I’ve been busy with things and the message threads in some of the posts are getting too long. I’m glad we’re engaging in engaging in heated discussion/arguments even though the comments are sometimes ugly. It’s far better than being in an echo chamber. Besides, the knife fights tend to self-correct and there are often nuggets of wisdom among the vitriol.
TTG
This is quite interesting indeed coming from Niall Ferguson at this time. I usually ignore him but read Dudakov daily so .. here it is. (His link to Bloomberg is paywalled). Could the US successfully fight a medium to long naval war stretching from the Red Sea to the Persian Gulf and on into the South China Sea and up to the Taiwan Straits? (How many of you remember the Falklands war and Exocet missiles?) They presumably would have as allies at least the UK and Japan, but with Ferguson (of Scotland) being so skeptical would the UK really go along? I think he’s mostly worried that the entire country is getting past its shelf life expiration date on a rapidly advancing schedule. I myself would not serve it on toast or cook with it. Afghanis didn’t too much.
————-
https://t.me/malekdudakov/6519
Scottish historian and geopolitician Neil Ferguson predicts the collapse of the Pax Americana . The US systemic crisis is to blame for everything – which turned America’s strengths into weaknesses.
The division in the United States is growing from election to election. In terms of the quality of medicine and education, the United States is increasingly lagging behind many other countries. The technological base has eroded – and attempts to reduce dependence on China have led nowhere. Migration was a strong feature of the United States – talent was attracted from all over the world. But now it is uncontrolled – and the quality of visitors is falling sharply .
At the same time, within the United States there is growing fatigue from the role of the world’s policeman. It’s not for nothing that 57% of Americans gravitate towards isolationism , and Trump is leading in the presidential race. At the same time, the Russia-China-Iran triumvirate is strengthening, challenging Western dominance. This is already happening in Eastern Europe and the Middle East. And next in line is the blockade of Taiwan.
Speaking in Davos, Ferguson doubted the United States’ chances of winning the war for Taiwan against the Chinese fleet, which had already become the largest in the world. In addition, he expects that in 2024 Russia will be able to make a decisive breakthrough on the Ukrainian front . Ukraine will then turn into a stump state without the ability to recover.
This will also be affected by the curtailment of US support if Trump wins. By 2033, it will become obvious that the defeat in Ukraine has become a trigger for centrifugal processes around the world and the decline of Pax Americana . Ferguson’s forecasts are an indicator of the mood in London, where they are already preparing to work with individual US states in a post-American world order.
————
China Likely to Win War against U.S. over Taiwan says Niall Ferguson.
https://www.businesstoday.in/wef-2024/story/china-most-likely-to-win-war-against-us-over-taiwan-niall-ferguson-at-wef2024-413626-2024-01-16
Historian and author Niall Ferguson on Tuesday predicted that China is most likely to win the war against the United States (US) over Taiwan — a self-governing island that Beijing considers as its own territory. He said his advice to policymakers in Washington would be to not go to war with China. Ferguson said China is spending a huge amount of money on defence and that its navy is already the biggest in the world. (More at link)
A timely post TTG. On moderation policy:
Col. Lang saw this blog and its forerunner as a virtual salon. There is I think a general feeling that the policy needs tightening up in order to maintain the quality of discussion which has always set Turcopolier.com apart. I would therefore suggest that the Committee may wish to agree upon a formal set of guidelines for commenters. This would be published on the blog home page. Its purpose would be a reference point for contributors to flag potential violations to the moderator (you). Offenders will be warned. Serious/repeat offenders banned. Here are my own suggestions:
– All informed, constructive comment is welcome, regardless of one’s views*
– Ad hominem (personal attacks) of any kind are not tolerated
– Gratuitous racist language is not acceptable
– Wit/amusing sarcasm are to be encouraged (in small quantities) to lighten the tone
– Per post comment length and frequency limits ought to be set (can WordPress do this?)
*Col. Lang did not tolerate anti American sentiment. I always took this to mean views that denigrated or attacked the Constitution or all Americans collectively. This should be respected
Barbara Ann,
I am guilty of posting too many comments in a recent thread. That said, I do not accept the accusation of “racism” or any other label that is, in reality, merely a rhetorical device designed to silence those who oppose the machinations of an organized effort to influence minds toward a political conclusion.
It is the anti-American sentiment that gets me hot under the collar. The repeating of know terrorist memes – sometimes word for word – does it to me as well to only a slighter lesser degree. When both are offered in the same line of “reasoning” the impact is that much worse.
A problem is that if one pays attention to the info wars occurring in the larger milieu of the the media and internet, then one can become aware that what a commenter is saying here is not a sincere contribution in the form of offering of unique opinion. Rather, it is nothing more than an attempt at a furtherance of a propaganda effort on behalf of cause. Once one (or at least when “I”) notices that commenter is of the pure propaganda stripe, then it becomes challenging to treat that commenter with respect.
Eric,
It is not an accusation of racism. It isnt like you are making statements that beat around the bush. You are using racist terminology. You are using racist epithets in talking about entire groups of people.
In one recent post you used to the term “wog” multiple times along with a feverous racist tirade. There are no accusations of racism for someone who so freely and gratuitously uses accepted racist terminology and arguments.
At least grow a sack and admit your racism. Your racism is glaring based on your own words and statements. To then deny the accusations like others are just making things up is weak, at best.
Stefan,
Others here have used the term “wog”. I did not realize it is so offensive. Half of my own family is won derived. Perhaps it’s like blacks using the ‘N’ word amongst themselves.
