Israeli town of Arad (in the northeastern Negev), north to Beit Shean (Beisan) in Israel’s southern Galilee. The corridor between Israel’s coastal plain and unilaterally annexed Jerusalem was broadened extensively, creating a wide settlement zone between Ramallah and Bethlehem. Allon tentatively planned for Gaza’s refugees – ca. 75% of the Gaza population - to be transferred to the two militarily administered cantons created on the West Bank, followed by the annexation and settlement of the Gaza Strip
I can't imagine why the Palestinians didn't want to accept the Allon Plan.
In 2005 Sharon withdrew the Israeli settlers from Gaza which since then allowed Israel to bomb indiscriminaltely GAZA whenever Hamas ineffectually launched homemade rockets at Israel. When after the Oslo accords Rabin made intentions of Israel going along with the creation of an independent Palestinian state he was assassinated. As opposed to Hamas which (although its formation was helped by Israel as a thorn for Arafat's PLO) it does actively resist Israel's making Gaza into an open air prison or concentration camp. As opposed to the Palestine authority in the West Bank which is seen as under the control of Israel. THe PA is unable to stop settlers form destroying West Bank Palestinian olive orchards or even killing some of its inhabitants among other crimes.
"Hamas ineffectually launched homemade rockets at Israel"
The reason Mexican cartels don't launch ineffectual homemade rockets across the US border is because they know what the response from the USMC would be like.
Since Oct 7, about 10 Palestinians have been killed by settlers, and a larger number of Israeli citizens.
A simple Google maps view of Gaza will show you the equestrian clubs, beach resorts and expensive villas in Rimal of this "concentration camp". You won't find those at Auschwitz.
Actually, "...The reason Mexican cartels don't launch ineffectual homemade rockets across the US border ..." is that they do not need to!
They happily control their territory and make a fortune selling drugs (and access to the US).
But if the US tried to control of northern Mexico and it population the way Israel controls the West Bank (and Gaza) you would see a very, very different story.
You may even find that a significant proportion of the USMC may not be on the side you expect (hope?) them to be!
The original Allon plan rejected at Khartoum kept only a small section in the former Jewish Quarter of East Jerusalem and a link to Hebrew University at Mount Scopus.
After Oct 7 the Palestinians don't have to accept anything as they will be offered nothing.
The Arabs within Israel territories had no say. It was Egypt, Jordan, Syria deciding this. SO don't put it on the Palestiniens what was done by others.
Palestinian Arabs took active part in the war from the very beginning, led by their political leader Hah Amin al-Husseini, freshly returned from his Berlin exile after the defeat of Nazi Germany. His nephew, Abd-el-Kader Husseini was their military leader.
After the Arab irregulars were defeated, the border Arab states invaded.
The al-Husseini clan dominated Arabs in Palestine since the 1929 Arab Revolt until the last al-Husseini leader, Yasser Arafat.
Be that as it may, for all intents and purposes the settler jews were an invading force set to take their lands and as such the arabs had any right to opose and reect the stealing of their land. if anything, given the holocaust, it should have been incumbent on Germany to give a piece of land from its own territory to create a home for jews.
67 borders indefensible...Israel land is indefensible as of now...drones, new generation of missiles...I think Israel will have to acquire new lands around itself...
Not sure where those are as IDF losses since the ground offensive on Oct 27 total 232 dead yet the IDF has already occupied Gaza City and Khan Younis, the two main cities in Gaza. Only Rafah is left and Israel has already mounted a successful commando raid in the center of Rafah that freed two hostages.
The IDF entered a territory ruled for 15 years by Hamas, with over 400 km of tunnels and underground bunkers, yet suffered a fraction of the casualties Russian or Ukrainian forces suffered over much smaller populated areas that lacked the level of fortifications in Gaza.
Israel's most likely option is prevent Hamas from controlling a sovereign territory again while Iranian actions force the Gulf monarchies to move closer to Israel.
You must be dreaming! Israeli hostages are toast, killed by their own people. Brigades deployed have to be withdrawn for loss of combat power and morale problems. As percentage of the population, even the acknowledged losses are nothing to sneeze at. Hamas is still intact. The whole world (except you and the Combined West) is horrified at the genocide being committed. It is not like back in 1940's, when Israel could kill and evict a huge number of Palestinians, without the world knowing what is happening in real time. Israel has been shown to have learned very well from the Nazis and that is not something to crow about.
Likely far more than the official 232 dead. Plus many severely wounded. Also, Jewish population of Israel is 7 million. And as a percentage of IDF troops casualties are high. Also Jewish IDF deaths are a HUGE DEAL to Israelis. Bottom line, Israel is no longer feared and Hamas has radically reset the table.
Unlikely more as Israel, unlike every Arab country as well as Russia and Iran, has a vibrant free investigative press.
Also, some Arab Israelis, including the Druze and Bedouin communities, serve in the IDF. Two Israeli Arabs have reached the rank of Major General, including the current head of COGAT.
The current commander of the IDF Armored Corps is also an Israeli Arab, but he's only a Brigadier General:
Free press in israel? Pull the other one, buddy. This is the same ethno-religious group that took over all the major media platforms in the US to push nonsense.
Yup, free press in Israel as you can easily see by reading a selection of Israeli newspapers and their attacks on the government. Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post and Haaretz are the major ones, all different views.
Took over all the major media US? Then why are New York Times and WP so anti-Israel?
Read what you post before ity goes out to be sure it makes some sense, Silly Billy
US had an arms embargo against Israel until 1968. The Israeli tanks that conquered the Golan Heights in 1967 were WW2 Shermans, as easily seen in news reports.
And for a more scientific analysis of US support for Israel, let's try statistics
If you can't do the basic math that a country of only 8 million people, surrounded by enemies whose population doubles every 20 years is finished, then there's no hope.
Israel's birth rate is dropping like a stone, only the conservative families still have kids and those do not fight wars.
The only clowns are people like you who think the past is a good prediction of the future.
Israel is finished. Just like Ukraine is finished. It is just a question of time. That's a fact.
You confuse you desire for Israel to thrive with reality.
Every day, Israel makes thousands of mortal enemies. Think anyone in Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Algeria, Morocco, Pakistan or Turkey will ever forgive the indiscriminate bombing of innocent children in Gaza? Keep on dreaming.
Less than 8m jewish Israelis against a billion Muslims. Yeah, that's gonna work out well.
"Less than 8m jewish Israelis against a billion Muslims. Yeah, that's gonna work out well"
It wouldn't, if wars were still fought with swords and spears.
But in the 21st century, Israel (along with NATO) fight only high-technology wars using machine vision, autonomy, networked sensors, laser defenses. In scientific and engineering capabilities, Israel far outmatches its potential adversaries.
The next generation of autonomous fighting vehicles from Israel Aerospace and other Israeli defense firms will allow every IDF soldier to command a brigade of robotic combat vehicles.
My two cents. The historical comparisons are fine, but this is the 21st century not the 4th. Israel has brought the grief upon itself. Having been forced into the region by the UN against the will of the regional population Israel had the opportunity to co-exist, and if they had done that would not be in the situation, they find themselves today. Instead, they chose apartied and conquest. without American power and hegemonic influence, they would not have an overwhelming force and would reap what they have sowed (live by the sword, die by the sword"). America, like Rome, is in the process of self-destruction. Our education system has been in decline for the past 40 years. We have gone from first in education to not even in the top 25. Once the "shining light on the hill" our previous policies of logic, common sense, and compassion has been replaced by greed and a power lust of a ruling class that no longer represents the general population. This trend is irreversible, and I am sad to say I'm alive to witness it. As panic sets in the self-destruction will accelerate. American leadership has no strategy. They are corrupt and reactionary and cannot think beyond their own self well being. I wish I had a more positive outlook, but I do not. Israel will fall along with the demise of the Western world and America, and we have only ourselves to blame.
I agree with some of what you say, but there never was a golden age in the USA. It was founded on slavery and the genocide of native Americans and has followed that course ever since. Its genius is to talk about freedom and for people somehow to believe it, but if you’re the underdog in the USA you are the victim of persecution without possibility of redress. By the way I went to school in Boston 60 years ago and it was shit then so the 40 years fantasy doesnt hold up there either.
