CJ>>"I am still not sold on the idea that Trump will bring even a relative amount of peace to Gaza."
Me neither, Caitlin - even less than you.
(1) Zionist Israel's goal has ALWAYS BEEN eretz Israel (greater Israel) from the beginning. Ceasefire (of whatever kind) or no ceasefire, this behavior from Israel (and the US) will continue (possibly under different guises if at all).
(2) Israel has a PROVEN HISTORY of not sticking to deals (of any kind - be it ceasefires, or negotiations). This is not very different from US Empire behavior. NEITHER can EVER be trusted.
(3) No US administrator (Republican or democratic) under the current geopolitical environment will be good for Palestine (or any other entity in the Middle-East). WHATEVER Trump decides, it will ALL be in the interest of the US Empire (and global Capitalism).
(4) Israel and the US are one and the same (for all practical intents and purposes). There will be a lot of drama/theatre/etc. to convince people otherwise.
I would caution people NOT TO BE FOOLED/deceived/hopiumed/etc. by ANY decision taken by the US Empire.
Israel is an outpost US imperialism. And on occasion it does go astray like committing espionage, etc on the US which causes even (some) scum in the CIA to hate Israel. But for as long as it exists, Israel will serve to enforce US empire. Although I do think this genocide has weakened US soft power in the world. This genocide by the US & Israel is another sign that the empire is on its last legs.
In the tennis playing centre (at the moment) of the universe, this now US acolyte, previously for 157 years a member of the British Empire (but still a current groveller to the now ancient Royals in a country 17,000 kilometres away) is just about to have a country-wide election. The grounds for competition for the two parties, such as housing, cost of living, the AUKUS nuclear submarine plan, education, electricity and climate.......... to be totally ignored. Boring stuff. Old hat.
There is just one objective. AntiSemitism, whatever the hell that is, all because some clever little local dual citizen Israel fans were the likely scrawlers of swaztika symbols on the wall of a couple of synagogues. Remember, readers, this is Australia, a country that always gets its priorities wrong.
Naturally, both competing parties said they would rebuild them, then add some funding to the already large sums of taxpayer dollars allocated for Holocaust museums around the country.
Yes. Hard to live with that one. A White, Anglo, Christian UK and US subservient little country. Holocaust museums. What next?
How is that for progress since 1788?
The Antisemitism campaign, pushed along with great gusto by a team of well sponsored newspapers owner by Murdoch, has now become the big election item.
Cost of living? Who really gives a damn. Australians? The big finger.
Clever people those locally domiciled Israelis. Politicians going out of their way to "buy" their support. Yes, sir. Just whistle.
So careful, Aussies. Don't dare say that dirty word "genocide". It is not happening. Not here, anyway.
Not anywhere in the Western world, in fact
Let's leave it to the outgoing genocidal murderer Biden and the incoming nihilist Trump to take the credit for a one-sided peace plan. It will be all Israel's way.
Worth destroying a couple of synagogues to then become the #1 item in the race to form a new government in little Australia. After all, on a grander scale, look at the money the Zionists gave to Trump to get him over the line in the United States of America. In Australia, they just blow the AntiSemitism whistle.
Normal these days. But AntiSentism in the tennis season. What a waste.
One burnt, the rest have been subject to graffiti.
They have scored so well from these episodes so far, Mary, there are bound to be more to come. They have also just had a visit to Israel of the Australian Attorney General in the midst of the Gaza killings. Mind you, he is one of their flock and is more than likely a great supporter of Palestinian genocide along with the governments of Canada, France, Germany, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The Western White Christians.
Um, yeah, I've noticed that correlation. The countries supporting this, and other atrocities, are mostly English speaking (but not France or Germany) and nominally Christian (but not everyone) but that bit about being pale of hue, what a correlation that is. Although Ireland and Scotland have been restive within this correlation and they're among the palest.
add in the fact that what the genocide in Palestine is about is colonials wanting to kick out or kill the indigenous people to steal their land--which is what the white people did in my country (US), Canada, Australia and New Zealand--and the whole thing is even more...awkward.
It is always tricky, Punty to generalise as I have done. However, only one against the rest is still a large majority.
The same also applies to Jewish people living in the country, some of whom are not Zionists, but the majority fail in their duty to the country they are living in not to raise the fact that they are against genocide.
So even those decent Jewish people are fearful of Zionist pressure.
But to add to that statement, look at the two aspiring candidates for Prime Minister. One as Zionistically inclined as the other. Both weak individuals in the eyes of Australian voters and totally compliant to the wishes (demands) of all the Zionists Societies, etc. (pressure groups), openly waving the Israeli flag under so many different names.
