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[-] alternative_factor@kbin.social 172 points 6 months ago

The UN passed the resolution calling it genocide so I agree with that, I trust a democratic vote of the UN despite their inability to actually do anything compared to South Africa. I'm still going to vote Biden though because I know about project 2025 and know that we will probably get genocided in our own country if he loses. It sucks but that's how I feel.

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[-] UnpluggedFridge@lemmy.world 96 points 6 months ago

I am really disappointed with the discourse concerning Biden's handling of the most recent Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Everyone is acting like Biden invented our alliance with Israel and is somehow personally responsible for our support of Israel. Geopolitical alliances are complicated matters that touch everything from international reputation to national security. They are fostered over decades. We have obligations to Israel that precede Biden and the recent conflict.

I understand the moral positions people are taking, and I agree that a genocide is taking place. But with anything geopolitical, these issues must be approached without hard lines and moral absolutism, because those ideals are what both sides are using to justify the atrocities we are witnessing. They both feel morally justified, and that the other side has crossed some hard lines. That is how diplomacy breaks down.

Those of you that want to see an end to the conflict need to understand that the official US position at this moment is aligned with you. But so many of you are proposing "simple" solutions that will not achieve that outcome. If we end support for Israel, they will not stop the genocide. What we will lose is leverage in negotiating peace and we will weaken the alliance with Israel, and the genocide will continue unhindered by US calls for restraint. You may argue that Israel relies on this alliance for security, and that is true, but you assume that other super powers would not jump at the chance to replace the US as a close ally to a nuclear power in the middle east.

Let's not forget how rash reactionary approaches to geopolitics threatened the NATO alliance during the Trump presidency. Our allies are already doubting if the US will honor the treaty, and this doubt extends to Taiwan, too. Weakening these alliances gives power to our enemies, full stop. Do you want to see war break out in the Pacific? Russia to expand its empire eastward? The Israel-Palestine conflict to extend to other Arab nations? Damaging these alliances will cause more war, not less.

Outrage against Israel is justified. But look past your nose before you jeopardize our key alliances. Diplomacy is slow and frustrating, but it is better than more war.

[-] index@sh.itjust.works 42 points 6 months ago

But look past your nose before you jeopardize our key alliances. Diplomacy is slow and frustrating, but it is better than more war.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_support_for_Israel_in_the_2023_Israel%E2%80%93Hamas_war

There's a genocide happening right now with USA support where thousand of childrens have already been murdered. Israel is bombing neighbor countries and the whole middle east is boiling as a result. They are not seeking diplomacy they are seeking war.

[-] UnpluggedFridge@lemmy.world 33 points 6 months ago

So we should abandon diplomacy precisely when it is needed most? When we withdraw our support and Iran and Egypt join the conflict, will it be easier to stomach the killing of even more children in more nations? After we cede our influence in the middle east and China expands its influence to fill the vacuum, we will be able to honor our treaty with Taiwan after an emboldened China begins bombing and killing their children?

This is the macabre calculus of geopolitics. This is the risk of reactionary policy. All of this is a hypothetical worse case scenario, but one thing is certain: if we withdraw our support, Israel will lose any incentive to stop the killing. More will die. And that would be the best case scenario.

[-] index@sh.itjust.works 18 points 5 months ago

diplomacy

To send israel government "whatever it needs" and additional aid is the opposite of diplomacy. The really reason they are getting away with a genocide is because they have the west backing.

There's a genocide happening right now under your nose where thousand of kids are getting killed, this is already the worst case scenario. They are doing exactly what they want to do, they are not seeking diplomacy they want war.

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[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 22 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

If genocide isn't a red line for sending military aid then our alliances are already useless. We are the country and the country is us; not some third entity. So a moral failure of this magnitude being forced on us "for the good of our country" just opens the door to more moral failures. And we're the ones that will have to live in that system.

Furthermore, allies who do have moral standards are now looking at us wondering if our moral failures will extend to keeping our word when it's not a country that's entangled itself with our religious conservatives. They are very aware of why we support Israel. And very aware that they do not share Israel's unique political position.

It's that enough big picture stuff for you or would like to attempt to rationalize sending weapons to a genocidal regime some more?

[-] stoly@lemmy.world 9 points 6 months ago

You managed to unironically demonstrate the point of the person you responded to.

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[-] olivebranch@lemmy.ca 20 points 5 months ago

Biden didn't invent the alliance to Israel, but when the conflict increased during his term he side-stepped congress to give weapons to them faster, so they can kill more civilians as quick as possible.