I have always openly expressed my distaste for Islam. In my opinion it is a cheap knock off of Judaism without the redemption, love and forgiveness of the New Testament of Christianity and only the worst exhortations to kill the infidels that is found in the Old Testament.
Mohamed’s own behavior and philosophy post-Medina is deplorable. Everything from pedophilia to murder to starting wars of aggression. A horrible role model that is, unfortunately, still followed by too many today.
Furthermore, Islam as practiced in too many places, is oppressive to women and others (like gays) – but is generally backwards and stifling. No Hamas or Houti sympathizer in the US would want to live among Muslim jurispridence.
Then there is fact that Muslims extend their violent culture to periodically deciding to slaughter Christians, like they did to my people (a true genocide of over 1.5 million killed) – or more recently what ISIS was doing to do various Christian minority groups in their path.
No two ways about it. I can’t stand Muslims. Nothing good about them. They are, to me, an evil virus on the planet. They should never be allowed to gain too much power.
The whole “I am FILL IN THE BLANK so I cant be racist” is one of the lamest excuses for racism. Wog is clearly offensive, always has been very offensive. To now claim that you were not really aware of this is also lame. So you meant to be just a little racist? Not KKK hood wearing racist? Your comments could be cut and pasted from Stormfront. Your race doesnt matter. It is more than a bit weak to hide behind your own DNA to excuse your racism.
See, I have no problem with your screed above, against Islam and, even though it is filled with historical inaccuracies, your bias and double standards and gross generalizations.
I have an issue with your overt, glaring and blatant racism. If you can keep your Archie Bunker alter ego in line, no harm no foul. As long as you keep up with your cross burning, name calling rhetoric I will call you on it.
Stefan,
On a separate point, re; “racism”. It might serve you well to understand that for many people – myself included – being called a “racist” isn’t impactful. I know that in woke culture circles, it is the worst of human failings. For me, it barely makes the top 50 list – and only does when the negative opinion is due to pure ignorance and unjustified malevolence.
Furthermore, regardless of woke definitions of what constitutes “racism” I do not consider despising adherents of an ideology because of the ideology, to be racism. For example, not liking Muslims solely because they tend to be of browner skin and black hair would, in my book, be racism. Not liking Muslims because I see Islam as a repressive, violent, faith system, is not racism. I don’t like entire other classes of people either; communists, pedophiles, Nazis, Satan worshippers, mass murderers, whiners, corrupt politicians are among those who make that list.
See, this is a free country with a separation of religion and state and a Bill of Rights. You don’t get to silence me (or chop my head off) for disliking your religion – and your labeling only means something to your informal social group, of which I’m gladly not a member.
Oh, I am well aware that many people, like yourself, dont look at being called a racist as a negative thing. You wear it as a badge of honour, as do those you associate with.
The difference is, if you want to interact in civilized situations and not just trailer parks in rural America, you will have to learn to curb your more rabid ways
TTG has made it clear that blatant racist name calling and tropes will not be allowed. By all means, continue to spew your hate filled discourse. I dont think you can help yourself. Just use a thesaurus so you can try and do it without resorting to racist name calling.
No one is trying to silence you. How you could even come to that conclusion is mind boggling. It is just that in civilized society no one wants to hear your racist name calling.
If I want to listen to Archie Bunker I can find the re-runs on my own. I’d never want to silence you. Your racist discourse and rants are the type that help the Palestinians, make people look down on the Israelis, make people think twice about touting the Islamophobic line when they realise they might just look like you.
Your every comment is an own goal even though I think your hate raddled brain cannot see it.
By all means, keep up the good work. I heard that CAIR is even thinking about taking you on the pay roll, you are such a good thing for the Muslim community in the US.
Stefan,
Having read your response concerning my use of the term “wog”, I will yet further attempt clarify my use of it.
First, I use the terms “hillbilly” and “trailer park dweller” to generically refer to certain uneducated, behind the times and uncivilized subcultures. I think you do too, if memory serves me correctly. Perhaps I am confusing you with someone else here.
Anyhow, I use “wog” in the same way for denizens of the third world that are equally uneducated, behind the times and uncivilized.
Can we please just be honest, when you don’t bath, wipe your butt with your hand, eat rice and goat meat with your hands, void in the drinking water, have goats and sheep in the same living space you sleep in, jump around shooting automatic rifles in the air at weddings, consider a pickup truck with an automatic rifle bolted it to to be armored cavalry, are illiterate, like to bugger young boys, consume intoxicating drugs all day long, are regularly subject to malnutrition and even famine, have a social and political structure based on war lords and frequently experience revolutions and coup d’etats and your “leader” has a chest full of dubious military bling on his cheap uniform and your women are kept barefoot and pregnant starting in their early teens and you stone them if they try for something more…….
…..you just might be a freakin’ wog.
Ok? Deal with it.
Enough with the moral posturing and overly sensitive woke stuff, please.
eat rice and goat meat with your hands
Eric, last note for a while. It’s not my intention to enforce whatever people call woke culture nowadays. But here we go:
While living in London centuries ago, I had a friend from Ghana who later worked for NASA and became a prof of natural sciences in your country after he left NASA.
In London, he and his brother, an actor, occasionally invited me to dinner. There and then, I encountered exactly that habit. I actually enjoyed it a lot. You have to understand that you get a bowl filled with water with slices of lemon in it, where you can rinse your fingers as often as you like or to your straight heart’s delight.
Barbara Ann,
now that is interesting. Maybe you should name names? Or point out examples. Overuse of wit/irony/sarcasm? That is definitively interesting.
