Okay, here is a Canadian view of the U.S.-Israeli military actions they have started in Iran. In a very real sense, that as yet unofficial “war” has simmered for a long time. One must remember the historic origins of Israel, which it is probably fair to say were essentially mandated by the Holocaust. I, for one, think the Jewish people needed a safe haven—though it has hardly proven all that safe.
The land was taken over from the people already there, which is more or less how countries originate. The United States and the rest of the Americas, including Canada, are obvious examples. In Eurasia the same history is often less obvious, simply because the armed push and shove of sovereignty may date back millennia.
But the present leaders of both the U.S. and Israel appear to have personal reasons—reasons not necessarily in their countries’ best interests—for being in charge of wars, if this can be called a war. Both nations also possess enormous assets to bring to the battlefield. Air and sea power may already be established in the Middle East theater by the aggressors, although I note that they are asking for help from allies whom the U.S. has recently hurt financially. I hope those allies refuse—not out of spite, but out of prudence.
American exceptionalism may once again need reminding of something it repeatedly forgets: the United States is not invincible, and it does lose wars, all those jingoistic movies notwithstanding. Americans have a history of sort of forgetting allied help, so, like, why should the rest of us suffer in their interest, whatever that may be?
Iran has a horrible regime—much like Russia’s—and, like Russia, it appears willing to sacrifice whatever number of citizens it deems necessary. When a poor country is at war, civilians suffer even more than soldiers; military service can at least stave off starvation, though at the risk of a worse death. And however dreadful the regime may be, people rarely welcome being bombed by foreigners. One might think even MAGA supporters would understand that sentiment, given their rhetoric about immigrants and sovereignty at home.
Americans themselves generally do not want to see their young military members killed or maimed for reasons that seem vague or disconnected from any genuine national threat.
Without massive funding increases, American military resources are largely limited to destroying the means by which Iran can project force beyond its borders. That alone will not produce regime change, nor will it prevent Iran from re-arming. Re-arming would be difficult without Russian help, and the U.S. could certainly damage Russia’s ability to provide it. But, for reasons I will not speculate about here, it appears unlikely that President Trump would allow Russia to be hurt too severely financially.
And while Mr. Trump has shown contempt for the law in other areas, I am not sure he could push sufficient money through the system quickly enough once current military assets begin to be depleted.
Meanwhile, Israel also risks exhausting both its defensive and offensive ordnance if U.S. support falters. Nor can Trump realistically put “boots on the ground” in the numbers required for regime change. Americans would go nuts, even armed MAGAs, should that happen. In other words, whatever Mr. Trump hopes to achieve, it is difficult to see how he achieves it. Iran would almost certainly enjoy overwhelming superiority in ground forces should either the U.S. or Israel commit to a land war. And a ground war would be the only plausible path to “victory,” if victory is defined as regime change or a lasting end to Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism—which it certainly does sponsor.
Israel, meanwhile, has opened a second front, further taxing its resources. None of this serves the real interests of the ordinary people in the countries involved. It rarely does. It is leaders, not populations, who most often drive nations into war.
And finally there is the larger strategic risk: a militarily depleted United States if the Chinese dragon begins roaring at Taiwan, or if a Russian–Chinese–North Korean axis decides that the moment is ripe for aggressive hegemony—precisely when the world’s most powerful military might no longer be quite so powerful.
Trump, Netanyahu and a small cabal of loyal sychophants are creating wars as a distraction to cover up their own crimes.
The thousands of lives lost are meaningless to these empty shells and their supporters.
My concern is that, unless both of these criminals are brought before a court of justice similar to that of Nuremburg, the United States and Israel will forever be subject to attack from Muslim sympathizers.
If men the world over would recognize that no one asks to be born into a life of wealth or poverty they might seek to adjust the present acceptance of inherited and accumulated wealth as well as the status of women throughout all the world's cultures.
Naive thoughts but ones which would allay the many concerns that presently plague our planet.
What is always explicitly clear in your reporting is that the people affected by almost every part of the news and daily struggles are minorities and the oppressed - BIPOC, women, immigrants, low-income or poor communities. I’ve seen this all my life because in so many ways I’ve been involved with these groups of people, or, as an HSP, I see this happening with each situation while others are covering some other part of the story. People are always left in the wake of punitive issues, and those people are never the wealthy and almost never white or white males. This country continues to leave swaths of minority communities in the dust or in the mud with complete disregard and disrespect. Read any history book, look at almost any news story, and see what’s happening to minorities in the moment or in the aftermath that is mostly ignored or forgotten. This absolutely breaks my heart. I’m so glad you continue to speak up about “Who Is Affected.”
I’m currently reading Heather Cox Richardson’s “Wounded Knee,” and the words on the pages leap out almost exactly like they are today’s news.