Don't excuse for what he has done. Biden is a war criminal. And having NATO, most powerful minitarly alliance in the World, threatened is no comparison to genocide in Gaza. NATO is a problem just as well, but Israel needs to be stopped ASAP.

[-] Gradually_Adjusting@lemmy.world 19 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

I'm never leaving lemmy. I love the way it's common to see normal sane views being widely accepted. I can breathe here.

[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 14 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

This is one of those ones that sounds rational but really isn't.

Nobody said we have to leave Israel completely in the wind. They just want weapons deliveries to stop. Other countries aren't worried about Democrats holding their alliances. They're worried the Democrats are following the Republicans down the hole and supporting extreme religious parties. You show your allies you value them by listening to them, not by vetoing their anti starvation measures in the UN for several months.

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[-] ivanafterall@kbin.social 92 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

Damn, that's at least a full step above a "Huh" with an inquisitively arched eyebrow.

[-] EdibleFriend@lemmy.world 46 points 6 months ago

His finger is dangerously close to wagging.

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[-] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 72 points 6 months ago

"They have a point," Biden said after the protesters were escorted out. "We need to get a lot more care into Gaza."

They wouldn't need it as badly if someone didn't go around Congress to ban funding to UNRWA...

Still, the Biden administration decided to pause funding, and other big donors did the same. The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, says she understands that UNRWA is the only international organization with the capacity to help deliver food, flour and fuel to Palestinians in Gaza, but she says donors want to see a full investigation of the Israeli allegations.

https://www.npr.org/2024/02/18/1232301965/the-u-s-is-barring-funding-to-unrwa-the-only-international-organization-aiding-g

And even after we found out the allegations were bullshit and confessions were after torture, both parties (except a few progressives) united to ban it till 2025.

Biden is literally responsible for this, but is acting like it's just some random thing and maybe he'll help out.

[-] Rentlar@lemmy.ca 46 points 6 months ago

You're not entirely wrong, but Biden has bipartisan backing on this as it's part of the whole funding bill, which makes most of the repesentatives and senators complicit with Biden which this bill also gives Israel $3B, and Ukraine $0.3B.

Still, like how a massive frigate turns slowly, the actions of the State Department are showing a change of tune, and the US is nearly fed up with covering for Israel's genocide. The first steps are to abstain from ceasefire resolutions and then to give the protestors attention and credibility. There are many more steps to go.

[-] alternative_factor@kbin.social 22 points 6 months ago

Republicans are always gonna disrupt any real action anyway, they are full mask-off on the Christian nationalism thing and believe they must support Isreal 100% no matter what to make jesus come back.

[-] nednobbins@lemm.ee 21 points 6 months ago

I'd really like to believe that but the cynic in me expects that as soon as Israel gets done with their genocide campaign they'll pretend that they've turned a new leaf and all funding and military assistance will resume as though nothing had happened. There will be no lasting consequences for Israel's actions so they will, correctly, assume that there is nothing to stop them from doing it again.

[-] NoneOfUrBusiness@kbin.social 12 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

There will be no lasting consequences for Israel’s actions so they will, correctly, assume that there is nothing to stop them from doing it again.

Not concrete political action no, but make no mistake Israel has lost a lot of international support in this war, and support for them is now more concentrated among older people. I'll be cautiously hopeful that we'll see real change from the West in the next 20 or so years as the older generations die off and more people grow up hearing about Israel committing their second genocide.

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[-] givesomefucks@lemmy.world 16 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

bill also gives Israel $3B, and Ukraine $0.3B.

You forgot banning aid to UNRWA....

the US is nearly fed up with covering for Israel’s genocide.

Voters are, and have been.

But can you name a Dem in a party leadership position that doesn't take AIPAC money?

There are many more steps to go.

That's what they told FDR 80 years ago when he was trying to get universal healthcare past a Dem controlled Congress...

There's so many steps left to go, it's functionally infinite. Because Republicans take more steps back then Dems take forward.

Biden spent a billion dollars in 2020 to just barely convince voters he was better than trump. I don't know you, but if you had a billion dollar campaign, I bet you could have wiped the floor with trump.

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[-] Fridgeratr@lemmy.dbzer0.com 72 points 6 months ago

You know what would aid Gaza? Not giving money and weapons to the people blowing them up

[-] lennybird@lemmy.world 37 points 6 months ago

Wrote this before and I'll write it again. People need to understand the broader context here:

Tough for Biden to balance between:

  • Leaning too heavily into Israel and siding with genocide.

  • Leaning too heavily against, and being accused of being pro-Hamas.

