great interview with Antony Loewenstein… author of
“The Palestine Laboratory: How Israel Exports the Technology of Occupation Around the World.”
The beginning of the interview Jeremy Scahill does a recap of stuff we all know.
After that, hearing Antony and his current analysis of the situation in Palestine is an eye opener!
https://theintercept.com/2023/12/13/intercepted-podcast-israel-palestine-military-equipment/

Posted by: Kim Sky | Dec 20 2023 15:00 utc | 4

Israel Denies Killing Catholics, Catholic Patriarchate of Jerusalem Shows Photos
The denial was made by the Israel Defense Forces in a note sent to EWTN News and in another one taken up by the SIR agency. However, the Latin Patriarchate reaffirmed what was denounced and evidenced the facts by publishing photos and a statement: “There are two dead, who killed them? There are the tanks that fired. Those are the facts. We have the images, we can show them”.

Posted by: Jonathan W | Dec 20 2023 15:13 utc | 6

Posted by: Framarz | Dec 20 2023 15:16 utc | 7
Malaysia may not seem like a big deal. It is a huge deal because of the Strait of Malacca. On the other side of the strait is Indonesia which the US is wooing in view of the presidential election next year. Both Muslim countries. And the IDF destroyed the Indonesian hospital.

Posted by: Jonathan W | Dec 20 2023 15:22 utc | 8

After Chris Hedges finally came clean on his NYTs career, Israeli press agents should have zero credibility ;

(excerpt) The brazenness of Israeli lies stunned those of us who reported from Gaza. It did not matter if we had seen the Israeli attack, including the shooting of unarmed Palestinians.
It did not matter how many witnesses we interviewed. It did not matter what photographic and forensic evidence we obtained. Israel lied. Small lies. Big lies. Huge lies.
These lies came reflexively and instantly from the Israeli military, Israeli politicians and Israeli media. They were amplified by Israel’s well-oiled propaganda machine and repeated with a cloying sincerity on international news outlets.
Israel engages in the kinds of jaw-dropping lies that characterize despotic regimes. It does not deform the truth, it inverts it. It paints a picture that is diametrically opposed to reality.
Those of us who have covered the occupied territories have run into Israel’s Alice-in-Wonderland narratives, which we dutifully insert into our stories — required under the rules of American journalism — although we know they are untrue.

https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/israels-culture-of-deceit

Posted by: Exile | Dec 20 2023 15:32 utc | 10

“According to the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (BIRD)…
Posted by: bevin | Dec 20 2023 14:45 utc | 3
Is there any evidence that Bahrain warships will participate?
BIRD has usually been funded by the National Endowment of Democracy and the other usual regime change suspects. Like the Zionists who bet on every horse in any UK / US / EU / Can / Aus / NZ election these NED outfits always have their “opposition” candidates in the wings to let the rulers know: don’t be getting any ideas.
The thing that most frightens the Collective Waste right now is any kind of unity among Arab / Muslim countries or among rest of world more generally.
As far as I know, but correct me if I am wrong, Bahrain is “participating” because the USA has had a naval base there since the 1940s and it was part of the “independence” deal in 1971.
It’s not realistic to expect they can suddenly kick the US out after 80 years any more than Jordan can.
Am not defending them but saying that a country with 700,000 nationals, only a little larger than the population of Montenegro…your options are limited.

Posted by: pq | Dec 20 2023 15:49 utc | 12

Posted by: pq | Dec 20 2023 15:49 utc | 11
I am beginning to have this “it’s the end of the world as we know it” vibe.

