If you're an American, as I am, and you call yourself a patriot, THIS is what you should be hoping for — NOT a US "victory". US bases, ships, and other assets damaged, and Israel turned to rubble.
And you perhaps need to get a bit more realistic about the possibilities. "Patriot" in this context means supporting every decrement in the demise of the empire. But if you think armed insurrection against the enormous police state that exists here is conceivable, you're stretching reality to a thin thread. The empire rots from within by bitch-slapping all those traditional 'patriots' into stark awareness. The US military, navy at least, is beginning to awaken. Until the brutal domestic police forces can start to turn, none of the "overthrow" of which you speak will ever happen; history tells you something of that story.
"you perhaps need to get a bit more realistic about the possibilities..."
Myself, and the rest of the world - AKA the victims of the rogue US regime - don't need to do anything, least of all listen to the whining of USian "patriots".
Well I did attempt to be polite and ask you to review the history of insurrections regarding the need to turn police, that's really all. But you just NEED to be an asshole. Ergo, go fuck yourself, you clearly don't have the requisite synaptic networks in your fucking head to understand. Any true patriot in the US recognizes its government is shit, illegitimate, and murderous and always has been. But this talk of "overthrow" is just plain stupid and a-historical. And your attempt to color all of us the same really pisses me off because it's the quintessence of ignorance. So again, Wake the fuck up.
That constitution is a fairy tale, inconsistent, and full of holes and contradictions. And in any case, it is useless as the court can Interpret whatever they want. Welcome to the "west" where the facts are made as is convenient at any moment. US is not called the empire of lies for no reason.
You are perfectly ass-backward. The Constitution was violated in 1947, when they passed the National Security Act, and when Truman initiated the Korean War.
Since then the United States has participated in hundreds of unlawful, unconstitutional interventions.
9/11 also provided an excuse to eviscerate the Bill of Rights.
You dont burn the Consitution because people violate it, you enforce it.
For all its faults by modern standards, the US Constitution was, in fact, *in 1787* a breathtakingly progressive model for the world. Now, except for much of its Bill of Rights (Amendments 1 thru 10), it is obsolete, but there is woefully insufficient mechanism for improving it.
Christopher Kruger, How can a Constitution written by white men of property, for white men of property, and that property included slaves ,"be a model for the entire world"?!
How easily did it revert back to its original form, in spite of all the amendments down the ages.
The fact that the U.S. has 3 branches of government made it unique, that is until many of the governments adopted it. Governments like India adopted it.
The English fought 3 civil wars just to have TWO branches.
You are entitled to your own opinion, you are not entitled to your own facts, and factually speaking, you are suffering from identitarian brain rot.
This "white men blah blah blah" stuff gets old fast, considering how white women, the second-most privileged cohort, are so good at startingnl wars, mass murder and war crimes: HRC, Madeline Albright, Victoria Nuland, and all those airhead EU feminazis...
At the time it was written the US constitution was very advanced and unique text. Not perfect but it was a good idea. But humans will corrode, erode, and misinterpret anything. Corruption is the essence of human species. One lie is more powerful than 100 truths. So, despite constitution the USA is a fascist 4th Reich. And India is not a good example either. It is today a back-stabbing proto-zionist Hindu fascists country. Not India of Ghandi and Nehru. It proves again that piece of paper alone cannot guarantee anything.
This is hardly a male/female issue. It is hardly an historical issue -even if you go right to the source, Adam and Eve, a garden, and a serpent or two.. It's modern power politics, blackmail, the MIC, and autocracy masquerading as democracy.
Where did I mention white men? Althougth traditionally is was white men becuase women were not allowed to have a role. Try replying to the right person nest time you deluded old fcker.
And here's my model of a US "patriot": Malcolm X. Man opened more minds to the reality of the US as BOTH a domestic and international murderer than anyone else. THAT is what VinLP agitates for as "realism", not the absurdity suggested by g4rg4ntN.
Yes, when , Malcom, Dr. King and Fred Hampton started talking and working to bring classes together as opposed to race. They were murdered for it. Where is our Malcom now, we need all three more than ever.
Indeed - the very notion of the workers organizing for a revolution is absurd - distasteful even. And certainly not the kind of thing one should discuss over brunch.
To you and me perhaps. But to the majority of the US populace, the vast MAGA base? I doubt it. Let's please not make the same error as our critic, who by his/her spellings, appears to be British (and if so, what temerity) -- the error of painting with a broad brush. This country is replete with numb struggling individuals, who would take a ton of offense at the statement that's "no news" to us.
While the so-called left in US was mostly parsing pronouns and then and again shouting down opponents in safe spaces the counter-revolutionaries turned that very game against them sic whilst managing to usurp control of the entire federal government.
But such as Good and Pretti, and other Minnesotans, whom I shamelessly would call patriots, actually have acted.
P.S. Many Americans have Irish roots, I do, and are cognizant of history, to the extent of knowing the role of the British among others in the slave trade, and the n- word nickname of us green folk vis-a-vis Europe.
It means that I think whenever they devolve into arguing semantics while ignoring the actual menace of powerful and pervasive state powers revolutionaries tend to fail badly.
Never been a better time to act locally, and connect with others and stop mass tech surveillance in our country aka Flock cameras, as they'll use it on us.
Patriotism is tribalism, and tribalism is the lowest common denominator of humanity. War is one of the products of tribalism. Tribalism is nothing to celebrate.
Apart from that, I agree with all you wrote. I hope this latest war will be the one that comes back to bite both the US and Israel.
