It is just not possible to eliminate all resistance; eliminating Hamas and Hepbolah sounds strategic until you hear the Israeli rage and cheers in documentaries including IDF soldiers and as a genocide keeps rolling out. There is no real endgame on the table that ends the Occupation, releases Palestinians unlawfully detained and an enforceable ceasefire. Release the hostages - then what? Back to the status quo and everything will be fine? The bodies have not yet begun to be recovered from under the rubble. What are we the living charged to do?
Sweeping this moment under the rug cannot be what voters in Michigan and other swing states need to feel comfortable in clinching the win for VP Harris and Gov Walz. I think president Biden is such a product of his time in the Senate that he could deem our entry into a broader war the province of the present congress even if the house is lead by wackadoodle authoritarianism under Mike Johnson. This is really a time to trust the American people.
In 2023, the value* of U.S. "Foreign Military Sales" was almost $81 billion. Yes, you read that right, $81 BILLION. Anybody still wondering why the U.S. economy is so rosy right now, and why our elected officials refuse to heed our calls to stop using our tax dollars to fund genocide?! *Source: https://www.state.gov/fiscal-year-2023-u-s-arms-transfers-and-defense-trade/
I don’t have any proof, but I suspect Bibi somehow is holding something over President Biden. A threat, information, retaliation, something. Bibi, like any power hungry, sadistic and vengeful dictator would do this. He, Putin, and Trump share the same bed.
Absolutely everything. I once stated that there are extremely influential jewish power brokers in our country. However, some of those in congress don’t count. So many who I know fight for our republic. What you say truly is the icing on the cake.
Biden left his humanity behind awhile ago. I never once got the sense he actually felt bad about what was happening, or that he's been genuinely duped or manipulated by the monster that is Netanyahu. So I'm not surprised at all that he's laying off pushing for a ceasefire in favor of attacking Hezbollah. It's about control, power, & money, not saving lives.
It is mind boggling --but if you go watch the man on CSPAN going back years the fact he's doing something catastrophically harmful and stupid now won't be a huge surprise. He is a very limited person in many respects.
It's certainly possible he has no moral or intellectual center besides some very outdated cold war platitudes.
There could be other explanations but this is the simplest. It's so bizarre I would like to know more simply to reduce the disorientation but we never will.
Still, he has never been THIS bad. The Democrats have not been this bad since Vietnam.
But many people seem to be vastly worse that I thought. It's inconceivable in a way.
Thank you, Qasim, for your (as always) reasoned, calm, urgent, compassionate analysis. It is painful and demoralizing to witness the cruelty and havoc caused by Biden's handling of the situation. Knowing our tax money fuels the devastation and injustice in Gaza and the West Bank has been painful and infuriating. I lived in Lebanon for a year in the early 70's studying at The American University of Beirut on a junior year abroad program--so now the Israeli assault moves to places I lived in and loved.
Joe Biden has been a cold warrior all his political life. Nothing changes now that he's morphed into kindly-looking "Uncle Joe." His vision of the world is still divvied up between the US and a few other world powers who are either allies or enemies, and the rest of the world which is fair game for exploitation by those world powers. He is still firmly entrenched in the 75 years of bi-partisan consensus that sees Israel as an agent of that exploitation, and that sees any opposition to Israel as "terror." (In that regard, he and the Bushes Senior and Junior are cut from the same cloth.) The deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza and Lebanon and the West Bank--even the probable loss of his Vice-President's campaign--can't shake Biden's bedrock, almost religious, faith in that world view.
That said, we must continue to ask that he--and the rest of the political class and legacy media--change from that mindset, change for the better. Thank you for showing us, each day, how to make the ask.
The titanic is harder to turn around than it even is to stop. I hope the momentum changes in a new administration trying to please the constituents as well as do the highest sense of right but no way this is not very difficult for our government to deal with. So sad how many more will die and be displaced while the world gazes on in horror.
Let me help explain what's going on: AIPAC. Because I'm Jewish, please allow me to expand: Jewish money. I've made phone calls for Jamaal Bowman (and had made calls for Qasim Rashid's bid for Congress) and now Rashida Tlaib, and I can tell you that many people are still in revenge mode for October 7, 2023. If Biden stops weaponizing Israel then the fear is that Harris will lose the election as the money will flow to her opponent. This is my belief from what I've learned by talking with people, and by listening to some of the experts. In other words, money vs the people, and the bet is on the money.