Posted by: Jonathan W | Dec 20 2023 16:11 utc | 14

Quds News reports that according to Israeli news sites the Israeli 828 battalion in Shujaiya was ordered to execute any male “of fighting age”.
https://euromedmonitor.org/en/article/6041/%E2%80%9CNew-Guant%C3%A1namo%E2%80%9D:-Euro-Med-Monitor-calls-for-international-probe-into-Israel%E2%80%99s-torture-and-murder-of-Gaza-detainees
Testimonies gathered by Euro-Med Monitor teams confirm reports published by Israel’s Haaretznewspaper about Israeli field executions of Gazan detainees. Additional detainees have died after being subjected to extreme torture and mistreatment in the “Sde Teman” Israeli army camp, located between Beersheba and Gaza.
One of the released detainees, who requested anonymity for fear of retaliation, said that he witnessed Israeli soldiers directly shooting and killing five detainees in separate incidents. For its part, Haaretzreported that two Gazan detainees died in the Israeli army camp. But unlike in similar cases involving the deaths of prisoners in Israeli jails, the Israeli army chose not to announce the deaths.
According to Haaretz, one of the prisoners—a former employee in Israel—asked for medical treatment prior to his death, but the army ignored his request and kept him in appalling conditions, which ultimately caused his death.
Just 71 out of 500 detainees arrested during the ongoing violence have been brought before Israeli courts by the Israeli army, Haaretz noted; the remaining detainees have been moved to prisons run by the Israeli Prison Service or to detention facilities run by the Israeli General Security Service (Shin Bet).
Euro-Med Monitor reported the death of Palestinian worker Mansour Nabhan Muhammad Warsh on 3 November, only 24 hours after his arrest. His body was covered in bruises, which is evidence of handcuffing, and likely contributed to his fatal heart attack.
Palestinian worker Majed Ahmed Zaqul, 32, was proclaimed dead on 7 November in Israel’s Ofer Prison after being subjected to severe torture. The fate of hundreds of other Gaza Strip workers remains unknown.
Following their release from detention, the Israeli military has purposefully left Palestinian prisoners blindfolded, nearly nude, and kneeling on the ground, after subjecting them to all forms of beatings and ill-treatment. Furthermore, Euro-Med Monitor stated that it has been unable to report the arrest of a single Palestinian resistance fighter at the time of this publication, either because fighters’ families have been unwilling to report such cases, or because the Israeli army has not disclosed the identities of the detainees or even actually captured any members of the resistance.
In fact, members of Israel’s army have forced some detainees to carry weapons, so that they can be filmed in order to support Israeli campaigns of arrests, torture, severe beatings, and other abuses, according to testimonies obtained by Euro-Med Monitor from recently released detainees. At the same time, the Israeli military has deliberately published shocking footage and photos showing Palestinian detainees blindfolded and nearly naked, kneeling on the ground being guarded by Israeli soldiers, or being transported in military buses to unknown destinations.
These random arrest campaigns have targeted doctors, nurses, journalists, and elderly people, including dozens of women, such as Hadeel Youssef Issa Al-Dahdouh. In an inhumane scene, Al-Dahdouh appears in a photo alongside a group of naked men in an Israeli military truck.

Posted by: pq | Dec 20 2023 16:11 utc | 16

…..51% of US 18-24 year old believe Israel shouldn’t exist, and 2/3s of 18-24 year olds believe Israelis are oppressors…….
That’s a shocking poll. Maybe Hannah Arendt and Albert Einstein were correct when they predicted the Likud was a danger to Jewish people everywhere.
These 18-24s have entirely rejected their entire schooling as well as the media narrative they have known from infancy. Reflect on the implications.

Posted by: Exile | Dec 20 2023 16:32 utc | 18

From Intel Republic on Telegram
WE HAVE MEANS TO SINK YOUR FLEET’S SHIPS, SUBMARINES, AIRCRAFT CARRIERS – resounding warning to US creating international coalition (to steal oil) against Houthis in Red Sea by Yemeni Defense Minister Mohammed Nasser al-Atafi (pictured bottom left next to rebel group’s arsenal).
Suppose Saudi Arabia and Emirates become part of any coalition to attack Yemen. In that case, we will not leave any oil or gas field in those countries, and we will strike all ships transporting their oil – Houthi top official Al-Bukhaiti.
Even if America manages to mobilize entire world, our military operations will not stop until crimes of genocide in Gaza Strip cease, and food, medicine, fuel are allowed to reach besieged populations, no matter the cost – Al-Bukhaiti.
Also, Iran reaffirms logistical and intel assistance to Yemen in its operations, declares “we will stand with Yemeni people till the end”.

Posted by: Perimetr | Dec 20 2023 16:39 utc | 20

@Posted by: Exile | Dec 20 2023 15:32 utc | 10

The brazenness of Israeli lies stunned those of us who reported from Gaza. It did not matter if we had seen the Israeli attack, including the shooting of unarmed Palestinians.
It did not matter how many witnesses we interviewed. It did not matter what photographic and forensic evidence we obtained. Israel lied. Small lies. Big lies. Huge lies.
These lies came reflexively and instantly from the Israeli military, Israeli politicians and Israeli media. They were amplified by Israel’s well-oiled propaganda machine and repeated with a cloying sincerity on international news outlets.
Israel engages in the kinds of jaw-dropping lies that characterize despotic regimes. It does not deform the truth, it inverts it. It paints a picture that is diametrically opposed to reality.
Those of us who have covered the occupied territories have run into Israel’s Alice-in-Wonderland narratives, which we dutifully insert into our stories — required under the rules of American journalism — although we know they are untrue.