________________________________________
Okay, here is a Canadian view of the U.S.-Israeli military actions they have started in Iran. In a very real sense, that as yet unofficial “war” has simmered for a long time. One must remember the historic origins of Israel, which it is probably fair to say were essentially mandated by the Holocaust. I, for one, think the Jewish people needed a safe haven—though it has hardly proven all that safe.
The land was taken over from the people already there, which is more or less how countries originate. The United States and the rest of the Americas, including Canada, are obvious examples. In Eurasia the same history is often less obvious, simply because the armed push and shove of sovereignty may date back millennia.
But the present leaders of both the U.S. and Israel appear to have personal reasons—reasons not necessarily in their countries’ best interests—for being in charge of wars, if this can be called a war. Both nations also possess enormous assets to bring to the battlefield. Air and sea power may already be established in the Middle East theater by the aggressors, although I note that they are asking for help from allies whom the U.S. has recently hurt financially. I hope those allies refuse—not out of spite, but out of prudence.
American exceptionalism may once again need reminding of something it repeatedly forgets: the United States is not invincible, and it does lose wars, all those jingoistic movies notwithstanding. Americans have a history of sort of forgetting allied help, so, like, why should the rest of us suffer in their interest, whatever that may be?
Iran has a horrible regime—much like Russia’s—and, like Russia, it appears willing to sacrifice whatever number of citizens it deems necessary. When a poor country is at war, civilians suffer even more than soldiers; military service can at least stave off starvation, though at the risk of a worse death. And however dreadful the regime may be, people rarely welcome being bombed by foreigners. One might think even MAGA supporters would understand that sentiment, given their rhetoric about immigrants and sovereignty at home.
Americans themselves generally do not want to see their young military members killed or maimed for reasons that seem vague or disconnected from any genuine national threat.
Without massive funding increases, American military resources are largely limited to destroying the means by which Iran can project force beyond its borders. That alone will not produce regime change, nor will it prevent Iran from re-arming. Re-arming would be difficult without Russian help, and the U.S. could certainly damage Russia’s ability to provide it. But, for reasons I will not speculate about here, it appears unlikely that President Trump would allow Russia to be hurt too severely financially.
And while Mr. Trump has shown contempt for the law in other areas, I am not sure he could push sufficient money through the system quickly enough once current military assets begin to be depleted.
Meanwhile, Israel also risks exhausting both its defensive and offensive ordnance if U.S. support falters. Nor can Trump realistically put “boots on the ground” in the numbers required for regime change. Americans would go nuts, even armed MAGAs, should that happen. In other words, whatever Mr. Trump hopes to achieve, it is difficult to see how he achieves it. Iran would almost certainly enjoy overwhelming superiority in ground forces should either the U.S. or Israel commit to a land war. And a ground war would be the only plausible path to “victory,” if victory is defined as regime change or a lasting end to Iran’s sponsorship of terrorism—which it certainly does sponsor.
Israel, meanwhile, has opened a second front, further taxing its resources. None of this serves the real interests of the ordinary people in the countries involved. It rarely does. It is leaders, not populations, who most often drive nations into war.
And finally there is the larger strategic risk: a militarily depleted United States if the Chinese dragon begins roaring at Taiwan, or if a Russian–Chinese–North Korean axis decides that the moment is ripe for aggressive hegemony—precisely when the world’s most powerful military might no longer be quite so powerful.
Trump, Netanyahu and a small cabal of loyal sychophants are creating wars as a distraction to cover up their own crimes.
The thousands of lives lost are meaningless to these empty shells and their supporters.
My concern is that, unless both of these criminals are brought before a court of justice similar to that of Nuremburg, the United States and Israel will forever be subject to attack from Muslim sympathizers.
If men the world over would recognize that no one asks to be born into a life of wealth or poverty they might seek to adjust the present acceptance of inherited and accumulated wealth as well as the status of women throughout all the world's cultures.
Naive thoughts but ones which would allay the many concerns that presently plague our planet.
Great reporting, clean narratives, love the summaries and "Why it Matters" format
Exactly.
What is always explicitly clear in your reporting is that the people affected by almost every part of the news and daily struggles are minorities and the oppressed - BIPOC, women, immigrants, low-income or poor communities. I’ve seen this all my life because in so many ways I’ve been involved with these groups of people, or, as an HSP, I see this happening with each situation while others are covering some other part of the story. People are always left in the wake of punitive issues, and those people are never the wealthy and almost never white or white males. This country continues to leave swaths of minority communities in the dust or in the mud with complete disregard and disrespect. Read any history book, look at almost any news story, and see what’s happening to minorities in the moment or in the aftermath that is mostly ignored or forgotten. This absolutely breaks my heart. I’m so glad you continue to speak up about “Who Is Affected.”
I’m currently reading Heather Cox Richardson’s “Wounded Knee,” and the words on the pages leap out almost exactly like they are today’s news.