Way too many posts? Seems there were a multitude of pilgrims with that habit over the decades. Silly me, being one of the earlier ones. That was not really anything PL ever censored or banned as far as I recall. Not saying he never complained; he may have once in a while. 😉
*Col. Lang did not tolerate anti-American sentiment.
Yes, but – it did not seem that easy. Could it be he felt American “communists, socialists,leftists” just as “furreigners” more generally were anti-American? I never managed to figure out exactly what.
Are you missing people, and you feel a little housekeeping will bring them back?
I was one of those people who were banned more than once by Pat Lang. Actually, quite a few times.
His criteria for banning was… perplexing.
He would tolerate criticism of a particular US policy. Goodness knows he was a critic of particular policies that he viewed as counter-productive, ill-advised or downright bonkers.
All of that was fair game.
But the hint of a suggestion that US policy was… well… evil or even that such policy was being promoted by evil individuals within a US Administration and you were OUT.
No need for three strikes – you were OUT.
The boundaries of what were permissible were (as far as I could tell) this: you could say that USA policy was misguided, stupid or just incompetent, but you could not say that USA policy was deliberately and knowingly malicious.
No way. No how. The USA could be “wrong”, but it had to be wrong for misguided reasons, not out of self-interested malice.
So, yeah, I was banned. A lot.
But credit where credit is due: Pat Lang would ban me, and then after a few weeks (and without any fanfare) I was allowed to post again.
Until I hit the limits of his patience, and then I was OUT. Again.
Which was fine: it was his forum, and when all was said and done I was quite fond of the old codger. Goodness knows he was as smart as a whip.
Yes, he was smart as a whip. Amazingly so.
As for banning, it kept you on your toes. As you say, you had to be very precise in your comments on the Washington swamp.
I think, though, that the general view on that was that expressed by our host below. “Beyond money grubbers grubbing for more money, I don’t see a coherent plan.”
Certainly in the Westminster swamp the ideologies on show are usually cover for that.
I am unconvinced.
To my mind the neocons look like zealots. Hardcore believe-until-it-hurts zealots.
If they were in it for the money their policies would zig-zag all over the place like a fox trying to hunt down a rabbit.
But they don’t. Their policies are always the same: sit in the corner and shut up, and if you don’t then we’ll bomb you to smithereens until you are quiet.
Crude, of course, as far as strategy goes. But it is at least coherent.
I would add adhering to the subject would also be helpful.
Barbara Ann,
Thanks for this. I was planning a post to address all the angry son-of-a-bitching going back and forth recently with a repost of something I wrote back in 2013. I’m going to use some of your suggestions in that post.
Barbara
“Wit/amusing sarcasm are to be encouraged (in small quantities) to lighten the tone”
Good luck keeping F&L to small quantities!
Most of us know now that Iran has been struck within its borders by missiles of another country’s military service – in its Balochistan province. That’s interesting as a precedent of sorts especially given the current context of Israel chafing at the bit to get the US to attack Iran. Am I thinking of a covert action whereby the United States by some unknown means attacks Iran in its Balochistan province as a means of further punishing Iran through an escalation which it controls? Not really, just a random thought triggered by the coincidental nature of it so far. The sweet syrup of lies will be easy to mix up and serve in case they do — terrorist separatists used an opportune moment to inflame longstanding grievances etc. My main question – w in the living f did Iran suddenly decide to shoot stuff off into Pakistani Balochistan? Who would want to do such a thing? (Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran have Balochistan areas).
F&L,
Pakistan has her own beef with Iran. She doesn’t need prodding or approval from the US or Israel to do what she feels must be done. As you well know, not everything in this world is under the control of the US, WEF or the Illuminati.
I would have agreed with this statement until recently. But I believe it is now possible to prove beyond reasonable doubt that everything, at least everything of any significance to us, is in fact pretty tightly controlled by a single organized group of people. In fact I’d be happy to stake whatever reputation I have earned here over the years on justifying this rather astonishing claim.
Barbara Ann,
I’d like to read your explanation. Beyond money grubbers grubbing for more money, I don’t see a coherent plan.
On one level it is “money grubbers grubbing for more money”, but to say the scale and scope is mind boggling is an almost an understatement. An open thread is not the place to set it out, but I’d be happy to do a write up and perhaps you’d consider posting it if you deem it worthy? I’ll put something together and submit it through the Contact page – unless you have another address.
Barbara Ann,
I’ll gladly post what you create. I’ll send you an email address. I don’t think I can access the contact page. I guess I should remove that and the donate button unless I can redo it.
Barbara Ann & TTG,
I am very much looking forward to this post.
Something I thought of
Now that rank file Israeli soldiers are actually in Gaza,and see for themselves,up close and personal how gazans actually live,I wonder what there impressions must be.I mean beside special forces and spies not many israelis have been inside Gaza for a long time.It has always been something on the otherside of the wall
I mean who really knows what goes on in north Korea for instance.Most information comes from the usual sources.
Just a thought
I imagine the IDF reservist filmed lighting up a bong inside a Gazan apartment wasn’t trying to be sympatico with the Palestinian population of the Gaza Strip.
Nor were the IDF soldier shown on video to be dancing in a circle while chanting about the fate of the Amaleks and vowing to do the same to Some Other People.
Not a good look, to be honest.
mcohen,
.Most information comes from the usual sources. Just a thought
Attempt at an nterpretation: Now based on the IDF’s and the released Israeli and foreign citizen’s insights, Bibi et al. can inform the world about the real Gaza and the real Gazans* and their lives…?