I hope for real world proximal outcomes. but am certainly in favor of longer-term ones as well. Even though they will likely make my life more difficult.
Hell, I'm ready. I'll empty clips of any 9 mm into any gestapo available and relish suicide by cop after 30 years in chronic pain.
But my younger neighbors, nice folks though they are, still cling to that hollow American dream, wife a Mexican immigrant in both cases. So my death would be solely a way out for me, contributing little of revolutionary value. Rousting a sufficient percent of the lard-ass populace to action in this country means protests --- and they're out in the streets of major cities at this moment -- the realization still having failed to register that no one that matters is listening
I hate Israhell and the Epstein virus they spawn against world. They are sll sadistic thieves and racists. Good ones could take passport and suitcase at any age snd left their apartheid insanity and brutality. Long live Iran and liberated Palestine. Praise to Houthis. Stand stron Lebanon and Cuba, Venezuela!!!
Never been a better time to take back our country locally - and protest the Flock camera surveillance system that will be used against us. https://romanshapoval.substack.com/p/flock
Yes, start working to overturn the corrupt system locally and work your way out across the continent. Mutual aid/organization is what we need to overthrow these psychopaths--not internet arguments on the semantics of the word "patriotism". Call it what you like--just start the REVOLUTION, people!
This idea was already raised this week, i.e. that the US might use “tactical” nukes when they realise that they are running out of missiles & Iran is not surrendering.
I think the Oligarchs fear the Wall Street meltdown that the Fed Reserve can't cover over. Once Pandora's box is open who knows where it stops. If only we had a group of Nations that was UNited to solve problems. If only : (
I can no longer say that's nuts, people in Gov. would never launch weapons. I apologize, they are nuts and do believe they can win a first strike war. I know this because they tell me.
Actually, I'm an optimist! I think nuclear war will destroy human civilization, but I think humans themselves might survive in small groups reduced to a pre-historic level of subsistence.
Iran does not have nuclear weapons. israel does have roughly 200 warheads. That is why they use F35s they can carry the load of tactical rockets. The force of a Hiroshima 15 mega ton.
I think your declarative statement on nuke dropping is what is naive here. If the Chinese, or the Russians, for that matter, see their access to Iranian oil potentially expiring, and view that as existential threat, and the U.S./Israelis have deployed tactical nukes in an attempt to bring Iran into the Western orbit, the choice to drop nukes will most certainly be on the table, and probably a coin flip from being implemented.
Wow, I suggest rather than unhinged speculation you listen to Ted Postol. In two weeks of Irans missile attacks israel will look like Gaza. Ted is a nuclear weapons designer from MIT. Not hard to find his discussions and the maps he created using the increasing accuracy of Iranian missiles. Ted did not include the new Hypersonic missiles that come in at mach10-12 with guided MIRV warheads. Just a thought you might want the education for the coming weeks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llW5RUMkZLo&t=3s
My thoughts exactly, Jenny. Israel hands were raised quick smart when Iran hit them with their supersonic missiles as that israel could not stop. Russia and China will help Iran, hopefully others will also because two against one - right after Iran said the stupid "secret" words that they would never have nuclear weapons and only use uranium isotopes for medical purposes, which they've been doing for decades. The america lies, israel lies, what else is new?
I certainly HOPE SO - if you see the big picture the BRICS countries need to do something - otherwise (as Mr Carney said - who unfortunately is a lying politician too - you are either at the table or on the menu!) it is over and the disgusting HEGEMON has won (woe to all of us - the dozens of new 'alligator alcatrazes' are waiting for us!!)
BRICS is dead now. When Modi went to israel to hug his Brother NutAnYahoo and yes he called him Brother. BRICS died. Lula set up the kill with denying Venezuela into BRICS. The plan is set. Iran needs to finish this.
You are underestimating Iran badly, yes it's sad when children and grown ups get killed but that is the reality of war. A war that Iran did not start but who have not been sitting idle, they've been adding to their missile supplies, working out defensive plans. This is not going to be like Iraq and the USA couldn't win that one either, Iraq was an easier job in comparison.
Iran is the first country ever that the US has gone up against from the beginning who has a real army, navy and Air Force, well trained at that.
I know you're thinking about the second world war, Germany, Japan etc. In all cases the US only went in towards the end when the worst of the work was done. Japan is a good example, the Chinese fought them for thirteen or fourteen years, US joined in for the last three or four, by then the worst of the worst had been taken out, China lost 35 million in that war.
I'm not belittling the US, only trying to make a point, the US has never gone up against a really well equipped country without the worst being destroyed first.
Just like Afghanistan or Iraq didn't stand a chance? And Iran is bigger than both combined.
I suspect that it will go for the US just as Afghanistan, Iraq and Vietnam did. There's a fair chance this will be Trump's undoing and maybe, with a little luck it will be Bibi's undoing.
Iran has something US and Isreal don't: actual allies. Iran may not have the weapons, but there is no doubt that are more powerful allies that are chomping at the bit to strike back US and Israel for a long time.
hahahha, this morning Iran was pounding israel and every u.s base in the area. The Shitty dome is a shit hole. Sorry, Iran's hypersonic weapons haven't even been used yet. The Chinese delivered hypersonic cruise missiles. If either carrier comes within 1000miles we shall see what the Chinese have built. The largest radar system of the u.s. bases was destroyed as I write this.
Fuck Fuck the USA/Israel Epstein Class and others. Wage Peace and Justice and make Palestine Palestine Again. I support Irans right to defend itself. Have to go, people with masks at windows and banging on doors. Blowback is not a Zionist Beach Resort. Wage Peace and Justice.
