Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[Dr. Strangelove]

Crash, it’s been a rough time for the purveyors of horseshit

[Jeff Buchanan]

In the Russo-Ukrainian war, the near unanimous decision among NATO nations to allow Ukraine to use western supplied weapons against targets inside Russia has prompted the expected response from Medvedev: There will be dire consequences for the use of western weapons on Russian soil. Don't forget we have nukes and will use them...... or words to that effect.

Although its not entirely clear publicly which targets inside Russia are fair game, you can bet there's a very precise target list provided by NATO agencies that perform targeting selection. It's likely to be very restrictive which fits with the direction of this conflict illuminated in an opinion piece I posted about last week" You are either on your way to victory or on your way to defeat. The US is particularly good at the later and, as I pointed out in my post, there's hard evidence of failed US involvement in multiple conflicts since 1975.

I believe were headed in the direction of a negotiated failure, with Putin coming out on top, in Ukraine. The restrictions, which I have no doubt will be significant and continue to tie the hands of Ukrainian commanders behind their backs leading to cease fire with terms dictated by Putin.

As an aside but in a similar vein, on Friday and continuing into today there are reports that the US has collaborated with Israel on a cease fire in the war between Hamas and the IDF. Stories vary about how such a plan will actually work but Netanyahu has bluntly stated: no end to the conflict until the Hamas military wing is eliminated, all hostages being held by Hamas are freed and an agreement is in place stipulating that any future authorities representing Palestinians will have no Hamas organizations governing within the Palestinian territories. Biden, very publicly, speaks of "his plan" in terms of rainbows and butterflies. Netanyahu is playing hardball with Hamas. The remaining western supporters, along with Biden, are letting Hamas play them.

[Dr. Strangelove]

They would rather lose this winnable race than brook any dissent.

[Da Geezer]

As an aside but in a similar vein, on Friday and continuing into today there are reports that the US has collaborated with Israel on a cease fire in the war between Hamas and the IDF. Stories vary about how such a plan will actually work but Netanyahu has bluntly stated: no end to the conflict until the Hamas military wing is eliminated, all hostages being held by Hamas are freed and an agreement is in place stipulating that any future authorities representing Palestinians will have no Hamas organizations governing within the Palestinian territories. Biden, very publicly, speaks of "his plan" in terms of rainbows and butterflies. Netanyahu is playing hardball with Hamas. The remaining western supporters, along with Biden, are letting Hamas play them.

After Sabbath had begun, Biden announced a three-part plan that he said the Israelis had proposed. It allowed Hamas to survive. Today, the Israeli government has made clear that it was in no way their plan. Government ministers threatened to quit saying that the Biden administration was trying to box Israel into a corner. Hamas accepted the plan.

[Jeff Buchanan]

On the conflict between Hamas and Israel, I have not yet seen or heard a reliable story that identifies the specific terms of this so called peace deal. My take is that Biden, with his announcement on Friday that contained generalizations was trying to make an end-run on Netanyahu. He's appealing to global sentiment to end Israel's war against Hamas. Anti-war activists of all stripes have managed to win the information war by focusing on Palestinian civilian casualties. News reports are 99% on the suffering of Palestinians and 1% on the brutality of Hamas terrorists that have seized ruling and military authority in Gaza. So, of course, Netanyahu and his government are the bad guys now. The world has forgotten about the torture, including genital mutilation, of captured Israeli female soldiers. They've forgotten video release months ago showing 100s of Hamas fighters, crossing borders to murder Israeli's who had camped out for a music concert. Hamas fighters and their leadership are terrorist animals.

What is coming through loud and clear, among a plethora of conflicting claims, is that Netanyahu isn't signing any cease fire agreements until Hama's military is destroyed, all hostages are released and Hamas is prohibited from governing Palestinian territories post war. Principals in the Israeli government, including Bebe are probably willing to sit down at a table and talk with either mediators or actual Hamas principals. Those guys showing up is unlikely becasue Sinwar and others can't afford to go out in public as they all have been targets of anti-terrorist operations and continue to hide out to prevent being captured or killed.

