De-escalation. Have you heard the word yet on cable news? Suddenly, it is everywhere, all at once. Make no mistake — it is pernicious, obscene, and unique to Israel. The word is premised upon a history of Jew hatred that stretches back to antiquity, and represents a singular proposition that has endured through the centuries, but ended forever in 1948. The proposition is that Jews are to be hunted, murdered, gassed and killed without trial, without mercy and without resistance. The ubiquitous media question about “de-escalation” is a chimera that conceals a malignancy, which is this: why are you Jews fighting back? Why do you insist on living? Being? Surviving? Creating? Flourishing?
Jared Kushner, tasked with brokering a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, changed the strategy of a two-state solution by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moving the U.S. embassy there. His "peace plan" was so unbalanced toward Israel that it had zero chance of success. Kushner cared very little about most of the roles he assumed during the crazy Trump years, but he cared a lot about Israel. His lack of experience, his unbalanced view along with his self-righteous arrogance set the stage for this. With no viable approach for peace along with our withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, increased tensions and new alliances surfaced that were left to metastasize over the coming years. I realize this is just one piece of the puzzle and it is more nuanced than my description above, but let's not forget that the US strategy changed during the Trump years and the results were more instability and increased hostility.
Kushner, a most unqualified oddball of a messenger, was in so over his pretty little head. Why did he have the gig, because he was Jewish? That’s how stupid his father-in-law is. A perfectly tragic example of nepotism, a joke and wholly unqualified - and we had to sit and watch. Trumpler administration: zero sense of history, tone-deaf on concept of brokering a 2-state solution in the Middle East, no understanding of finding middle ground, visionless in all things - lies were truth and truth lies.
Bibi saw in Trumpler a reliable helper in his hard right leanings (and err, maybe also in his corruption troubles) and Trumpler used him right back. Everything the Trumplers do always transactional, including the Middle East. Can anyone say $2 Billion Dollars? Their “surface not substance” routine and utterly self-serving crap always about the grift and thieving with impunity.
History will see, America, our apartheid systems of government, decades of our leaders’ corrupt abuses of power, all of it — it culminated in the laying out of a virtual welcome matt for these grifters. The very worst kinds of humans were elevated to the highest office in the land. Deeply unqualified, their lying, blustering clown show effed up everything. And here we are now. It’s pounding us in the head daily for 8+ years. Most of this BS lays directly at the feet of the GOP. Any reasonable members of the party who remain, get out. It’s no longer a functioning, democracy-loving legit political force.
Electorate will have to rise up en masse, push back hard, elect principled democracy-loving leaders and turn all of our corrupt systems, rules, regulation upside down. Black waters of autocracy lapping at lady liberty’s shores. Global warning lights are flashing…
Do you seriously think that trump had any idea of what he was doing other than his usual butt sucking to get the right wing, nut job Jewish vote? Long before his "AssHoliness" was in office and gave his son in law a Secret security clearance without approval, against all requirements and standards, Netanyahu, by building new settlements on the West Bank, had already made it impossible for a geographically feasible two state solution with part of Jerusalem as a shared capitol. Thanks for your insight though. PS: just looked up your newsletter. What a surprise. NOT!
Dont be so dramatic. This is the systemic political failure of global nation state policies, gripes, and power brokering for decade after decade.
The man occupying our White House inherits every global mess that has brewed and spilt over for decades. His legacy is tied to his failure/success, action/inaction on his watch.
Americans are better served when we understand and acknowledge Trump's role as an American President and that President's get to take all the credit/blame for policies made while they serve the people.
We have yet to see a complete failure on Biden's part.
LOL. You seem to have it backwards. He did a bunch of great things and the hatred is all in the hearts of those that oppose him for doing the great things.
Yep. He sure did. For his friends, cronies, family, misogynist, white supremacist, racist, Nazi worshipping, Putin loving, anti-American, anti-veteran, thugs, cons and grifters.
He is a predator who lives and feeds off others. He is a criminal and a cult leader. He is a mirage and an illusion. He is the fever dream of the impotent who willingly line up to sacrifice themselves at his feet. Eventually he will target you.
But, yeah, go ahead and worship him.
Subjugate yourself to a former President of the United States who stokes your fear of "being erased".
Join his cult. Model yourself after him. Perpetuate the lie. Pretend you are omnipotent then gather whatever dignity you have left, give yourself a cookie and go to bed.
1. ISIS was failing and flailing. Whoever was in office would have taken them out.
2. Trumpler did nothing to enact immigration reform though he had house and senate in first half of his term. The brute separated children from their parents and put people in cages. Biden is a human man with a heart, yes, he stopped that policy. Covid affected immigration as Biden was taking the reins. The continuing collapse of Venezuela and many other SA countries causing uptick in migration to America. Duh, things do not remain stagnant. Each president confronted with organic evolution of ongoing global problems. Immigration from equatorial dictatorships and failing nations causing northward migration across the globe. Trumpler, he did nothing but hateful bullying and bragging. Mexico never paid for a wall. Trumpler an idiot; he should have reformed immigration policy. It’s only been 30 years and he had a perfect chance. Congressional dysfunction.
3. Trumpler added tariffs to Chinese goods increasing their prices for Americans. China didn’t pay a cent; Americans did. Early in his administration Ivanka received multiple merchandising licenses from China. Part of the big grift.
4. So you don’t believe in science and medicine and Global Warming is a hoax? Paris Accord was a historical first step in the right direction, designed to pressure all nations to move together towards solutions for our children and theirs and theirs - only the future of the globe. Duh. Inconvenient truth.
5. Iran deal kept nukes from being developed for 10 years. Trumpler ruined this progress. Now they’re back at it for at least 4 years. What a moron.
6. No, not really. In December 2017, Trumpler enacted tax cuts that mostly went to America’s wealthiest families and corporations. And, duh, when tax cuts are not offset by spending cuts, they add to the deficit. Trumpler added an explosive $8 Billion dollars to national debt. That is our children’s future spending money. Duh.
Last POTUS to inherit debt and leave surplus was Clinton. Then Bush jr. royally effed up American economy, passing to Obama an epic financial disaster/ economy on the brink of global recession. With vision and wisdom, Obama pulled us back from the cliff’s edge.
Trumpler inherited an economy on the mend (thank you Barack🥰). Trumpler should have supported a slow, steady raising of interest rates. He should NOT have increased debt or deficit spent our annual budget. But he did because he’s an utter fraud, a huckster, lacking in knowledge of history or a vision for the future. He’s all about other people’s money, bankruptcies and he lies about his wealth and intellect.
7. Hello… Did you know that economies can “rage” when they’re borrowing from the future and interest rates are kept artificially low? I could borrow $10 million dollars now and live like a king. Someone, sometime will have to pay it back. That’s how debt and deficit spending work. They work against us because eventually the bill comes due.
Did you know when federal reserve chairman, Jerome Powell, responsibly tried to raise interest rates, Trumpler publicly attacked him and the FOMC so ferociously, Powell backed off. Trumpler is a stupid bully who didn’t care about fiscal responsibility. Powell cowered in the corner and kept rates too low for too long.
Then, along came covid and more borrowing from our kids’ future.
You must not have kids. Clearly you don’t care about future health of economy or financial stability of America and the globe. Do you know what GDP is? Do you understand the difference between debt and deficits? Do you pay attention to which party lies and “projects” - spends like crazy, then accuses the other party of same when they don’t have POTUS in the White House? I’ll answer for you. No, you don’t.
