US said seeking to install new Lebanese president, push aside weakened Hezbollah | The Times of Israel (www.timesofisrael.com)
from filister@lemmy.world to world@lemmy.world on 10 Oct 2024 19:16
https://lemmy.world/post/20714227

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MediaBiasFactChecker@lemmy.world on 10 Oct 2024 19:16 next collapse
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givesomefucks@lemmy.world on 10 Oct 2024 19:19 next collapse

Biden would fuck around do a coup right before an election if it helped Israel

He obviously cares more about their right wing governments success than preventing trump

sorval_the_eeter@lemmy.world on 11 Oct 2024 03:33 next collapse

Biden couldnt care less what Americans want. Harris is a sock pupet and Blinken will be floated next. There was an astroturfed surge of comments on reddit a while back saying Antony Blinken should be the next American president. He’d be even worse than Biden/Harris. The Democratic party corporation will definitely push him as the presidential candidate in 2028 or 2032. (Assuming the bribes from AIPAC are rich enough, which is always a safe bet.)

abff08f4813c@j4vcdedmiokf56h3ho4t62mlku.srv.us on 13 Oct 2024 20:04 collapse

Harris is a sock pupet

Hard disagree. Harris has already distinguished herself on Gaza as compared to Biden here (in terms of how her policies would be different).

sorval_the_eeter@lemmy.world on 15 Oct 2024 00:48 collapse

Has she said she’s stop shipping them weapons and breaking US law about enabling regimes plausibly commiting war crimes?
No, right. Please correct me if I’m mistaken about that.

abff08f4813c@j4vcdedmiokf56h3ho4t62mlku.srv.us on 17 Oct 2024 13:33 collapse

Has she said she’s stop shipping them weapons

As per the headline on https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/09/18/harris-supports-pausing-arms-shipment-to-israel/

Harris 'entirely supportive' of using arms as leverage on Israel

So..

Please correct me if I’m mistaken about that.

Happy to have done so!

No, right.

Even though this was a yes, she absolutely has room to go more here, and I hope she does.

and breaking US law about enabling regimes plausibly commiting war crimes?

This one is oddly specific. So if Harris doesn't exactly and precisely have that one specific view, then she would be a sock puppet no matter how far apart her beliefs are from Bidens?

On https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/us-elections-kamala-harris-biden-gaza-israel-war/ there are some specific examples of how she's grown apart from Biden (while acknowledging that it's not quite enough and suggesting that she should go even further).

sorval_the_eeter@lemmy.world on 17 Oct 2024 18:33 collapse

This one is oddly specific. So if Harris doesn’t exactly and precisely have that one specific view, then she would be a sock puppet no matter how far apart her beliefs are from Bidens?

Oddly? you say? The Leahy laws are specific. Have you heard of those? And you ship weapons or you dont. You see nuance there huh. Thats telling. Harris has committed to being “concerned about” food aid and thats it. Otherwise she has followed the Hasbarah playbook to a T. I keep seeing people hopeful she will chart a different couse, when she has explicitely stated she will continue the curret course. I think people are filled with Hopium about her pruposefully vague sentiments. She has simultaneously parroted the typical Hasbara script, stating that all of this started on Oct 7, that Israel wants its hostages back, and that Israelis have a “right to defend themselves”. She has also talked down to student protestors. She’s accepted AIPAC donations.

You quoted me a link from a tiny Israeli site that has a yellow war ribbon in their logo.
“Israelhayam” a far right low factual reporting website. That one of your favorites? I see on their front page its all war salivating israeli audience stuff. You Israeli? mediabiasfactcheck.com/israel-hayom/

So you’re pushing Israeli propoganda. In their article they talk about a threat to pause shipments in May, in an article published in September. A single threat to pause that wasnt actually carried out, was it. Biden pretends to push back but he never has actually pulled the trigger on any actual pushback. And a pause – essentially a delay in shipping, Same as your amazon package getting delayed. Even if it was true and not made up, its is a meangless performative gesture at best. Biden has used exactly zero of his levers to move toward peace, and 100 percent of his levers to encourage the expansion and impunity of a bloodthirsty genocide and ethnic cleansing.

And Harris has indicated that she will continue on the same course he has charted.

abff08f4813c@j4vcdedmiokf56h3ho4t62mlku.srv.us on 21 Oct 2024 13:11 collapse

This one is oddly specific. So if Harris doesn’t exactly and precisely have that one specific view, then she would be a sock puppet no matter how far apart her beliefs are from Bidens?
Oddly? you say?

Yes, it's very odd to have a specific view about "breaking US law about enabling regimes plausibly commiting war crimes" in the definition of sock puppetry. So in other words, "breaking US law about enabling regimes plausibly commiting war crimes" is sock puppetry and "breaking Israeli law about enabling regimes plausibly commiting war crimes" is not because the word US isn't in there.

The Leahy laws are specific. Have you heard of those?

They've been mentioned a few times in the news recently. But they don't seem to have any reference to sock puppetry. If you disagree, please show me the text of the relevant section of that law that defines it along with a proper analysis.

And you ship weapons or you dont. You see nuance there huh. Thats telling.