Be aware. An Israeli flag is not respected by the residents of Australia.
Never will be, as was the Nazi flag in past years
A way to go before we reach the level of insidious Zionist penetration in this country when compared to the USA.
So, off we go to watch the tennis. Remember Dutton and Albanese, (what a choice,) the average Australian couldn't even spell 'indigenous', so AntiSemitism is about as interesting to them as the previous big Zionist marketing campaigns called "The Holocaust" and " Israelis have the right to defend themselves".
I mean, what a sham.
Israel's only allegiance is to "from the river to the sea", moving ahead bit by bit (war by war) with the USA's grand assistance.
For those who are not aware, there are more to come. A bit of Iraq, Turkey, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Egypt which together with Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon make up the US-supported Israeli plan called "Eretz Israel”
Well under way. Thanks America. Your crowning achievement.
"By deception do war". Mossad slogan. Completely agree re synagogue scrawling. Those psychopaths care not who they kill maim or disfigure. Their own are fair game as well.
Interestingly the Australian Brainwashing Corporation reported on a news clip that the renewed "peace" negotiations are Bidens parting gift to the dead disfigured and maimed Palestinians. Good ol' Joe, no mention of Trump.
Yes, Trump hovering just around the corner, Simon, was tne reason for Biden's ' initiative', if that is the right word.
I really do hope that Biden comes to a sticky end. In my 91 years, he has been the greatest disgrace. Second, the powers that be in America (big dollar owners, many more than ever before) who allowed a demented person to run for the job, because it made it easy for them to control him.
indeed, probably mostly optics to fully take the genocide out of the msm news-cycle, but on the ground things will probably continue. if the freed hostages (israeli but certainly palestinian) survive another year after their liberation, they can consider themselves lucky..
Biden and Trump aren't the problem. They are just the stooges of a murderous empire where every president has committed atrocities, some more than others. The US is a warfare state and the presidents are purveyors of the empire's wars.
When the folks back home wake up they will come to realize the job of presidents is to gut the beleaguered Republic to pay for the empire's criminal wars. 3 trillion dollars in Iraq, 2.3 trillion Afghanistan .5 trillion in Ukraine.
Whether its Gaza or Ukraine why does the celebration of peace only come after the damage is done?
When the entire US Congress gives Netanyahoo multiple standing ovations something is askew in the dark halls of power and nothing will change until the lights are turned on.
>>"...3 trillion dollars in Iraq, 2.3 trillion Afghanistan .5 trillion in Ukraine."
Robert Billyard, study and understand MMT (modern monetary theory). The US can print how much ever money it wants (as long as it can control inflation). Tax money DOES NOT pay for wars. Taxation is used for multiple different reasons, but NOT for "spending by the Govt.".
Here's an analogy to explain (a part) of how it works:
Suppose I (Chang) had my own currency called ChangDollars. I could print an unlimited amount of CD (ChangDollars) and NEVER run out of it. As long as people accept CD$ and the world works on CD$, I will NEVER run out of CD$. I DON'T NEED tax money for spending. What am I going to do with my own CD$? I can print how much ever CD$ I need, so WHY IN THE HELL would I need to "tax people in CD$ to spend CD$"?
The US Govt. (on the Federal level ONLY - not state and local) works THE SAME WAY. They don't need TAX DOLLARS to spend. They can print how much ever US Dollars they need. Taxation servers other necessary purposes (such as controlling inflation, coercing and encouraging certain kinds of behaviors/spending patterns, getting people to do necessary work like building public infractructure, etc., creating a demand for USD, and other reasons - but the US Federal Govt. DOES NOT NEED TAX REVENUE to spend money).
It gets people to "buy" into the system. Makes them feel a part of it. Even a part owner of it. Seems to me that idea has a lot of traction with the public.
The point being that money could have been spent better at home rebuilding and restoring the Republic re-industrializing the country, rebuilding infrastructure. Of course they can print all they want it is a matter of how and where they spend it.
Yes, but TAXATION was NEVER the issue. That is a FALSE NARRATIVE (and a scapegoat) that needs to be dismantled.
The REAL reason why NONE of those things are being done (i.e. spent better at home rebuilding and restoring the Republic re-industrializing the country, rebuilding infrastructure, etc.) is BECAUSE they DON'T WANT TO. It's that simple.
When you have 'all the money in the world' (which the US Fed Govt. does) and still don't do what's right and what's good (for your OWN PEOPLE), that tells you ONE THING -> "They" DON'T CARE about the people. It's more about class warfare and maintaining the status quo (of global Capitalism).
As Marx has suggested, "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles."