* that hatched out the second Holocaust collectively, after all?
Challinging: The usual sources? Mainstream media?
*************
If I had labeled the usual sources: “Un-MAGA Media,” instead of MSM could that be read as irony or sarcasm? Or would it actually be neutral?
Last but not least: To what extent can these usual sources be considered both anti-American and anti-Semitic as a standard?
What you are seeing is the impact of decades of occupation on the people. From school to adults they are taught the land is theirs. As teens they participate in programs to get them ready for military service.
To do what they have done, and will continue to do, you must not view those you occupy as fully human. You can see this mindset in the highest levels of the Israeli government. It isnt like they hide it.
I have many Jewish friends, some of whom are also Israeli and live there. They view the occupation as a cancer at the heart of the Jewish and Israeli soul. They cant stand what it has done to the Israel community in general.
You act like Israeli soldiers are just seeing these things for the first time. Far from it. They have seen and know how Gazans live. These are men and women who have worked at Israeli checkpoints in Gaza and the West Bank. They are the ones who have done raids into Gaza and the West Bank. It is a force where “confirming the kill” on a school girl walking to school by emptying an entire clip into her is seen as okay.
It is your mistake for thinking they had no clue before they entered Gaza. They know, even if they havent witnessed it first hand. If they didnt know, it is because they made an active choice to look the other way.
Their experiences in Gaza will change nothing for the vast majority. They continue to serve knowing exactly what is going on.
“I have many Jewish friends, some of whom are also Israeli and live there. They view the occupation as a cancer at the heart of the Jewish and Israeli soul. They cant stand what it has done to the Israel community in general.”
Yes, every society has its kooky liberal liberals and their ridiculous proven destructive ideas. In the US, we have open borders, mandatory green energy, abolish the police advocates. We even have socialists – and then there are the weirdos forcing transgender mental illness on us, and the liberals that latch on thinking its wonderful.
So no surprise that Israel has its own do-gooder, virtue-signaling nut cases that think giving your sworn enemies the freedom to destroy you is a good idea.
Stefan,
not verbatim: … we were supposed to report on anything suspicous. Which could be everything you considered suspicous. …
Westbank/Judea Samaria in mind:
Fear? A kid fearfully slamming a door shut?
Illegal? A community building a spring?
Reconnaissance then and now? Owen Jones interviews Ariel Bernstein; a former IDF combat soldier:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0KKHIS9D7I
https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/campaigns/2017/11/the-occupation-of-water/
TTG – Yes it’s certainly nothing definite but worth paying attention to given motives of various parties etc. I’ll cite this paragraph pasted below from an article of this morning and then move on.
———-
https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2024/01/19/fycm-j19.html
“According to press reports, Iran was nonetheless surprised that Pakistan retaliated. There is every reason to believe that Washington, whose relations with Pakistan are largely mediated through its military, would have given encouragement and advance approval.”
The Pakistanis have now said that the recent missile/air raid back and forth is a one and done.
They’ve also said that the Iranians sent a representative – in person, if they are to be believed – to apologize, and that this effort by the Iranians have mollified the Pakistanis.
Rather reminds me of Trump’s diplomacy after his (ill-advised, in my view) assassination of Soleimani: he told the Iranians via back-channels that he understood their anger, take a shot at our airfield and we’ll call it quits.
Which they did, and Trump called it quits.
Same is true of his cruise missile attack on that Syrian airfield: I have to do it, you understand. Get your guys out of the way, let me whack it, and that’ll be it.
Love him or loath him, the dude knows how to strike a deal.
The Iranians and the Pakistanis are also sophisticated enough to wrap their head around that concept.
I’m not at all certain that this execrable Biden Administration understands that concept because, honestly, neocons know nothing about the many uses of the reverse gear.
How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
More than a cord, or a winter’s worth? Why isn’t wood measured in chucks, rather than cords? What is a cord? 128 cubic feet? What? cubic grrrr math.
https://adaptivecurmudgeon.com/2019/06/19/a-cord-of-wood/
Fred,
I never knew why it was called a cord, but I just found this:
“The cord was originally devised in order to measure firewood and was so named because a line, string, or cord was used to tie the wood into a bundle.”
It now makes sense. One of my brothers was a life long logger. He always carried a four foot long stick with him for cutting logs. An eight foot cord maybe with a knot in the middle sounds like a good field solution.
I remember that old James Burke tv series “The Day the Universe Changed” had an episode using a similar stick to measure volume in a wine cask. Interesting application of math and geometry.
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2cji4q
One wonders why Austin’s security detail, if they wanted such a low profile, could not transport him to Walter Reed:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2024/01/16/loyd-austin-911-call-details-hospital/72244891007/
https://www.cnn.com/videos/politics/2024/01/17/lloyd-austin-911-call-esper-ctm-vpx.cnn
Austin’s home, actually a mansion, is quite a place.
My guess is that even a retired O-10 couldn’t afford such on his government salary/pension.
Either his wife has a good income on her own, or his income from corporate boards was rather good.
https://taskandpurpose.com/news/secretary-defense-home/
“The 8,700-square foot house was built in 2013 on one acre in the upscale suburb of Great Falls, Virginia, and last sold in April 2018 for $2.6 million”
Keith Harbaugh,
An O-10 makes damned good money, even a retired one. But the real money comes from the corporate board stuff. That’s my opinion.