Of course. There's a huge difference if the US is shipping only a single pistol with a single bullet in a century vs tens of thousands of nuclear armed ICBMs every single day. What the US is currently shipping to Israel under Biden lies somewhere between these two extremes (and imvho it's still a bit too much, but I've already explained why I have hope that Harris will bring it down).

The fact that you can't see nuance here is even more telling.

You see nuance there huh.

A bit surprised to see this as I didn't mention nuance in the earlier quotes.

You quoted me a link from a tiny Israeli site that has a yellow war ribbon in their logo.
“Israelhayam” a far right low factual reporting website. That one of your favorites?

No, but the point is that even these guys are worried about Harris staying committed to the current level of arms shipments. If even folks of this flavour and persuasion are worried, then that's very suggestive, no?

So you’re pushing Israeli propoganda.

That said, it's fair to ask for alternative sources if one is suspect. So happy to help again, thus here's a different source, a non-Israeli progoganda source, for the same information: https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/washington-policy-weekly-harris-supports-pause-on-2000-pound-bombs-to-israel/

A single threat to pause that wasnt actually carried out, was it.

Again, happy to correct you!
Indeed it was, as per https://www.theguardian.com/world/article/2024/jul/10/biden-resumes-sending-israel-bombs
And it remained so even in late September, as per https://www.nytimes.com/2024/09/28/world/middleeast/israel-nasrallah-bunker-buster-bombs.html

abff08f4813c@j4vcdedmiokf56h3ho4t62mlku.srv.us on 21 Oct 2024 13:11 next collapse

Biden pretends to push back but he never has actually pulled the trigger on any actual pushback.

So we were talking about Harris. Anyways, "pulled the trigger on any actual pushback" is a bit ambiguous - for example, some would argue that withholding 2,000 pound bombs while resuming 500 pound bomb deliveries (as per the above articles) is exactly that kind of pushback, while otherwise would say it's a meaningless gesture.

And a pause – essentially a delay in shipping, Same as your amazon package getting delayed. Even if it was true and not made up, its is a meangless performative gesture at best.

Well, not quite the same as having an amazon package getting delayed. With amazon, you can get refunded (and then buy the same item from another vendor, say in person in a storefront) or have another of the same item reshipped to you (in the hopes of getting back faster). In either case it'd likely be resolved long before hitting five months.

In this case, there's likely no other vendor to turn to for 2,000lb bombs. And there's no question of reshipping or anything. So here we are five months later, with the pause fully in place.

Biden has used exactly zero of his levers to move toward peace, and 100 percent of his levers to encourage the expansion and impunity of a bloodthirsty genocide and ethnic cleansing.

Hmm...

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned their Israeli counterparts in a letter dated Sunday that it must increase the amount of humanitarian aid being allowed into Gaza within the next 30 days or Israel could risk losing access to U.S. weapons funding.

Source: https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-oil-nuclear-sites-biden-f5dd702de7d990dd1d00f665e1484dee

And that was followed up by, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/israel-gaza-aid-letter-blinken-austin-warning-netanyahu-government-rcna175657

And Harris has indicated that she will continue on the same course he has charted.

From https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/sep/06/kamala-harris-israel-arms-biden ,

Harris ... called for Palestinian “freedom and self-determination”.

If this "will continue the same course that he has charted" then yes she will.
Fair to ask Harris to go further.
But again, she's not a sock puppet and has already distinguished herself on this topic from Biden.

sorval_the_eeter@lemmy.world on 22 Oct 2024 02:38 collapse

If you want to pretend laws arent laws, I dont know what to tell you. You cant just declare that reality is meaningless unless it adheres to your current most convenient outcome. This is exactly the centrist rot at the core of the party. We increasingly stand for nothing but a cult of personality as long as its slightly better than republicans, and thats not the dem party or the “America” I grew up with.

abff08f4813c@j4vcdedmiokf56h3ho4t62mlku.srv.us on 25 Oct 2024 03:49 collapse

If you want to pretend laws arent laws, I dont know what to tell you.

Fortunately, I have no desire to go there. (As an aside, I am still waiting for the explanation regarding the laws on sock puppetry.)

You cant just declare that reality is meaningless unless it adheres to your current most convenient outcome

Which is why I have done no such thing, and am puzzled as to why you'd claim otherwise. Quote please?

We increasingly stand for nothing but a cult of personality as long as its slightly better than republicans,

Well, tbf "we're better than that guy" is not really much of a personality cult. This is especially so when virtually anyone else is better than that guy.

thats not the dem party or the “America” I grew up with.

You must be far older than I. I only remember from the Clinton years, and Bill Clinton won in part because he was a fairly conservative Democrat from the midwestern state of Arkansas. So already in the early 90s Dems were aiming for centrist appeal.

This is exactly the centrist rot at the core of the party.

Well, it might be worth considering why the party chose to shift this way. The short answer is that the Electoral College grants too much voting power to the smaller states, which become the swing or battleground states, and so to win in the Electoral College and become President, those are the voters you have to cater to - and they happen to be not only more centralist, but probably more conservative than folks who live in huge east coast or west coast cities. See https://www.vox.com/the-big-idea/2016/11/22/13713148/electoral-college-democracy-race-white-voters for a more in-depth explanation.