Worse, if Biden withdraws all aid to Israel and then Israel is hit with another terrorist attack, manufactured or not, that's the end of Biden. I think we can all agree that right-wing media propaganda is very effective and the ads would write themselves.

Within the electorate resides Jewish Americans who still largely support Israel by the polling, and the progressives and Palestinian Americans (a far smaller voting bloc).

The best Biden is going to manage in toeing the line is singling out Netanyahu (who himself is unpopular in Israel) instead of Israel itself and actions like this.

The risk obviously being that if Biden loses this election, the guy who wouldn't just indirectly but likely directly commit genocide against Palestinians would come in and you certainly wouldn't hear the words, "indiscriminate bombing" from Trump's facial sphincter.

[-] abbotsbury@lemmy.world 24 points 6 months ago
  • Leaning too heavily into Israel and siding with genocide.

  • Leaning too heavily against, and being accused of being pro-Hamas.

So the choices are siding with genocide, and merely being accused of being pro-Hamas?

Seems like a clear choice, since accusations of being pro-Hamas get flung around for merely wanting to genocide Palestinians just more slowly.

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[-] TokenBoomer@lemmy.world 17 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

It shouldn’t be this difficult for an actual leader to stop politicking and do the right thing. This is like Bill Clinton ignoring the Rwandan genocide. Or Reagan collaborating with the Guatemalan genocide. Or Nixon ignoring the Bengali genocide and directing the Cambodian genocide that enabled the Khmer Rouge genocide. On second thought, Biden’s an exemplary United States President. /s

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[-] go_go_gadget@lemmy.world 13 points 6 months ago

Worse, if Biden withdraws all aid to Israel and then Israel is hit with another terrorist attack, manufactured or not, that’s the end of Biden. I think we can all agree that right-wing media propaganda is very effective and the ads would write themselves.

Just scream "vote blue no matter who" at the pro-Israel Biden supporters.

I'm sick of people not saying the quiet part out loud: If every time there is a choice between doing the things progressives and leftists want the threat of moderate and liberal voters abandoning the party then we're fucked anyway. Even if you're optimistic and say "No no, the number of progressives and leftists is growing! We just have to be patient!" Guess what happens when progressives and leftists finally start winning primaries? That's right, moderates and liberals will abandon the party.

There no point in delaying any longer. If the moderates and liberals will abandon the party if Biden stopped sending weapons to Israel then let's get it over with.

[-] agitatedpotato@lemmy.world 10 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

That phrase was never meant for center right democrats, it was only there to sheepdog those who demand candidates not beholden to the billionaire class. You can't "vote blue no matter who" those types, they'll vote republican because at the end of the day most of them belong to social classes not threatened by conservatism, 4 years is no skin off their back, they may even see their IRAs grow. We're nothing but a voting bloc to them, and that's why things like Malcolm X's quote on white moderates is so relatable to many non black progressives, both groups know what it's like to be only included in appearance and only spoken to when votes are needed. How many more black elected officials do we have now, and yet the Democrats still fail Black voters perennially. I would have to ignore 60 year of history to think the progressive cause would do better if (and that's a big if) we can get more of them elected. If there's a path forward through the democratic party, it's eluded the black community for long enough to see cop lynchings increase and I don't think 'progressive issues' like 'stop killing the environment before we all die' have the time necessary to go the same route that's been taken from Malcolm X to now.

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[-] Maggoty@lemmy.world 13 points 6 months ago

It would not be the end for Biden. That's hyperbole. Also why are we pressuring anti genocide people to come out and vote regardless, but taking it for granted that pro genocide people can't be pressured at all.

You know who you're never going to get to vote for Biden again? The Muslim communities that are actually in mourning right now because they know people dying in Gaza. The same ones that are key voting groups in the Rust Belt. Which is the same area that Trump used to win in 2016.

The Republicans are already calling him terrorist pedophile. Doing something to stop the GOP from running baseless attack ads is useless.

The only one trying to lose this election is Biden. There are legions of progressives ready to hold their noses and vote for him. But he keeps running to the right. And we'll keep staying home.

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[-] umbrella@lemmy.ml 56 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)

then stop doing it instead of pretending to care ffs

[-] mlg@lemmy.world 36 points 6 months ago

Amazing, they actually got him to say something after like the nth protest at his rallies after 6 months.

If we keep this up, he'll eventually talk about how he was totally gonna refund UNRWA after he loses in November.

[-] Asafum@feddit.nl 28 points 6 months ago

Except he completely missed the point.

"We need to get more aid into Gaza" is very much not "we need to stop arming Israel so much."