"Having been forced into the region by the UN against the will of the regional population Israel had the opportunity to co-exist, and if they had done that would not be in the situation, they find themselves today."
What do you mean by this? Where is the co-existence offered by Palestinian Arabs to Israelis/Jews? I'm genuinely curious.
Just as Zbig brought to me the concept of geopolitically active States and geopolitical pivots States (https://polsci.substack.com/p/the-great-chess-board) This post brings forward the concept of tripwire.
Your text really helped me understand why there was so much US media amplification of the 3 US deployed servicemen killed, while 20000 gazans killed or an american blogger killed in Ukraine prison is deamplified. The tripwire look like the right explanatory model for US behavior.
The Jews have always been in America. They're as American as WASPs. The Puritans were Judaizers. The Touro Synagogue was established in 1763 in Newport, Rhode Island. In 1790, Washington expressed his support for religious tolerance where in a letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, he stated, "May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid."[58] If the French or Spanish had expelled the British Empire from North America, it may have been a different story.
George Washington is still looked upon as a greedy merciless “Village Destroyer” by Native Americans. Just ask Cayuga Nation people who suffered in The Sullivan Campaign to exterminate and displace them that benefited the land surveyor himself.
I’ll blog an article on Emmanuel Todd’s After Empire. I think that book holds many of the keys of US relapse into a logic of exclusion. The Jews are integrated but at the same time neurotic about becoming victims. The support to Israel’s policy of exclusion reflects that. It is completely irrational. To say that you’ll kill a few million of Palestinians because the 2 billions of Muslims have to be your enemy… and the Russians, … and the Chinese….
Well, the mainstream media does not have any other explanation for the US behaving against all the principles it claims to stand for in this matter. Aiding and abetting genocide is a serious prostitution for Washington.
Yes, the Holocaust is (mostly) fake. Read the revisionist material available on the web.
Auschwitz was an industrial plant w valuable slave labor the Nazis needed for war production. Zyklon gas was used to kill lice and control typhus outbreaks. Zyklon was also used by the US Army for lice control. There were no death showers. The slave labor, especially from Eastern Europe, was stripped naked on arrival, deloused, tattooed and put to work.
Many died at the camps, from overwork, disease, poor nutrition but not from mass murder. There were sports and music at some camps. They were still slave labor camps, but most of the mass death was at the end when Germany was losing and there was chaos and no food.
The Nuremberg trials were a travesty. Postwar, many Germans were starved to death by Soviets and Allies. There was no Holocaust myth till it was invented in the 50s and industrialized by Zionist controlled media, which is why memoirs of Eisenhower and Churchill don’t mention it.
This is just a gloss on a deep vein of evidence anyone can access in books censored in the 50s and 60s now online. Go ahead, surf. It will take time and effort, but your Zio-hypnotic trance will shatter then evaporate.
Free from the massive lies, you will understand the full horror of Zionism and see how dangerous it is to your Jewish friends and family.
Your comments (I’ve read several) are consistently toxic, ad hominem and low quality. No content, just rage spittle. I’m not writing for you. Rather, to pique the interest of those open minds who may follow the breadcrumbs provided. Have a nice day.
I completely understand your thoughts and appreciate your writing.
As an American middle class citizen I’m all for withdrawal from empire. We’re exhausting ourselves for an empire for the benefit of the the elite. Adoption of a position for the benefit of the the American middle class and united national identity is my dream. MAGA in short.
Israel is in existential crisis. Their military hegemony is greatly diminished and the demographics are quickly overwhelming them. I fully believe the Hamas attack was a green flag to justify a final solution in the Israelis favor. Soon demographics , military parity , and the collapse of the the American empire will leave Israel completely unsustainable. There can be no peace between Palestinians and Israel. Either victory by Israel that expels the Palestinians from the Gaza strip and West Bank or accept the eventual destruction of Israel. If Israel accepts anything short of total victory they’re finished as a viable country long term. Personally I believe Israel is a dead man walking. A society too soft and divided to muster the will to do what is necessary for survival. The Palestinians and Arab states desperate to keep radicalized Palestinians out of their society will prevail.
This is the irony- displacing Palestinians to Egypt or Jordan risks the radicalization of those sovereign states; states that would be formidable adversaries of Israel if they ever swing towards an Islamist stance. The near turn-over of Egypt to the Muslim Brotherhood and the ascent to power of Al-Sisi was a borrow thing accomplished with a lot of blood in the streets. Displacing Palestinians may be a long term vulnerability…
A very valid analysis, if one accepts the presumptions inherent within it.
For the Israel/Palestine conflict, one must accept the Israeli-US narrative that October 7th was a Hamas attack that took the entire Israeli military and intelligence infrastructure by complete surprise.
Please, give me a break.
The information that has emerged since, warnings from Egypt to Israel well beforehand of a potential Hamas threat, that the IDF attacking it's own people, the profiteering, the shutdown of the surveillance system along the Israel/Gaza border, never mind Netanyahu's historic links to Hamas, should make any journalist or analyst question such a narrative.
And for the conflict in Ukraine, it defies logic to think, even at the commencement of that conflict, that anyone with a functioning brain could look at the resources available to each side and conclude that Ukraine had even a vestige of possibility of victory, is laughable.
Much is being made of the accusations of genocide being laid against Israel in the ICJ, let them take their course.
But a much more obvious genocide and ethnic cleansing is happening in Ukraine.
The population of the country has fallen by over 50% since the start of the conflict.
Ironically most if the displaced Ukrainian population have actually gone to Russia.
Many others have been trafficked throughout Europe, over half a million have died on the battlefields and many multiples of that have received injuries that will make them invalids for the rest of their lives.
But that genocide is unlikely to get much coverage or airtime in this corner of the world.
Too many people of privilege would have to answer awkward questions.
"Ultimately, I have always believed that there is no durable solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict short of military victory for one side or the other".
Although many clever and well-informed people have been taking an incredibly long time to reach this conclusion, it is one I have believed to be correct for a very long time. Indeed, what it boils down to is that the whole Zionist project was doomed to failure right from its start in the 1880s.
Practically - politically and militarily - it is doomed to failure, after immense suffering and death. And morally, it was always one of the most ineradicable blots on the record of the human race. In its way, what the Zionists have done to the Palestinians and other nearby indigenous peoples is just as bad as what the Nazis did to the Jews. Perhaps worse in the sense that the Zionists are supposed to be very intelligent, educated, cultured people who began their genocidal project after the UN had been founded and the new dispensation of human rights and morality had begun.
"pardon me for rambling", he says, before producing one of the most clear-sighted assessments of the West's geostrategic position I've read in months
That is exactly my thoughts too!
The word "masterful" comes to mind.
Truly a perspicacious evaluation of the current situation. One missing piece is that by placing ourselves in “zugswang” so many times, we have lost our credible threat advantage. Our opponents can now giggle at us and that has destabilized the world. We quit walking softly but carrying a big stick. We are now an old, arthritic bully that the young punks no longer fear.
Congratulations on correctly using a Chess anaology (unlike all the reports of a "stalemate" in Ukraine).
A number of decades ago when I was a keen young chess player I went through 20 or so of Paul Morphy's games, the 19th century Amercian attacking genius. For the first 5 or 6 I was entranced at how Morphy, on or around move 20, suddenly ripped apart the opponent with a series of gambits and outrageous advances of the kind that reminded me of Errol Flynn. Then I started to wonder why these opportunities were available to Morphy and not other masters of his day or later. So instead of rushing through the games to move 20 to be entertained I took a much closer interest at moves 10-19 and later 1-10. The patterns became clearer, and the more I looked the earlier I could observe how his advantage had been built. Observe, not imitate, sadly.
So we Chess players learn how great victories are won with great preparation, anticipation, logistics, control of routes (the ability to move about the board and control channels is crucial in chess), so that games are won and loss long before the apparent battle begins.
In Chess Zugzwang is an extreme of this. The little advantages have all been won and the opponent starts to collapse even before he is gently pushed.
Kiev, Tel Aviv, the stand against Iran are all facing Zugzwang as you explain so well.
Of course the situations have all been exacerbated by US aggression which (Rome and Dacia) has been increased because of its weakness. Israel in a world where US no longer leads (ie post 2015 or 2020) is fated for a short death.
