521 Comments
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Pat Barrett's avatar

I guess the sarcasm wasn't laid on heavy enough. No, Austin. Your failure to understand the difference between the dynamics of inner-city gang violence and the violence motivated by alienation from society at large - the paranoia of the MAGA crowd - is much more serious than your failure to get my lame sarcasm.

Chief Joe's avatar

I'm shocked that you and Will failed to mention Donald Trump as a 'proven rapist' who Nancy Mace also supports. Not a single reporter ever asks Nancy Mace about his attack on E Jean Carroll. And it seems to be a blind spot even for you and Will. I don't know why this is just ignored. He raped this woman.

Chief Joe's avatar

The immediate kneejerk takes are 'Joe Biden bad'. The other takes are akin to Ben's item 4, 'something something Iraq War', and 'something something neocon Bill Kristol!'

Roadkill Centrist's avatar

I’m late to the party and guessing others have already said this but: we often say “intelligence failure” before we know anything and then learn it was, in fact, a POLICY failure made with decent intelligence (eg: 9/11 and months of intel to Bush admin culminating in “Bin Laden determined to strike in US”).

My suspicion is the Yom Kippur parallel will prove true in this sense: that warnings came from intelligence and that Netanyahu’s too-right cabinet was unable - through bigotry and hubris - to think an attack was possible. We will see.

David Starrett's avatar

It's difficult to distinguish the axe-grinders from the organ-grinders at this early stage, and nether are particularly helpful. Wittes's advice is good in the meantime.

ckwrites2's avatar

When do we ask what the role of Starlink was in Hamas planning? Mr. Musk who are you? And when do we say that Sen Tuberville is a traitor - and in the parlance of the GOP, should be executed?

TW Falcon's avatar

Not sure about Starlink, but all in about Tuberville.

Dave Yell's avatar

Remember back in 2017 when Trump met with the two Russian Sergies in the white house.It was reported then that Trump had passed on Israeli intelligence to them.Just saying....

hrlngrv's avatar

| A failure that, given Israeli’s vast intelligence resources is, frankly, incomprehensible.

Perhaps.

However, given a decade in which Israel has had to hold 6 elections so far, maybe it shouldn't be surprising that dysfunction in electoral politics has had ripple through effects which have diminished the capabilities of Israel's security services.

Also, just how motivated should Israeli intelligence operatives be being led by a man who has used every way possible to evade criminal prosecution? That is, maybe Israel would be safer if Netanyahu were in prison. Or at least in court.

Damian Penny's avatar

I didn’t expect Cori Bush to say #AllLivesMatter but here we are.

hrlngrv's avatar

| Would suicide bombers attack movie theaters? Would teams of terrorist gunmen open

| fire in shopping malls?

Not many suicide bombers, but plenty of mass shootings in movie theaters and shopping malls. I guess if it's just guns, it's OK. If shooters aren't Muslims, it's OK (so the San Bernardino shooting in 2015 definitely terrorism). The 2nd Amendment Hedge, the Tree of Liberty's cousin, needs regular infusions of the blood of innocents.

The difference between Israel and US is that Israelis have real enemies on their borders. In the US, we're our own worst enemies.

Janine Walsh's avatar

Chickens coming home to roost. Again.

Pat Barrett's avatar

Back in the 60s I stopped reading about Israelis and Palestinians when I realized god was on both their sides.......... uh, let's see, did I say that right?

I have a theory.... and that's all I have.

Amanda's avatar

Charlie says "Fuq these guys" re: the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement.

But was the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs statement by any chance already something of a "Fuq you" to the United States as well as to Israel? (given that we were supposedly in the middle of negotiating that so-called mega-deal that was going to involve Israel)?

As in "Fuq you, we're the worst frenemy on the planet but you just can't quit us, can you"?

I'd be happy to be wrong about this. But ... ?

Leros's avatar

You would think Laurence Tribe would know better but I guess not. And generally, is there anything more telling than the deleted post?

Kevin M's avatar

There is so much to comment on here. First, for all the talk, remember this- Saudi Arabia is not a US ally and is certainly not interested in peace in the Middle East unless it is the top dog there. Second, Hamas has received millions of dollars in international aid over the years. But instead of using it to better the people it supposedly is looking out for, it used the money to buy weapons and indoctrinate more people to hate Israel. That money could have gone to building schools and hospitals, educating the children intellectually, and improving the infrastructure in Gaza. But they chose differently and the people in Gaza did nothing to make sure the money was used to better their existence. They are not the victims. Decisions have consequences.

User's avatar
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Oct 9, 2023
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Kevin M's avatar

I agree that certain things Israel has done, i.e., aggressively settle the West Bank for instance, do not help the matter, so Israel shouldn't be too surprised that violence happens. However, the Palestinians have been offered their own state previously, most recently that I recall in the Oslo Accords, but have always taken a different path. Their Arab "brothers" don't want them in their countries, deprive them of citizenship in these other countries, and instead have used them as pawns for decades. Why don't they go after them? My point was why do the Palestinians allow Hamas to control everything when its clear purposes is not to look out for its own people?

User's avatar
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Oct 9, 2023
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Kevin M's avatar

If I was stupid enough to vote for the orange moron, yes. But that's one thing I don't have to worry about.

User's avatar
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Oct 9, 2023
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Kevin M's avatar

So, are you saying that the ordinary Palestinian walking the street has no responsibility for Hamas being their "leadership" and therefore no responsibility for what happened over the weekend?

User's avatar
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Oct 9, 2023
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Kevin M's avatar

That's a good question but not my problem. If the Palestinians want an election, what's stopping them from having one? Where does the Palestinian Authority figure in on all this and why can't it mandate an election?

Ryan Day's avatar

I wonder how Fox news viewers will react to the new fact checks. Will they get upset at this tactic, thinking it is just “liberal stuff” or actually begin to realize when they are being lied to by their leaders? I just want to know how viewers will rationalize Fox having fact checks.