https://chrishedges.substack.com/p/israels-culture-of-deceit
Thanks for that
Will add it to my summary list:
Zionists are brazen liars, con artists and purveyors of jaw-dropping delusions.
The IDF knew months in advance of Hamas’ Oct 7th plans.
Initially they claimed to have been surprised by the attack,
then weeks later the NYT revealed it was no surprise, so the IDF
trolled another excuse via they NYT – “we thought Hamas’s plan was overreaching dreams”.
The IDF witnessed Hamas practicing their plans.
The Zionists continued with their false-flag plans.
Mossad had spooks crawling all over Gaza.
No acknowledgement of this by anyone, raising big questions about how they could have
not known about Hamas’ imminent Oct 7th plans.
The IDF withdrew the majority of their forces around Gaza just in time for Oct 7th.
More Zionist brazen excuses.
The IDF delayed their response to the Hamas jail break for hours.
Zionists are stalling on explaining this, “will investigate this after we destroy Hamas”.
The IDF implemented the Hannibal Directive thus multiplying the number of casualties,
which casualties provided license to Netanyahu to attack Gaza.
Zionists then sought to silence dissent over genocide with the old canard about
“antisemitism”.

Posted by: librul | Dec 20 2023 16:46 utc | 22

Looks like we’re gonna need a Yemen thread now too…
Posted by: Ahenobarbus | Dec 20 2023 16:15 utc | 16
God created war so that Americans would learn geography. (Mark Twain)

Posted by: Jonathan W | Dec 20 2023 16:49 utc | 24

Bethlehem, occupied West Bank – The churches of Palestine have announced the cancellation of all festive Christmas celebrations in an expression of unity with Gaza and rejection of the ongoing aggression against Palestinians, limiting them to masses and prayers.
In Bethlehem, the Lutheran Church decided that its Christmas nativity scene would reflect the reality of children living and being born in Palestine today, placing the symbolic Baby Jesus in a manger of rubble and destruction.
Interview with Pastor:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nY9hkS_B_sk

Posted by: Kim Sky | Dec 20 2023 16:57 utc | 26

b@24….if not mistaken, the forces currently occupying Palestine were heavily involved with assistance to Saudi Arabia in their war with Yemen. Maybe even got an island outpost for their troubles. Gaza provides an outlet for Karma to be a real bitch…..
Cheers M

Posted by: sean the leprechaun | Dec 20 2023 17:09 utc | 28

Posted by: b | Dec 20 2023 16:53 utc | 24
Thank you for the post b.

Posted by: Forest | Dec 20 2023 17:19 utc | 30

@Posted by: bevin | Dec 20 2023 14:45 utc | 3
Regarding Bahrain. And why that place has not so suddenly been put into the fray against the Shiites and Palestinians.
The fearless Craig Murray has been writing knowledgeably for many years about many despotic activities of the British Imperial Officers. Him having been one. Though not the sort bred at Eton to go do evil upon natives … do a search on his site for the Country and there are articles going back years. Relevant then and even more now.
This one with the film at the beginning is a must watch about Bahrain. It was done just 10 years ago with Cameron as PM – back now as Foreign Minister, an Old Etonian as usual. With added spice of the then appointed Policeman, ex chief of the Met Police of London, Yates. The one who covered up phone hacking by Murdochs News International…
It’s been a crappy world for centuries ruled by such characters – of which Bozo is one and even Sunak though he went to Winchester , the other school where such masters are created.
“Bahrain Opposition Meeting at Frontline Club
February 23, 2013 in Uncategorized by craig | View Comments
Please, please, do watch the video that starts about three and a half minutes in. Absolutely horrifying yet hilarious brief account of British complicity in torture and repression in Bahrain over sixty years.“
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2013/05/british-embassy-promotes-depotism-in-bahrain/
All should check it out and the other articles he has on the subject.
P.S I f you don’t know yet the persecuted Murray is currently having to stay out of the U.K. as the Crown Fascist U.K. State wants to silence him – again. Do follow and support as I do.