It is also racist. They just can't accept they speak for only 12% of the world's population. They are the "visible minority"and they refuse to see anybody else succeed where they can't as per the Wolfowitz Doctrine.
They also refuse to see that enduring power and dominance lies in benevolence not malevolence.
It's always been this way - regardless of empire or nation or culture. I've lived in several different cultures.
My personal observations are that "humans are humans - regardless of what country/culture/race/religion/ethnicity/skin color/etc." they think they are a part of.
Racism is global, just as colorism is, sex/gender discrimination, bigotry, age discrimination, etc.
POWER has ALWAYS wanted to control and suppress ANY challenges.
IMHO, America is the 'norm' rather than the 'exception' (unfortunately). I doubt Russia, China, India, (or any other potential super-power) etc. would be much different from the US (I hope I'm wrong).
You are so correct. This government is an absolute stain on America and the world. That a genocide was allowed to continue for 15 months is unreal.😢☮️🇵🇸
The idea that these are resource wars is silly. Saddam would have been thrilled to have been able to sell oil freely for dollars on global markets. The Taliban would be delighted to allow exploitation of some alleged treasure trove underneath Afghanistan. I worked in Ukraine to try and generate interest in further exploiting Ukrainian petroleum deposits. There was no such interest.
Yeah...how lucky for the Palestinians! yaay...no wait. .
A ceasefire implies some parity between the two sides. It implies that both sides are using fire power and engaging in warfare. But there is no parity here. This is one side committing a genocide and the other side trapped in an open air prison having their brains blown off in hospitals and refugee camps. If these people are not blown to pieces they are starving or dying of disease. Nothing about their lot has changed. Nothing.They dont have anything to go back to since Gaza has been turned into the surface of the moon.
So hold off the celebrations and victory dances. Sure, they may just stop the open, daily, into your face live streamed butchering so they can go back to the quiet, orderly, systemic murdering of Palestinians; so they can go back to poisoning their water, starving them by calculating their caloric intake, depriving them of essential medicines, dumping concrete in their wells, shooting them from rooftops for sports and amusement and field-testing military equipment on them. So the West can go back to business as usual and not have to be bothered by the images of decapitated children with their brain matter and entrails splattered all over the place. Ceasefire my ass.
The Palestinian people need justice. And restitution. And reparations. Letting their butchers walk free and going on with business as usual is not even anywhere near the ballpark of. Not being genocided and having 2000 pound bombs dropped on you is the bare minimum. The bottom. This is not the good news everyone thinks it is.
💯 correct. I don’t trust Israel nor the U.S. empire. The Palestinians will have no homes to come home to, ceasefire or not. The two parties are one and the same. 😢☮️🇵🇸
Worse than no homes is the complete destruction of every bit of social infrastructure - schools, hospitals, municipal buildings, etc. and all they contained. They have literally bombed it back to medieval times. Erasure of history, damaging the viability of agriculture. All the Palestinians have left is rubble and sand. Israel must be made to pay for this genocide.
We will not rest until there is one Democratic state with equal rights for all in a free Palestine.
Right, I'll bet that's coming. This ceasefire promise is all theater. It may last a week or three but soon Hamas will be accused of violating it somehow fictional and Israel will resume its open-ended war crime with Trump's full backing. Adelson and AIPAC will revel in their Satanic victory. Every Palestinian still breathing knows this, or some version of the same.
and the only domestic pressure on Nutandyahoo & the rest, is concern about the hostages. This gets most of them freed--they can probably just sacrifice the small number left out. And it removes some domestic pressure in the US, for awhile--there is no pressure FROM the US on Israel. Fortunately, there is some pressure from South Africa, Yemen, Iran, Ireland...
" Biden could have ended this nightmare back in May, or indeed at any time since it began in October 2023."
This. Biden should never be forgotten for his lack of compassion toward the Palestinian people. He could have attempted to stop this genocide at any time and he did not. I don't care who eventually takes credit for a ceasefire--I just want to see one and see it stick. #FreePalestine
Please don’t keep your fingers crossed. The Ziopaths will throw a monkey wrench into the works that is totally unacceptable and >poof!< there goes any hope.
I believe nothing until it happens, this is speculation about a ceasefire, Israel has committed genocide its entire existence and until it is dismantled it will continue and the life in the open air prison which is Palestine will not change and never will. There will never be a 2 state solution until we get rid of Zionist’s and the Zionist state built on pure evil by Britain then the US of A
I am amazed that Caitlin is this optimistic about a ceasefire deal coming from the same unreconstructed empire. What has changed? Only the replacement of a Biden with a Trump and their retinue - things have changed for the worse not better. It frightens me what the Trump oligarchs have in store for the Palestinians. Or for a Palestinian state. Will even the killing stop?