Another thing I've learned by talking to people --you can't change their minds. I think, of the thousands of people I've spoken to over every election since 2006, I've been able to change the mind of one person. One.
So Biden is stuck hating Netanyahu and still having to hand him weapons. Incredible.
Side note: Because I'm Jewish I'm sensitive to anti-Semitic tropes. If you reference "The Rothschilds" I'll get that weird/danger feeling and the hairs on the back of my neck will stand up. If you reference "Paul Singer" I'll just know that you're informed. Paul Singer of the Elliott Group. Check it out. Before you eat lunch.
I don’t know what else to say here except that I could not agree with you more. The phrase “de-escalation through escalation,” is profoundly stupid and nonsensical. I am very disappointed in President Biden. My greatest fear is that Jill Stein is playing her cards to pull the Muslim vote away from Kamala Harris in swing states like Michigan, and if Trump winds up in the White House, we are simply doomed. I will be on pins and needles until I see Kamala Harris elected. I am hoping she will part ways with Biden‘s policies and do the right thing. This whole mess is a massive humanitarian tragedy that will take expert diplomacy to solve, and I do not think that Antony Blinken is the right person to do the job.
Thank you and well said. I don't quite know how but she has to find a way to break from Biden now. That can't happen unless Biden himself allows it, and it's absurd that it seems he's more focused on his policy than on handing the reigns to Harris. His refusal to give up control is the kind of decision that can haunt us and the world in the future.
Harris can break from Biden even if he doesn't allow it. I saw videos TODAY of Harris being interviewed on "The View" and by Stephen Colbert, and asked if she disagrees with Biden about anything. She either said "no," or she dodged the question. It's a long time (for the Palestinians) until January, but she couldn't even hold out hope for anything.
Yes, to all of this, and we also know that Blinken has lied because you detailed this in one of your other essays. Biden has been a great president in many ways, but this is going to ruin his legacy. Harris has to find a way to assure voters that she has different plans to solve this crisis.
Qasim, there has been no "180 degree reversal." Biden has always said "Israel" (Netanyahu) had his "ironclad" support, and that has never changed.
Ah, you're questioning Biden's judgment. That's much more to the point. Personally, I have always considered Biden to be a stuffed shirt who keeps being in the right place at the right time. He has a career-long history of putting his foot in his mouth, and being...flexible...about his agenda. He allows himself to be played by someone he himself describes as a "bad fucking guy."
You can add what you like about Harris, and I wouldn't disagree with you, but she's not the president. She doesn't make those decisions. If Biden died today, would she suddenly do anything different? Again, SHE isn't "working around the clock." But it doesn't take working around the clock. All it takes is abruptly stopping supplying Netanyahu, and stopping blocking otherwise unanimous worldwide votes for ceasefire. But Biden probably won't die today, so we won't know what, if anything, she'd do different.
You're right that he's refused to ever break from Netanyahu, but then he should not have pretended like he was going to get a deal. That's flat out dishonest.
I don't think he was pretending. I think he did what he was willing to do, which he might have imagined would be effective, and which (maybe) was to suggest to Bibi that perhaps it would be a good thing to have a ceasefire. Bibi said no, and Biden didn't want to argue. Or do the thing he could have done, which was to have said "I don't approve, and if this is what you're going to do, you're going to it without any support, backing, or supply from us." He could have added that "you're now victimizing these people, and even, by your own admission, making mistakes, and we're going to support them."
unfortunately the answer to all your questions is that 80% of the $23 billion the US gave Israel since 10/7 has gone to US military industry. https://www.trtworld.com/us-and-canada/jobs-for-bombs-this-is-how-us-is-profiteering-from-israels-war-on-gaza-18217466. With appreciation and respect Qasim, let's talk about that f-ed-up-ism
It is just not possible to eliminate all resistance; eliminating Hamas and Hepbolah sounds strategic until you hear the Israeli rage and cheers in documentaries including IDF soldiers and as a genocide keeps rolling out. There is no real endgame on the table that ends the Occupation, releases Palestinians unlawfully detained and an enforceable ceasefire. Release the hostages - then what? Back to the status quo and everything will be fine? The bodies have not yet begun to be recovered from under the rubble. What are we the living charged to do?