Ike denounced spending on conventional weapons while creating a nuclear arms race, raising US nukes from 1000 when he took office to 18,600 when he left and provoking the Soviet Union to escalate from 120 to 1600 .
It was kind of shell game that made the world much less safe unless you think nukes make us safer, the more the more safe? War is a racket, as Butler wrote, but today, Trump (in a world where 300 nukes will destroy civilization) wants more and more: “December 2016 (Twitter/X):
“The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes.”
Cost of U.S. nuclear modernization
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the full modernization program for U.S. nuclear forces will cost roughly:
≈ $1.5–1.7 trillion over 30 years”
And of course this will provoke Russia,
China, and the other 7 nuclear nations to expand their arsenals…tho 8 of the 9 have enough nukes already to wipe out civilization. So the only purpose is to enrich the merchants of death.
Now, now... here in America we have been carefully educated to understand *implicitly* (and *only* implicitly; the words must never be spoken) that only countries that already *have* nuclear weapons should be *allowed* to have nuclear weapons! Otherwise, not only is it morally wrong, but that pre-crime must be viciously punished!
Fuck everyone in the "alternative" media that promulgated the lie that this pedophile child murdering president was going to end the wars that are the lifeblood of the rogue US regime, and be a peace president in stark contrast to every other president in the history of the rogue US regime. These clowns are as much responsible as any pro-rogue US regime propagandist.
The organized crime outfit masquerading as a country known as the rogue US regime can and will never embrace peace as long as there are profits to be made through imperialism, and the imposition of monopoly capitalism through chaos and violence.
Someone like George Galloway comes to mind as someone complicit in this outrage - someone that that you might have thought should know better, but instead doubled down by regularly platforming hateful figures like Scott Ritter, and other conservative middle aged white supremacist Western chauvinist imperialist clowns from the rogue US regime, and the wider West.
Please show us where either Galloway or Scott Ritter support this war. WTF are you babbling about, fool? Ritter especially has been tireless in opposing every US war for 30 years, typically the Israeli genocide of Palestine and the US proxy war in Ukraine and Russia. He's also not a "conservative white chauvinist supremacist imperialist". Do you have a habit of mischaracterizing anyone you disagree with by first failing to understand anything about them?
Your comprehension skills are lacking. At no point did I say that GG or SR supported "this war" - whichever war of the rogue US regime you were referring to I am not sure, but irrespective.
My point - if you had cared to read my comment - was that GG and others (including SR who GG regularly platforms) pushed the idea that the orange child rapist was indeed going to bring about peace with respect to the Ukraine conflict. This was a patent falsehood as anyone that had been awake and paying attention during the first orange administration would attest.
Hopefully when you grow up your critical thinking skills will, I'm sure, extend beyond the puerile reductive "with us or agin us" mode of analysis you have demonstrated. Until then, I suggest you leave the debate to the adults.
Your arrogance is truly astounding. Trump would be very impressed with you. Also, you have great difficulty making yourself clear about what you here profess to have done. You said GG and SR were "complicit in this outrage," and I'm supposed to KNOW by that you mean having had the wrong idea about Trump resolving the Ukraine Russia war 2 or 3 years ago?
This piece by Caitlin is about the war on Iran the US and Israel just launched, not what was erroneously thought by some about Trump being a peace candidate at any time in the recent past. Yes, Ritter was wrong about that, as were many others. But I suppose only you have never judged anyone or anything wrongly, only to find out later that you were wrong. Your self-righteous arrogance is most noteworthy.
What the hell "the puerile reductive . . ." etc. is supposed to mean, I haven't the foggiest notion, and I did not say anything that equates to "with us or agin us," but when you said this earlier: "The organized crime outfit masquerading as a country known as the rogue US regime can and will never embrace peace as long as there are profits to be made through imperialism, and the imposition of monopoly capitalism through chaos and violence", I couldn't agree more. I've been writing and talking about that for close to 50 years. But apparently you enjoy making enemies even of those who fundamentally share your opinions.
Do you have other methods of shooting yourself in the foot?
As for "the adults" undertaking the debate you think you've hijacked, I've been around the block far longer than I'd suspect you have. And one thing I've learned is that asshats like you don't move the needle any closer toward peace, in any respect, neither personally nor politically.
Maybe you are talking about Modi and Hindu proto-zionists. Hindus share the same ideology as jews. They both hate Muslims and Christians and think god promised them everything.
AU and Canada, the same shit as the rest of the west. But they will regret it. The "west" opened the gates of hell; they will never be able to close it again. The evil that came out will swallow the entire human race. Sometimes I think it is better so.
Saudi just said they support the war on Iran. They are meeting Sun. to pump more oil for israel .want they didn't admit to, how they get oil past the Straits of Hormuz and the Red Sea.
In these very dark times, I just want to thank you for your voice Caitlin. I have never disagreed with ANYTHING you have written and never related to another human being more. You somehow put all my thoughts in perfect order. So again thank you and yes, fuck everyone responsible for these horrific times. I will resume crying now. 💔
“A wolf, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf’s right to eat him. He thus addressed him: “Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me.”
“Indeed,” bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, “I was not then born.”
Then said the Wolf, “You feed in my pasture.”
“No, good sir,” replied the Lamb, “I have not yet tasted grass.”
Again said the Wolf, “You drink of my well.”
“No,” exclaimed the Lamb, “I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother’s milk is both food and drink to me.”
Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, “Well! I won’t remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations.”
Moral: The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.”
I feel the same way. What do you even say when there is no attempt to even lie anymore? It's just 'we'll do what we want and you can't stop us'.
Feels really hopeless and grim, Israel and the U.S. have never been so emboldened to just kill and take what they want. The international community has zero willpower to step in, opposition parties are paid y the same war-profiteers as the ones doing the current bombing, and the media will do what it always does in times of war.
This is it. Bibi on visits pulls out his trump card blackmail his boy Epstein collected and gets Trumpy to swallow. Sick Congress, Sick duopoly, sick and sadvAmericans
.....oh...I see. Hadn't thought of that. Jewish jefftheperve...(ergo, israyhell) has the goods - ALL the goods - on fuhrerLARDObrownstinkybutt...videos, pics, text...of...what? ...child rape? Torture? Porn production? Voyeurism? Torture? Sacrifice?.....MURDER? Just askin'. Just askin'. Beebeenuttuyahood had ALL the goods...that plus AIPAC $$$$$$$$$$$
I agree with every fuck you mentioned, I was horrified although it was not unexpected, always they attack when something like Ramadan is going on. I put myself through Trump's long-winded lying announcement but to ease the pain I turned the sound off and read the words on screen, though I tend to agree with you that no matter what anyone else says they know it's based on lies.
I'm waiting for Prime Minister Starmer here to bluster his way through countless excuses for letting our airbases be used to let the USA's war planes gather before heading to the Air Force base in Southern Israel last Tuesday.
Yes you are correct Caitlin.........what is there to say!
I just hope Israhell is reduced to rubbish.
If you're an American, as I am, and you call yourself a patriot, THIS is what you should be hoping for — NOT a US "victory". US bases, ships, and other assets damaged, and Israel turned to rubble.
If you are a resident of the rogue US regime and you are still using terms like "patriot" then you are part of the problem.
Unless you are rising up and overthrowing your criminal regime masquerading as a government you are ultimately complicit in it's crimes.
And you perhaps need to get a bit more realistic about the possibilities. "Patriot" in this context means supporting every decrement in the demise of the empire. But if you think armed insurrection against the enormous police state that exists here is conceivable, you're stretching reality to a thin thread. The empire rots from within by bitch-slapping all those traditional 'patriots' into stark awareness. The US military, navy at least, is beginning to awaken. Until the brutal domestic police forces can start to turn, none of the "overthrow" of which you speak will ever happen; history tells you something of that story.
"you perhaps need to get a bit more realistic about the possibilities..."
Myself, and the rest of the world - AKA the victims of the rogue US regime - don't need to do anything, least of all listen to the whining of USian "patriots".
Well I did attempt to be polite and ask you to review the history of insurrections regarding the need to turn police, that's really all. But you just NEED to be an asshole. Ergo, go fuck yourself, you clearly don't have the requisite synaptic networks in your fucking head to understand. Any true patriot in the US recognizes its government is shit, illegitimate, and murderous and always has been. But this talk of "overthrow" is just plain stupid and a-historical. And your attempt to color all of us the same really pisses me off because it's the quintessence of ignorance. So again, Wake the fuck up.
You seem hysterical! No need for a tantrum young woman. Hopefully you feel a little better after your "centre of the world" moment.
Now you may go back to cute chants at the social events you USians refer to as demonstrations.
C'noath, Vin!
With respect, you do realize that the imperial oligarchs and profiteers heavily count on dividing the opposition?
I am a patriot. Our constitution is the model for the entire world, it is only when oligarchs overthrow it that we get this bullsh*t.
"Our constitution is the model for the entire world..."
Not sure if you are familiar with the rogue US regime, but their "constitution" is part of the problem, and hardly a model for the entire world.
Exactly, thank you!
That constitution is a fairy tale, inconsistent, and full of holes and contradictions. And in any case, it is useless as the court can Interpret whatever they want. Welcome to the "west" where the facts are made as is convenient at any moment. US is not called the empire of lies for no reason.
You are perfectly ass-backward. The Constitution was violated in 1947, when they passed the National Security Act, and when Truman initiated the Korean War.
Since then the United States has participated in hundreds of unlawful, unconstitutional interventions.
9/11 also provided an excuse to eviscerate the Bill of Rights.
You dont burn the Consitution because people violate it, you enforce it.
but you didn't and moved on.
Are you suggesting that the same criminals that violated and violate constitution regularly are also supposed to enforce it?
Unless you are wealthy like the men who wrote it. : (
For all its faults by modern standards, the US Constitution was, in fact, *in 1787* a breathtakingly progressive model for the world. Now, except for much of its Bill of Rights (Amendments 1 thru 10), it is obsolete, but there is woefully insufficient mechanism for improving it.
Christopher Kruger, How can a Constitution written by white men of property, for white men of property, and that property included slaves ,"be a model for the entire world"?!
How easily did it revert back to its original form, in spite of all the amendments down the ages.
No it's not.
What law school did you go to?
The fact that the U.S. has 3 branches of government made it unique, that is until many of the governments adopted it. Governments like India adopted it.
The English fought 3 civil wars just to have TWO branches.
You are entitled to your own opinion, you are not entitled to your own facts, and factually speaking, you are suffering from identitarian brain rot.
This "white men blah blah blah" stuff gets old fast, considering how white women, the second-most privileged cohort, are so good at startingnl wars, mass murder and war crimes: HRC, Madeline Albright, Victoria Nuland, and all those airhead EU feminazis...