I hate it too, but considering what's at stake in this election, I'll support Harris or anyone else who has a shot at winning that's not the current GOP candidate. Though my hope is this:

Harris wins and Dems get enough majority control of both houses (enough to get around likely no votes from maverick Dems like Joe Manchin), then the Senate majority leader (Schumer) can lower the bar for a filibuster to a bare majority.

Then basically follow this plan https://www.vox.com/2020/1/14/21063591/modest-proposal-to-save-american-democracy-pack-the-union-harvard-law-review - the TLDR is to pass a new law post-filibuster removal to admit each neighborhood of DC as its own state, which would add 127 new Dem states in all.

At this point there is now the required two-thirds majority of states required in the hands of the Dems, so a new constitution amendment dropping the Electoral College for a nationwide popular vote could be passed and ratified successfully.

As a bonus, also pass another amendment requiring ranked choice voting - this allows us more choices. We can safely vote third party as our first choice for President in the future, while having the more moderate Dem a 2nd or 3rd choice, meaning that we vote 3rd party without fearing the spoiler effect would prop up a MAGA candidate into office again. Which would allow more folks to feel safe in supporting their third party, meaning that third parties now have a more realistic chance of actually making it to the highest office.

Even if Dems don't hold the Senate in 2024, the Senate maps look much better in 2026. So if they can keep the House of Reps in 2026 and retake the Senate then in sufficient numbers, this could still happen under Harris.

So in summary, the best hope of moving away from catering to centralist battleground state voters first requires getting Harris elected.

Btw, in case you were wondering, I'm a far leftie who back in 2020, would have preferred Andrew Yang.. or failing that, Bernie Sanders. AOC wasn't eligible then, but she would have had my vote as well if it were possible.

abff08f4813c@j4vcdedmiokf56h3ho4t62mlku.srv.us on 13 Oct 2024 20:03 collapse

Biden would fuck around do a coup right before an election if it helped Israel

I wouldn't be surprised if it turns out that the article's sources were inaccurate - and it's Israel's coup, with the US merely not taking an active opposition.

He obviously cares more about their right wing governments success than preventing trump

I think this is a tad unfair, considering how many of Biden's red lines Israel has already crossed....

He made some wrong calls perhaps, but he is stuck between a rock and a hard place w.r.t. the election.

DragonTypeWyvern@midwest.social on 10 Oct 2024 19:25 next collapse

I’m starting think that when Biden said “I am a Zionist” the career federal politician actually DID know the context.

distantsounds@lemmy.world on 10 Oct 2024 21:34 next collapse

Joe Fucking Biden

small44@lemmy.world on 10 Oct 2024 21:50 next collapse

So democratic

lnxtx@feddit.nl on 10 Oct 2024 22:33 next collapse

Looks like the US is going weaker and weaker 🤡
People can see war, aggression, genocide in real time.

[deleted] on 11 Oct 2024 02:43 collapse
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ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works on 10 Oct 2024 22:58 next collapse

This is what makes me optimistic that Hezbollah can be defeated for good. Other factions in Lebanon have a strong incentive to prevent them from gaining enough power to operate independently from the Lebanese government again.

Sundial@lemm.ee on 10 Oct 2024 23:08 next collapse

Removing Hezbollah is only a priority because they’ve been a thorn in Israel’s side for decades. This is their attempt to weaken Lebanon for a complete takeover. Lebanon will become the new Palestine when that happens.

filister@lemmy.world on 11 Oct 2024 07:21 next collapse

Hmmm, I wonder how would you react if Russia elects the president in your country and tells you that it is for your own good. Would you be so happy?

merthyr1831@lemmy.ml on 11 Oct 2024 15:32 collapse

do any of those incentives involve a pile of shekels and a promise that they’ll get preferential treatment in a puppet govt. installed by Israel?

ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.works on 11 Oct 2024 16:41 collapse

Are you aware that Lebanon already has a democratically elected government, and that Hezbollah is not that government? It’s the private army of the Shia minority and effectively an Iranian occupying force. Most people in Lebanon had absolutely no say in its decision to attack Israel, but they are still suffering from the consequences of that decision.

NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io on 10 Oct 2024 23:35 next collapse

What the actual fuck?

NOT_RICK@lemmy.world on 11 Oct 2024 02:26 next collapse

This sent me down a rabbit hole trying to figure out what the deal is with Lebanese politics. Didn’t even know they’ve been without a president for two years

Saleh@feddit.org on 11 Oct 2024 12:10 collapse

Last time the west went in a civil war in Lebanon, it helped commit heinous massacres, where thousands of people were brutally slaughtered in refugee camps. Women and children were also raped and beheaded with the support of Israel.

en.m.wikipedia.org/…/Sabra_and_Shatila_massacre

There is an animated movie “Waltz with Bashir” where the movie maker works to regain his memories as former IDF soldier, who ultimately provided the light under which the massacres where committed.

These plans of the US and their allies show not only a complete disregard for the political stability or safety of Lebanon. They make a point of dehumanizing the victims of their past crimes again.