Given the blatant betrayal of Russia by the U.S. ( Not one inch East) and the outright lies of the Minsk accord how can anyone ever trust the U.S. government ever again? Their foreign policy has proven to be lies and betrayal time after time after time.
Because the US can. It's like making a deal with a crime boss. Surem, he deals in bad faith, but if you don't take the deal, then we'll just have to do the other thing.
"like making a deal with a crime boss". Not 'like' a crime boss. They are a totally criminal organization and the single biggest terrorist organization in the world.
I have no faith whatsoever that any semblance of "ceasefire" will result from this propaganda. I have no doubt whatsoever that the vermin Colonial Zionists are scheming right now over how they will arrogantly and viciously violate this fool's errand. Just look at Lebanon....
Part of me is hesitant to have hope yet, because judging by the ceasefire in Lebanon, the Zionist entity always has to strike a few more times. Israel will still continue its tacit subjugation of the Palestinian people, but at least there will be less death and devastation every day?
Also, I think we've reached the "OMG Haaretz is Hamas propaganda!" stage of pro-Israel rhetoric, which is oddly reminiscent of a cult to me. Don't trust the Health Ministry numbers because it's Hamas, don't trust the interviews of IDF soldiers admitting to see parallels between them and the Nazis, *don't question Israel*. You really have to BS yourself to support it after all it's done, I think.
Israel agreed to a ceasefire with Lebanon (which it repeatedly violated) and in less than a week joined in the destruction of Syria. Next on the menu is Iran so this may simply be a tactic to use military resources in that direction.
No, Israel cannot face Iran, not without the US agreeing to do the fighting for them. Whether that will happen is hard to say--Trump has Iran hawks around him, but he did last time too.
With all the lying scumbags on both sides of this genocide, I don’t expect anything positive out of this. I’ll believe verifiable positive action only. If they’re talking, they’re lying.
Also, let me add to your excellent article that, while Trump’s incoming Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is faciliating the ceasefire negotiations in Doha (Qatar), Trump's incoming Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg, who is supposed to be negotiating peace with Russia, is instead thinking about preparing for a war against Iran, as I wrote in my article in the link above.
A ceasefire agreement in Gaza does not automatically end the Middle East crisis!
The ceasefire is a tactical move. Trump gets to claim he brought about the ceasefire. Israel ingratiates itself with the Trump administration. Israel gets to continue its slow form of genocide by depriving Palestinians of enough food, shelter, sniping children, “mowing the lawn”, etc. Israel increases its settlements in the West Bank big time and perhaps starts settling parts of Gaza.
And, as some have noted, Israel, USA, and probably UK, may be preserving resources to attack Iran (directly or indirectly). Israel holds on to stolen Syrian land. Israel and the USA are not yet finished with Lebanon. Jordan’s time will come.
This is not a ceasefire that will lead to peace. It may be a ceasefire in preparation for a larger conflagration.
CJ>>"I am still not sold on the idea that Trump will bring even a relative amount of peace to Gaza."
Me neither, Caitlin - even less than you.
(1) Zionist Israel's goal has ALWAYS BEEN eretz Israel (greater Israel) from the beginning. Ceasefire (of whatever kind) or no ceasefire, this behavior from Israel (and the US) will continue (possibly under different guises if at all).
(2) Israel has a PROVEN HISTORY of not sticking to deals (of any kind - be it ceasefires, or negotiations). This is not very different from US Empire behavior. NEITHER can EVER be trusted.
(3) No US administrator (Republican or democratic) under the current geopolitical environment will be good for Palestine (or any other entity in the Middle-East). WHATEVER Trump decides, it will ALL be in the interest of the US Empire (and global Capitalism).
(4) Israel and the US are one and the same (for all practical intents and purposes). There will be a lot of drama/theatre/etc. to convince people otherwise.
I would caution people NOT TO BE FOOLED/deceived/hopiumed/etc. by ANY decision taken by the US Empire.
Israel is an outpost US imperialism. And on occasion it does go astray like committing espionage, etc on the US which causes even (some) scum in the CIA to hate Israel. But for as long as it exists, Israel will serve to enforce US empire. Although I do think this genocide has weakened US soft power in the world. This genocide by the US & Israel is another sign that the empire is on its last legs.
-----" This genocide by the US & Israel is another sign that the empire is on its last legs."--------
I hope you're right.
Completely agree with you.
ON OCCASION????
"......it will ALL be in the interest of the US Empire (and global Capitalism)"
No one in the world will ever write a more certain statement, nor have someone like you, Chang, or anyone else, question it .......for a second.