At the time it was written the US constitution was very advanced and unique text. Not perfect but it was a good idea. But humans will corrode, erode, and misinterpret anything. Corruption is the essence of human species. One lie is more powerful than 100 truths. So, despite constitution the USA is a fascist 4th Reich. And India is not a good example either. It is today a back-stabbing proto-zionist Hindu fascists country. Not India of Ghandi and Nehru. It proves again that piece of paper alone cannot guarantee anything.
This is hardly a male/female issue. It is hardly an historical issue -even if you go right to the source, Adam and Eve, a garden, and a serpent or two.. It's modern power politics, blackmail, the MIC, and autocracy masquerading as democracy.
Where did I mention white men? Althougth traditionally is was white men becuase women were not allowed to have a role. Try replying to the right person nest time you deluded old fcker.
I don't use the term at all, not even "loyal opposition"--I'm the reluctant American.
Agreed that the American hegemon is both a corrupt regime and a hypocritical system.
And where VinLP agitates for realism, or realistic-ism, well: Israel will not be reduced to rubble anytime before the US will be.
And here's my model of a US "patriot": Malcolm X. Man opened more minds to the reality of the US as BOTH a domestic and international murderer than anyone else. THAT is what VinLP agitates for as "realism", not the absurdity suggested by g4rg4ntN.
Malcolm X was the first true African American civil rights leader, but since he accepted Islam, he was sidelined.
Yes, when , Malcom, Dr. King and Fred Hampton started talking and working to bring classes together as opposed to race. They were murdered for it. Where is our Malcom now, we need all three more than ever.
Indeed - the very notion of the workers organizing for a revolution is absurd - distasteful even. And certainly not the kind of thing one should discuss over brunch.
Opening minds is a necessary good first step, I suppose that we are all attempting to do that here, if not merely venting?
The US government as both domestic and international killer is no news.
To you and me perhaps. But to the majority of the US populace, the vast MAGA base? I doubt it. Let's please not make the same error as our critic, who by his/her spellings, appears to be British (and if so, what temerity) -- the error of painting with a broad brush. This country is replete with numb struggling individuals, who would take a ton of offense at the statement that's "no news" to us.
I love you Vin. Who would have thought one of Caitlin's brilliant brief articles would divide people of peace. : (
"agitates for realism" - what does that even mean? And what is so unrealistic about advocating for revolutionary change?
While the so-called left in US was mostly parsing pronouns and then and again shouting down opponents in safe spaces the counter-revolutionaries turned that very game against them sic whilst managing to usurp control of the entire federal government.
But such as Good and Pretti, and other Minnesotans, whom I shamelessly would call patriots, actually have acted.
P.S. Many Americans have Irish roots, I do, and are cognizant of history, to the extent of knowing the role of the British among others in the slave trade, and the n- word nickname of us green folk vis-a-vis Europe.
It means that I think whenever they devolve into arguing semantics while ignoring the actual menace of powerful and pervasive state powers revolutionaries tend to fail badly.
Never been a better time to act locally, and connect with others and stop mass tech surveillance in our country aka Flock cameras, as they'll use it on us.
Patriotism is tribalism, and tribalism is the lowest common denominator of humanity. War is one of the products of tribalism. Tribalism is nothing to celebrate.
Apart from that, I agree with all you wrote. I hope this latest war will be the one that comes back to bite both the US and Israel.
Agreed - patriotism is chaos - like when everyone started waving flags after 911.
I think you are thinking nationalism. People do not unterstand the difference between nationalism and patriotism. Two completely different things.
You're getting hung up on traditional definitions. Howard Zinn would call the urban riots of 1967 patriotic. so would I.
Agree.
bases, ships and other assets damaged does not suffise. the us must collapse.
I hope for real world proximal outcomes. but am certainly in favor of longer-term ones as well. Even though they will likely make my life more difficult.
maybe we're old enough to stop hoping and start doing stuff, idk.
Hell, I'm ready. I'll empty clips of any 9 mm into any gestapo available and relish suicide by cop after 30 years in chronic pain.
But my younger neighbors, nice folks though they are, still cling to that hollow American dream, wife a Mexican immigrant in both cases. So my death would be solely a way out for me, contributing little of revolutionary value. Rousting a sufficient percent of the lard-ass populace to action in this country means protests --- and they're out in the streets of major cities at this moment -- the realization still having failed to register that no one that matters is listening
Man, you and I--we've been in similar boats.
Especially the latter...
I hate Israhell and the Epstein virus they spawn against world. They are sll sadistic thieves and racists. Good ones could take passport and suitcase at any age snd left their apartheid insanity and brutality. Long live Iran and liberated Palestine. Praise to Houthis. Stand stron Lebanon and Cuba, Venezuela!!!
Never been a better time to take back our country locally - and protest the Flock camera surveillance system that will be used against us. https://romanshapoval.substack.com/p/flock
Yes, start working to overturn the corrupt system locally and work your way out across the continent. Mutual aid/organization is what we need to overthrow these psychopaths--not internet arguments on the semantics of the word "patriotism". Call it what you like--just start the REVOLUTION, people!
Unfortunately Israel will use its nukes first.
Or the US. Neither will hesitate.
This idea was already raised this week, i.e. that the US might use “tactical” nukes when they realise that they are running out of missiles & Iran is not surrendering.
It would open the pandora box that will destroy the entire human species. You think Iran and others would not retaliate?
I think the Oligarchs fear the Wall Street meltdown that the Fed Reserve can't cover over. Once Pandora's box is open who knows where it stops. If only we had a group of Nations that was UNited to solve problems. If only : (
If they could. Iran was foolish not to have gotten The Bomb long ago.