As for not keeping the President and the NSC informed, that’s something some dopey E-1 would do. He could have discreetly told Biden he was going in for prostate surgery. I think his male ego just bit him in the ass.
I think you are right. & Biden forgiving him (w/ lesson learned) may be not only be a decent move, but a smart one.
Just spitballing here, but maybe the answer is that Austin drove a special Raytheon designed and built limo.
So not only did it cost $100million, but once the security detail turned the ignition key it rebooted and then refused to actually perform as advertised.
Still, SecDef Limo Block2 is certain to fix those unfortunate but fully-documented bugs.
Just adding some detail:
Austin retired from active duty as an O-10 in 2016.
https://www.military.com/benefits/military-pay/2016-pay-charts.html
Sometime after that he was elected to the boards of three corporations,
Raytheon Technologies, Nucor, and Tenet Healthcare.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lloyd_Austin
Per the above reference,
he then purchased his house in Great Falls in 2018, for $2.6M.
As to why Biden retains confidence in Austin,
John Kirby praises Austin’s past work,
and discusses the administration’s decision-making processes,
in a five-minute video:
https://youtu.be/GtHDpcyt9Zw
In my tradition of musical interludes on open threads, a little ditty that I think we can all relate to.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood”, by Nina Simone
https://youtu.be/RtgJjYvv0dU?si=tx-WzzdoPuonshDw
A magnificent classic. I have very fond memories of hearing this as part of the soundtrack to the musical Return to the Forbidden Planet in the late 80’s or early 90’s.
A classic, but I’m old enough to remember the version by The Animals, which really did rock.
Santa Esmeralda also did a great version, horns and all.
Great stuff.
I, like most, heard the Burden version first at a fairly young age. Now as an older person, it just has the sound of a man apologizing to the SO he just beat up.
Nina I can relate to more. I will have to check out the Santa Esmeralda version, thanks.
The Santa Esmeralda version is very up-tempo, much more Latin American than Blues.
Something I Wrote…Jims Prose and Poetry..
Snapshot # 13..
“Endless Dreams…..and Forgotten Breath
Will Guide..Winter Storms and Dark Skies
Until Spring..In Blossom Shall Bring Freedom
To All Of Our Days Of Solitude…in Shadow…”
Jim
These details might interest you TTG. Is the strategy of the US handing Ukraine off to other NATO and EU countries come into full effect?
https://t.me/nonetutto/1563
In Klintsy, Bryansk region, there was a raid by a French-made aircraft-type UAV with the latest electronic warfare protection systems and electronic electronic warfare elements. The strike was accompanied by the arrival of 6 false targets in the form of copies of the home-made Bayraktar TB 2 UAV. After hitting the air defense targets, the French UAV hit the oil loading unit at the base, the second UAV hit the KRUN next to the tanks. All this had a cumulative effect and intensified the fire, which, according to the forecasts of the Ministry of Emergency Situations, will completely destroy the oil depot. It will be possible to extinguish the base only by the morning of January 20, according to the headquarters of the Ministry of Emergency Situations in Moscow. They decided to send a fire train urgently to the firefighting site. Since Ukrainian Armed Forces specialists are not trained to control experimental versions of the latest tactical UAVs, we can definitely say that the attack on the oil depot in Klintsy was the French military’s response to the death of “vacationers” in Kharkov the other day. This is the second direct incident with a NATO country.
An off topic query, but that’s OK in an open thread?
I used the idiom “Go pound sand” in a note to Mark Logan recently. Not of course to Mr Logan but in explaining what Mr Putin was telling our respective Mrs Nulands to go and do. I’d thought it was a common expression both sides of the Atlantic. Thought I’d better check.
Turns out it’s not an expression used in England. Tough. It is now, if only by one man.
Also turns out it has a variety of meanings. I used it in the sense “Go away and waste someone else’s time.” Is that the sense in which it is usually used in the States?
In the US another option is to “go tell her to piss up a rope”.
Seems that one would be more internationally comprehensible
Eric – I had to look it up. Seems to meet the case:- ” a not-so-subtle way of asking someone to go away and not come back for a while.”
No, not subtle at all I suppose. Putin grew up in a rough neighbourhood and deliberately peppers his speech with similar idiom on occasion, so if there’s a Russian equivalent no doubt he employs it from time to time. I expect it serves to keep his auditors attentive and on their toes when sitting through the three or four hours it takes to get through a Putin speech. But he’s heavily into 152 mm at present so the time for such purely verbal exchanges with our various Mrs Nulands is past.
As for native English idiom, when Brexit was a topic I did experiment with adjuring Brussels fans – England’s crammed with them or was – to go jump in the lake, but can’t say that ever led to any useful meeting of minds.
What would be better suited to such delinquency – not a Brussels fan myself – would be the robust and pithy language of the building site. It’s a pity most of it’s not printable and what is printable doesn’t work on screen. “Go chew a brick” is printable enough but the menacing reply, “I’m spitting gravel”, is usually the prelude to a punch-up, which can’t be done solely with words.
Pity. We never really got the Brussels problem sorted out in England and that’s probably the reason. As Putin also found, sometimes there are problems to which a punch-up is the only solution.
Netanyahu has publicly told the US he has not intention of allowing a Palestinian state. It has been an “open secret” for decades. Despite all of the posturing, neither major Israel party has ever wanted a Palestinian state.
A two state solution has been the US/international goal for decades. Now that the Israeli government has rejected this the US and the international community will need to rethink how it deals with Israel moving forward.
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-68025945
Stefan
There is nothing to rethink. As long as Israel has an almost unconditional US support, it will continue to do whatever it wants.