But we should also try to identify all those Morphy like first 20 moves. Hypersonic missiles; enough MIC capacity to support all out conventional war in Europe as a pre-requisite for a full war with Ukraine in turn a pre-requisite for the SMO; preparation for sanctions and an alternative to SWIFT, the commitment to BRICS+ by both China and Russia and the winning over of others; many other steps.
The West has made plenty of mistakes, but the biggest was to play the first 10 moves without recognising who they were playing.
Stalemate as an analogy annoys me though, so I'm pleased you have avoided it. A Stalemate in Chess occurs very rarely in obscure puzzles and quite frequently when a very poor player annihilates an even worse player but carelessly and unforgiveably leaves him unable to move but not in actual check.
Ukraine is not in stalemate because while one side has pretty much annihilated the other, Zelensky (or Biden, who ever you nominate as King) is very much in check and undoubtedly will be mated very soon. (And the false concept of "stalemate" as both sides exhausted is simply a lie when applied to Ukraine.)
Superb commentary!
The Americans cannot 'commit' themselves to a so-called 'War with Iran.'
They have neither the sufficient ground forces to mount an attack, sufficient range on their jets & ships, adequate defences against Iranian ASBMs, SRBMs & IRBMs, nor the basing & access necessary to conduct such a 'War.' I cover this in my analysis here from a while back:
https://thefallofthewest.substack.com/p/irans-ascension-to-great-power-status?r=5jj6h&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
I say we give Lindsey Graham a F-16 and let him attack Iran on his own. After all, he's a USAF Colonel.
I've always thought dropping his buck-naked ass in the middle of Iran would take care of him. (Why waste a perfectly good fighter jet?)
Aunt Lindsey would probably like that but I think he prefers his hard-body men with lighter hair color and skin tone. Rumor has it that Lindsey likes to be "air tight"...
But I understand he was with JAG and I doubt those guys ever faced much military action.
Yes, I think that is the ONLY reason why Iran has not been attacked, yet, by the rogue U.S. regime: Credible deterrence.
Iran is NOT Iraq, Libya, Syria, Yemen, Grenada, Vietnam, Somalia, Serbia, Afghanistan, Korea...Good for Iran!
US is diminished terribly since 2003.
The cold war standards of 1990 are far above 2003!
The USA has a cancer. Traitors in our society destroying every aspect of culture. Guess which tribe.
as Ukraine war has shown, a contested Air Space via many AD/AA systems nullifies the only real Advantage current western force disposition has, its Air Power. The US/NATO would need massive ground forces to even attempt at waging war against Iran.
And how ironic - everything has been depleted. I believe a brilliant and deliberate chess move by Putin now enabling success in the Middle East. Russia China and Iran - NATO/US and Europe doesn't stand a chance. Oct 7th was premeditated.
Shorter version: Israel, the ethno-religious settler colonial project has boxed itself in as it is unable to compromise with its neighbors. Israel understands only the language of violence or threat thereof. The U.S., the exceptional country, the shining beacon on the hill, has boxed itself in as it is unable to compromise with other geopolitical powers. The U.S. understands only the language of violence or threat thereof.
When boxed in, there is no good move, except to attack or surrender. Way fewer words with the same conclusion.
The question of how we might "unbox" ourselves and the Israelis is the real problem at hand. If we had clear-eyed realists in charge of American foreign policy, Israel would very quickly be coerced into renouncing its colonial project, which has produced no end of headaches for the US...
We can help unbox the Zionists by stopping funding for Isreal. They are a first world country. Their average life expectancy is about 5 yrs longer than the US (and climbing) while the US life expectancy continues to recede. They have chosen not to negotiate with the Palestinians and continue their expansion by settling more and more territory. Our (USA) entire Middle East policy revolves around Israel. Right off the bat we have taken a rook, a castle, a knight and a few pawns off the table in making Isreal happy first. Further Israel has done a masterful job of buying off our politicians or blackmailing them to keep them doing Israel’s bidding.
The jew is in charge of the USA. So the USA only does what the Jew wants no matter the consequences for the goyim. The USA matters not.
or exercise Samson option, which is more likely...and greatly overdue...
Joseph Schumpeter: “Politicians are like bad horsemen who are so preoccupied with staying in the saddle that they can’t bother about where they’re going.”
Anyone advocating genocidal murder is too stupid for any words.
John Kenneth Galbraith: “The modern Conservative is engaged in one of man’s oldest exercises in moral philosophy; that is, the search for a superior moral justification for selfishness.”
Albert Einstein: "The most important aspect of our policy must be our ever-present, manifest desire to institute complete equality for the Arab citizens living in our midst … The attitude we adopt toward the Arab minority will provide the real test of our moral standards as a people. … What saddens me is less the fact that the Jews are not smart enough to understand this, but rather, that they are just not smart enough to want it.”
"Boxed in" is just another phrase for "captured by ignorant religious bigotry".
Moshe Dayan: “What cause have we to complain abut their fierce hatred of us? For eight years now, they sit in their refugee camps in Gaza, and before their eyes we turn into our homestead the land and villages in which their forefathers have lived.”
Thomas Mann (1875 - 1955): "War is a cowardly escape from the problems of peace."
Senior G7 diplomat (Newsweek, Oct 2023): “We have definitely lost the battle in the Global South. All the work we have done with the Global South [over Ukraine] has been lost . . . Forget about rules, forget about world order. They won’t ever listen to us again.”
The Jew is based on genocide according their own stupid book
Hear, hear!
Sorry this is not exactly a reply, but my old mac won't simply let me post. I enjoyed the analysis. I would add another narrative. After watching the 12 part documentary, `Europa´, I realized that both sides of the 2nd WW were financed by people intent on destroying previous cultural norms and mores in order to restructure the world for industrialization, cybernetics, and eugenics. They used different experiments; in the west, capitalism, and in Russia, bolshevism. Both had similar developmental trajectories in terms of scientific development and applied technologies. We should note that these wars seem rather choreographed, and that the angloamerican zionist project seems rather set up to fail, and trigger WW3. Alfred Pike wrote in the mid 1800´s about the 3rd WW starting in the middle east and Taiwan. As a high level mason, he somehow knew. Ukraine could be seen as a depopulation war, with how little sense it makes to run the meat grinder, feeding men into useless battles. If there was a purpose, it was not in the national interest, it was to get rid of NATOs obsolete weapons, create orders for new ones, and to test out the new generation of weaponry, with surveillance, drones, etc. Russia has already moved to a war production economy, and is constantly tweaking its weapon systems due to conditions in the field. The objective or at least one, seems to be to break down what is left of traditional societies, who value human life, privacy, honor, and natural relationships, to one which will accept total intrusion into the private lives of people, and accept AI as a substitute for the idea of God. The medical surveillance state, the bionano colonization of minds and bodies is developing apace. Thousands of corporations in the US, and most of the political class is in on the developments in bio tech which seem to me to be massive Mengele type experiments on humans and the natural world. This grew out of the cybernetics and eugenics craze of previous generations. There is nothing wrong with trying to understand biology and genetics at a deep level, but these scientists want to control and manipulate what they do not and probably cannot fully understand. So there is this very dangerous narrative afoot, which is nearly covered over by the divide and conquer made to order conflicts between nation states. The proposed new financial system, designed by the idiots who crashed the economy over ridiculous investment schemes in 2008, wants to commodify nature, and human development, surveil and track everything, and use these social impact investments as a gambling casino. Nothing to do with production in the real world. Many well meaning people have been drawn into the schemes. These systems have been put in place for vulnerable populations worldwide. They all depend on Web3, AI, and the destruction of nation states as a locus of power. I am surprised that more commentators do not have their eye on this particular aspect of world events. Ukraine has been a test bed for the universal ID, Diia, where one is tracked at all times, does all business through their cell, and can photograph and target `enemies of the state´ for assassination. Note also that all of that good farmland is being taken over by GMO companies, and all national assets are being sold for cheap to these international consortiums. As an aside, I would note that according to scientists who predict a pole shift, after a mini nova of the sun, place Ukraine at a similar latitude to its current location. Whereas polar regions go tropical for the next 12,000 year cycle, Ukraine will probably be able to maintain agriculture.
This was a good comment. However, please learn to use paragraphs. Truly, they're your friend, and ours!