As soon as Israel has destroyed Hamas and Hezbolla we will have peace. When Trump reinstates his Iran policy peace will be locked in.
Sweeping this moment under the rug cannot be what voters in Michigan and other swing states need to feel comfortable in clinching the win for VP Harris and Gov Walz. I think president Biden is such a product of his time in the Senate that he could deem our entry into a broader war the province of the present congress even if the house is lead by wackadoodle authoritarianism under Mike Johnson. This is really a time to trust the American people.
Well said
In 2023, the value* of U.S. "Foreign Military Sales" was almost $81 billion. Yes, you read that right, $81 BILLION. Anybody still wondering why the U.S. economy is so rosy right now, and why our elected officials refuse to heed our calls to stop using our tax dollars to fund genocide?! *Source: https://www.state.gov/fiscal-year-2023-u-s-arms-transfers-and-defense-trade/
Truly mortifying and unacceptable.
Out of Biden’s 30 cabinet members, 27 of them are Zionists. What does that tell you?
Out of Biden’s 30 cabinet members, 27 of them are Zionists. What does that tell you?
I don’t have any proof, but I suspect Bibi somehow is holding something over President Biden. A threat, information, retaliation, something. Bibi, like any power hungry, sadistic and vengeful dictator would do this. He, Putin, and Trump share the same bed.
Out of Biden’s 30 cabinet members, 27 of them are Zionists. What does that tell you?
Absolutely everything. I once stated that there are extremely influential jewish power brokers in our country. However, some of those in congress don’t count. So many who I know fight for our republic. What you say truly is the icing on the cake.
Oh, yeah one thing I thought for the last year is that the Saudis want the US to crush Iran.
It serves all their purposes.
Biden also has this helpless response to the Saudis.
So Israel may be the rock and SA the hard place.
Biden left his humanity behind awhile ago. I never once got the sense he actually felt bad about what was happening, or that he's been genuinely duped or manipulated by the monster that is Netanyahu. So I'm not surprised at all that he's laying off pushing for a ceasefire in favor of attacking Hezbollah. It's about control, power, & money, not saving lives.
It is mind boggling --but if you go watch the man on CSPAN going back years the fact he's doing something catastrophically harmful and stupid now won't be a huge surprise. He is a very limited person in many respects.
It's certainly possible he has no moral or intellectual center besides some very outdated cold war platitudes.
There could be other explanations but this is the simplest. It's so bizarre I would like to know more simply to reduce the disorientation but we never will.
Still, he has never been THIS bad. The Democrats have not been this bad since Vietnam.
But many people seem to be vastly worse that I thought. It's inconceivable in a way.
Maybe someday it will make sense but I doubt it.
Thank you, Qasim, for your (as always) reasoned, calm, urgent, compassionate analysis. It is painful and demoralizing to witness the cruelty and havoc caused by Biden's handling of the situation. Knowing our tax money fuels the devastation and injustice in Gaza and the West Bank has been painful and infuriating. I lived in Lebanon for a year in the early 70's studying at The American University of Beirut on a junior year abroad program--so now the Israeli assault moves to places I lived in and loved.
Joe Biden has been a cold warrior all his political life. Nothing changes now that he's morphed into kindly-looking "Uncle Joe." His vision of the world is still divvied up between the US and a few other world powers who are either allies or enemies, and the rest of the world which is fair game for exploitation by those world powers. He is still firmly entrenched in the 75 years of bi-partisan consensus that sees Israel as an agent of that exploitation, and that sees any opposition to Israel as "terror." (In that regard, he and the Bushes Senior and Junior are cut from the same cloth.) The deaths of hundreds of thousands of people in Gaza and Lebanon and the West Bank--even the probable loss of his Vice-President's campaign--can't shake Biden's bedrock, almost religious, faith in that world view.
That said, we must continue to ask that he--and the rest of the political class and legacy media--change from that mindset, change for the better. Thank you for showing us, each day, how to make the ask.
Thank you for reading and agreed. Good analysis.
The titanic is harder to turn around than it even is to stop. I hope the momentum changes in a new administration trying to please the constituents as well as do the highest sense of right but no way this is not very difficult for our government to deal with. So sad how many more will die and be displaced while the world gazes on in horror.