Gradually, it will squeeze the Palestinians out of the area and that will be it.
It could take a decade or a better part of a century, but the Israelies are patient, persistent and unwavering in their intent.
Alastair Crooke wrote an excellent piece yesterday for Al Mayadeen re the strategic deterrence balance between Israel/US and the Axis of Resistance (incl. Ansarallah). Col. Lang described the situation in 2021 saying, in effect, that Israel would be devastated in the event of war with either Hizb or Iran. If anything their position must be worse now. The situation is extremely dangerous, not least because it seems Israel simply would not prevail in a conventional war. My fear is that Bibi, emboldened by unprecedented levels of unqualified US support, may be tempted to test that support to the absolute limit, if he sees no other way to ‘win’.
https://english.almayadeen.net/articles/analysis/bluffs-and-counter-bluffs-as-the-war-widens
Barbara,
Right before 10/07 I had a knock down drag out conversation with a friend of mine who happens to be a Jewish attorney involved in international human rights and a fervent Zionist. He insisted to me that something along the lines of 2006 could never happen again because the Israelis and the IDF had learned their lessons.
My response was that any future conflict would be much worse for the Israel than 2006 based on the much higher levels of arms held by Hizb’Allah and the more sophisticated nature of the arms. I also pointed out that Hizb’Allah has tens of thousands of fighters with years of on the ground combat experience, that most IDF solders were soft with no combat experience.
We had to agree to disagree at the end because we both respect each other. After 10/07, although his pro Israel stance is even more publicly strident, behind the scenes he is very concerned because like most Israelis and their supporters, he never ever could have conceived of the Palestinians being able to pull off such an event and route the IDF forces at the fence. If the Palestinians can do this, what does Hizb’Allah have in store.
Palestinians, no one respected them as fighters. Arab armies, in general, are not meant for self defense or offense, they are tools for internal repression and generally couldnt fight their way out of a wet paper bag. 2006 changed that dynamic and now those who pre 10/07 were so certain that nothing like 2006 could ever happen again are shaking in their boots.
They no long believe Bibi and his hubris. The same man who gave them 10/07. Israelis leaders seem to be counting on the patience of the Lebanese leaders. Not a wise move.
I agree with Colonel Lang. The next conflict with Hizb’Allah will be a nightmare for Israel and they seem to be sleep walking right into it.
Stefan,
How does 10/07 prove anything other than the Palestinians are lowlife murderers and rapists, which was already known? So they caught the Israelis sleeping on watch and killed a bunch of unarmed women and children along with unarmed men and a few isolated soldiers. Then they were driven off by the IDF.
Now the Palestinians are being wasted left, right and center. So badly so that people like you call it a genocide. Hardly proof of Palestinian military capability and power.
As for Hizballah, sure they surprised, albeit in a minor way, the IDF in 2006, but I agree with your friend; the IDF learned. Anyone getting excited over 2006 is most likely an anti-Israel type looking for any scrap of hope to hold onto. It really wasn’t that big of a deal, militarily speaking. Less than 200 IDF KIA, unknown number of Hizballah dead and a couple thousand or so Lebanese casualties + plus a blockade of Lebanon by Israel that Hizballah was unable to address militarily. A pathetic effort and a nothing of a war all the way around.
Also, the US military would back Israel against Hizballah (and the Marines owe them some payback and would be pleased to delivered it) if Israel needed the help, which I doubt. Lebanon would be destroyed in the process, which is truly sad as many good Christians live there and it was a nice place once upon a time.
How does 10/07 prove anything other than the Palestinians are lowlife murderers and rapists, which was already known?
Hmm? Eric, on full display again.
So it is not about Hamas, but Palestinians generally who are–genetically? just asking!– lowlife murderers and rapists?
Which, surprise, surprise, we already knew. Isn’t it highly satisfying if whatever some boneheads consider a prejudice/unbased ressentment turns out to be true?
What a pity I did not ever start collecting a list of who you consider lowlifes, barely human.
Would that include “socially active” megalomaniacs too? … Or are megalomaniacs always more highlife?
Stefan,
poor Palestinians, they keep electing leaders who oppress them. Will no outsiders come and save them from themselves?
Not my fault you cannot see the once in a lifetime opportunity israel has to change arab group thought in gaza.
When I talk about usual sources,I refer to the hamas leadership and its backers.
Wake the woke,invoke the toke
I dont get how you think that the Israelis can impose a change in Arab group thought at the point of a bayonette. It wont happen. It is thoughts like this that cause the conflict to continue.
Palestinians love and want to hold onto their land just as the Israelis do. Unlike the Israelis, they do not generally fear death and the body bags.
As long as people like you think you can convince the Palestinians to give up their land and move nothing will change. Same with the Palestinians. Israelis will never leave the land, stupid to think they will. Both sides need to realise this instead of keeping on the look out for the next, greatest thing, that will cause the other side to abandon the land. Wont happen.
Hi stefan
History
1.https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Gaza
Gaza has a history of bayonet.Why should that change now.
Do you have family in gaza or israel ?
From which century?
My family line is Canaanite.
This from wiki
Gaza was conquered by the Muslim general Amr ibn al-‘As in 637 AD and most Gazans adopted Islam during early Muslim rule
No chance of that happening again.My family resisted and still do to this day.One day the land will be returned to the Canaanite’s and we shall be in the UN.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaza_synagogue
What is needed is another earthquake imho
geeze… lotsa pressure getting vented. maybe it’s the freezing-ass cold trapping many of us in solitary confinement… or solitary thought. even the tunes are cold… but true.
https://youtu.be/m2zKdIcOV5s
Something else I thought of
Now that the idf has been through a 100 days of combat most units will appear to have been retrained.