You are proven right, North Korea. Nobody Fucks with North Korea now.
And how do you know they don't have it?
Hum, interesting statement. Not long ago I would have said no way. Today, big ??????????????????s
…
End badly for Iran? Surely. End badly for the rest of us? Equally surely.
…
If a nuclear war starts as a result, the Earth will be free of human beings… including you.
I can no longer say that's nuts, people in Gov. would never launch weapons. I apologize, they are nuts and do believe they can win a first strike war. I know this because they tell me.
They've been saying they could since before Dr. Strangelove. Which is why Kubrick made the movie.
Actually, I'm an optimist! I think nuclear war will destroy human civilization, but I think humans themselves might survive in small groups reduced to a pre-historic level of subsistence.
In a full scale nuclear war between major participants, I’m not sure life itself will survive…
lol. and who will drop a nuke? Iran??? or do you think russia will risk a nuclear war over iran?
Iran does not have nuclear weapons. israel does have roughly 200 warheads. That is why they use F35s they can carry the load of tactical rockets. The force of a Hiroshima 15 mega ton.
Could be Russia, or a hidden nuke, or robots?
Bombed by Iran? Nope.
Oppressed by an emboldened fascist regime (i.e the US government)? Yes absolutely.
Impoverished by high oil/gas prices, rampant inflation, excessive military spending? Yes, absolutely.
Killed in a nuclear war, either directly or indirectly? Hopefully not, but the odds just went up significantly.
…
I think your declarative statement on nuke dropping is what is naive here. If the Chinese, or the Russians, for that matter, see their access to Iranian oil potentially expiring, and view that as existential threat, and the U.S./Israelis have deployed tactical nukes in an attempt to bring Iran into the Western orbit, the choice to drop nukes will most certainly be on the table, and probably a coin flip from being implemented.
Wow, I suggest rather than unhinged speculation you listen to Ted Postol. In two weeks of Irans missile attacks israel will look like Gaza. Ted is a nuclear weapons designer from MIT. Not hard to find his discussions and the maps he created using the increasing accuracy of Iranian missiles. Ted did not include the new Hypersonic missiles that come in at mach10-12 with guided MIRV warheads. Just a thought you might want the education for the coming weeks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llW5RUMkZLo&t=3s
How exactly? Iran is going to shut down the Straits of Hormuz and choke off the oil supply.
that's why they got control over Venezuelan oil, so they can do just that.
Start putting 2 and 2 together and you will see now what is going on.
Plus, Iran cant close anything when it is a failed state in rubble.
Apparently they've shut down the Strait and Iran's Revolutionary Guards have broadcast that cargo ships will be attacked.
I hate to deflate your balloon Ginnie.
How did Iran do last time it was attacked by Israel? The Iron Dome did not work so well then did it?
I really think you need to get out of reading propaganda and wake up.
My thoughts exactly, Jenny. Israel hands were raised quick smart when Iran hit them with their supersonic missiles as that israel could not stop. Russia and China will help Iran, hopefully others will also because two against one - right after Iran said the stupid "secret" words that they would never have nuclear weapons and only use uranium isotopes for medical purposes, which they've been doing for decades. The america lies, israel lies, what else is new?
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Do you expect that civilians and kids are not killed in wars? Iran will win.
I certainly HOPE SO - if you see the big picture the BRICS countries need to do something - otherwise (as Mr Carney said - who unfortunately is a lying politician too - you are either at the table or on the menu!) it is over and the disgusting HEGEMON has won (woe to all of us - the dozens of new 'alligator alcatrazes' are waiting for us!!)
BRICS is dead now. When Modi went to israel to hug his Brother NutAnYahoo and yes he called him Brother. BRICS died. Lula set up the kill with denying Venezuela into BRICS. The plan is set. Iran needs to finish this.
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Yes we should all sleep.
We provided the weapons and poison gas to murder 300k Iranian people. I don't think they are weak. We now have dead soldiers as I write.
soldiers who chose war. The children did not. You sound like Albright:
Reporter "do you think 500,000 dead children was worth it?"
Albright "yes, I think it was worth it."
also, a proxy war ia very different from a direct one. You in denial bro..
You are underestimating Iran badly, yes it's sad when children and grown ups get killed but that is the reality of war. A war that Iran did not start but who have not been sitting idle, they've been adding to their missile supplies, working out defensive plans. This is not going to be like Iraq and the USA couldn't win that one either, Iraq was an easier job in comparison.
uh huh. Ok. we'll see. I hope you are right, but I dont think the US and Israel are gonna get anything but a bloody nose out of this.
I know they're going to get a lot worse.
Iran is the first country ever that the US has gone up against from the beginning who has a real army, navy and Air Force, well trained at that.
I know you're thinking about the second world war, Germany, Japan etc. In all cases the US only went in towards the end when the worst of the work was done. Japan is a good example, the Chinese fought them for thirteen or fourteen years, US joined in for the last three or four, by then the worst of the worst had been taken out, China lost 35 million in that war.
I'm not belittling the US, only trying to make a point, the US has never gone up against a really well equipped country without the worst being destroyed first.
Just like Afghanistan or Iraq didn't stand a chance? And Iran is bigger than both combined.
I suspect that it will go for the US just as Afghanistan, Iraq and Vietnam did. There's a fair chance this will be Trump's undoing and maybe, with a little luck it will be Bibi's undoing.