Posted by: DunGroanin | Dec 20 2023 17:24 utc | 32

If the NED does support the democrats
Posted by: bevin | Dec 20 2023 16:37 utc | 18
They are not “democrats”, they are puppets. The Economist, FT, NYT, etc. with the regularity of the phases of the moon keep churning out some nonsense about Sunni Shia blabla in Bahrain (and other countries in West Asia). This is done on purpose to create a narrative: not only is West Asia full of terrorists but they are always fighting each otherand they only ever have repressive rulers.
I know plenty of Muslims and non Muslims who have worked in the Gulf countries including Bahrain. Life is comfortable. I can assure that this Sunni Shia thing appears more in the garbage from the Economist and Financial Times than in daily life in the Gulf.
The main human rights abuses in Bahrain occur with respect to low income workers in exactly the same way these abuses exist in the EU and USA.

Posted by: Pq | Dec 20 2023 17:34 utc | 34

…..51% of US 18-24 year old believe Israel shouldn’t exist, and 2/3s of 18-24 year olds believe Israelis are oppressors…….
That’s a shocking poll. Maybe Hannah Arendt and Albert Einstein were correct when they predicted the Likud was a danger to Jewish people everywhere.
These 18-24s have entirely rejected their entire schooling as well as the media narrative they have known from infancy. Reflect on the implications.
Posted by: Exile | Dec 20 2023 16:32 utc | 17
Robespierre was dead a year after he began the Terror revolution guillotining the Nobles/Elite.
Bolshevism, Mao revolutions were just as violent.
The Woke Revolution, curated by many Jewish academics, have created a Frankenstein that will kill THEIR (not he, not she) Creator.
So yes, as you adroitly pointed out, Einstein and Arendt could be quite prescient.

Posted by: canuck | Dec 20 2023 17:52 utc | 36

I liked part of the ending of Pepe Escobar’s latest that karlof1 at#30 above linked to

An axiom should be set in stone: Washington would rather bet on a possible, deep global recession than simply allowing a humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. The recession may well turbo-charge a widespread economic collapse of the collective West, and an even more rapid rise of multipolarity.

The lies and rules based order of the God Of Mammon is being challenged successfully.
We see that they act like barbarians and we wonder if they love their children enough to see our species not go extinct by poor loser barbarity. I am good with the global challenge to end this cancer of elitism in our species even if it results in our planet becoming a nuclear waste zone for an eon.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 20 2023 17:59 utc | 38

Posted by: sln2002 | Dec 20 2023 18:06 utc | 38
Where have we heard that before? Ah yes, Afghanistan.

Posted by: Jonathan W | Dec 20 2023 18:11 utc | 40

The US Navy has no defense against a so “simple” way to destroy ships as hundreds of sea mines, there are tons of articles and comments about this, so if the Houthies start to mine seriously Bab El Mandeb, the ships of the US naval “Coalition” is FUBAR, and will FUBAR the world economy.
This is an example of the kind of “skills” the US Navy has about sea mines some years ago, and because they consider to fight mines “old fashioned” nothing have changed:
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/us-navy-allies-find-less-than-half-the-sea-mines-planted-in-key-exercise
Below is a comment of a Navy vet about the situation of the mine sweepers in the US Navy around 3 years ago, and I am sure things now are even in worse shape:
“MCM/MW was my specialty. The US has eleven MCM vessels with four stationed in Bahrain and four stationed in Japan. The vessels are between 25 and 30 years old and not that capable and from what I’ve seen, the operators are not that impressive.
The equipment is reasonably capable of detecting moored mines but seems to have problems detecting ground mines (though that could be due to the training of the operators).
Using helicopters to search for, and clear mines, is great in theory, but not in practice. They also make great targets in a narrow channel like the Strait of Hormuz. In fact every MCM vessel makes for a great target. Clearance is done at slow speed and along a predictable path.
All Iran has to do is declare that they’ve laid a minefield and all shipping is halted until that field is cleared. And that can take months to get the theoretical maximum clearance rate of 99%. If they actually lay a minefield, clearance will depend on what type of mines were laid. There are some pretty sneaky types out there. In one exercise three dummy ground mines were laid in a channel, we swept the exercise area and found five mine-like objects with the towed array. We found the three dummy mines plus two WWII Japanese mines that were in a Q-route that had been swept probably 50 or more times. Clearance is never 100%.
The Brits used to be the world’s best in MCM, but they like most other navies, treat MCM/MW as the bastard child that no-one wants to acknowledge until the SHTF. If Iran does lay a minefield in the Strait of Hormuz, I predict a clusterf@ck of monumental proportions”
This comment was related to a possible conflict with Iran, but it applies to a conflict in any Straight in the world against any adversary that can field some hundreds mines and have some cruise or even raw artillery system to hunt slow moving wooden mine sweepers trying to detect hundreds of sea mines in a narrow area near hostile defenses of all kind, the perfect place for an ambush.
The US Navy still thinks it is in 1945….