I wonder what hezb. impression must be of the idf.
It has been a while since the 2 have clashed and this time they will be facing a different army to the one they last fought against,which if i remember correctly, had had no combat experience besides the West bank.
People tend to forget israel is a warrior state with the military playing a significant role in society
People say gaza is the largest open air prison but that is a clever propaganda ploy to disguise the fact that it is israel that is completely surrounded and it is the military that prevents it from becoming a Warsaw ghetto.
I mean is that what Judaism is about ?
This constant fight to keep the gates of this prison of our hearts and minds open.
To me at first this sounded like a shit idea all round.Seriously.Jewish history is a cycle of the fight to keep our covenant with “?”
That’s it
A breakthrough……a new symbol for the word God
“?”
Israel is an open air prison and “?” is the jailer.
The only thing missing is the happy ending.That I am told we need to wait for.
When the messiah comes
mcohen,
Yes, 100 days of combats should result in a lot of lessons learned and a lot of valuable experienced gained.
Also, as I said in comment to a post here a little while back, the IDF is not pulling out of Gaza. That was just some reporter getting it wrong as the media is wont to do. IDF reservists have been notified to prepare for another combat deployment.
IMHO, we all live in the prison of our minds in this world and even in the next (no instant heaven or hell for all eternity for most of us – just a plane of existence commiserate with our spiritual specific gravity). Our hearts and minds create the world(s) we inhabit.
Jailer and prisoner are two sides of the same coin. They are inextricably bound together. You can’t have one without the other. Israel/Gaza is a great place for human souls to experience both aspects of the conundrum. Maybe in future lives they are then able to resolve it.
‘Cause I don’t think all the geniuses in Washington think tanks are going to get it done. They’ve only been at it for like a hundred years now, but, then again, maybe genius #784,371,483 will be the one to figure it out.
mcohen
No, that is what Zionism is about – just ask the folk who refuse to serve in the IDF. They seem happy to wait.
And what can we say about the great geographic conspiracy of hostile nations to move to Israel’s borders – and the tortured logic required to equate this with Gaza’s plight? I think we’ve found our jailer. Now how about he hands back those keys.
The keys is a great story.
I have this friend from morroco who fled the country after 1948 and moved to Israel.
Anyway his family lost everything including the house.They too were left with the keys and not much else.
So he decided to go back a few years ago and he gets to the house and it is the same door but the locks had been changed
He knocks on the door to introduce himself and an old lady comes to the door.Turns out it was there neighbour from when they were growing up.He was in his 50’s by now.
While they were talking a car pulls up and a woman gets out with her kids.The old lady introduces him to her daughter.
He is standing there looking at her and he starts to realise how much she looks like his father.
By then she is looking at him too and it all clicks.
He decided to say goodbye and as he turns to leave the old lady gives him a small smile and says to him in hebrew shalom.
His father had passed away a few years back so he kept the meeting to himself
Fat man’s boogie is going to send a rocket and it going off course with disaster consequences
View from Europe. Don’t know if it’s the same as the view from the States.
Position in Ukraine now slightly different. Seems now to be a race between military defeat and breakdown of the current administration. Not that it matters much whether defeat or breakdown wins that race, except to the unfortunate Ukrainians, since whatever wins the other will follow soon after.
Washington and Berlin/Brussels fixated on these failed ventures, as are most of their population – those who are still interested – and still resolutely ignoring the day after.
The day after’s going to be much like the day before. Well before 2022 and of course before the Palestinian/Israeli conflict we were slowly losing our grip on the economies and resources of the rest of the world. Africa, the Middle East, maybe though that’s more doubtful South America, starting to wonder what’s inevitable about us living off their backs. Five centuries of looting winding down.
At the same time we have been slowly wrecking our own economies and thus our own societies: “It’s the economy, stupid”, isn’t the be all and end all, and should not be, but unless the economy is more or less right the rest crumbles automatically.
The last bastion of Europe, in fact the only sound economy in the West, Germany, has fallen. All will say it’s due to the ill-advised Ukrainian venture but to my knowledge that economy’s been going down for the last couple of decades and more. Defeat in Ukraine will sharpen this decline – maybe to such a degree that the Germans, the Europeans in general too, will re-examine their economic model and seek to remedy its defects?
I don’t believe we will. We’ll change nothing and head dumbly into the new Cold War the western politicians are preparing us for. Deindustrialised, riven by the social disruption that inevitably accompanies the mass importation of cheap labour to which we are addicted, paying over the odds for our energy, with our global market shrinking by the day, we shall devote what energy we have to resisting a Russian invasion they have no intention – if they’ve a ha’porth of sense – of ever mounting.
So no change in any of those respects then. And yet there’s so much still of true worth in Europe, it’s a pity none of us have the wit to control our politicians, nor much idea of what we should do if we had.
Eric
I tend to agree with you there.Change can only come from within.The think tanks are goldfish bowls.They tend to swim in there own shot.
As my wife said..freedom is on the other side of the door.That got me thinking.lol.
Lot of inbreeding going on in gaza.New blood is needed.I am talking about a voluntary population relocation.The numbers are two high for such a small area.Too many people is a problem that can be fixed with the right incentives.Like cash in hand.Funny how the population has kept growing.