8. Yes, I’ll give you that. Warp Speed a public-private partnership helped bring the MRNA vaccines to America in remarkable way.
9. Trumpler and his crew of lying, grifting, clown show fascists created the most dangerous lurch towards authoritarianism in American history. He called it a “swamp,” because he wanted to deconstruct it. Dictators, like his pal Putin, don’t want to be questioned or have sunlight shone on their cheating, lying, corrupt ways. Trumpler wanted to remain in office for life, keep his chubby orange fingers in the till, never have his authority questioned, and so on. Grifter, dictator, mad, sociopathic, narcissist.
10. Stop drinking the kool-aid and study history. Learn about fascists. He’s exactly like Hitler and Mussolini.
What exactly did Trump do to make the situation better? Nothing; he is the reason the world is as unstable as it is. Republicans always F up everything and leave it to Democrats to clean up. Then blame the Democrats when the clean up is not pristine. Sickening. And typically stupid. The GOP is the Party of Stupid. You must be so proud to be a member.
Eg gad... you have your head so far up your partisan rear I don't know why you think there is a conversation to be had with anyone else other than your lefty bubble people.
Did Jared change the capitol to Jerusalem or not? Is Jared a supremely rich man or not?In the bible Jesus says in Matthew 19:24 "I'll say it again-it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of A needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!"
Kushner, a most unqualified oddball of a messenger, was in so over his pretty little head. Why did he have the gig, because he was Jewish? That’s how stupid his father-in-law is. A perfectly tragic example of nepotism, a joke and wholly unqualified - and we had to sit and watch. Trumpler administration: zero sense of history, tone-deaf on concept of brokering a 2-state solution in the Middle East, no understanding of finding middle ground, visionless in all things - lies were truth and truth lies.
Bibi saw in Trumpler a reliable helper in his hard right leanings (and err, maybe also in his corruption troubles) and Trumpler used him right back. Everything the Trumplers do always transactional, including the Middle East. Can anyone say $2 Billion Dollars? Their “surface not substance” routine and utterly self-serving crap always about the grift and thieving with impunity.
History will see, America, our apartheid systems of government, decades of our leaders’ corrupt abuses of power, all of it — it culminated in the laying out of a virtual welcome matt for these grifters. The very worst kinds of humans were elevated to the highest office in the land. Their unqualified, lying, blustering clown show effed up everything. And here we are now. It’s pounding us in the head daily for 8+ years. Most of this BS lays directly at the feet of the GOP. Any reasonable members of the party who remain, get out. It’s no longer a functioning, democracy-loving legit political force.
Electorate will have to rise up en masse, push back hard, elect principled democracy-loving leaders and turn all of our corrupt systems, rules, regulation upside down. Black waters of autocracy lapping at lady liberty’s shores. Global warning lights are flashing…
You sir, a demonstration of info-challenged, gaslit, Trumpler cult member. And I’m guessing you’re not a billionaire or corporate leader benefiting from the self-serving, shortsightedness of reducing taxes on the rich by borrowing money from your children’s generation.
What of the innocents boxed into Gaza? Is their plight not at the hands of Israeli Leaders? Should not we observe that these innocents appear as persecuted as the Jewish innocents? How long can they endure having their homes bulldozed by “settlers”? Should they cower in their streets hoping that Israeli forces will eventually stop taking their homes or squeezing them into an ever smaller Ghetto? History is strikingly myopic, no?
I understand the antisemitism throughout the world and how horrible it is. I fear for Jewish people around the world, and we need to do everything we can to protect them. I also know that the Palestinian people have been treated with disdain and have lived in terror under a system of apartheid by the Israeli government. We have to hold both of these truths. They both have to be important. There is a lot of blame to go around. The Israeli government shares some of the blame.
Yes. There are. No argument there. There are no bad guys when it comes to children. And 14,000 have been killed by Netanyahu. There is no justification for this. The only reason to kill this many kids is ethnic cleansing and genocide particularly when you destroy their schools their health care infrastructure their homes kill their mothers leaving living children orphaned. What Hamas did was terroristic AND Netanyahu has been killing and maiming innocent Palestinians since way before Oct 7.
You never hear that Palestinians have a right to defend themselves. The truth is there is no contest between the powerful IDF and the Hamas militant army. Netanyahu has clearly stated his genocidal intentions. He has called Gazans animals. He has said he wants them all gone. The way to root out a terrorist group in a country or area is not to drop 2000 lb bombs indiscriminately while saying Hamas is using the citizens as human shields. There is no way to be shielded by 2000 lb bombs being dropped on a tiny strip of land where the people are literally trapped.
And here we are in May with Trump about to win a presidency because the USA will not stop sending Israel money and bombs and Gazans are starving. Way to go America! If Trump wins Biden has no one to blame but his old ass self. He is stuck in the 70s. He demonizes his own base of young people who watch the horror everyday while MSM does Israel’s propaganda. If older people were tech savvy and could see the truth that can only come from the smart phones on the ground because journalists are not allowed in. The ones that were were killed. Humanitarian aid workers killed. Netanyahu’s own hostages killed by him. And on and on and on. I’m afraid authoritarianism is already here
If you believe Biden is responsible IDF terrorist acts; that he alone can control Netanyahu, then you have to believe by deduction that Israel is a US Puppet state
If you believe that the USA’s support of an Israeli state is at Biden sole desecration, then it follows that you believe Biden doesn’t need Congress to approve spending bills and that you favor an authoritarian government in place of our Constitutional Republic
The facts remain, Israel is an independent state, it has strategic US National security value, Biden cannot dictate to Netanyahu or the IDF their internal policies toward Gaza and the West Bank and has limited power to unilaterally change US Policy toward the Middle East. He is not the dictator here. Blaming him for IDF terror ignores the fact that Biden has used what power he has over Netanyahu to gain a cease fire. At the moment Hamas refuses the negotiation that the rest of the Middle East has agreed to. Iran and Russia want Trump back in power. Who controls Hamas? Biden? Nope
This is a good question to ask Hamas. Though they are now hiding behind those innocent people. Why does Israel have to get attacked, have to endure innocent people killed and sit quiet while civilians are taken hostage, while Hamas watches the world blame the Jewish state? The terrorists here need to be called to task, not the victims.
Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005. Thousands of Gazans entered Israel daily for jobs. Most recently the crossing was reopened Thursday after being closed for a little more than a week following violent protests. Thursday. "Squeezing them into a ghetto"? Israel is a tiny nation the size of New Jersey surrounded by large Arab countries.
Dave, there's nothing right about any of it, but as you may or may not know throughout the years there have been numerous missed opportunities to "co-exist" (Yassir Arafat) but just like this terrorist action by Hamas, political power for corrupt enterprise far out weighed the well being of the "Palestinian" people.
Humans are their own worst enemy. We will destroy everything in our quest for more power, more money, more control. It's horrible and terrifying. I am still hoping the good in us will prevail. The evil is too close for comfort.
All the elements of our own self destruction are closing in on us and sooner or later there will be no escape, but the one thing we can not escape is the effect of what we have done to our mother, She will kill us off quite soon.
there are both sides in humanity; the angels and the demons. It was alwasy thus and always will be. The angels teach us about our greediness, as Marx did, and the demons demand more money, like Trump.
