More Gaza (and West Bank and Lebanon and...)

Okay, so I have already voted for Kamala.

Having said that, I will also say that I am tired of the lectures from the wide range of folks on the left--including Bernie and The Nation--about how important it is to be "inside the tent" where the Democrats in power will listen to us. So, we are supposed to vote for Harris because then we will be listened to.

If only I had that same optimism. Here's the thing: in 2024 there were people already inside the tent who were telling Biden to stop the genocide. Not only were they ignored; they were time after time accused of antisemitism by spokespersons for the president. So much for that argument. And it has always been so.

So I get it. I voted for Kamala Harris because she will overall be better than Trump. In the Middle East, I am not so sure. The vote scolds tell me that I should vote for Harris and then I will be at the table to influence policy. My experience has always been that those running the party and deciding policy have a different attitude toward the left: knock on doors for us, send us your money, and give us your vote. Then shut the fuck up because we know what's best. (The Democratic Convention was full of Republicans, but no Palestinian Americans.) The powers in the Democratic Party heed the oligarchs. Different oligarchs that the Republicans maybe, but oligarchs nonetheless.

I hope Harris wins the election on Tuesday, but expect little change in foreign policy in general, and Gaza in particular.

Dissenting View

A week or two ago, The Nation magazine published an endorsement of Kamala Harris. In today's online edition The Nation published a dissenting view from its fall interns, entitled "Kamala Harris Does Not Deserve The Nation's Endorsement". It's a pretty bold and compelling piece. I commend The Nation for allowing this to be made public.

A Failed Presidency

I will be among the few people on the left who will rate the totality of the Biden presidency as a failure. All the good things accomplished on the domestic side are totally overshadowed and outweighed by the administration’s unabashed support for Israel’s Gaza genocide, which Israel has now widened into the West Bank, Lebanon, and Yemen. Cabinet members are openly talking about an all-out attack on Iran.

I have to assume that Biden and his War Cabinet never had any intention of pushing a ceasefire in Gaza. The US has a tremendous amount of leverage with Israel and exercised zero amount. As a lame duck, even if he wanted to now, that leverage has expired.

Bibi wants Trump to win the election. AIPAC (which determines American foreign policy vis-a-vis Israel) wants Trump to win. Biden, and now Harris, have done all they can to increase the odds of Trump winning.

I have already voted for Harris. I hope she wins. It’s not looking good. I hope I’m wrong. Joe Biden’s failed presidency hasn’t helped.

Two Weeks to Go

• Harris is still campaigning with Liz Cheney. Wow.
• Biden administration still has taken zero meaningful action to stop the genocide. Over a year now. Unbelievable.
• US has embarked on a dangerous Cold War with China. Meanwhile we are arm-in-arm with tyrants like Netanyahu in Israel, MBS in Saudi Arabia, Modi in India, et al.
• The UN--who, by the way, have much more credibility than either the Israeli government or the Blinken State Department--says that it will take 350 years to rebuild Gaza to its pre-genocide levels. And Israel hasn't stopped its death and destruction yet.
• It still seems to me that Iran has demonstarted much more restraint that Israel or the US.

 

 

Rogue State

As Mehdi Hasan has written in The Guardian, Israel has become a rogue state, having exempted itself from any modicum of civilized behavior. If the last twelve months haven’t proven this to the world, the past few weeks should.

Israel just murdered the mayor of a city in Lebanon. Two cabinet ministers recently used out-and-out genocidal language. Gaza has been deprived by Israel of humanitarian aid to such an extent that even Milquetoast Blinken is using stronger language with Israel.

Having said that, the time for more than words has long passed. Biden and his team have been 100% complicit so far, threatening the US moral standing in the world (if we still have any), and making the election of Donald Trump more likely .

I expect that Hasan’s idea if expelling Israel from the UN, however compelling, would never fly with Zionist Biden, but the US could at least start by following through on withholding further aid. Time to stop talking and start acting.

Things I Don’t Care About

If I see the news stories about Gaza or the Middle East that begin with these phrases, I just assume that whatever follows is bullshit:

• Israel is investigating….

• Antony Blinken (or Jake Sullivan or any other State Department spokesperson) says ….

• Israel accuses….

• Israel is not targeting….

Forever Wars (continued)

The Biden Admin is now bombing in Syria. That means the US is involved in armed conflicts in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Yemen, and Syria, as well as firing on UN troops. (Did I forget any?) Biden is also silent on the American journalist detained by Israel. The US is fully committed to Forever War, independent of the party in power. Crickets from Kamala Harris.

Days are running out until election day. I don’t know how but she needs to separate herself from this travesty. She will have only herself to blame.