Let me help explain what's going on: AIPAC. Because I'm Jewish, please allow me to expand: Jewish money. I've made phone calls for Jamaal Bowman (and had made calls for Qasim Rashid's bid for Congress) and now Rashida Tlaib, and I can tell you that many people are still in revenge mode for October 7, 2023. If Biden stops weaponizing Israel then the fear is that Harris will lose the election as the money will flow to her opponent. This is my belief from what I've learned by talking with people, and by listening to some of the experts. In other words, money vs the people, and the bet is on the money.
Another thing I've learned by talking to people --you can't change their minds. I think, of the thousands of people I've spoken to over every election since 2006, I've been able to change the mind of one person. One.
So Biden is stuck hating Netanyahu and still having to hand him weapons. Incredible.
Side note: Because I'm Jewish I'm sensitive to anti-Semitic tropes. If you reference "The Rothschilds" I'll get that weird/danger feeling and the hairs on the back of my neck will stand up. If you reference "Paul Singer" I'll just know that you're informed. Paul Singer of the Elliott Group. Check it out. Before you eat lunch.
So well said. I agree with you.
It’s been powerful to see our Jewish neighbors stand up against this injustice. Thank you for demanding justice above all else.
Thank you for this. Part of the reason this gives me such anxiety is it doesn't make SENSE. I forgot about AIPAC.
I don’t know what else to say here except that I could not agree with you more. The phrase “de-escalation through escalation,” is profoundly stupid and nonsensical. I am very disappointed in President Biden. My greatest fear is that Jill Stein is playing her cards to pull the Muslim vote away from Kamala Harris in swing states like Michigan, and if Trump winds up in the White House, we are simply doomed. I will be on pins and needles until I see Kamala Harris elected. I am hoping she will part ways with Biden‘s policies and do the right thing. This whole mess is a massive humanitarian tragedy that will take expert diplomacy to solve, and I do not think that Antony Blinken is the right person to do the job.
Thank you and well said. I don't quite know how but she has to find a way to break from Biden now. That can't happen unless Biden himself allows it, and it's absurd that it seems he's more focused on his policy than on handing the reigns to Harris. His refusal to give up control is the kind of decision that can haunt us and the world in the future.
Harris can break from Biden even if he doesn't allow it. I saw videos TODAY of Harris being interviewed on "The View" and by Stephen Colbert, and asked if she disagrees with Biden about anything. She either said "no," or she dodged the question. It's a long time (for the Palestinians) until January, but she couldn't even hold out hope for anything.
Yes, to all of this, and we also know that Blinken has lied because you detailed this in one of your other essays. Biden has been a great president in many ways, but this is going to ruin his legacy. Harris has to find a way to assure voters that she has different plans to solve this crisis.
Qasim, there has been no "180 degree reversal." Biden has always said "Israel" (Netanyahu) had his "ironclad" support, and that has never changed.
Ah, you're questioning Biden's judgment. That's much more to the point. Personally, I have always considered Biden to be a stuffed shirt who keeps being in the right place at the right time. He has a career-long history of putting his foot in his mouth, and being...flexible...about his agenda. He allows himself to be played by someone he himself describes as a "bad fucking guy."
You can add what you like about Harris, and I wouldn't disagree with you, but she's not the president. She doesn't make those decisions. If Biden died today, would she suddenly do anything different? Again, SHE isn't "working around the clock." But it doesn't take working around the clock. All it takes is abruptly stopping supplying Netanyahu, and stopping blocking otherwise unanimous worldwide votes for ceasefire. But Biden probably won't die today, so we won't know what, if anything, she'd do different.
You're right that he's refused to ever break from Netanyahu, but then he should not have pretended like he was going to get a deal. That's flat out dishonest.
I don't think he was pretending. I think he did what he was willing to do, which he might have imagined would be effective, and which (maybe) was to suggest to Bibi that perhaps it would be a good thing to have a ceasefire. Bibi said no, and Biden didn't want to argue. Or do the thing he could have done, which was to have said "I don't approve, and if this is what you're going to do, you're going to it without any support, backing, or supply from us." He could have added that "you're now victimizing these people, and even, by your own admission, making mistakes, and we're going to support them."