If Arabs can live together in israel and the west bank with jews then it must be applied to gaza as well. No more walls.No more hamas style apartheid against Jews.
Free James brown
mcohen,
The Gaza Palestinians are the same as USA inner city Blacks in just about every way that matters. The Palestinians keep voting for terrorist kingpins that swipe the international aide for their own nefarious purposes and the Blacks keep voting for Democrats that leave them dependent on the remnants of government handouts that the Democrat masters allow them to have. Both get fed heaping spoonfuls of BS about how they’ve been wronged and are entitled to stuff they didn’t earn and oh how to hate those that wronged them and left them helpless.
In other words, both the Palestinians and the Blacks are brainwashed since birth to be tools of psychopathic political opportunists. Rewarding careers are built upon “helping” these poor people. Lots of politicians, political action groups, NGOs, and, of course, think tank drones would be out of work if the Blacks and Palestinians were simply told that they can educate themselves, adopt healthy values, forgive, love and focus on building a better life. Those who insist the loudest that it is impossible for them to make that change, give the circumstances, are definitely members of the psychopath club.
Eric I agree
They are an offshoot of the psycho lesbian cohort from Mars.Dangerous people with machine gun fellatio abilities.Shoot from the mouth instead of the hip.
Ttg interesting news
Ambassador Deborah Lipstadt
@StateSEAS
Delighted to attend the swearing-in of Kara McDonald as U.S. Ambassador to Lithuania
@USEmbVilnius
. Amb. McDonald oversaw
@StateDept
efforts to fight global antisemitism prior to my Senate confirmation. We are indebted to her for her conscientious work and for building my team.
mcohen – treating the Palestinian Arabs as human waste who are to be restricted to ever smaller areas of their own country is not the way to go. The same instincts that lead us to deplore anti-semitism must surely lead us to deplore the treatment of the Palestinians.
I was incensed by an article in the English press recently that stated in set terms it was nothing unusual for populations to be conquered and cleared out of this or that region of the world. The Palestinian Arabs should accept that this does happen from time to time. It’s happened to them so they should get on with making a new life elsewhere as so many others have had to do.
Maybe they don’t see it that way. I wouldn’t. If a group of thugs arrived at my house and told me it was no longer mine, as is happening to so many in the West Bank, I’d try to stay where I am. By what reasoning do we deny the Palestinian Arabs the right of resistance to such blatant theft?
EO
“By what reasoning do we deny the Palestinian Arabs the right of resistance to such blatant theft?”
Racist, genuine white supremacist or simply what one might term ‘promissory’ reasoning based on what Col. Lang once called “tribal mythology”. But then I guess you didn’t get the memo explaining that such attitudes simply cannot exist in a “civilized” country in the Levant. We of the psycho lesbian cohort whinging about notions of the value of all human life obviously just hate all Jews.
The whole endeavour is pock marked with individual identities having no timeline to disbamugation and continuity if I may add rather succinctly.Although suckling pig is non kosher to both Islambles and Judables this does not preclude,my dude.In fact it abides.
EO,
Not sure how it was “their land”. In most cases “they” were born in Gaza. Also, I don’t understand how anyone can overlook the fact that the Arabs have lost land to the Jews subsequent to starting wars of aggression on Israel. Who would want to have mortal enemies in or along their borders? As someone who understands Putin’s excuse for invading Ukraine, I’d think you’d comprehend where the Israelis are coming from too.
Now, the article you referred to. I agree with it. Do you want to live in a world where every identity group that has lost land or something else has a right to bomb their perceived oppressors? There’d be a heck of a lot of bombings.
The Aboriginals would get to bomb the Aussies while Native Americans could wreak havoc on the Canadians, USA and Mexicans through South Americas. I supposes they would have a fair argument for attacking Spain itself and perhaps England. That said, within the Native American faction, different tribes would get to settle old scores, like Sioux versus Chippawa or Apache v Pima. Armenians get to bomb Turks and Kurds. Maybe Jews could bomb Germany and Italy (as pay back for what Rome did to them). The Slavic people would be throwing bombs in every direction. So would the Africans. Pakistan and and India get to bomb each other for sure……..I mean universally applying the Hamas rule would instantly lead to the biggest world war of everyone against everyone that ever could be imagined – maybe even the extinction of humanity.
Of course no one seriously wants to apply the Hamas rule as a universal principle because they all know they are standing on land their ancestors stole from someone else. They know the article is correct. They only want the Hamas rule applied to Israel because they don’t like Jews and because the plight of the Palestinians offers a good opportunity to virtue signal and make up for their own past colonizer behavior on the cheap – even at the Israeli’s expense.
Here you go
https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2024/1/21/egypts-el-sisi-says-cairo-will-not-allow-any-threat-to-somalia
Eric – trouble is, if it’s OK for Israelis to dispossess Palestinians then by that reasoning it’s OK for Palestinians to dispossess Israelis. It just comes down to who’s stronger and who has the most powerful supporters.
EO,
Dispossessing Israelis ?Isn’t that what all those Arab states tried in multiple wars since 1948?
EO,
A poll recently came out showing in the results that 70% of Palestinians approve of the attack of Oct. 7, 2023.
Screw the Palestinians. Let them reap the whirlwind. They are stupid rabid animals that can’t be allowed to roam free. They started crap they can’t finish. More proof of low IQ, violent, emotion driven, crazed mob mentality. Yes, they’d love to kill all the Jews and seize Israel, but they don’t have what it takes to accomplish that. So they lose. Has happened throughout history. Most of the tribes’ names aren’t even remembered.