As they say, 'a lay down misere'. (Australian slang)
In the tennis playing centre (at the moment) of the universe, this now US acolyte, previously for 157 years a member of the British Empire (but still a current groveller to the now ancient Royals in a country 17,000 kilometres away) is just about to have a country-wide election. The grounds for competition for the two parties, such as housing, cost of living, the AUKUS nuclear submarine plan, education, electricity and climate.......... to be totally ignored. Boring stuff. Old hat.
There is just one objective. AntiSemitism, whatever the hell that is, all because some clever little local dual citizen Israel fans were the likely scrawlers of swaztika symbols on the wall of a couple of synagogues. Remember, readers, this is Australia, a country that always gets its priorities wrong.
Naturally, both competing parties said they would rebuild them, then add some funding to the already large sums of taxpayer dollars allocated for Holocaust museums around the country.
Yes. Hard to live with that one. A White, Anglo, Christian UK and US subservient little country. Holocaust museums. What next?
How is that for progress since 1788?
The Antisemitism campaign, pushed along with great gusto by a team of well sponsored newspapers owner by Murdoch, has now become the big election item.
Cost of living? Who really gives a damn. Australians? The big finger.
Clever people those locally domiciled Israelis. Politicians going out of their way to "buy" their support. Yes, sir. Just whistle.
So careful, Aussies. Don't dare say that dirty word "genocide". It is not happening. Not here, anyway.
Not anywhere in the Western world, in fact
Let's leave it to the outgoing genocidal murderer Biden and the incoming nihilist Trump to take the credit for a one-sided peace plan. It will be all Israel's way.
Worth destroying a couple of synagogues to then become the #1 item in the race to form a new government in little Australia. After all, on a grander scale, look at the money the Zionists gave to Trump to get him over the line in the United States of America. In Australia, they just blow the AntiSemitism whistle.
Normal these days. But AntiSentism in the tennis season. What a waste.
Wait, synagogues were destroyed? Or just a little graffiti?
One burnt, the rest have been subject to graffiti.
They have scored so well from these episodes so far, Mary, there are bound to be more to come. They have also just had a visit to Israel of the Australian Attorney General in the midst of the Gaza killings. Mind you, he is one of their flock and is more than likely a great supporter of Palestinian genocide along with the governments of Canada, France, Germany, the UK, Australia and New Zealand. The Western White Christians.
Um, yeah, I've noticed that correlation. The countries supporting this, and other atrocities, are mostly English speaking (but not France or Germany) and nominally Christian (but not everyone) but that bit about being pale of hue, what a correlation that is. Although Ireland and Scotland have been restive within this correlation and they're among the palest.
add in the fact that what the genocide in Palestine is about is colonials wanting to kick out or kill the indigenous people to steal their land--which is what the white people did in my country (US), Canada, Australia and New Zealand--and the whole thing is even more...awkward.
And one of those synagogues preaches against the Israel Zionist project. Funny that, huh?
It is always tricky, Punty to generalise as I have done. However, only one against the rest is still a large majority.
The same also applies to Jewish people living in the country, some of whom are not Zionists, but the majority fail in their duty to the country they are living in not to raise the fact that they are against genocide.
So even those decent Jewish people are fearful of Zionist pressure.
But to add to that statement, look at the two aspiring candidates for Prime Minister. One as Zionistically inclined as the other. Both weak individuals in the eyes of Australian voters and totally compliant to the wishes (demands) of all the Zionists Societies, etc. (pressure groups), openly waving the Israeli flag under so many different names.
Be aware. An Israeli flag is not respected by the residents of Australia.
Never will be, as was the Nazi flag in past years
A way to go before we reach the level of insidious Zionist penetration in this country when compared to the USA.
So, off we go to watch the tennis. Remember Dutton and Albanese, (what a choice,) the average Australian couldn't even spell 'indigenous', so AntiSemitism is about as interesting to them as the previous big Zionist marketing campaigns called "The Holocaust" and " Israelis have the right to defend themselves".
I mean, what a sham.
Israel's only allegiance is to "from the river to the sea", moving ahead bit by bit (war by war) with the USA's grand assistance.
For those who are not aware, there are more to come. A bit of Iraq, Turkey, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Egypt which together with Jordan, Palestine, Syria, Lebanon make up the US-supported Israeli plan called "Eretz Israel”
Well under way. Thanks America. Your crowning achievement.
zionists most likely destroyed their own synagogues in order to play the victim card. This is not beyond them. They have been doing it for millennia.