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[-] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 25 points 6 months ago

Joe Brandon be like

[-] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 35 points 6 months ago

bullying works. if it didn't, bullies would do something else.

[-] Cowbee@lemmy.ml 25 points 6 months ago

No fucking shit decent human beings have a point, that could easily be taken as dismissal.

Please act, and end Israel's reign of horror.

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[-] athos77@kbin.social 23 points 6 months ago

It's been almost six months, you could've said something before now.

[-] joenforcer@midwest.social 27 points 6 months ago

You didn't watch the State of the Union speech, huh?

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[-] Hadriscus@lemm.ee 17 points 6 months ago

I'm wondering just how damageable in terms of geopolitics would a deterioration of relations with Israel be. Cause it has to be huge to justify not acting on this genocide. What stops Biden/US from acting ? what can I read to better understand this issue ?

[-] reverendsteveii@lemm.ee 40 points 6 months ago* (last edited 6 months ago)
  1. the US sees Israel as the only thing it can control in the middle east. it was always meant to be one of a few "pro-democracy beachheads" in the area, with the US attempting to make iraq work the same way in the 2000s. The idea was to put Israel in a position where they were powerful compared to their enemies but dependent on foreign aid, so that they could do whatever they want as long as they also did whatever we want. This is straight out of the British post-colonial hegemonic playbook - you don't send people to take over, and instead you elevate one local group from second or third place to the top and then make sure they never develop enough power that they can remain on top without your help. If you do this successfully, you can control them completely because all you have to do to send them tumbling from power is nothing when they're counting on your support.

  2. Up until now, the impact of helping Israel didn't have to be all that massive because the impact of Israeli violence against Palestinians (edit: ON THE OPINION OF THE AVERAGE AMERICAN) wasn't either. What you're seeing is a replay of the US allowing anyone with a camera to report from Vietnam - the narrative used to be pretty tightly controlled but between Palestinian social media updates and Israel's internal jingoistic propaganda being leaked to the western world it's becoming harder and harder to sustain the whole 'most moral army in the world engaged in a limited defensive operation that respects the right of all law-abiding people to live in peace' narrative. We see them shooting at people gathered around aid trucks now. We hear them talking about "children of light vs children of darkness", "every Palestinian is a terrorist because they all support Hamas" and seizing all of Palestine to build beachfront condos. Americans tend to like war in theory, but we have a strong sense of fair play and we'll only stay on board up to a certain amount of video of unarmed people being mowed down by soldiers. This is why they're simultaneously softening their position on Palestine and moving to seize the only major social media outlet that isn't US-based (and therefore isn't able to be pressured about 'misinformation' the way that FB, X, reddit, etc are). It's a matter of appeasing us in order to stay in power now while moving behind the scenes to ensure that they control the narrative in future so that they're never again put in a position where they're beholden to the will of voters who think that foreign people are people.

[-] archomrade@midwest.social 15 points 6 months ago

point one is also why the chosen rhetoric in opposition of the genocide is targeted at Netanyahu specifically rather than the entire administration, because rather than loosing relations with Israel as a country, the US wants to oust Netanyahu and have someone else they support take his place. That way they can keep their post-colonial pet in the middle east without looking like they're (still) supporting a genocide.

The problems with this, though, are:

  1. the US would still be engaged in a post-colonial imperialist action in the Middle East
  2. the broader Israel-Palestine relationship will almost certainly stay the same regardless, and I think a lot of American's opinion on Israel has been pretty irrevocably damaged since this new phase of conflict started.
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[-] Asafum@feddit.nl 14 points 6 months ago

seizing all of Palestine to build beachfront condos

Whoever buys that land to make those needs to be harassed for the rest of their lives. That's absolute scum of the earth bullshit. Religion and real estate all in one gigantic shit storm... Literally the worst humanity has to offer.

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[-] Bwaz@lemmy.world 15 points 6 months ago

Israel uses a significant amount of the $$ the US gives them to lobby (IOW, bribe) members of the US political parties to support them. Including giving them more $$, in a positive feedback loop. The lobbied polits in effect give themselves money along with what Israel keeps.

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[-] masquenox@lemmy.world 15 points 6 months ago
[-] lennybird@lemmy.world 10 points 6 months ago

Trump and Putin both thank you for your service.

[-] go_go_gadget@lemmy.world 10 points 6 months ago

Trump and Putin thank Biden for being such a dumbass that he's burning voters he's depending on to win elections.

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[-] bradorsomething@ttrpg.network 12 points 6 months ago

Dark Brandon, come forth and high five one of them.

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this post was submitted on 26 Mar 2024
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