Well said, Eleanore. And by golly, I agree.
All I can say is wow. I’m impressed ERGV.
You might be interested in Alison McDowell´s research group. Cheers!
Link to her material...?
alison mcdowell on youtube, or argusfest on youtube Oh yeah, sorry about the run on sentence, I was in a hurry. I used to be pretty ruthless with the red pen when I tutored at UC, but I'm retired and getting sloppy!
Got it! Thanks!
the whole infidel world "boxed itself in" due to islam aggression...
When the Nazis realized defeat was imminent they greatly accelerated their murder of Jews, i.e. their hatred of their innocent victims did not abate even when their original and twisted rationale for it—the dream of a Thousand-year Reich—had been abandoned. On the contrary, the Nazis became ever more determined to exterminate as many Jews as possible in the time they had left.
If as you say, the Samson option is “overdue,” that would imply that Israel knows its end is near, and in that case it is acting on the same impulse that led the Nazis to take as many Jews down with them as possible. But I do not think that is the case. I do not think Israel has yet accepted that the Zionist project is doomed to fail. I think the key Israeli decision makers really believe their nation is the fulfillment of Biblical prophesy, and that G-d is on their side, and that failure is impossible. To embrace the Samson option is to accept that that premise was wrong all along, that they are not only not the fulfillment of Biblical prophesy but monsters—because Biblical prophesy was the only possible justification for their behavior. And worse still, losers. Just like Hitler in the bunker. I do not think they are yet at that stage.
And the Zionists have used their holocaust to great advantage. This conversation would be counted as racist and anti-Semitic. Interesting that we don’t daily hear about the Russian holocaust where Stalin starved millions. Ditto Mao. Ditto Pol Pot.Ditto the Armenians. It is non stop Jewish Holocaust.
Yes their justification for genocide rests on their holohoax lie.
lol. Whatever Jew.
lol, whatever goyim
"Goyim" is a plural noun. The singular is "goy."
Goy esi dobrii molodetz
Zionism is alive & well...Samson option is valid...all responsible for aggression against Jews will be punished.
Jews are under no threat, only occupiers. ADF revealed as weak, efficient only at killing the unarmed, the elderly, women and children.
cretin
Typical jew genocidal tunnel rat.
pidarast
I truly doubt the nuclear weapons of the Samson option work. The open secret in the US is that there's hardly anyone who knows how to maintain them anymore and they are being quietly decommissioned under the guise of 'benevolent disarmament'. Where would Isreal have gotten any such personnel to keep theirs going?
could be...will see
Exactly. Islam came about somethiung like 2,500 years after Judaism. Yet today there are over 50 Muslim countries all of which - despite once being predominantly populated by Chaldean, Coptic, Assyrian, Armenian, Assyrian, Buddhists, Hindus, Animists, you name it - are now ehtnically cleansed of these indiginous people. And yet this article, in no uncertain terms, ignores this reality while focusing on Israel as a colonialist state.
Another way to think about the absurdity of this article is to realize that despite Judaism's 2,500 year headstart over Islam there are currently 15 million Jews in the world and something like 1.9 billion Muslims. Yet Israel is accused of ethnic cleansing and aggression. Little wonder the author is such a mediocre bridge player.
I hope you enjoy the fact that tens of thousands of Palestinian women and children have died from munitions “proudly made in the USA” in support of our Israel.
The Jew does. Watch the tic tic of chicken swingers celebrating while dynamiting homes.
You've completely missed the point of the article. Geopolitical imperatives exist, whether or not you find them morally acceptable.
The article is a neutral description of the geostrategic motivations of the principal actors in the conflicts, and explains why they could hardly be otherwise, given their respective roles. The US seeks to maintain imperial dominance, other great powers chafe at its intrusions into their spheres of influence, and "eschatological garrison states" like Israel (and I would argue Ukraine) become flashpoints for wider conflicts. This is a tale told and retold throughout history.
The fact that you don't like this reality and seek to jam it into your pre-existing moral framework of Islam vs Judaism is neither here not there. There is no referee in this life to whom you can plead your case. The conflict will work itself out according to the logic of the actors.
You do not seem to understand the term "ethnic cleansing". Converting to another religion is not the same as being ethnically cleansed. Being assimilated into a dominant or conquering population is also not being ethnically cleansed. Ethnic cleansing means either killing or driving out (or possibly enslaving) an entire, or most of, a population of people who are of a different ethnic or racial group than the 'cleansers'
Many of the populations that you mention - Chaldeans, Coptic Christians, Assyrians, Hindus, Buddhists, etc. chose to convert to Islam, as probably did a number of the people, including Jews, in Palestine who were not driven out by the Romans. Their genetic heritage is still present in today's populations. No doubt some of the conquering Islamic peoples forcibly imposed their religion on their subjects, as did Christian conquerors in their day, but usually that did not mean the wholesale slaughter or exile of populations. Often, once a ruler-king-governor converted to a new religion, all his subjects were expected to also convert, and did so.
Did it occur to you that possibly the reason there are so many Muslims in the world - of a great many races and ethnicities - is because Islam actually appeals to many people, and has had little difficulty gaining converts? I do not know much about Islam, but historically, Muslim ruled countries have been much more tolerant of differing cultures and beliefs than Christian or Hindu ones, and have tended to be well governed and socially responsible for the poor and ill. The main advantage the Christian conquerors seem to have had historically has been technically superior weapons, and extremely aggressive warriors!
As I understand it (I may be wrong), followers of Judaism are not proselytisers, and do not seek converts, but rather try to restrict marriage and procreation with outsiders. This would tend to keep a religious faith from expanding very much, and certainly not as much a faith that actively seeks converts. So it makes sense that there are far more Muslims than Jews. How do Christians stack up in your numbers? Are they also vastly outnumbered by Muslims?
Where are the white states? Why do the sin merchants get to steal land from others ?
You speak in mysterious way. I have no clue what you're saying.
Yes, but there is something to be said for eloquence and precision🙏
Shorter version:
You're babbling bull.
Yeah Sure Whatever.
"Israel, the ethno-religious settler colonial project has boxed itself in as it is unable to compromise with its neighbors."
Israel compromised with Egypt in exchanging the entire Sinai Pennisula in exchange for peace. Israel has compromised many times with Hamas. One example being exchanging 1,000 prisoners for one Israeli prisoner, Gilad Shalit. There have been dozens of examples of Israel bending over backwards in attempts to compromise with today's Nazis, all of which you ignore.
It's probably best you spend time learning about what you pretend to know as opposed to writing about things you know superficially.
What you say is not news to anyone paying a modicum of attention. Israel makes strategic and tactical "concessions" on issues where it has no other choice. Case in point: Returning the illegally occupied Sinai to Egypt because ongoing confrontation with Egypt would prevent it from using it's military on other fronts: Then President of Egypt, Sadat, unilaterally agreed to peace in return for the Sinai Peninsula, which freed the Israeli military to attack on other fronts, e.g., Syria and Lebanon. Long story short: How anyone at this point can defend Israel is beyond the scope of most that know some facts about this genocidal, settler-colonial entity. I would submit that globally your views comprise a small minority, mostly confined to the descending West. What, in your opinion, is Israel's plan for the 2 million human beings currently confined to the Gaza concentration camp? A final solution, as discussed in the Wannsee Conference in 1942 by folks that were not so different from the current Israeli leadership and most of its citizens?
"...settler colonial entity." Blah, blah, blah..
It is said that more then 50 million Hindus and Buddhists have been killed in the never ending Muslim jihad of southern Asia. But, yeah, in Johann's world this apparently is no biggie. Muslims have pretty much wiped out the native CHaldenas, Coptics, Assyrians, Kurds, Armenians and all the Jews (except those living in Israel) from the Middle East. But our resident idiot, Johann, apparently takes no note of this. How convenient of him. No doubt he would have supported Hitler.
Good luck in life, Bob. You'll need it.
Johann, I do not have the time to look this up but I would guess thousandss of Nigerian Christians have been killed by Muslims. Muslims are moving south in Africa (they already have purged northern Africa of pretty much all non-Muslims) and now control something like 50% of Nigeria. Do you give two sh*ts about this or is all your angst aimed at Israel? No need to answer. I already know why.