Nothing like a good, old-fashioned false flag op to dupe the weak-minded.
works every time
"By deception do war". Mossad slogan. Completely agree re synagogue scrawling. Those psychopaths care not who they kill maim or disfigure. Their own are fair game as well.
Interestingly the Australian Brainwashing Corporation reported on a news clip that the renewed "peace" negotiations are Bidens parting gift to the dead disfigured and maimed Palestinians. Good ol' Joe, no mention of Trump.
Yes, Trump hovering just around the corner, Simon, was tne reason for Biden's ' initiative', if that is the right word.
I really do hope that Biden comes to a sticky end. In my 91 years, he has been the greatest disgrace. Second, the powers that be in America (big dollar owners, many more than ever before) who allowed a demented person to run for the job, because it made it easy for them to control him.
indeed, probably mostly optics to fully take the genocide out of the msm news-cycle, but on the ground things will probably continue. if the freed hostages (israeli but certainly palestinian) survive another year after their liberation, they can consider themselves lucky..
Kol Nidre?
Biden and Trump aren't the problem. They are just the stooges of a murderous empire where every president has committed atrocities, some more than others. The US is a warfare state and the presidents are purveyors of the empire's wars.
When the folks back home wake up they will come to realize the job of presidents is to gut the beleaguered Republic to pay for the empire's criminal wars. 3 trillion dollars in Iraq, 2.3 trillion Afghanistan .5 trillion in Ukraine.
Whether its Gaza or Ukraine why does the celebration of peace only come after the damage is done?
When the entire US Congress gives Netanyahoo multiple standing ovations something is askew in the dark halls of power and nothing will change until the lights are turned on.
>>"...3 trillion dollars in Iraq, 2.3 trillion Afghanistan .5 trillion in Ukraine."
Robert Billyard, study and understand MMT (modern monetary theory). The US can print how much ever money it wants (as long as it can control inflation). Tax money DOES NOT pay for wars. Taxation is used for multiple different reasons, but NOT for "spending by the Govt.".
Here's an analogy to explain (a part) of how it works:
Suppose I (Chang) had my own currency called ChangDollars. I could print an unlimited amount of CD (ChangDollars) and NEVER run out of it. As long as people accept CD$ and the world works on CD$, I will NEVER run out of CD$. I DON'T NEED tax money for spending. What am I going to do with my own CD$? I can print how much ever CD$ I need, so WHY IN THE HELL would I need to "tax people in CD$ to spend CD$"?
The US Govt. (on the Federal level ONLY - not state and local) works THE SAME WAY. They don't need TAX DOLLARS to spend. They can print how much ever US Dollars they need. Taxation servers other necessary purposes (such as controlling inflation, coercing and encouraging certain kinds of behaviors/spending patterns, getting people to do necessary work like building public infractructure, etc., creating a demand for USD, and other reasons - but the US Federal Govt. DOES NOT NEED TAX REVENUE to spend money).
It gets people to "buy" into the system. Makes them feel a part of it. Even a part owner of it. Seems to me that idea has a lot of traction with the public.
Didn't really understand your comment. When you say "gets people to buy into the system", what SYSTEM are you talking about? What are people buying?
I agree with you. They just 'print' whatever money they want.
The point being that money could have been spent better at home rebuilding and restoring the Republic re-industrializing the country, rebuilding infrastructure. Of course they can print all they want it is a matter of how and where they spend it.
Yes, but TAXATION was NEVER the issue. That is a FALSE NARRATIVE (and a scapegoat) that needs to be dismantled.
The REAL reason why NONE of those things are being done (i.e. spent better at home rebuilding and restoring the Republic re-industrializing the country, rebuilding infrastructure, etc.) is BECAUSE they DON'T WANT TO. It's that simple.
When you have 'all the money in the world' (which the US Fed Govt. does) and still don't do what's right and what's good (for your OWN PEOPLE), that tells you ONE THING -> "They" DON'T CARE about the people. It's more about class warfare and maintaining the status quo (of global Capitalism).
As Marx has suggested, "The history of all hitherto existing society is the history of class struggles."
It is also racist. They just can't accept they speak for only 12% of the world's population. They are the "visible minority"and they refuse to see anybody else succeed where they can't as per the Wolfowitz Doctrine.
They also refuse to see that enduring power and dominance lies in benevolence not malevolence.
It's always been this way - regardless of empire or nation or culture. I've lived in several different cultures.
My personal observations are that "humans are humans - regardless of what country/culture/race/religion/ethnicity/skin color/etc." they think they are a part of.
Racism is global, just as colorism is, sex/gender discrimination, bigotry, age discrimination, etc.
POWER has ALWAYS wanted to control and suppress ANY challenges.
