All purpose news and politics thread part VI: This Is Not The Time For Posing

[achilles]

White House slams Trump’s ‘unhinged’ praise for Hezbollah, mocking of Israel

The White House fires back at former US president Donald Trump after he appeared to mock Israel’s failure to anticipate Hamas’s massive onslaught over the weekend, as he called the Hezbollah terror group “very smart” and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant a “jerk.”

“Statements like this are dangerous and unhinged,” White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates says in a statement.

“It’s completely lost on us why any American would ever praise an Iran-backed terrorist organization as ‘smart’ or have any objection to the United States warning terrorists not to attack Israel,” Bates says. Trump at a campaign rally yesterday said the US and Israel should not have publicly warned Hezbollah not to join Hamas in the war.

“Especially now as Israel is fighting back against one of the worst acts of mass murder in the country’s history, this is a time for all of us to stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel against unadulterated evil. That’s what [US President Joe Biden] is doing as commander in chief,” Bates adds.

You know, for a while after he lost, there was blissful silence from that idiot, as he mostly just played golf, harming no one. I miss those times.

[Username taken]

I am also a bit shocked/surprised that there were so many people that were very eager to demonstrate that babies haven't been decapitated... "only killed"!

PS - hope you get better from the bronchitis

Why are you shocked that people want the news to be true?

Regarding that claim by the IDF (about what happened), I'm still waiting for the Israeli government to confirm.

That to me is the sensible thing to do.

[hyped78]

Why are you shocked that people want the news to be true?

Regarding that claim by the IDF (about what happened), I'm still waiting for the Israeli government to confirm.

That to me is the sensible thing to do.

I meant it the other way (and I think Captain Europe was saying the same thing I'm saying here) - I am shocked that many people wanted/want to dismiss the baby decapitation, were eager to prove that the news on that were/are false

It feels a bit like "OH! If the babies weren't decapitated then it's fake news! If they were only murdered and burned alive then it's not nearly as bad!"

[Gray Lensman]

Damn, those child-seeking missiles are horrible. Pretty effective as well, only hurting children. That of course has long been known to be the chief goal of the....JEWS!

Yeah, I find that one just a bit suspicious...for...er...reasons.

I find it easy to believe. Not that the missiles are child-seeking, but since half the population of Gaza happens to be children there are already going to be a disproportionate number of them getting wounded and killed. More of the men are going to be underground in order to fight, and those adults that remain are probably prioritizing the children for what little help is available.

I'd read the article but the link is busted....

[Tendrin]

I meant it the other way (and I think Captain Europe was saying the same thing I'm saying here) - I am shocked that many people wanted/want to dismiss the baby decapitation, were eager to prove that the news on that were/are false

It feels a bit like "OH! If the babies weren't decapitated then it's fake news! If they were only murdered and burned alive then it's not nearly as bad!"

It's not that. It's that the story, if it isn't true, is *massively inflammatory* and a lot like the Nayirah testimony in essence.

In her testimony, Nayirah claimed that after the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait she had witnessed Iraqi soldiers take babies out of incubators in a Kuwaiti hospital, remove the incubators and leave the babies to die.

This turned out to be not true.

I don't think anyone doubts the capacity for brutality of anyone involved here but we should be careful before we uncritically accept inflammatory allegations like that, especially as the fog of war has very much set in. The known facts are bad enough.

[hyped78]

It's not that. It's that the story, if it isn't true, is *massively inflammatory* and a lot like the Nayirah testimony in essence.



This turned out to be not true.

I don't think anyone doubts the capacity for brutality of anyone involved here but we should be careful before we uncritically accept inflammatory allegations like that, especially as the fog of war has very much set in. The known facts are bad enough.

You have a point - and I don't think anyone on this forum/ thread has any ill intentions, to be clear.

But on social media - like Captain Europe alluded to - there's a lot of anti-semites who are very keen to dismiss the whole story, as they are keen to dismiss other stories, even adding that Hamas has not killed any civilians (only military folks).

Regarding misinformation, I have started to stop looking at X/Twitter because the amount of misinformation is staggering. What X has been turned into - I don't even want to think what will happen with your US Election next year. Misinformation in 2016 and 2020 is going to look like nothing in comparison.

[Username taken]

You have a point - and I don't think anyone on this forum/ thread has any ill intentions, to be clear.

But on social media - like Captain Europe alluded to - there's a lot of anti-semites who are very keen to dismiss the whole story, as they are keen to dismiss other stories, even adding that Hamas has not killed any civilians (only military folks).

Regarding misinformation, I have started to stop looking at X/Twitter because the amount of misinformation is staggering. What X has been turned into - I don't even want to think what will happen with your US Election next year. Misinformation in 2016 and 2020 is going to look like nothing in comparison.

The conflict has brought out the Antisemites and Islamophobes in full force.

Social media is really, really making things worse.

In fact, I would argue that an entire generation has been inundated with racist imagery because of social media. Some of the stuff I see on social media are decades old beliefs that have been regurgitated.

[Catlady in training]

The conflict has brought out the Antisemites and Islamophobes in full force.

Social media is really, really making things worse.

In fact, I would argue that an entire generation has been inundated with racist imagery because of social media. Some of the stuff I see on social media are decades old beliefs that have been regurgitated.

It's not just that, it's like people lost the idea of basic civility when they write on "social" media. I've seen many comments recently from people who say they have received death threats over something they wrote. And I don't mean just serious topics like war or LGBTQ+ rights (it obviously isn't ok to send stuff like that over those disagreements either), but some stupid fandom fights. Like, how does someone write **** like that because of a fight over fictional characters?