“De-escalation. Have you heard the word yet on cable news? Suddenly, it is everywhere, all at once. Make no mistake — it is pernicious, obscene, and unique to Israel.”---Steve Schmidt
I’m not sure of your point? I’ve heard our European Allies and many nations throw their support towards Israel. And no one expects Israel to succumb to terrorism. That said, I agree, Jews will and must fight back; ALWAYS!
However, this situation is complex, and while the occupation has lasted 56 years, nothing has changed; the violence just gets worse, and the occupation more draconian.
HL Mencken once said, “complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers!”
The Middle East and the Israeli/Palestinian question has become an enigma. We continually see the violence escalate every five to six years, and nothing changes.
The world needs to address the root cause, and we need to force both sides to an agreement for a two state solution, which neither side may want, but both parties can live with.
If not, then we should just let both sides continue to kill each other until they’ve had enough, until they have suffered unimaginable losses, that neither side can no longer bear.
The status quo is no longer acceptable. Enough said!
The Jews had the insurmountable military power when they won each conflict, and they created an Apartheird in the Gaza strip instead of behaving sensibly.
How can any tortured people in an imprisoned strip of land want their enemy to exist?
If I am not mistaken, the secular Jews have long been behind a 2 state solution . It is the religious ultra orthodox who do not want that. I have been mystified that only secular men and women must serve in the military. The attempt to have the religious population serve in some way failed. They outbirth secular Jews and will continue to become a majority in their politics.
True, secular Jews like myself are in favor of a two state solution and despise Netanyahu and his far right government. And It’s not just that the ultra religious don’t have to serve, there is a bill in the Knesset that would pay them the same salary for continuing their Bible studies as actual soldiers.
Notice, none of the right-wing politicians grabbed their weapons and joined the rest of Israeli society in showing up for reserve duty.
The religious right wants all the benefits, none of the risk, and like in America, want to force their way of life on the rest of us.
Hopefully, this failure will be the end of Bibi’s political career. He was warned in advance by his own intelligence chiefs, and by Egypt’s intelligence chief that something big was going to happen ten days ago.
Bibi blew off the warning, believing that Hamas could be controlled and that the PA and Hamas were too busy fighting each other, than to worry about them attacking Israel.
Thank you for your reply. I had not heard about that bill. That is mind boggling.
The news here is reporting that this attack was a total surprise.
Decades ago as I was filling my schedule teaching college as an adjunct, I was hired to teach English at an all girl's orthodox high school. That was an eye opening experience. I knew nothing about that branch of Judaism. Not the venue to recount my year.
In people living under imprisonment in their own land-- which has been deliberatey fragmented, a land existing under Israel's policy Apartheid, what did you expect?
I don’t disagree, but Hamas doesn’t care about the Palestinian people. They rule with an iron fist and as far as human rights are concerned, they’re up there with the Saudi’s. And don’t say they were elected. It’s true, but the PA ran many members of MP, in each district, Hamas has one option. Hamas has never had more than 35% of the people behind them. Now they’ll have a lot more after Israel invades Gaza, but will be far worse off for it.
That said, I didn’t expect anything different than a full scale terrorist operation. Trump gave Netanyahu the green light to do as he pleased, and he took draconian measures.
That said, how does this situation help the Palestinian people? Their lives are going to get progressively worse. Half of Israel, and most of us Jews disagree with the treatment of Palestinians and despise Netanyahu and his right wing government. This incident will not win over converts, and will only unite the Israeli’s further and make any future peace initiative much harder.
There are no winners here; just varying degrees of losers!
However, if I were picking winners, it would be Hamas, for now, and definitely the right-wing fanatics in Israel.
In some ways I’m seeing this as I had as a child growing up in Brooklyn. The world once again on the lip of catastrophe. Little control over what nations chose to visit upon one another, knee deep in the nightmare anticipation of nuclear war.
In high school I lived in a city watching a military coup, I watched tanks roll past the end of my street, armed soldiers walking past with rifles.
I have no trust in Netanyahu. His policies brought this latest horror on and people have died and will die as a result.
I will not defend my support of Jews or their right to a nation. I acknowledge fully the well-documented horrors that have fallen inexplicably (in my opinion) through the centuries on Jews. But we cannot and we must not ignore the Palestinian crisis. I believe that many Jews in israel have lost their moral compass. Palestinians and have lost much and suffered much, from UNRWA refugee camps to today. If any people should be capable of comprehending the grief and loss suffered by the Palestinians, it should be the Jews. Netanyahu and his far-right cronies have stoked the fires that led to this tragedy today. Indeed Hamas should be destroyed, the Palestinian Authority brought back to power, but it is naive to think that this will be enough. Undoing sixty years of hate and mistrust between peoples is clearly not an easy task, but I believe nothing will change without a Palestinian state. And I believe that the United States needs to take a tougher position on this issue. You can absolutely be pro israel without supporting all of their practices. This current situation is a tragedy but it's been a tragedy for years. It really just breaks my heart for Jews and Palestinians alike.
As human beings, we can hold multiple thoughts in our heads at one time. Many of the world’s ongoing problems are due to our propensity to want to distill a problem down to one simple answer,when life isn’t that easy. I appreciate many of the comments that came before mine outlining the complexity of the long standing conflict between Israel and Palestine. Neither side gets to claim total innocence and Netanyahu has his share of guilt in what led to this most recent episode. Horrifyingly, the extremist group, Hamas used it as an excuse to commit atrocities. I feel pretty fatalistic about our ability to “solve “ the problem. Maybe because we are currently watching reruns of The West Wing and the storyline in exactly this issue with the characters making exactly the same comments/arguments. From 20 years ago.
Sadly, I share your fatalism. It doesn't have to be this way but humans being what they are, I don't
see too many avenues for change. Both sides would have to sacrifice, and neither wants to. Compromise is difficult. We have only to look at our own situation in America to come to that conclusion. The rise of Natzi-ism, the increasing loss of long-held rights, the facile dishonesty of the press and politicians, the increased violence, both rhetorical and actual... we as a species are failing and it's scary and depressing.
Yep! I know it’s exponentially worse, but I am in Kentucky and this conflict puts the Hatfields and McCoys to shame. Same idea though, right? Both sides absolutely unwilling to forgive the transgressions of years gone by so it continues.
This is the nexus of a perfect storm involving historical forces, but also forces created by human error, strategic misjudgments, as well as political and diplomatic incompetence and inexperience. Kushner’s involvement in the Middle East as so-called diplomacy fits this last category. His was no more a diplomat than I’m Henry Kissinger. His motivation was not Middle East peace but greed for Saudi money. Israeli intelligence failed, certainly not helped by Netanyahu and his democracy destabilization and loss of confidence in him by many in the Israeli armed forces. Extreme Israeli right wing politicians have poured fuel on the fire with their tacit if not explicit endorsement of violence against Palestinian civilians. I hope and pray that our diplomatic corps under Sec’y Blinken is up to this challenge. Also, the Trump’s administration’s political decision to exit the Iran nuclear treaty was another strategic calculation of huge proportions.
And Thomas, you haven’t even mentioned the impact of right wing Christian’s steeped in dominion theology on the United States’ responses as religion and state become increasingly and purposefully intertwined.
Hinge of history or axial age. We have a two front war. We must win both before it spreads and it will. We also have an active 5th column we need to address.
I also recognize we are looking again at a family feud that has been playing out for thousand of years.
I agree, I have never understood the concept of Jews and not fighting for survival or not being militarized. Must be something left from the Middle Ages. Definitely not true if you look at the 1C BCE Macabeean revolt, or Masada.