IMHO, America is the 'norm' rather than the 'exception' (unfortunately). I doubt Russia, China, India, (or any other potential super-power) etc. would be much different from the US (I hope I'm wrong).
Good on you, Robert Billyard. I totally agree with you.
You are so correct. This government is an absolute stain on America and the world. That a genocide was allowed to continue for 15 months is unreal.😢☮️🇵🇸
Genocide wasn't just allowed by the West. Genocide has been actively enabled and supported by the West.
And facilitated by the West.😢☹️🤮
The idea that these are resource wars is silly. Saddam would have been thrilled to have been able to sell oil freely for dollars on global markets. The Taliban would be delighted to allow exploitation of some alleged treasure trove underneath Afghanistan. I worked in Ukraine to try and generate interest in further exploiting Ukrainian petroleum deposits. There was no such interest.
Yeah...how lucky for the Palestinians! yaay...no wait. .
A ceasefire implies some parity between the two sides. It implies that both sides are using fire power and engaging in warfare. But there is no parity here. This is one side committing a genocide and the other side trapped in an open air prison having their brains blown off in hospitals and refugee camps. If these people are not blown to pieces they are starving or dying of disease. Nothing about their lot has changed. Nothing.They dont have anything to go back to since Gaza has been turned into the surface of the moon.
So hold off the celebrations and victory dances. Sure, they may just stop the open, daily, into your face live streamed butchering so they can go back to the quiet, orderly, systemic murdering of Palestinians; so they can go back to poisoning their water, starving them by calculating their caloric intake, depriving them of essential medicines, dumping concrete in their wells, shooting them from rooftops for sports and amusement and field-testing military equipment on them. So the West can go back to business as usual and not have to be bothered by the images of decapitated children with their brain matter and entrails splattered all over the place. Ceasefire my ass.
The Palestinian people need justice. And restitution. And reparations. Letting their butchers walk free and going on with business as usual is not even anywhere near the ballpark of. Not being genocided and having 2000 pound bombs dropped on you is the bare minimum. The bottom. This is not the good news everyone thinks it is.
You have just opened up my bag of disquiet and puzzle and boldly labelled everything. You are absolutely 💯% correct!
💯 correct. I don’t trust Israel nor the U.S. empire. The Palestinians will have no homes to come home to, ceasefire or not. The two parties are one and the same. 😢☮️🇵🇸
Worse than no homes is the complete destruction of every bit of social infrastructure - schools, hospitals, municipal buildings, etc. and all they contained. They have literally bombed it back to medieval times. Erasure of history, damaging the viability of agriculture. All the Palestinians have left is rubble and sand. Israel must be made to pay for this genocide.
We will not rest until there is one Democratic state with equal rights for all in a free Palestine.
IF one looks at this 'supposed' ceasefire rubbish.
It is Thursday 15th January. How many Palestinians in Gaza can be killed in this time frame?
Well said Ginnie.
As they have been since before 1948.
👏👏
Prepare yourself for a full.annexation & slaughter of the West Bank. Miriam Adelson didn't give 100s of millions of dollars to Trump for nothing
Right, I'll bet that's coming. This ceasefire promise is all theater. It may last a week or three but soon Hamas will be accused of violating it somehow fictional and Israel will resume its open-ended war crime with Trump's full backing. Adelson and AIPAC will revel in their Satanic victory. Every Palestinian still breathing knows this, or some version of the same.
What is the point of a temporary ceasefire?
To allow Israel to build up its genocide machine whilst starving the Palestinians and continue the small scale theft of property?
Indeed Richard. The poor tired IDF need a break!
and the only domestic pressure on Nutandyahoo & the rest, is concern about the hostages. This gets most of them freed--they can probably just sacrifice the small number left out. And it removes some domestic pressure in the US, for awhile--there is no pressure FROM the US on Israel. Fortunately, there is some pressure from South Africa, Yemen, Iran, Ireland...
Perhaps they have to wait for the next multi-billion shipment of US weaponry to arrive.
" Biden could have ended this nightmare back in May, or indeed at any time since it began in October 2023."
This. Biden should never be forgotten for his lack of compassion toward the Palestinian people. He could have attempted to stop this genocide at any time and he did not. I don't care who eventually takes credit for a ceasefire--I just want to see one and see it stick. #FreePalestine
Hi TRC
Please don’t keep your fingers crossed. The Ziopaths will throw a monkey wrench into the works that is totally unacceptable and >poof!< there goes any hope.
It is Thursday 15th Jan..............Sunday is a long way away!