[kidfresh512]

Facing Big Legal Bills, Defendants in Georgia Trump Case Seek Donations

Steven C. Lee, an Illinois pastor charged in the Georgia election interference case against Donald J. Trump and his allies, is hoping to fund his legal defense, at least in part, with sales of “MAGA honey” bottles shaped like the former president. A higher-profile defendant, Rudolph W. Giuliani, turned to a high-dollar fund-raiser at Mr. Trump’s New Jersey golf club recently for help paying his lawyers.

Nearly all of the 18 defendants in the case are counting on donations to help with their legal fees in a case that will take months, if not years, to fully resolve. That includes the former president himself, who has raked in millions of dollars from small donors through his political action committee, Save America.

Mr. Trump has often rebuffed requests for financial help from co-defendants in other cases against him. In the Georgia case, the amount of money the other defendants are able to raise could determine whether they choose to fight their charges or make plea deals. They have been charged with conspiring to overturn Mr. Trump’s defeat in Georgia in the 2020 election.

Mr. Lee, accused of participating in a harassment effort against a Georgia elections worker, relied on a $3,500 donation from Rochelle Richardson, the pro-Trump internet personality who goes by Silk, to make bail in Atlanta after his indictment in August, according to his lawyer, David J. Shestokas.

MAGA honey? No limits at all.

I wouldn't even give 3500 to a family member let alone send these frauds cash.

[JCAll]

Trump attacking Israel is just another psychotic outburst from that loser

If Trump has any strengths as a politician, it's that he spews so many lies and contradictory gibberish that his followers can project any belief they want on him.
AOC Bad for not supporting Israel, Israel Bad for not supporting Trump, Trump Good for supporting Israel
It's all nuts.

[Godzilla2099]

More terrible news from the war being fought over a made up deity.

Doctors Without Borders in Gaza says 100% of the patients it has treated in the past 24 hours have been children

1. That can't possibly be true. I'm around my two kids like a hawk. Any explosives hitting them will most likely hit me, and if I see one coming, I'm using my body as a shield with zero hesitation. The only excuse to this is that my kid gets treatment first. I also would give my spot for any other child in need too. Just give me something so I don't bleed to death is all I ask

2. Sadly I'm not suprised reading about child casualities in Gaza. The Hamas use human shields. Specifically women and children. What they're doing is no different than the Pentagon setting up its headquarters under a pre-school. Unfortunately its almost the only way to take out those vermin.

I just watched a video where it shows a Israelite Father grieving because his wife, 3 year old and 9 month old were taken by the Hamas (There's literally video of the mom carrying the baby going into a truck). I almost threw up watching this because my little ones are 3 and 13 months. I'm honestly not sure how i could go on if that happened to me.

As much as it makes my heart sink to see innocents getting hurt, the more I see what the Hamas are doing, the more I agree that its for the best that they're wiped out.

[Jack Dracula]

The only World War would be us and China and I don't think either of us want it. China's goals are more reginal and staying in the global market. We could start one if the wrong Republican is in the White House. But the country isn't behind that.
Russia is a paper military bear with nukes.
Maybe a mideast regional conflict?

Too many extremely wealthy people would lose too much money. They’d never allow it.
As we know however, regional conflicts can be very profitable for some. Especially if they drag on for a couple of decades.

[CaptainEurope]

It's not that. It's that the story, if it isn't true, is *massively inflammatory* and a lot like the Nayirah testimony in essence.



This turned out to be not true.

I don't think anyone doubts the capacity for brutality of anyone involved here but we should be careful before we uncritically accept inflammatory allegations like that, especially as the fog of war has very much set in. The known facts are bad enough.

I've been thinking about the fake story about kids torn from incubators all the time since the beheaded babies were mentioned.
The difference I saw between 1990 and now is that there is actually no need for a fake inflammatory story. We just saw video of music fans getting gunned down, lifeless bodies of women on trucks getting spat on. We see crying parents on TV.
Back in 1990 we had vague knowledge of poison gas being used to Kurdish people, but no images. We knew Saddam was a crook and his sons were cruel, but was anybody not directly affected by the cruelty really moved by it? So they faked something that would make more people back the war.
Nothing like that is needed now, really. Hamas gave the world enough reasons to be livid. And it's looking very likely that yes, one of those reasons is murdering and beheading babies.

[Jack Dracula]

It's not just that, it's like people lost the idea of basic civility when they write on "social" media. I've seen many comments recently from people who say they have received death threats over something they wrote. And I don't mean just serious topics like war or LGBTQ+ rights (it obviously isn't ok to send stuff like that over those disagreements either), but some stupid fandom fights. Like, how does someone write **** like that because of a fight over fictional characters?

The anonymity of social media brings out the worst in people.

[Tendrin]

I've been thinking about the fake story about kids torn from incubators all the time since the beheaded babies were mentioned.
The difference I saw between 1990 and now is that there is actually no need for a fake inflammatory story. We just saw video of music fans getting gunned down, lifeless bodies of women on trucks getting spat on. We see crying parents on TV.
Back in 1990 we had vague knowledge of poison gas being used to Kurdish people, but no images. We knew Saddam was a crook and his sons were cruel, but was anybody not directly affected by the cruelty really moved by it? So they faked something that would make more people back the war.
Nothing like that is needed now, really. Hamas gave the world enough reasons to be livid. And it's looking very likely that yes, one of those reasons is murdering and beheading babies.

Exactly. The known facts are bad enough. People don't need to make stuff up but they assuredly will.