It will be awful, with much loss of life on both sides. I pray it shall be short and decisive I pray for those taken hostage and may they return safely home. I pray for justice against those who planned and executed this war.
Who do you pray to? An invisible white man up high in heaven? I cannot understand the idea of that kind of praying. To" pray for " when used as a figure of speech, akin to what is called :"hoping for", is even then a poor choice of words: I prefer the old saying " to be free and cast off the fetters of hope" is a wiser choice, I think, and instead, forget the hopes and prayers and look at reality. Then, act.
Definitely not a figure of speech. Since you asked, yes I am a Christian (or attempt as best as possible, as none of us are perfect), and out of the mainline Protestant tradition (Lutheran if you must know), and, yes I spent some time at Seminary. So I do follow the practice of prayer and work: you pray and then you go out and do something. (no, to any other Lutherans reading this, this is not works righteousness. Romans 3:21-31 is still there).
I have never envisioned the Trinity as you have described it. I believe the second person of the Trinity most likely looks like the very people who are currently fighting in Israel. For whatever reason I have never actually considered what they look like. I know what appears in western art, but again, that isn't an element of my belief system.
If you have any questions about working to save our Democracy, I might point you to my other responses to Steve's outstanding work and reminding everyone we have a responsibility to be active in preserving it: be it writing letter and post cards; serving as an election judge; door knocking; texting or phone banking; and registering voters. Do I do these, yes. So yes, I pray, and yes I work. To my mind both are needed.
I am happy to receive this very gracious reply. As long as somebody can be gracious when confronted with remarks that could offend deeply, and then reply as civllly as you have done, the human race is OK with me...even better than OK. Glad to know you, Liz.
Prediction: any minute now Trumpler will tweet/say, “I alone can fix this.” The very essence of plunging us deeper towards WW3 would be to embrace anything this sociopathic dumbbell criminal or his spineless, corrupt enablers suggest. Let’s do the opposite and pound them into the ground, kick them away from any modicum of power and authority. Relegate them to their dark, bile-infused, visionless, corrupt, hateful razor’s edge of society.
Prayers? Just mercy would be nice, especially to the Pa;lestinians first, for their suffering under the rule of Apartheid dictated by Israel for decades. Why would an imprisoned people want the state of their oppressor to exist?
I understand that sentiment however, Hamas is not representative of all Palestinians. Hamas is terrorist rule. The rape and slaughter of innocent people should never be justified. It is a complicated history
The Messianic Bible project details the plan to build a Third Temple on the site of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. On 5/06/23 France 24 ran the story: The Israelis set for new Jewish temple on Al-Aqsa site. This country has its share of people who claim to be “Christian” but do not follow the ways of Jesus Christ attempting to force a corrupt, twisted version of faith of the people of this country. Perhaps it is time for those of us who Actually believe in a loving Almighty God to declare that love for our fellow humans and step back from what will bring us to WWIII. Imposing one’s religion on another is NOT of God. Wiping out the children of either side of Abraham is Not of God. Those who are trying to bring us to Armageddon are not working for God. They are liars and God hates liars.
Your comment is exactly why our Constitution provides for the separation of church and state. Our “forefathers” were not far removed from the slaughter of thousands in Europe over one religion versus another. I have had a Near Death Experience. There is Love on the Other Side. Some have experienced darkness but were given a second chance. The endless killing for one religion or another serves those who hate. Engineering conflict to obtain power serves tyrants and wannabe dictators.
I’m 78, born just as Allied Armies crossed the Rhine. My friends were the families who had survived the Holocaust. The message was ever present—Israel must survive. My friends sent Money to Israel, travelled and worked in their kibbutz’s fields and kitchens. The terror and evil of Fascism was REAL, not imagined, and the language of that terrible time is being heard today. My generation is passing, but I sincerely appreciate the effort to draw the straight line from 1939 to today. Warning, indeed!
I'm a few years younger. My idea of Israel though is similar to what you say. My older sister and brother were more the Kibutz age. For Jews, it's important as a concept and a reality. My grandmother who came from Austria-Hungary took a plane to Israel in about its 10th year. I recall the big deal of taking her to the airport and picking her up. she brought back coins and trinkets. She went after Grandpa had passed and believe me, she didn't drive so she really didn't do much with out him but she went to Israel. It was a huge deal for her and the family. I still have the coins. It's important to every Jew who knows about what their people went through. Because we don't forget. We never forget.
Quite the rant Steve. Replace "jew" with "atheist" and I could get into it. Today's post almost knocked me off my feet. Unsubscribe was my knee jerk reaction - almost. I do enjoy your commentary. Did someone piss on your Cheerios? Breathe.
What in his cereal? You, mister, are what is wrong with the education system; Steve may be wrong for some of us, but at least he has a vocabulary, has imagination, and uses words that are never vulgar. The "United States of Vulgarity" is a large part of us now, a part of us that you have become. Look for new rules, and new words to express your dislike, and get out of the gutter. You like Steve because he has an expansive, unoffensive vocabulary has expressions for all his feelings, and does not have to use ejacular words from the street. You use words that you think will be the "real" , the "common-folk" words, the merely insulting "street talk", the talk trying to sound like a gangster, a "Manly-Tough" talk.
But you like Steve's commentary, and that is what you and I share. Steve is a sensitive man, a nurturing man, and you ought to emulate his kind of talk. I like his vocabulary.
Jared Kushner, tasked with brokering a peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians, changed the strategy of a two-state solution by recognizing Jerusalem as Israel's capital and moving the U.S. embassy there. His "peace plan" was so unbalanced toward Israel that it had zero chance of success. Kushner cared very little about most of the roles he assumed during the crazy Trump years, but he cared a lot about Israel. His lack of experience, his unbalanced view along with his self-righteous arrogance set the stage for this. With no viable approach for peace along with our withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal, increased tensions and new alliances surfaced that were left to metastasize over the coming years. I realize this is just one piece of the puzzle and it is more nuanced than my description above, but let's not forget that the US strategy changed during the Trump years and the results were more instability and increased hostility.
Kushner, a most unqualified oddball of a messenger, was in so over his pretty little head. Why did he have the gig, because he was Jewish? That’s how stupid his father-in-law is. A perfectly tragic example of nepotism, a joke and wholly unqualified - and we had to sit and watch. Trumpler administration: zero sense of history, tone-deaf on concept of brokering a 2-state solution in the Middle East, no understanding of finding middle ground, visionless in all things - lies were truth and truth lies.
Bibi saw in Trumpler a reliable helper in his hard right leanings (and err, maybe also in his corruption troubles) and Trumpler used him right back. Everything the Trumplers do always transactional, including the Middle East. Can anyone say $2 Billion Dollars? Their “surface not substance” routine and utterly self-serving crap always about the grift and thieving with impunity.
History will see, America, our apartheid systems of government, decades of our leaders’ corrupt abuses of power, all of it — it culminated in the laying out of a virtual welcome matt for these grifters. The very worst kinds of humans were elevated to the highest office in the land. Deeply unqualified, their lying, blustering clown show effed up everything. And here we are now. It’s pounding us in the head daily for 8+ years. Most of this BS lays directly at the feet of the GOP. Any reasonable members of the party who remain, get out. It’s no longer a functioning, democracy-loving legit political force.