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2024/02/nigeria-muslims-murder-24-christians-force-the-closure-of-10-churches-500-christians-flee-village
Bob, It's true greater humanitarian tragedies have been occurring for some time - and thus a case can be made regarding American/Western hypocrisy. But the entire point isn't about morality, it's about American empire and America's effort to maintain it. Israel and Ukraine matter in this regard - thus the heavy American involvement. Nigeria, the Congo not so much at this point in time. Also, ad hominin attacks degrade the discussion and your argument.
You aren't too bright, Bob, & don't know much (if any) history. I'm a typical North "American", ethnically mixed (Irish, German, French & Spanish.) Because I was dark-skinned (hair & eyes also) like mom's Spanish-Sardinian side, I lived in Latin America when younger (it was cheaper and friendlier than the Anglo-Saxon countries) & learned my own history. The Spanish, Portuguese, etc. lived under Islamic civilization for 8 centuries (incl. my ancestors) from roughly 700 to 1492, & did okay. 1,000 years ago, of the 10 largest cities in the world, 9 were in Asia, & only Cadiz in al-Andalus, Spain, was European. Yes they were taxed a bit higher, but faced little or none of the hateful racism that MAGA CHUDs like you display for anyone slightly different. The other "people of the Book" (Jews & Christians) had very near social equality. Islamic civilization across Asia, N. Africa & Southern Europe spread the wisdom of the Ancient Greeks & Romans (among others), science, especially math & astronomy, engineering etc. They inspired the Renaissance that allowed "white" colonialists to violently invade & exploit 90% of the rest of the world for the next 5 centuries. (This is now coming to an end, sadly for fascists like you, not so sad for 90% of humanity.) Europeans are the cultural children of the wiser, older Asian world. Interesting that you hate Muslim Semites but presumably not "Jewish" ones!! In any case, if you want to see real evil, just look in a mirror. As with many who lead our cruel and violent society, "Every accusation is a confession." The days that "people" like you have power or imagine they do thru identification with clowns like Biden & Trump are winding down. The little dog barks, & the caravan moves on (as an old Arabic proverb states.)
That's not entirely fair, though if you want to go into that overly general route, jewish communism has murdered over 100 million people in a fraction of the time. That's only the communism, not the other venues of influence that overly generalized group likes to use! If I were to add deaths from medical malpractice and serums from jewish groups, suicides from jewish media, all part of the jewish 'Tikun Olam' jihad against gentiles it would go up by multiples.
But apparently hundreds of millions is 'no biggie' in Bob's world?
Hitler did nothing wrong.
Blockade of Leningrad for a start.
But crucially, the U.N. Charter does not make all war illegal. Indeed, it expressly reaffirms the legality of a defensive war. Since defensive war is not illegal, it follows that the defender's territorial gains from such a war would not be illegal.
There is no legal right to defend yourself when you illegally occupy someone else's territory. That's why the US has no legal response to any attacks on its (illegal) forts in Syria, for example. In Israel's case the only LEGAL area it can occupy is set out in the UN resolution 181 that set up a TWO state solution. This was followed by UN Resolution 242 in November 1967. The fact that there is no second state is solely down to the US playing wing-man for Israel and denying any authority for the 4 nations instructed under UN mandate to set it up.
You know nothing about the UN nor international law.
https://spme.org/campus-news-climate/response-to-ihlri/898/
Shut up Jew.
Facts matter. You're an antisemite, make your case.
Nonsense. Israel was repeatedly tried to compromise, only to be met with new attacks. Turns out its the Muslims who seem to only understand the language of violence and interpret compromise as weakness.
Superb and brilliant! And I loved this: “Though Putin’s interview with Tucker Carlson perhaps did much to normalize verbose historical digressions…”
A good perspective, but I have one problem, regarding Israel. There has never been--at least since the 1930s. a decade before the Israeli War for Independence and the Nakbah--any credible Palestinian Arab faction that would accept a peaceful solution with large numbers of Jews remaining in the Mandate Palestine. One can certainly argue that the Israeli response to this fact has been strategically unsound, but the option of a peaceful side-by-side coexistence in Palestine has never been possible because the Arabs would never accept it, having twice rejected partition and initiating a war of extermination in 1948. There may have been a chance after the Yom Kippur War when Sadat made peace, but the Iranian Revolution and the Muslim Brotherhood's assassination of Sadat killed that chance in the cradle.
The broad dispersion of Israeli Jewish settlers in the West Bank is probably a good example of this article's thesis, both in that it derives from those modes of thought, and is strategically insane. However, I note that in 2005 Israel did bite the bullet to forcibly remove its settlers from Gaza, under American pressure to be sure, but it did show that even from the Israeli side, settlements need not be forever.
The Abraham Accords were an effort to get to a settlement, by having the Arab states impose one on the Palestinians. Could it have worked? Maybe, maybe not... but, certainly not after Biden was elected and continued the Obama Administration's' feckless currying of Iran, hence building Iran into a more formidable enemy of any peace that included a Jewish presence. And exacerbating Israeli sense of siege.
Arabs and Christians and Jews lived peaceably side by side in historic Palestine. It is a propaganda talking point to say Arabs hate Jews. Hatred arises when someone moves into your neighborhood, and starts stealing land, homes, and murdering their neighbors children.
Muslims and Christians and Jews still live peacefully together - in Iran. Which shows us that it is not religion dividing people but poltical fanaticism. Way too often people mix ethnicity, religion nd politics. Big Serge is speaking of Israel, the (zionist) settler sate, not Judaism as religion.
Good comment, and an important distinction. Not many people know that there is a seat reserved for a Christian and a Jew in Iran's parliament. I don't agree with much of Iran's worldview, but it is clear that they are not anti-Jewish, they are anti-Zionist.
I once heard the Israeli ambassador correct his wife exactly for this difference - the Iranian are anti-zionist, not anti-jewish.
Funny, isn't it? The only country in the middle east where Jews can live their religion in a secure way is Iran ... they even have their own hospitals.
I’m sorry but this statement is categorically false. Not all Arabs hate Jews but I lived with them long enough to know that a sizeable percentage of them do. It is very deep and very troubling hatred I’ve never encountered anywhere else.
I didn't say Arabs hate Jews, I said there is no political entity that wants to make peace... a much different thing, as organizations like the PLO/PLA and Hamas, and going all the way back to Husseini in 1920s and 1930s, have marginalized and at times killed any prominent people who wanted to reach an accommodation. The original Zionist project was to buy land from willing sellers, until some Arab leaders organized programs to forbid such sales to Jews, backed by violence. And nobody ca. 1900 envisioned the end of the Ottoman Empire, let alone Naziism, being injected into the Middle East, and the Holocaust's effect on the Jews of Europe. Or how the Brits totally screwed up their League of Nations Mandate, turning a difficult situation into an impossible one.
You argue against yourself, you say Arabs DO hate Jews, but with reason. Well, everyone has reasons, almost nobody thinks they, personally, are in the wrong. But, somehow, people have to get along.
Which is NOT to excuse the current Israeli regime that has shown little or no interest in an accommodation. And certainly not to whitewash the current Israeli settlement policy in the West Bank.
Personally, I do not see how this moves forward under current circumstances unless either (a) something is imposed... and we saw on Oct. 7 what Hamas thinks of THAT, and their ability to stop it, or (b) somehow people could agree there have been abuses and atrocities on both sides and any solution requires that everyone put aside their grievances and foreswear vengeance, try work something out. That peace is worth more than vengeance, if you will.
But given that politicians on both sides have decided they derive their power from inflaming their masses rather than solving problems, I don't hold out much hope.
Did you know that Hamas was set up and funded by the Israeli government? Go look that up.
Personally, despite the UN resolutions I can't see either Jew or Muslim setting aside their differences and accepting a two state solution. I just can't see that happening, because Jews know that demographics are against them, and also for Muslims they have had 80 years of state-sponsored terrorism, theft, persecution, and imprisonment. Not a good combo on either side, frankly.
My understanding is not that Israel set up or created Hamas, but that over quite a few years Netanyahu's governments have funneled money and maybe other forms of support to Hamas, mostly working through Qatar, to strengthen Hamas as an alternative to the PA because the Israeli far-right does not want a 2-state solution any more than does Hamas. Whereas they suspect that there may be some elements in the PA, whose role in the West Bank derives from the almost forgotten Oslo Accords, that could at some future time, be interested in the 2-state solution.