Iran has something US and Isreal don't: actual allies. Iran may not have the weapons, but there is no doubt that are more powerful allies that are chomping at the bit to strike back US and Israel for a long time.
There is no way the US and Israel win. None.
hahahha, this morning Iran was pounding israel and every u.s base in the area. The Shitty dome is a shit hole. Sorry, Iran's hypersonic weapons haven't even been used yet. The Chinese delivered hypersonic cruise missiles. If either carrier comes within 1000miles we shall see what the Chinese have built. The largest radar system of the u.s. bases was destroyed as I write this.
Then you need to start praying for Iran .
Amen.
me too !
"they can take it all " -https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Nfx0rxf8ghs
Fuck Fuck the USA/Israel Epstein Class and others. Wage Peace and Justice and make Palestine Palestine Again. I support Irans right to defend itself. Have to go, people with masks at windows and banging on doors. Blowback is not a Zionist Beach Resort. Wage Peace and Justice.
Just had to pick up on "Epstein Class." That's the designation for the US Navy's new warship now being designed, right...?
Ike was right. MIC is Key! War Is A Racket.
Ike denounced spending on conventional weapons while creating a nuclear arms race, raising US nukes from 1000 when he took office to 18,600 when he left and provoking the Soviet Union to escalate from 120 to 1600 .
It was kind of shell game that made the world much less safe unless you think nukes make us safer, the more the more safe? War is a racket, as Butler wrote, but today, Trump (in a world where 300 nukes will destroy civilization) wants more and more: “December 2016 (Twitter/X):
“The United States must greatly strengthen and expand its nuclear capability until such time as the world comes to its senses regarding nukes.”
Cost of U.S. nuclear modernization
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the full modernization program for U.S. nuclear forces will cost roughly:
≈ $1.5–1.7 trillion over 30 years”
And of course this will provoke Russia,
China, and the other 7 nuclear nations to expand their arsenals…tho 8 of the 9 have enough nukes already to wipe out civilization. So the only purpose is to enrich the merchants of death.
Happy Birthday ! I may write you in in 2028 if there are still elections.
"I support Iran's right to defend itself."
Now, now... here in America we have been carefully educated to understand *implicitly* (and *only* implicitly; the words must never be spoken) that only countries that already *have* nuclear weapons should be *allowed* to have nuclear weapons! Otherwise, not only is it morally wrong, but that pre-crime must be viciously punished!
Fuck everyone in the "alternative" media that promulgated the lie that this pedophile child murdering president was going to end the wars that are the lifeblood of the rogue US regime, and be a peace president in stark contrast to every other president in the history of the rogue US regime. These clowns are as much responsible as any pro-rogue US regime propagandist.
The organized crime outfit masquerading as a country known as the rogue US regime can and will never embrace peace as long as there are profits to be made through imperialism, and the imposition of monopoly capitalism through chaos and violence.
It's one thing to be fooled. It's another thing to keep doubling down.
Someone like George Galloway comes to mind as someone complicit in this outrage - someone that that you might have thought should know better, but instead doubled down by regularly platforming hateful figures like Scott Ritter, and other conservative middle aged white supremacist Western chauvinist imperialist clowns from the rogue US regime, and the wider West.
Please show us where either Galloway or Scott Ritter support this war. WTF are you babbling about, fool? Ritter especially has been tireless in opposing every US war for 30 years, typically the Israeli genocide of Palestine and the US proxy war in Ukraine and Russia. He's also not a "conservative white chauvinist supremacist imperialist". Do you have a habit of mischaracterizing anyone you disagree with by first failing to understand anything about them?
Your comprehension skills are lacking. At no point did I say that GG or SR supported "this war" - whichever war of the rogue US regime you were referring to I am not sure, but irrespective.
My point - if you had cared to read my comment - was that GG and others (including SR who GG regularly platforms) pushed the idea that the orange child rapist was indeed going to bring about peace with respect to the Ukraine conflict. This was a patent falsehood as anyone that had been awake and paying attention during the first orange administration would attest.
Hopefully when you grow up your critical thinking skills will, I'm sure, extend beyond the puerile reductive "with us or agin us" mode of analysis you have demonstrated. Until then, I suggest you leave the debate to the adults.
Your arrogance is truly astounding. Trump would be very impressed with you. Also, you have great difficulty making yourself clear about what you here profess to have done. You said GG and SR were "complicit in this outrage," and I'm supposed to KNOW by that you mean having had the wrong idea about Trump resolving the Ukraine Russia war 2 or 3 years ago?
This piece by Caitlin is about the war on Iran the US and Israel just launched, not what was erroneously thought by some about Trump being a peace candidate at any time in the recent past. Yes, Ritter was wrong about that, as were many others. But I suppose only you have never judged anyone or anything wrongly, only to find out later that you were wrong. Your self-righteous arrogance is most noteworthy.
What the hell "the puerile reductive . . ." etc. is supposed to mean, I haven't the foggiest notion, and I did not say anything that equates to "with us or agin us," but when you said this earlier: "The organized crime outfit masquerading as a country known as the rogue US regime can and will never embrace peace as long as there are profits to be made through imperialism, and the imposition of monopoly capitalism through chaos and violence", I couldn't agree more. I've been writing and talking about that for close to 50 years. But apparently you enjoy making enemies even of those who fundamentally share your opinions.
Do you have other methods of shooting yourself in the foot?
As for "the adults" undertaking the debate you think you've hijacked, I've been around the block far longer than I'd suspect you have. And one thing I've learned is that asshats like you don't move the needle any closer toward peace, in any respect, neither personally nor politically.