Electorate will have to rise up en masse, push back hard, elect principled democracy-loving leaders and turn all of our corrupt systems, rules, regulation upside down. Black waters of autocracy lapping at lady liberty’s shores. Global warning lights are flashing…
Well said...:)
Effing incredible the creative attempt to Blame Trump for what is Biden’s complete failure. Bravo!
Do you seriously think that trump had any idea of what he was doing other than his usual butt sucking to get the right wing, nut job Jewish vote? Long before his "AssHoliness" was in office and gave his son in law a Secret security clearance without approval, against all requirements and standards, Netanyahu, by building new settlements on the West Bank, had already made it impossible for a geographically feasible two state solution with part of Jerusalem as a shared capitol. Thanks for your insight though. PS: just looked up your newsletter. What a surprise. NOT!
Biden's failure? Biden isn't running anything in Israel.
Meanwhile, Bibi will use this to further consolidate power. It's a failure on the part of Bibi's Mossad, isn't it?
Right message, but stupidly, vulgaly put.
Tracy, this is a "vulgar" administration who, like Hamas has no concern for the people that they were elected to serve.
Please prove it with some proof.
agree completely
Congratulations Steve. You nailed it.
Dont be so dramatic. This is the systemic political failure of global nation state policies, gripes, and power brokering for decade after decade.
The man occupying our White House inherits every global mess that has brewed and spilt over for decades. His legacy is tied to his failure/success, action/inaction on his watch.
Americans are better served when we understand and acknowledge Trump's role as an American President and that President's get to take all the credit/blame for policies made while they serve the people.
We have yet to see a complete failure on Biden's part.
It is hopeless when I see such lies and such ignorance about Biden. No comment.
Best comment. Displays perspective and context, concisely.
Amen.
Nonsense. Trump never did a good thing. Unless you call hatred good.
LOL. You seem to have it backwards. He did a bunch of great things and the hatred is all in the hearts of those that oppose him for doing the great things.
Yep. He sure did. For his friends, cronies, family, misogynist, white supremacist, racist, Nazi worshipping, Putin loving, anti-American, anti-veteran, thugs, cons and grifters.
He is a predator who lives and feeds off others. He is a criminal and a cult leader. He is a mirage and an illusion. He is the fever dream of the impotent who willingly line up to sacrifice themselves at his feet. Eventually he will target you.
But, yeah, go ahead and worship him.
Subjugate yourself to a former President of the United States who stokes your fear of "being erased".
Join his cult. Model yourself after him. Perpetuate the lie. Pretend you are omnipotent then gather whatever dignity you have left, give yourself a cookie and go to bed.
Name one great thing the rapist, fraudster, lying traitor did. Just one.
Defeated ISIS
Remain in Mexico policy
Renegotiated trade deal with China
Renegotiated NAFTA
Killed the stupid Paris Accord
Killed the deadly Iran deal
Reduced taxes for the middle class
Had a raging economy
Warp Speed
Cause insane liberals to show their crazy to the rest of the world
Woke up the nation to the corrupt DC swamp, deep state and managerial class.
I could go on and on and on...
1. ISIS was failing and flailing. Whoever was in office would have taken them out.
2. Trumpler did nothing to enact immigration reform though he had house and senate in first half of his term. The brute separated children from their parents and put people in cages. Biden is a human man with a heart, yes, he stopped that policy. Covid affected immigration as Biden was taking the reins. The continuing collapse of Venezuela and many other SA countries causing uptick in migration to America. Duh, things do not remain stagnant. Each president confronted with organic evolution of ongoing global problems. Immigration from equatorial dictatorships and failing nations causing northward migration across the globe. Trumpler, he did nothing but hateful bullying and bragging. Mexico never paid for a wall. Trumpler an idiot; he should have reformed immigration policy. It’s only been 30 years and he had a perfect chance. Congressional dysfunction.
3. Trumpler added tariffs to Chinese goods increasing their prices for Americans. China didn’t pay a cent; Americans did. Early in his administration Ivanka received multiple merchandising licenses from China. Part of the big grift.
4. So you don’t believe in science and medicine and Global Warming is a hoax? Paris Accord was a historical first step in the right direction, designed to pressure all nations to move together towards solutions for our children and theirs and theirs - only the future of the globe. Duh. Inconvenient truth.
5. Iran deal kept nukes from being developed for 10 years. Trumpler ruined this progress. Now they’re back at it for at least 4 years. What a moron.
6. No, not really. In December 2017, Trumpler enacted tax cuts that mostly went to America’s wealthiest families and corporations. And, duh, when tax cuts are not offset by spending cuts, they add to the deficit. Trumpler added an explosive $8 Billion dollars to national debt. That is our children’s future spending money. Duh.
Last POTUS to inherit debt and leave surplus was Clinton. Then Bush jr. royally effed up American economy, passing to Obama an epic financial disaster/ economy on the brink of global recession. With vision and wisdom, Obama pulled us back from the cliff’s edge.
Trumpler inherited an economy on the mend (thank you Barack🥰). Trumpler should have supported a slow, steady raising of interest rates. He should NOT have increased debt or deficit spent our annual budget. But he did because he’s an utter fraud, a huckster, lacking in knowledge of history or a vision for the future. He’s all about other people’s money, bankruptcies and he lies about his wealth and intellect.
7. Hello… Did you know that economies can “rage” when they’re borrowing from the future and interest rates are kept artificially low? I could borrow $10 million dollars now and live like a king. Someone, sometime will have to pay it back. That’s how debt and deficit spending work. They work against us because eventually the bill comes due.
Did you know when federal reserve chairman, Jerome Powell, responsibly tried to raise interest rates, Trumpler publicly attacked him and the FOMC so ferociously, Powell backed off. Trumpler is a stupid bully who didn’t care about fiscal responsibility. Powell cowered in the corner and kept rates too low for too long.
Then, along came covid and more borrowing from our kids’ future.
You must not have kids. Clearly you don’t care about future health of economy or financial stability of America and the globe. Do you know what GDP is? Do you understand the difference between debt and deficits? Do you pay attention to which party lies and “projects” - spends like crazy, then accuses the other party of same when they don’t have POTUS in the White House? I’ll answer for you. No, you don’t.
8. Yes, I’ll give you that. Warp Speed a public-private partnership helped bring the MRNA vaccines to America in remarkable way.
9. Trumpler and his crew of lying, grifting, clown show fascists created the most dangerous lurch towards authoritarianism in American history. He called it a “swamp,” because he wanted to deconstruct it. Dictators, like his pal Putin, don’t want to be questioned or have sunlight shone on their cheating, lying, corrupt ways. Trumpler wanted to remain in office for life, keep his chubby orange fingers in the till, never have his authority questioned, and so on. Grifter, dictator, mad, sociopathic, narcissist.
10. Stop drinking the kool-aid and study history. Learn about fascists. He’s exactly like Hitler and Mussolini.
Please no, do not go on.
Please explain "a bunch of great things". In detail.
PLEASE NAME ONE , JUST ONE GOOD THING!
And Kushner got $2 BILLION DOLLARS out of the deal from the Saudis. Despicable doesn't even begin to describe it. Bravo indeed!
What exactly did Trump do to make the situation better? Nothing; he is the reason the world is as unstable as it is. Republicans always F up everything and leave it to Democrats to clean up. Then blame the Democrats when the clean up is not pristine. Sickening. And typically stupid. The GOP is the Party of Stupid. You must be so proud to be a member.
Eg gad... you have your head so far up your partisan rear I don't know why you think there is a conversation to be had with anyone else other than your lefty bubble people.