All of which proves that the Israeli far right has been living in a fantasy world--to have ever thought that is a strategy that will produce a good long-run outcome for Israeli Jews is mind-bogglingly stupid. Strategy based on wishful thinking is not real strategy.
As for "setting aside their differences," I agree with you. I thought I made it clear that with 100 years of enmity and tit-for-tat grievances, I as very remote at best. But I also don't see how a resolution can happen based on arguing over all those grievances, and it is almost as hard to see how one can be imposed from outside, after Oct. 7.
The Arab leaders had good reason to forbid land sales to Jews. This was an area with large land holdings and rich landowners living far away in the cities. The land was worked by peasants who paid rent. These peasants had no problem paying their rent to a different owner when the land was sold. However, when Jews bought the land they drove off the peasants subsequently. There is no country where a responsible leadership would not have taken measures against such practices.
"I note that in 2005 Israel did bite the bullet to forcibly remove its settlers from Gaza"
The ashkeNAZI filth removed their settlers from Gaza for one reason only, to make it easier to bomb at will as they have done many times since. Their long term plan was to do what they are now doing, and the settler scum will come back.
Stop delegating Nazis by comparing them to Jews. The Jew does what they falsely accuse Nazis of doing. We would live in a leave it to beaver country if the Nazis had won. Instead this shithole USA because of the Jew.
As usual, a great analysis. I agree that the Combined West (includes US, UK, EU, NATO) faces the choice between strategic retreat or increased and costly strategic commitment, which may not pan out, in all 3 areas: Ukraine (against extremely powerful nuclear power Russia), Mid-east (against powerful Iran and Hezbollah) and Gaza, this time with Israel (against Hamas, Houthis, Hezbollah).
The three situations generally confirm to your thesis, but there are differences. Backing Israel and aiding and abetting what is clearly genocide (does not matter if that is in the interest of Israel), US and the West risk a long term strategic defeat as far as relations with the rest of the world (ROW), who are horrified. Only by restraining Israel and supporting two-state solution can US hopefully regain its influence and hegemony over ROW. Making Israel's interests its own, US will suffer strategic defeat, not militarily but diplomatically. Doing what is right may actually aid US regain some of the loss in the strategic arena. If ROW decides that US morality is conditional, then it loses all respect needed to exert soft power over ROW.
In Middle-East, avoiding a war with Iran may be regarded as a strategic mini-defeat, but the alternative is a bloody war US cannot win in the long run.
In Ukraine again, short of starting WWIII with a nuclear nation with a capability to destroy the Combined West (because of NATO) is the ultimate strategic defeat imaginable - utter destruction of one's own homeland! A retreat at this point would be humiliating but ... the best choice for US.
So you like being what this guy is selling.
Listen: off Biden off Netanyahu and lots of current problems just may get resolved thru rational deplomacy.
very good but Israel had a choice after '67. It could have withdrew to its pre-67 borders and become a normal country except for being an apartheid state. Bided it time and eventually it would have been accepted like it almost was before Oct 7 - the Abraham Accords. Instead it has this dream of Greater Eretz - from the river to the sea and beyond. Since '48 facts 'on the ground" and continual expansion of its borders- exposition of the Palestinians as animal - subhuman. It has ignored world law, committed what would be war crimes and assassinations all over the world and gotten away with it because of "my parents died in the hoaxacaust" - not that many Jews didn't die before their time because of Nazi antisemitism (but millions more of Poles and Russians died because of Nazi chosen people ideology) but gas chambers disguised as shower chambers didn't happen. Now we have Israeli chosen people ideology acting just as bad. Comparisons of Israeli mass murder in Gaza in reaction to living in a concentration camp to the Nazis reacting to armed insurrection in the Warsaw ghetto come to mind.
My fears are that Israel will try to draw the US into a middle East conflagration when it all out attacks Hexbollah. If the US declines (as it should) and Israel loses it will use nukes. What will the world do then?
"Israel had a choice after '67. It could have withdrew to its pre-67 borders and become a normal country "
Which it offered in the 1967 Allon Plan, rejected by the Arabs at their Khartoum summit where they pledged no negotiation with Israel.
The offer to withdraw from 98% of the West Bank was repeated in 2000 during the Camp David summit and again in 2008. Both were rejected without even a counteroffer.
passia.org " by 28 June, the Knesset had amended its laws and placed the entire city and expanded municipal area under Israeli sovereignty, later annexing the 70-km2'...Allon Plan provided the initial boundaries and priorities for this settlement drive. Allon, with his assistant Dani Agmon, planned a broad corridor of paramilitary and civilian sites along the Jordan Valley, to run down the western shore of the Dead Sea in an even broader belt, reaching west to Hebron. This created a settled strip from the Israeli town of Arad (in the northeastern Negev), north to Beit Shean (Beisan) in Israel’s southern Galilee. The corridor between Israel’s coastal plain and unilaterally annexed Jerusalem was broadened extensively, creating a wide settlement zone between Ramallah and Bethlehem. Allon tentatively planned for Gaza’s refugees – ca. 75% of the Gaza population - to be transferred to the two militarily administered cantons created on the West Bank, followed by the annexation and settlement of the Gaza Strip
I can't imagine why the Palestinians didn't want to accept the Allon Plan.
the entire city of Jerusalem
In 2005 Sharon withdrew the Israeli settlers from Gaza which since then allowed Israel to bomb indiscriminaltely GAZA whenever Hamas ineffectually launched homemade rockets at Israel. When after the Oslo accords Rabin made intentions of Israel going along with the creation of an independent Palestinian state he was assassinated. As opposed to Hamas which (although its formation was helped by Israel as a thorn for Arafat's PLO) it does actively resist Israel's making Gaza into an open air prison or concentration camp. As opposed to the Palestine authority in the West Bank which is seen as under the control of Israel. THe PA is unable to stop settlers form destroying West Bank Palestinian olive orchards or even killing some of its inhabitants among other crimes.
"Hamas ineffectually launched homemade rockets at Israel"
The reason Mexican cartels don't launch ineffectual homemade rockets across the US border is because they know what the response from the USMC would be like.
Since Oct 7, about 10 Palestinians have been killed by settlers, and a larger number of Israeli citizens.
A simple Google maps view of Gaza will show you the equestrian clubs, beach resorts and expensive villas in Rimal of this "concentration camp". You won't find those at Auschwitz.
Actually, "...The reason Mexican cartels don't launch ineffectual homemade rockets across the US border ..." is that they do not need to!
They happily control their territory and make a fortune selling drugs (and access to the US).
But if the US tried to control of northern Mexico and it population the way Israel controls the West Bank (and Gaza) you would see a very, very different story.
You may even find that a significant proportion of the USMC may not be on the side you expect (hope?) them to be!
Swimming pools and orchestras at auswitz.
The original Allon plan rejected at Khartoum kept only a small section in the former Jewish Quarter of East Jerusalem and a link to Hebrew University at Mount Scopus.
After Oct 7 the Palestinians don't have to accept anything as they will be offered nothing.
The Arabs within Israel territories had no say. It was Egypt, Jordan, Syria deciding this. SO don't put it on the Palestiniens what was done by others.
Palestinian Arabs took active part in the war from the very beginning, led by their political leader Hah Amin al-Husseini, freshly returned from his Berlin exile after the defeat of Nazi Germany. His nephew, Abd-el-Kader Husseini was their military leader.
After the Arab irregulars were defeated, the border Arab states invaded.
The al-Husseini clan dominated Arabs in Palestine since the 1929 Arab Revolt until the last al-Husseini leader, Yasser Arafat.
Be that as it may, for all intents and purposes the settler jews were an invading force set to take their lands and as such the arabs had any right to opose and reect the stealing of their land. if anything, given the holocaust, it should have been incumbent on Germany to give a piece of land from its own territory to create a home for jews.
Be that as it may,
The entire Jew state is illegal. Let them go back to wandering
67 borders indefensible...Israel land is indefensible as of now...drones, new generation of missiles...I think Israel will have to acquire new lands around itself...