Biden blows rainbows and butterflies out his ass and wants the Israeli government to sit down at a table and negotiate cease fire with terms favorable to Hamas? Only idiots think Israel should sit down and negotiate with who ever shows up at the negotiating table to represent the interests of Palestinians living in Gaza or the West bank. Netanyahu's terms, for all intent and purpose, are at present and should be going forward the unconditional surrender of the Hamas leadership, both military and civilian wings, with Israel dictating terms, not Hamas.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Watch this. These are the brave Hamas terrorists fighting for the rights of Palestinians.......and Biden is expecting the Israeli government to negotiate with people like this?

https://nypost.com/video/sickening-moment-hamas-line-up-bloodied-young-israeli-women-on-oct-7/?dicbo=v2-uJrW45d

[Mike]

I’ve seen that and I’ve seen worse.

Let it be known to all that the progressive Left support those terrorist fucks.

[AlabamAlum]

Alabama softball and baseball both flamed out this weekend. The Braves are 7 games back in the NL East. My NHL team is the Preds so you know how that season went. I’m going into a sports desert until late August. This must be what it’s like being a Nebraska fan.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Negotiators from Egypt, Qatar and Israel, ended talks intended to open the Rafah Crossing to allow aid trucks to pass from Egypt into Gaza. This small but important piece to the puzzle of ending the war between Hamas and Israel is reflective of the larger point that nobody wants to budge from their well established positions. We know less about Hama's demands than we do about Israel's but the Hamas demands amount to little more than saying no way to Israel's.

Meanwhile, the Biden administration continues to try to leverage global anti-war sentiment to force Netanyahu to abandon his hard nosed position, demonstrating, once again, how the US knows how to lose wars for US allies involved in them. I don't think there is any question that the world is moving to the left politically or to a combination of leftist policies with progressive, authoritarian governments (see the recent election results in Mexico). That is why the American version of liberal democracy forged from the outcome of WWII is becoming less and less a factor in global affairs. How the wars of US allies in Ukraine and Israel turn out will determine what kind of role the US will play on the global stage. Things don't look good. We suck at fighting the shadow war of information control.

[Jeff Buchanan]

A reliable source calls-out Biden's attempt at an end-run around Netanyahu. This is the most detailed analysis I've seen concerning what's going on with negotiators as of today. I've copied and pasted a couple paragraphs where Sinwar is at least being honest about Hamas's goal and illuminates the precise reason why this rainbows and butterflies shit flying out of Biden's ass are counterproductive besides being stupidly wrong. The link below to the Times of Israel article is worth a read.

The Wall Street Journal on Monday cited Hamas officials as saying they were seeking a “detailed proposal in writing” outlining Biden’s proposed deal, amid concerns that Israel would not commit to a long-term ceasefire.

Citing messages purportedly sent by Hamas chief in Gaza Yahya Sinwar to Arab mediators, the news outlet reported that Sinwar — unlike Hamas leaders abroad — is not seeking an end to the war anytime soon, since he believes the longer fighting drags on, the more Israel is being turned into “an international pariah” while support for Palestinians grows.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-we-will-destroy-hamas-bidens-version-of-hostage-deal-incomplete/

[Dr. Strangelove]

The Tories were already heading for a bloodbath. This will likely burn the party down, with Farage nicely poised to rule over the ashes.

Nigel Farage to stand for Reform UK in general election U-turn | Nigel Farage | The Guardian

[Hannibal]

[Dr. Strangelove]

Any chance Trump's Georgia trial could begin before the election is officially dead.

Georgia court sets Oct. 4 hearing to consider whether Fulton DA should remain on Trump case (ajc.com)

[Dr. Strangelove]

[Hannibal]

Well if the DOJ says it, it must be true. These are the same people who, after all, have wisely deduced that White Supremacy is our country’s greatest threat.