Did Jared change the capitol to Jerusalem or not? Is Jared a supremely rich man or not?In the bible Jesus says in Matthew 19:24 "I'll say it again-it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of A needle than for a rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!"
Audree’s right. Wake up. I’ll repeat…
Kushner, a most unqualified oddball of a messenger, was in so over his pretty little head. Why did he have the gig, because he was Jewish? That’s how stupid his father-in-law is. A perfectly tragic example of nepotism, a joke and wholly unqualified - and we had to sit and watch. Trumpler administration: zero sense of history, tone-deaf on concept of brokering a 2-state solution in the Middle East, no understanding of finding middle ground, visionless in all things - lies were truth and truth lies.
Bibi saw in Trumpler a reliable helper in his hard right leanings (and err, maybe also in his corruption troubles) and Trumpler used him right back. Everything the Trumplers do always transactional, including the Middle East. Can anyone say $2 Billion Dollars? Their “surface not substance” routine and utterly self-serving crap always about the grift and thieving with impunity.
History will see, America, our apartheid systems of government, decades of our leaders’ corrupt abuses of power, all of it — it culminated in the laying out of a virtual welcome matt for these grifters. The very worst kinds of humans were elevated to the highest office in the land. Their unqualified, lying, blustering clown show effed up everything. And here we are now. It’s pounding us in the head daily for 8+ years. Most of this BS lays directly at the feet of the GOP. Any reasonable members of the party who remain, get out. It’s no longer a functioning, democracy-loving legit political force.
Electorate will have to rise up en masse, push back hard, elect principled democracy-loving leaders and turn all of our corrupt systems, rules, regulation upside down. Black waters of autocracy lapping at lady liberty’s shores. Global warning lights are flashing…
You sir, a demonstration of info-challenged, gaslit, Trumpler cult member. And I’m guessing you’re not a billionaire or corporate leader benefiting from the self-serving, shortsightedness of reducing taxes on the rich by borrowing money from your children’s generation.
Nonsense
What of the innocents boxed into Gaza? Is their plight not at the hands of Israeli Leaders? Should not we observe that these innocents appear as persecuted as the Jewish innocents? How long can they endure having their homes bulldozed by “settlers”? Should they cower in their streets hoping that Israeli forces will eventually stop taking their homes or squeezing them into an ever smaller Ghetto? History is strikingly myopic, no?
I understand the antisemitism throughout the world and how horrible it is. I fear for Jewish people around the world, and we need to do everything we can to protect them. I also know that the Palestinian people have been treated with disdain and have lived in terror under a system of apartheid by the Israeli government. We have to hold both of these truths. They both have to be important. There is a lot of blame to go around. The Israeli government shares some of the blame.
We have to hold these truths; yes
To flip a phrase, “there are bad guys on both sides”
Yes. There are. No argument there. There are no bad guys when it comes to children. And 14,000 have been killed by Netanyahu. There is no justification for this. The only reason to kill this many kids is ethnic cleansing and genocide particularly when you destroy their schools their health care infrastructure their homes kill their mothers leaving living children orphaned. What Hamas did was terroristic AND Netanyahu has been killing and maiming innocent Palestinians since way before Oct 7.
You never hear that Palestinians have a right to defend themselves. The truth is there is no contest between the powerful IDF and the Hamas militant army. Netanyahu has clearly stated his genocidal intentions. He has called Gazans animals. He has said he wants them all gone. The way to root out a terrorist group in a country or area is not to drop 2000 lb bombs indiscriminately while saying Hamas is using the citizens as human shields. There is no way to be shielded by 2000 lb bombs being dropped on a tiny strip of land where the people are literally trapped.
And here we are in May with Trump about to win a presidency because the USA will not stop sending Israel money and bombs and Gazans are starving. Way to go America! If Trump wins Biden has no one to blame but his old ass self. He is stuck in the 70s. He demonizes his own base of young people who watch the horror everyday while MSM does Israel’s propaganda. If older people were tech savvy and could see the truth that can only come from the smart phones on the ground because journalists are not allowed in. The ones that were were killed. Humanitarian aid workers killed. Netanyahu’s own hostages killed by him. And on and on and on. I’m afraid authoritarianism is already here
If you believe Biden is responsible IDF terrorist acts; that he alone can control Netanyahu, then you have to believe by deduction that Israel is a US Puppet state
If you believe that the USA’s support of an Israeli state is at Biden sole desecration, then it follows that you believe Biden doesn’t need Congress to approve spending bills and that you favor an authoritarian government in place of our Constitutional Republic
The facts remain, Israel is an independent state, it has strategic US National security value, Biden cannot dictate to Netanyahu or the IDF their internal policies toward Gaza and the West Bank and has limited power to unilaterally change US Policy toward the Middle East. He is not the dictator here. Blaming him for IDF terror ignores the fact that Biden has used what power he has over Netanyahu to gain a cease fire. At the moment Hamas refuses the negotiation that the rest of the Middle East has agreed to. Iran and Russia want Trump back in power. Who controls Hamas? Biden? Nope
This is a good question to ask Hamas. Though they are now hiding behind those innocent people. Why does Israel have to get attacked, have to endure innocent people killed and sit quiet while civilians are taken hostage, while Hamas watches the world blame the Jewish state? The terrorists here need to be called to task, not the victims.
Israel unilaterally withdrew from Gaza in 2005. Thousands of Gazans entered Israel daily for jobs. Most recently the crossing was reopened Thursday after being closed for a little more than a week following violent protests. Thursday. "Squeezing them into a ghetto"? Israel is a tiny nation the size of New Jersey surrounded by large Arab countries.
Regardless of the size of Israel, their leadership has blockaded Gaza, effectively trapping innocents into a Ghetto
Oh, and those bulldozers? Seems kinda unfriendly to me
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_Strip
Dave, there's nothing right about any of it, but as you may or may not know throughout the years there have been numerous missed opportunities to "co-exist" (Yassir Arafat) but just like this terrorist action by Hamas, political power for corrupt enterprise far out weighed the well being of the "Palestinian" people.
Maybe they should work harder on removing Hamas from their midst if that want to live without death & war.
thank you. Thias war is not caused by the mercy the occupiers showed to their captors.
Humans are their own worst enemy. We will destroy everything in our quest for more power, more money, more control. It's horrible and terrifying. I am still hoping the good in us will prevail. The evil is too close for comfort.
Continue to hold out hope, but don’t hold your breath..
All the elements of our own self destruction are closing in on us and sooner or later there will be no escape, but the one thing we can not escape is the effect of what we have done to our mother, She will kill us off quite soon.
there are both sides in humanity; the angels and the demons. It was alwasy thus and always will be. The angels teach us about our greediness, as Marx did, and the demons demand more money, like Trump.
Yes. Good and bad. The bad is getting to be too many and too close. Greed, power and control.
“De-escalation. Have you heard the word yet on cable news? Suddenly, it is everywhere, all at once. Make no mistake — it is pernicious, obscene, and unique to Israel.”---Steve Schmidt
I’m not sure of your point? I’ve heard our European Allies and many nations throw their support towards Israel. And no one expects Israel to succumb to terrorism. That said, I agree, Jews will and must fight back; ALWAYS!
However, this situation is complex, and while the occupation has lasted 56 years, nothing has changed; the violence just gets worse, and the occupation more draconian.
HL Mencken once said, “complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers!”
The Middle East and the Israeli/Palestinian question has become an enigma. We continually see the violence escalate every five to six years, and nothing changes.