"abnormally high losses among the IDF"
Not sure where those are as IDF losses since the ground offensive on Oct 27 total 232 dead yet the IDF has already occupied Gaza City and Khan Younis, the two main cities in Gaza. Only Rafah is left and Israel has already mounted a successful commando raid in the center of Rafah that freed two hostages.
The IDF entered a territory ruled for 15 years by Hamas, with over 400 km of tunnels and underground bunkers, yet suffered a fraction of the casualties Russian or Ukrainian forces suffered over much smaller populated areas that lacked the level of fortifications in Gaza.
Israel's most likely option is prevent Hamas from controlling a sovereign territory again while Iranian actions force the Gulf monarchies to move closer to Israel.
You must be dreaming! Israeli hostages are toast, killed by their own people. Brigades deployed have to be withdrawn for loss of combat power and morale problems. As percentage of the population, even the acknowledged losses are nothing to sneeze at. Hamas is still intact. The whole world (except you and the Combined West) is horrified at the genocide being committed. It is not like back in 1940's, when Israel could kill and evict a huge number of Palestinians, without the world knowing what is happening in real time. Israel has been shown to have learned very well from the Nazis and that is not something to crow about.
"As percentage of the population, even the acknowledged losses are nothing to sneeze at"
Allow me to assist you with basic arithmetic: 232 dead, 10M population equals 0.0023% losses as percentage of population.
It would take a chemistry lab equipped with mass spectrometer to figure out if there was 0.0023% of rat turd in your glass of vodka.
Likely far more than the official 232 dead. Plus many severely wounded. Also, Jewish population of Israel is 7 million. And as a percentage of IDF troops casualties are high. Also Jewish IDF deaths are a HUGE DEAL to Israelis. Bottom line, Israel is no longer feared and Hamas has radically reset the table.
Unlikely more as Israel, unlike every Arab country as well as Russia and Iran, has a vibrant free investigative press.
Also, some Arab Israelis, including the Druze and Bedouin communities, serve in the IDF. Two Israeli Arabs have reached the rank of Major General, including the current head of COGAT.
The current commander of the IDF Armored Corps is also an Israeli Arab, but he's only a Brigadier General:
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/hisham-ibrahim-tapped-to-head-idfs-civil-administration-in-west-bank/
Free press in israel? Pull the other one, buddy. This is the same ethno-religious group that took over all the major media platforms in the US to push nonsense.
Yup, free press in Israel as you can easily see by reading a selection of Israeli newspapers and their attacks on the government. Times of Israel, Jerusalem Post and Haaretz are the major ones, all different views.
Took over all the major media US? Then why are New York Times and WP so anti-Israel?
Read what you post before ity goes out to be sure it makes some sense, Silly Billy
Wow! I hit a nerve there! Your impolite reply speaks for itself.
you don't know what "genocide" is
I sure know one when I see it!
from propaganda you see on your computer monitor?
Based on facts, not on MSM fake news.
stick your "fuckts" up your ass
You're babbling complete nonsense.
The
Israel is finished nonetheless. It's just a question of time.
If there was no US support to back it, Israel would be long gone.
And it is doubtful that many people in the US actually support Israel...
US had an arms embargo against Israel until 1968. The Israeli tanks that conquered the Golan Heights in 1967 were WW2 Shermans, as easily seen in news reports.
And for a more scientific analysis of US support for Israel, let's try statistics
https://news.gallup.com/poll/350393/key-trends-views-israel-palestinians.aspx
Who's dreaming and who's intoxicated with vodka and hallucinating?
Israel is finished?
Right.
Just like it was "finished" in 1956, 1967, 1973, etc., etc, etc?
Go back to your circus, Clown.
If you can't do the basic math that a country of only 8 million people, surrounded by enemies whose population doubles every 20 years is finished, then there's no hope.
Israel's birth rate is dropping like a stone, only the conservative families still have kids and those do not fight wars.
The only clowns are people like you who think the past is a good prediction of the future.
Israel is finished. Just like Ukraine is finished. It is just a question of time. That's a fact.
You are dealing with a member of unit 8200 so don’t take it too seriously
Keep on dreaming pathetic Clown.
Your "math" has been a miserable failure for 75 years Bozo.
Math, Logic & Reason rule the world.
Insults and wishful thinking are for imbeciles.
You confuse you desire for Israel to thrive with reality.
Every day, Israel makes thousands of mortal enemies. Think anyone in Gaza, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Algeria, Morocco, Pakistan or Turkey will ever forgive the indiscriminate bombing of innocent children in Gaza? Keep on dreaming.
Less than 8m jewish Israelis against a billion Muslims. Yeah, that's gonna work out well.
"Less than 8m jewish Israelis against a billion Muslims. Yeah, that's gonna work out well"
It wouldn't, if wars were still fought with swords and spears.
But in the 21st century, Israel (along with NATO) fight only high-technology wars using machine vision, autonomy, networked sensors, laser defenses. In scientific and engineering capabilities, Israel far outmatches its potential adversaries.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Jewish_Nobel_laureates
The next generation of autonomous fighting vehicles from Israel Aerospace and other Israeli defense firms will allow every IDF soldier to command a brigade of robotic combat vehicles.
https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/rex-mk2-multi-mission-autonomous-support
https://www.iai.co.il/p/robattle
"Math, Logic & Reason rule the world"
You said it, dude
It might rule the world but idiotic fools like yourself live in a pathetic, self-deluding dreamworld.
By the way, Clown, your numbers are way off.
Who taught you arithmetic?
Your sister's cat?
Go back to your tunnel chicken swinger.
You first dogbuttlicker.
The people do not support that illegal chicken swinger state. Only the Jews that run the U.S. government and their shabbos goys.
not
Go read about Israel's Hannibal Directive. That tells you all you need to know about the hostages.
Go read about the Gilad Shalit deal, which released 1,100 terrorists in exchange for one soldier. Much of Hamas leadership comes from those released.
The top IDF priorities should be: 1. Victory, 2. release hostages, 3. save IDF lives, 4. protect Gaza civilians.
No more soft touch, like warning shots and texts before bombing.
if Israel wouldn't be pressured by US...there will be even less losses
My two cents. The historical comparisons are fine, but this is the 21st century not the 4th. Israel has brought the grief upon itself. Having been forced into the region by the UN against the will of the regional population Israel had the opportunity to co-exist, and if they had done that would not be in the situation, they find themselves today. Instead, they chose apartied and conquest. without American power and hegemonic influence, they would not have an overwhelming force and would reap what they have sowed (live by the sword, die by the sword"). America, like Rome, is in the process of self-destruction. Our education system has been in decline for the past 40 years. We have gone from first in education to not even in the top 25. Once the "shining light on the hill" our previous policies of logic, common sense, and compassion has been replaced by greed and a power lust of a ruling class that no longer represents the general population. This trend is irreversible, and I am sad to say I'm alive to witness it. As panic sets in the self-destruction will accelerate. American leadership has no strategy. They are corrupt and reactionary and cannot think beyond their own self well being. I wish I had a more positive outlook, but I do not. Israel will fall along with the demise of the Western world and America, and we have only ourselves to blame.
I agree with some of what you say, but there never was a golden age in the USA. It was founded on slavery and the genocide of native Americans and has followed that course ever since. Its genius is to talk about freedom and for people somehow to believe it, but if you’re the underdog in the USA you are the victim of persecution without possibility of redress. By the way I went to school in Boston 60 years ago and it was shit then so the 40 years fantasy doesnt hold up there either.
"Having been forced into the region by the UN against the will of the regional population Israel had the opportunity to co-exist, and if they had done that would not be in the situation, they find themselves today."
What do you mean by this? Where is the co-existence offered by Palestinian Arabs to Israelis/Jews? I'm genuinely curious.
It's a long blog post, but worth a book.
Just as Zbig brought to me the concept of geopolitically active States and geopolitical pivots States (https://polsci.substack.com/p/the-great-chess-board) This post brings forward the concept of tripwire.
Your text really helped me understand why there was so much US media amplification of the 3 US deployed servicemen killed, while 20000 gazans killed or an american blogger killed in Ukraine prison is deamplified. The tripwire look like the right explanatory model for US behavior.