Zionist trolls are out in force. It's best to not engage with them.
Galloway is an extremely talented bigot.
Maybe you are talking about Modi and Hindu proto-zionists. Hindus share the same ideology as jews. They both hate Muslims and Christians and think god promised them everything.
Bingo!
Iran is keeping its promise... True Promise IV is underway! Go, Tehran!
The real head of the snake is USrael. Crush it with all your might!
Let's pray for the end of the Zionist entity called Israel, whatever out faith is.
Allah akhbar!
Fuck Albanese for his declaration that Australia fully supports the U.S. military actions
Australia is so fucked.
AU and Canada, the same shit as the rest of the west. But they will regret it. The "west" opened the gates of hell; they will never be able to close it again. The evil that came out will swallow the entire human race. Sometimes I think it is better so.
Creepy, suck up, shithole country.
Fucking oath, David K! He's such a sell-out, gutless prick. And his inner circle.
Yes! I’m pissed off he did this. Disappointed. Disgusted. Done. Fuck him. Fuck them all.
Saudi just said they support the war on Iran. They are meeting Sun. to pump more oil for israel .want they didn't admit to, how they get oil past the Straits of Hormuz and the Red Sea.
In these very dark times, I just want to thank you for your voice Caitlin. I have never disagreed with ANYTHING you have written and never related to another human being more. You somehow put all my thoughts in perfect order. So again thank you and yes, fuck everyone responsible for these horrific times. I will resume crying now. 💔
They don’t even false flag us into their operations anymore. The disdain the ruling class has for humanity is fully on display.
“A wolf, meeting with a Lamb astray from the fold, resolved not to lay violent hands on him, but to find some plea to justify to the Lamb the Wolf’s right to eat him. He thus addressed him: “Sirrah, last year you grossly insulted me.”
“Indeed,” bleated the Lamb in a mournful tone of voice, “I was not then born.”
Then said the Wolf, “You feed in my pasture.”
“No, good sir,” replied the Lamb, “I have not yet tasted grass.”
Again said the Wolf, “You drink of my well.”
“No,” exclaimed the Lamb, “I never yet drank water, for as yet my mother’s milk is both food and drink to me.”
Upon which the Wolf seized him and ate him up, saying, “Well! I won’t remain supperless, even though you refute every one of my imputations.”
Moral: The tyrant will always find a pretext for his tyranny.”
I feel the same way. What do you even say when there is no attempt to even lie anymore? It's just 'we'll do what we want and you can't stop us'.
Feels really hopeless and grim, Israel and the U.S. have never been so emboldened to just kill and take what they want. The international community has zero willpower to step in, opposition parties are paid y the same war-profiteers as the ones doing the current bombing, and the media will do what it always does in times of war.
If only we had a group of Nations UNited to stop this madness.
The Power of Epstein blackmail.
Not a coincidence following Clinton deposition.
This is it. Bibi on visits pulls out his trump card blackmail his boy Epstein collected and gets Trumpy to swallow. Sick Congress, Sick duopoly, sick and sadvAmericans
.....oh...I see. Hadn't thought of that. Jewish jefftheperve...(ergo, israyhell) has the goods - ALL the goods - on fuhrerLARDObrownstinkybutt...videos, pics, text...of...what? ...child rape? Torture? Porn production? Voyeurism? Torture? Sacrifice?.....MURDER? Just askin'. Just askin'. Beebeenuttuyahood had ALL the goods...that plus AIPAC $$$$$$$$$$$
The pun was brilliant in a time of horror, I wish I could laugh. : (
Pathocrats gotta do what Pathocrats do. How to stop them??
Iran's about to give them more than a little to chew on, which is good news if nothing else.
I thought you might like to see what's coming. Ted Postol knows far more than I do about the topic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llW5RUMkZLo&t=3s
I agree with every fuck you mentioned, I was horrified although it was not unexpected, always they attack when something like Ramadan is going on. I put myself through Trump's long-winded lying announcement but to ease the pain I turned the sound off and read the words on screen, though I tend to agree with you that no matter what anyone else says they know it's based on lies.
I'm waiting for Prime Minister Starmer here to bluster his way through countless excuses for letting our airbases be used to let the USA's war planes gather before heading to the Air Force base in Southern Israel last Tuesday.
No words, just more sorrow 🙁 I just hope Iran unleashes hell.
Me too. Good riddance Israhell and sorry for those caught in middle. God protect Iran and those Palestinians in Israhell
"I just hope Iran unleashes hell."
More than sad, more than disturbing, that this is the state to which the bastards have brought us.
They are so evil. I pray the world will unite to take them down. Otherwise they will keep going, one by one.
It is the entire "west". The most disgusting evil genocidal ideology that existed for the past 500 years.
Thank You Caitlin
& Mr T!
Impeachment may be more likely now...to replace 1 idiot with another. Scumbucket liars!
The 50 standing ovation crowd is going to impeach? For this?
Then again, I suppose nothing's shocking anymore. All the masks are on the floor.
He bypassed congress. Impeach!
Doesn't matter, the Demoncrats and Republicant's all stood for War on Iran.
Impeachment is off the table. The Devilcrats and the Republicons have to profit off war and use the people as ATMs again.
Every single damn administration in my entire life has done this:
* The Regan Administration
* The Bush Administration
* The Clinton Administration
* The W Bush Administration
* The Obama Administration
* The Trump Administration (both terms)
* The Biden Administration
I think that is what I wrote, the Duopoly.