The world needs to address the root cause, and we need to force both sides to an agreement for a two state solution, which neither side may want, but both parties can live with.
If not, then we should just let both sides continue to kill each other until they’ve had enough, until they have suffered unimaginable losses, that neither side can no longer bear.
The status quo is no longer acceptable. Enough said!
The Jews had the insurmountable military power when they won each conflict, and they created an Apartheird in the Gaza strip instead of behaving sensibly.
How can any tortured people in an imprisoned strip of land want their enemy to exist?
I agree with you on policies. They are awful, I’ve said as much. However, That doesn’t excuse the slaughter of 260 innocent kids at a music festival.
If I am not mistaken, the secular Jews have long been behind a 2 state solution . It is the religious ultra orthodox who do not want that. I have been mystified that only secular men and women must serve in the military. The attempt to have the religious population serve in some way failed. They outbirth secular Jews and will continue to become a majority in their politics.
True, secular Jews like myself are in favor of a two state solution and despise Netanyahu and his far right government. And It’s not just that the ultra religious don’t have to serve, there is a bill in the Knesset that would pay them the same salary for continuing their Bible studies as actual soldiers.
Notice, none of the right-wing politicians grabbed their weapons and joined the rest of Israeli society in showing up for reserve duty.
The religious right wants all the benefits, none of the risk, and like in America, want to force their way of life on the rest of us.
Hopefully, this failure will be the end of Bibi’s political career. He was warned in advance by his own intelligence chiefs, and by Egypt’s intelligence chief that something big was going to happen ten days ago.
Bibi blew off the warning, believing that Hamas could be controlled and that the PA and Hamas were too busy fighting each other, than to worry about them attacking Israel.
Robert,
Thank you for your reply. I had not heard about that bill. That is mind boggling.
The news here is reporting that this attack was a total surprise.
Decades ago as I was filling my schedule teaching college as an adjunct, I was hired to teach English at an all girl's orthodox high school. That was an eye opening experience. I knew nothing about that branch of Judaism. Not the venue to recount my year.
Do stay safe! Naomi
Thank you, but I live in the US, I have family there. Sorry if there was any confusion.
In people living under imprisonment in their own land-- which has been deliberatey fragmented, a land existing under Israel's policy Apartheid, what did you expect?
I don’t disagree, but Hamas doesn’t care about the Palestinian people. They rule with an iron fist and as far as human rights are concerned, they’re up there with the Saudi’s. And don’t say they were elected. It’s true, but the PA ran many members of MP, in each district, Hamas has one option. Hamas has never had more than 35% of the people behind them. Now they’ll have a lot more after Israel invades Gaza, but will be far worse off for it.
That said, I didn’t expect anything different than a full scale terrorist operation. Trump gave Netanyahu the green light to do as he pleased, and he took draconian measures.
That said, how does this situation help the Palestinian people? Their lives are going to get progressively worse. Half of Israel, and most of us Jews disagree with the treatment of Palestinians and despise Netanyahu and his right wing government. This incident will not win over converts, and will only unite the Israeli’s further and make any future peace initiative much harder.
There are no winners here; just varying degrees of losers!
However, if I were picking winners, it would be Hamas, for now, and definitely the right-wing fanatics in Israel.
It sounds so much like Trump and the U.S. The 35% controlling the rest of us.
I just heard Nicolas Kristof agree with you, so now I believe you
Gaza doesn
In some ways I’m seeing this as I had as a child growing up in Brooklyn. The world once again on the lip of catastrophe. Little control over what nations chose to visit upon one another, knee deep in the nightmare anticipation of nuclear war.
In high school I lived in a city watching a military coup, I watched tanks roll past the end of my street, armed soldiers walking past with rifles.
I have no trust in Netanyahu. His policies brought this latest horror on and people have died and will die as a result.
Here we go again.
explain how tanks and armed soldiers walked by your house in Brooklyn, please
I don’t know where an earlier answer went but it wasn’t in Brooklyn. It was in Greece, Athens April 1967
I will not defend my support of Jews or their right to a nation. I acknowledge fully the well-documented horrors that have fallen inexplicably (in my opinion) through the centuries on Jews. But we cannot and we must not ignore the Palestinian crisis. I believe that many Jews in israel have lost their moral compass. Palestinians and have lost much and suffered much, from UNRWA refugee camps to today. If any people should be capable of comprehending the grief and loss suffered by the Palestinians, it should be the Jews. Netanyahu and his far-right cronies have stoked the fires that led to this tragedy today. Indeed Hamas should be destroyed, the Palestinian Authority brought back to power, but it is naive to think that this will be enough. Undoing sixty years of hate and mistrust between peoples is clearly not an easy task, but I believe nothing will change without a Palestinian state. And I believe that the United States needs to take a tougher position on this issue. You can absolutely be pro israel without supporting all of their practices. This current situation is a tragedy but it's been a tragedy for years. It really just breaks my heart for Jews and Palestinians alike.
As human beings, we can hold multiple thoughts in our heads at one time. Many of the world’s ongoing problems are due to our propensity to want to distill a problem down to one simple answer,when life isn’t that easy. I appreciate many of the comments that came before mine outlining the complexity of the long standing conflict between Israel and Palestine. Neither side gets to claim total innocence and Netanyahu has his share of guilt in what led to this most recent episode. Horrifyingly, the extremist group, Hamas used it as an excuse to commit atrocities. I feel pretty fatalistic about our ability to “solve “ the problem. Maybe because we are currently watching reruns of The West Wing and the storyline in exactly this issue with the characters making exactly the same comments/arguments. From 20 years ago.
Sadly, I share your fatalism. It doesn't have to be this way but humans being what they are, I don't
see too many avenues for change. Both sides would have to sacrifice, and neither wants to. Compromise is difficult. We have only to look at our own situation in America to come to that conclusion. The rise of Natzi-ism, the increasing loss of long-held rights, the facile dishonesty of the press and politicians, the increased violence, both rhetorical and actual... we as a species are failing and it's scary and depressing.
Yep! I know it’s exponentially worse, but I am in Kentucky and this conflict puts the Hatfields and McCoys to shame. Same idea though, right? Both sides absolutely unwilling to forgive the transgressions of years gone by so it continues.
👍😢
This is the nexus of a perfect storm involving historical forces, but also forces created by human error, strategic misjudgments, as well as political and diplomatic incompetence and inexperience. Kushner’s involvement in the Middle East as so-called diplomacy fits this last category. His was no more a diplomat than I’m Henry Kissinger. His motivation was not Middle East peace but greed for Saudi money. Israeli intelligence failed, certainly not helped by Netanyahu and his democracy destabilization and loss of confidence in him by many in the Israeli armed forces. Extreme Israeli right wing politicians have poured fuel on the fire with their tacit if not explicit endorsement of violence against Palestinian civilians. I hope and pray that our diplomatic corps under Sec’y Blinken is up to this challenge. Also, the Trump’s administration’s political decision to exit the Iran nuclear treaty was another strategic calculation of huge proportions.
www.tomthedemocratist.com
And Thomas, you haven’t even mentioned the impact of right wing Christian’s steeped in dominion theology on the United States’ responses as religion and state become increasingly and purposefully intertwined.
the USA is a bastion for Zionism, just as Marlon Brandon said ( in so many words). We can NEVER criticize isreael, or else we are called Un-American.
Hinge of history or axial age. We have a two front war. We must win both before it spreads and it will. We also have an active 5th column we need to address.