The real answer is that the USA is a colony of the Jew
The Jews have always been in America. They're as American as WASPs. The Puritans were Judaizers. The Touro Synagogue was established in 1763 in Newport, Rhode Island. In 1790, Washington expressed his support for religious tolerance where in a letter to the Hebrew Congregation in Newport, Rhode Island, he stated, "May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other Inhabitants; while every one shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree, and there shall be none to make him afraid."[58] If the French or Spanish had expelled the British Empire from North America, it may have been a different story.
George Washington is still looked upon as a greedy merciless “Village Destroyer” by Native Americans. Just ask Cayuga Nation people who suffered in The Sullivan Campaign to exterminate and displace them that benefited the land surveyor himself.
I’ll blog an article on Emmanuel Todd’s After Empire. I think that book holds many of the keys of US relapse into a logic of exclusion. The Jews are integrated but at the same time neurotic about becoming victims. The support to Israel’s policy of exclusion reflects that. It is completely irrational. To say that you’ll kill a few million of Palestinians because the 2 billions of Muslims have to be your enemy… and the Russians, … and the Chinese….
Well, the mainstream media does not have any other explanation for the US behaving against all the principles it claims to stand for in this matter. Aiding and abetting genocide is a serious prostitution for Washington.
Except that the ‘holocaust’ TM is fake. The Jews control the west and the ‘west’ is expendable so long as to protect their criminal hq.
So, places like Auschwitz are fake too?
And all these holocaust survivors of those camps with tattoos on their forearms are all liars?
You're a complete clown.
Go back to your tunnel Jew.
I can't Dogbuttlicker.
Your fat ass and the dog who's butt you're licking is filling it up.
Wooden doors.
Jews are born liars.
Your pathetic little peanut-brain is also made of wood huh?
But then again you are a born idiot.
So sad.
Too bad.
🤣🤣🤣
Yes, the Holocaust is (mostly) fake. Read the revisionist material available on the web.
Auschwitz was an industrial plant w valuable slave labor the Nazis needed for war production. Zyklon gas was used to kill lice and control typhus outbreaks. Zyklon was also used by the US Army for lice control. There were no death showers. The slave labor, especially from Eastern Europe, was stripped naked on arrival, deloused, tattooed and put to work.
Many died at the camps, from overwork, disease, poor nutrition but not from mass murder. There were sports and music at some camps. They were still slave labor camps, but most of the mass death was at the end when Germany was losing and there was chaos and no food.
The Nuremberg trials were a travesty. Postwar, many Germans were starved to death by Soviets and Allies. There was no Holocaust myth till it was invented in the 50s and industrialized by Zionist controlled media, which is why memoirs of Eisenhower and Churchill don’t mention it.
This is just a gloss on a deep vein of evidence anyone can access in books censored in the 50s and 60s now online. Go ahead, surf. It will take time and effort, but your Zio-hypnotic trance will shatter then evaporate.
Free from the massive lies, you will understand the full horror of Zionism and see how dangerous it is to your Jewish friends and family.
You made the crappy statements Clown-Boy.
You back your garbage up with real references.
If you can.
Not obscure internet gobbledygook that the reader has to find themselves.
Why must anyone do your dirty work for you?
By the way:
People who survived Auschwitz, escaped inmates, forensic evidence etc. etc. etc. say you're a liar and yapping absolute drivel.
Your comments (I’ve read several) are consistently toxic, ad hominem and low quality. No content, just rage spittle. I’m not writing for you. Rather, to pique the interest of those open minds who may follow the breadcrumbs provided. Have a nice day.
Still no references huh Clown-boy?
You can't back up the garbage you spout then.
Just trying - and failing miserably - to make yourself look clever.
Thought so.
Hey Jew. You believe that Jew story teller who said she ate her pooped out diamond multiple times too ?
Why is it illegal to question your fake stories in so many western countries ?
Nobody said anything about questioning anything being illegal Assface.
Get a lot of excercise hopping to stupid conclusions huh?
lol Jew. Like the fake holohoax stories in ‘night ‘ by that aptly named Jew weasel
https://armreg.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/HolocaustFactsFiction-E-Interior-2024.01-UK.pdf
This is the best "reference" you got?
A half-assed "information" aka bullshit brochure that's just advertising blurb for crappy e-books ?
No peer reviewed academic articles from authoritative academics from reputable institutions?
You're pathetic
Remember to send a dog down first into the pit latrine you came from before you go in to suck its ass, Dogbuttlicker.
My complete and total admiration to you sir! Outstanding article.
I completely understand your thoughts and appreciate your writing.
As an American middle class citizen I’m all for withdrawal from empire. We’re exhausting ourselves for an empire for the benefit of the the elite. Adoption of a position for the benefit of the the American middle class and united national identity is my dream. MAGA in short.
Israel is in existential crisis. Their military hegemony is greatly diminished and the demographics are quickly overwhelming them. I fully believe the Hamas attack was a green flag to justify a final solution in the Israelis favor. Soon demographics , military parity , and the collapse of the the American empire will leave Israel completely unsustainable. There can be no peace between Palestinians and Israel. Either victory by Israel that expels the Palestinians from the Gaza strip and West Bank or accept the eventual destruction of Israel. If Israel accepts anything short of total victory they’re finished as a viable country long term. Personally I believe Israel is a dead man walking. A society too soft and divided to muster the will to do what is necessary for survival. The Palestinians and Arab states desperate to keep radicalized Palestinians out of their society will prevail.
This is the irony- displacing Palestinians to Egypt or Jordan risks the radicalization of those sovereign states; states that would be formidable adversaries of Israel if they ever swing towards an Islamist stance. The near turn-over of Egypt to the Muslim Brotherhood and the ascent to power of Al-Sisi was a borrow thing accomplished with a lot of blood in the streets. Displacing Palestinians may be a long term vulnerability…
"states that would be formidable adversaries of Israel"
They didn't seem so formidable in 1967 when they were full of Russian arms vs an Israeli army that fielded lots of WW2 Sherman tanks.
They would be less so today, when Israel's arms industry has reached global prominence.
Yes.
And countries like Egypt would be even less "formidable" without the 2.8 billion USD it gets from the US every year.
Corrupt?
Now there Egypt's really formidable.
Isreal would cease to exist without its USA colony an emending supply of money and weapons paid for by the goyim.
A very valid analysis, if one accepts the presumptions inherent within it.
For the Israel/Palestine conflict, one must accept the Israeli-US narrative that October 7th was a Hamas attack that took the entire Israeli military and intelligence infrastructure by complete surprise.
Please, give me a break.
The information that has emerged since, warnings from Egypt to Israel well beforehand of a potential Hamas threat, that the IDF attacking it's own people, the profiteering, the shutdown of the surveillance system along the Israel/Gaza border, never mind Netanyahu's historic links to Hamas, should make any journalist or analyst question such a narrative.
And for the conflict in Ukraine, it defies logic to think, even at the commencement of that conflict, that anyone with a functioning brain could look at the resources available to each side and conclude that Ukraine had even a vestige of possibility of victory, is laughable.
Much is being made of the accusations of genocide being laid against Israel in the ICJ, let them take their course.
But a much more obvious genocide and ethnic cleansing is happening in Ukraine.
The population of the country has fallen by over 50% since the start of the conflict.
Ironically most if the displaced Ukrainian population have actually gone to Russia.
Many others have been trafficked throughout Europe, over half a million have died on the battlefields and many multiples of that have received injuries that will make them invalids for the rest of their lives.
But that genocide is unlikely to get much coverage or airtime in this corner of the world.
Too many people of privilege would have to answer awkward questions.
"Ultimately, I have always believed that there is no durable solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict short of military victory for one side or the other".
Although many clever and well-informed people have been taking an incredibly long time to reach this conclusion, it is one I have believed to be correct for a very long time. Indeed, what it boils down to is that the whole Zionist project was doomed to failure right from its start in the 1880s.
Practically - politically and militarily - it is doomed to failure, after immense suffering and death. And morally, it was always one of the most ineradicable blots on the record of the human race. In its way, what the Zionists have done to the Palestinians and other nearby indigenous peoples is just as bad as what the Nazis did to the Jews. Perhaps worse in the sense that the Zionists are supposed to be very intelligent, educated, cultured people who began their genocidal project after the UN had been founded and the new dispensation of human rights and morality had begun.