this post was submitted on 16 Nov 2023
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OK so, I'll start this by saying I'm a supporter of Biden and Palestine. Not the biggest fan of him saying he's a Zionist. But the thing I've told a couple friends who haven't been keeping up as much that even though Isreal is kinda scummy and definitely not going about this the right way right now, but at the end of the day they're our alli. And without the alliance we don't have solid roots in the middle east. So it sucks but political fares hardly ever are.
We're a massive ocean away, why would we be entitled to occupying their land?
fair enough, but the US doesn‘t occupy Palestine
Thats what "solid roots in the middle east" means. Military presence amongst arab states, including palestine.
I would argue that point, but Isreal has said repeatedly they want to be the ones to do this. We're just floating there to make sure nobody else joins in.
But if Isreal asked for boots on the ground we should (unfortunately) help because that's what allis do.
You mean make sure no one opposes their genocide. Stop invading other peoples countries
Dang, you just stopped all wars with that comment. Congrats dude
The US doesn't need solid roots in the middle east, it is literally an entire ocean away, has the top 4 air forces in world(well, officially Russia is #3, but that probably is no longer the case and definitely won't be by time the Ukraine invasion ends), the 2nd best/possibly the best Navy in the world, the 2nd largest stockpile of Nukes(and likely the largest stockpile of actually functional ones), not to mention a missile defense system that probably puts even the Iron Dome to shame(after all, the I.D was primarily funded by the US).
Literally the only physical foreign threat the US needs to truly worry about is small scale terrorist-attack style operations, and all out MAD nuclear war. Literally no foreign country is touching us in a traditional war.
No, the only reason the US needs solid roots in the middle east is so it can advance it's imperialist interventionist goals. You're absolutely right, Israel is the US's ally. Where you are wrong though is believing we should support them, rather than ending our alliance with them.
Put it this way: An alliance between two countries is basically like a friendship between two people. If you found out your friend, your best friend even, was a remorseless serial killer, how would you react? Would you rightly dump them as a friend and hope they rot in prison, or would you be like "sure, I realize they killed all those innocent people, but they're my friend! I HAVE to support them no matter what! Besides, they totally killed some bad people too, so it's justified."?
You make it sound so simple. If it's so easy, why are you wasting time commenting here instead of actually doing something?
That response makes literally no fucking sense. What am I, specifically, supposed to do about this? Call Biden up on his private line that I somehow have and be like "Hey bro this is some fucked up shit. Pretty please stop?"?
I am a private citizen with no money, no political power, no military power, and no real power to influence others. I do what I can, educating myself on these matters and in turn trying to educate those close to me as well. Sorry that I only have the ear of some friends and family and not fucking Congress or the goddamn President, sue me I guess.
Unlike me, the US government is the most powerful entity on the entire planet in ALL of those regards. It has absolutely no good excuse for continuing to support Israel's genocide.
I'm trying to say in a sarcastic way that's its a lot more difficult than you make it seem. Your view comes off as very one sided.
"kinda scummy" are you serious? Have you seen the videos of mosques, hospitals and refugee campa getting flattened by bombs?
Why do you want to be an ally with a nation that does this?
I mean thanks for dropping "and they're definitely not going about this the right way" from my quote
Because it is a very weak statement. But my question is still, why do you want to be an ally with this nation?
I never said I want to be an alli with them. I immediately said I backed Palestine. I just was saying they're unfortunately the alliance we have there and not backing them now would cause more harm then good.
I'd just add that 'Zionism' means many different things to many different people. To some, it's advocating that all Palestinians be forcefully removed from the region in support of the creation of a kind of Greater Israel. To others, it's the mere acknowledgement that Israel is a thing that exists and that all Jews should not be forcefully removed from the region in support of the creation of a Greater Palestine.
Depending on who's using the term, it's essentially either "thing I like" or "thing I don't like", and I wouldn't read very much into it over examining actual specific policy.
The former definition is being openly stated by the Israeli president, prime minister, and senior government officials as explicit justification for years of illegal settlements and apartheid.
The latter definition is a purely speculative excuse from Euro-American liberals that ignores that Palestinian Jews existed before Zionism in order to pretend that Jews can’t exist as part of a multiethnic society.
I see you take the 'thing I don't like' approach. Send my regards to the rest of Lemmygrad if you would.
It's often used as newspeak. Just like in 1984, complex and often nuanced issues are reduced to simple words, soundbites or phrases which limit critical thinking and the ability to articulate more abstract or balanced opinions.
As you say, you're then forced to make a choice, because the whole thing's framed as a false dilemna.
Because the whole debate's so emotional and angry, any room for nuance is often dead on arrival, and gets buried in the cacaphony of the loudest and often most stupid voices.
Well put. Thank you