I also recognize we are looking again at a family feud that has been playing out for thousand of years.
I agree, I have never understood the concept of Jews and not fighting for survival or not being militarized. Must be something left from the Middle Ages. Definitely not true if you look at the 1C BCE Macabeean revolt, or Masada.
It will be awful, with much loss of life on both sides. I pray it shall be short and decisive I pray for those taken hostage and may they return safely home. I pray for justice against those who planned and executed this war.
Who do you pray to? An invisible white man up high in heaven? I cannot understand the idea of that kind of praying. To" pray for " when used as a figure of speech, akin to what is called :"hoping for", is even then a poor choice of words: I prefer the old saying " to be free and cast off the fetters of hope" is a wiser choice, I think, and instead, forget the hopes and prayers and look at reality. Then, act.
Definitely not a figure of speech. Since you asked, yes I am a Christian (or attempt as best as possible, as none of us are perfect), and out of the mainline Protestant tradition (Lutheran if you must know), and, yes I spent some time at Seminary. So I do follow the practice of prayer and work: you pray and then you go out and do something. (no, to any other Lutherans reading this, this is not works righteousness. Romans 3:21-31 is still there).
I have never envisioned the Trinity as you have described it. I believe the second person of the Trinity most likely looks like the very people who are currently fighting in Israel. For whatever reason I have never actually considered what they look like. I know what appears in western art, but again, that isn't an element of my belief system.
If you have any questions about working to save our Democracy, I might point you to my other responses to Steve's outstanding work and reminding everyone we have a responsibility to be active in preserving it: be it writing letter and post cards; serving as an election judge; door knocking; texting or phone banking; and registering voters. Do I do these, yes. So yes, I pray, and yes I work. To my mind both are needed.
Thanks for asking.
I am happy to receive this very gracious reply. As long as somebody can be gracious when confronted with remarks that could offend deeply, and then reply as civllly as you have done, the human race is OK with me...even better than OK. Glad to know you, Liz.
Liz, I learn from and appreciate your comments here on The Warning. Thanks for the work you do for all of us.
Well said Liz. Agree!
Prediction: any minute now Trumpler will tweet/say, “I alone can fix this.” The very essence of plunging us deeper towards WW3 would be to embrace anything this sociopathic dumbbell criminal or his spineless, corrupt enablers suggest. Let’s do the opposite and pound them into the ground, kick them away from any modicum of power and authority. Relegate them to their dark, bile-infused, visionless, corrupt, hateful razor’s edge of society.
Ah! Here we have, at last, an enraged, righteous, poetic comment, and it is one that is much to my liking. Thank you, Nicole
I like yours too. We are like-minded. America at her “last chance moment;” up to electorate to save America —and the globe.
Israel orders ‘complete siege’ of Gaza; power to be cut and food and fuel blocked.
How can the world believe this is okay?
Ask the families of the Israelis murdered by Iran's puppet terrorist killers and get back to us.
Shall we have a #4 new Crusades? Nothing changes in mankind;s misery handed down to man.
My poor child--awaken.
Zelenskyy sees the same terror by Putin in Ukraine as in Israel by HAMAS. His latest speech https://youtu.be/enEj-JCnEvc?si=lnqxM2mmuLWTV75E.
They are not equivalent at all!
I think he is talking about the indiscriminate and unprovoked violence committed against the civilians.
I think you are right. He does say that.
This is simply terrifying 😞
🙏 prayers for Israel
Prayers? Just mercy would be nice, especially to the Pa;lestinians first, for their suffering under the rule of Apartheid dictated by Israel for decades. Why would an imprisoned people want the state of their oppressor to exist?
I understand that sentiment however, Hamas is not representative of all Palestinians. Hamas is terrorist rule. The rape and slaughter of innocent people should never be justified. It is a complicated history
It "soit'nly is," as Groucho would say.
The Messianic Bible project details the plan to build a Third Temple on the site of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. On 5/06/23 France 24 ran the story: The Israelis set for new Jewish temple on Al-Aqsa site. This country has its share of people who claim to be “Christian” but do not follow the ways of Jesus Christ attempting to force a corrupt, twisted version of faith of the people of this country. Perhaps it is time for those of us who Actually believe in a loving Almighty God to declare that love for our fellow humans and step back from what will bring us to WWIII. Imposing one’s religion on another is NOT of God. Wiping out the children of either side of Abraham is Not of God. Those who are trying to bring us to Armageddon are not working for God. They are liars and God hates liars.
Your comment is exactly why our Constitution provides for the separation of church and state. Our “forefathers” were not far removed from the slaughter of thousands in Europe over one religion versus another. I have had a Near Death Experience. There is Love on the Other Side. Some have experienced darkness but were given a second chance. The endless killing for one religion or another serves those who hate. Engineering conflict to obtain power serves tyrants and wannabe dictators.
Religion is the root of most of the evil in the world.
I’m 78, born just as Allied Armies crossed the Rhine. My friends were the families who had survived the Holocaust. The message was ever present—Israel must survive. My friends sent Money to Israel, travelled and worked in their kibbutz’s fields and kitchens. The terror and evil of Fascism was REAL, not imagined, and the language of that terrible time is being heard today. My generation is passing, but I sincerely appreciate the effort to draw the straight line from 1939 to today. Warning, indeed!
I'm a few years younger. My idea of Israel though is similar to what you say. My older sister and brother were more the Kibutz age. For Jews, it's important as a concept and a reality. My grandmother who came from Austria-Hungary took a plane to Israel in about its 10th year. I recall the big deal of taking her to the airport and picking her up. she brought back coins and trinkets. She went after Grandpa had passed and believe me, she didn't drive so she really didn't do much with out him but she went to Israel. It was a huge deal for her and the family. I still have the coins. It's important to every Jew who knows about what their people went through. Because we don't forget. We never forget.
Thank you for making this real. May your grandmother’s memory be a blessing.
You’re so kind.
It is. She keeps me going, always. Thank you.✌️
Thank you for your words in support of Israel, Mr. Schmidt.
Where is Mr. Schmidt's mention of the decades-long racist policy of Apartheid the Jews imposed on Gaza?
There are always two sides.
"And so it goes".
Quite the rant Steve. Replace "jew" with "atheist" and I could get into it. Today's post almost knocked me off my feet. Unsubscribe was my knee jerk reaction - almost. I do enjoy your commentary. Did someone piss on your Cheerios? Breathe.
Steve is Jewish. Antisemitism is rampant. Hamas is a terrorist organization.
Your comment trivializes all of that.
Are the deaths of any humans trivial?
What in his cereal? You, mister, are what is wrong with the education system; Steve may be wrong for some of us, but at least he has a vocabulary, has imagination, and uses words that are never vulgar. The "United States of Vulgarity" is a large part of us now, a part of us that you have become. Look for new rules, and new words to express your dislike, and get out of the gutter. You like Steve because he has an expansive, unoffensive vocabulary has expressions for all his feelings, and does not have to use ejacular words from the street. You use words that you think will be the "real" , the "common-folk" words, the merely insulting "street talk", the talk trying to sound like a gangster, a "Manly-Tough" talk.
But you like Steve's commentary, and that is what you and I share. Steve is a sensitive man, a nurturing man, and you ought to emulate his kind of talk. I like his vocabulary.
Troll in training?
I cannot see what you are commenting on. Is it from Tracy (me)? If so, why do you say it was trolling?
Ha.