I believe nothing until it happens, this is speculation about a ceasefire, Israel has committed genocide its entire existence and until it is dismantled it will continue and the life in the open air prison which is Palestine will not change and never will. There will never be a 2 state solution until we get rid of Zionist’s and the Zionist state built on pure evil by Britain then the US of A
What an ugly thing to say. Too bad it's true.
Not ugly at all. Completely appropriate.
I am amazed that Caitlin is this optimistic about a ceasefire deal coming from the same unreconstructed empire. What has changed? Only the replacement of a Biden with a Trump and their retinue - things have changed for the worse not better. It frightens me what the Trump oligarchs have in store for the Palestinians. Or for a Palestinian state. Will even the killing stop?
It's a ceasefire Indu.....nothing more.
Respid.
Given the blatant betrayal of Russia by the U.S. ( Not one inch East) and the outright lies of the Minsk accord how can anyone ever trust the U.S. government ever again? Their foreign policy has proven to be lies and betrayal time after time after time.
Because the US can. It's like making a deal with a crime boss. Surem, he deals in bad faith, but if you don't take the deal, then we'll just have to do the other thing.
"like making a deal with a crime boss". Not 'like' a crime boss. They are a totally criminal organization and the single biggest terrorist organization in the world.
"Like" a deal, not "like" a crime boss.
Point taken.
I have no faith whatsoever that any semblance of "ceasefire" will result from this propaganda. I have no doubt whatsoever that the vermin Colonial Zionists are scheming right now over how they will arrogantly and viciously violate this fool's errand. Just look at Lebanon....
Part of me is hesitant to have hope yet, because judging by the ceasefire in Lebanon, the Zionist entity always has to strike a few more times. Israel will still continue its tacit subjugation of the Palestinian people, but at least there will be less death and devastation every day?
Also, I think we've reached the "OMG Haaretz is Hamas propaganda!" stage of pro-Israel rhetoric, which is oddly reminiscent of a cult to me. Don't trust the Health Ministry numbers because it's Hamas, don't trust the interviews of IDF soldiers admitting to see parallels between them and the Nazis, *don't question Israel*. You really have to BS yourself to support it after all it's done, I think.
"the Zionist entity always has to strike a few more times" I believe it's been over 800 times, and counting, in Lebanon since the ceasefire.
Agreed, I was making an understatement :P
Israel agreed to a ceasefire with Lebanon (which it repeatedly violated) and in less than a week joined in the destruction of Syria. Next on the menu is Iran so this may simply be a tactic to use military resources in that direction.
No, Israel cannot face Iran, not without the US agreeing to do the fighting for them. Whether that will happen is hard to say--Trump has Iran hawks around him, but he did last time too.
Sorry, but I think Tel Aviv is a good place for Iran to test their weapons capabilities.
It’s a farce:
“ he could back out of it at any time”
I expect that once Israel gets its prisoners of war back it will continue the genocide with Trump’s blessing.
America has long been on board with the ethnic cleansing of Palestine since FDR.
With all the lying scumbags on both sides of this genocide, I don’t expect anything positive out of this. I’ll believe verifiable positive action only. If they’re talking, they’re lying.
"Lying scumbags on both sides of this genocide."? I've seen plenty of both-sides-ism, but yours is really at the championship level.
Perhaps she means both sides, Republican and Democrat? One would hope she doesn't view the IDF v the Palestinian people as equal sides.
As a protester shouted to Antony Blinken during his speech at the Atlantic Council, he should "forever be known as bloody Blinken, Secretary of Genocide": https://geopolitiq.substack.com/p/bloody-blinken-secretary-of-genocide
Also, let me add to your excellent article that, while Trump’s incoming Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is faciliating the ceasefire negotiations in Doha (Qatar), Trump's incoming Ukraine envoy Keith Kellogg, who is supposed to be negotiating peace with Russia, is instead thinking about preparing for a war against Iran, as I wrote in my article in the link above.
A ceasefire agreement in Gaza does not automatically end the Middle East crisis!
Absolutely.
IF anyone thinks Isrhell will stop it's pogrom then I am a dummy.
The ceasefire is a tactical move. Trump gets to claim he brought about the ceasefire. Israel ingratiates itself with the Trump administration. Israel gets to continue its slow form of genocide by depriving Palestinians of enough food, shelter, sniping children, “mowing the lawn”, etc. Israel increases its settlements in the West Bank big time and perhaps starts settling parts of Gaza.
And, as some have noted, Israel, USA, and probably UK, may be preserving resources to attack Iran (directly or indirectly). Israel holds on to stolen Syrian land. Israel and the USA are not yet finished with Lebanon. Jordan’s time will come.
This is not a ceasefire that will lead to peace. It may be a ceasefire in preparation for a larger conflagration.
🎯 Well said!