Posted by: Dave | Dec 20 2023 18:16 utc | 42

RE: “ The lies and rules based order of the God Of Mammon is being challenged successfully.”
Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 20 2023 17:59 utc | 37
Not really. We’ve had very intentional booms and busts by the Federal Reserve since inception. The notorious “bubble blowers”. A “recession” (bust) was always in the cards.
True, they’ve sucked the “Fiat” ruse almost dry, but they’ve got the “new system” ready, just like when they did the Gold Standard switch.
“Multipolar” is currently a nice catch phrase… but BRICS currently uses over 70% of US $$ with their members (may even be more)
Russia is the only nation right now with the least amount of treasury holdings and least amount of $$ exchange.
Most nations are far, far from transitioning to national currency’s. Multipolar is really more “political pushback atm”. It’ll get there, but not hard to see looking at Israel particularly, the West still has globe by the nuts.

Posted by: Trubind1 | Dec 20 2023 18:26 utc | 44

The Americans are delaying a vote at the UNSC in favour of a separate negotiation occurring between CIA, Mossad, and PM of Qatar – with hostages primary topic of conversation. Hamas apparently has several big-ticket “guests”. Between the lines: Israel has made no progress finding captives through its military operations, and has not achieved much success on the ground for its stated goal of “eliminating” Hamas. The negotiations probably involve finding a means of “face-saving” for the IDF and Israel’s war cabinet, that would not be available simply on the terms of UNSC ceasefire.
Meanwhile, Gaza’s civilian population continues to be pounded:
“Before the bombing, they threw lightning bombs, followed by a sudden, blinding flash, then by the horrific sound of a missile lasting approximately nine seconds. Then came an explosion that violently shook our area. We had to run from one house to another during the night; it was horrifying. I never imagined witnessing this in my life, especially with my children.” 
Reflecting on the unprecedented nature of the attacks, Sama said: “I’ve witnessed all the escalations and wars against Gaza, but I have never heard these kinds of weapons or missile sounds before. It seems they are trying new kinds of weapons on us. The house shook as if it were our own that got bombed.”
“Today, December 20, the Israeli tanks have retreated, and the bombing is less severe compared to yesterday. The daytime seems less stressful. However, after 7 pm, the equation changes; they bomb us during the nighttime. We’ve made it this far, but we cannot guarantee we will survive another night.”
https://www.middleeasteye.net/live-blog/live-blog-update/we-witnessed-death-palestinians-recount-heavy-overnight-bombardment

Posted by: jayc | Dec 20 2023 18:39 utc | 46

Yemen is part of the resistance, no extra thread needed.
FULL Speech HIGHLIGHTS of AnsarAllah leader, Abdul-Malik al-Houthi’s speech: … part 2 part 3 part 4
Posted by: b | Dec 20 2023 16:53 utc | 24
+++++++++++++++++
A very impressive, highly articulate list of “highlights.”
Might be worth putting the text into a post here.
The only entity that is putting its existence and its honor on the line to STOP THE GENOCIDE.

Posted by: Jane | Dec 20 2023 18:48 utc | 48

@ Trubind1 | Dec 20 2023 18:26 utc | 43 with the response to my claim of movement against the God Of Mammon (GOM) cult….thanks
I want the transition to happen or fail in my life time and am 75 so, yes, I am pushing for its reality or not.
There will never be the perfect time as the GOM cult will crash the system to foil attempts to make it better…..but I think that it is too late for that strategy to work given the recent events showing barbarism cancer of the GOM cult and followers
Its all just numbers and agreements on the exchange rate perturbations from one group of numbers (nation) to others…..there just needs to be the global will to walk a different road when forced to by the sore losers.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 20 2023 18:50 utc | 50

Where have we heard that before?
Posted by: Jonathan W | Dec 20 2023 18:11 utc | 39
more recently, NDAA 2024 line item:
Hicks Underscores U.S. Innovation in Unveiling Strategy to Counter China’s Military Buildup

Under the strategy, coined by Hicks as the replicator initiative, the Defense Department will field thousands of autonomous systems [drones] across multiple domains [land, air, sea, stratosphere] within the next 18 to 24 months.

ahahahaha

She said, through the initiative, the U.S. will augment its manufacturing and mobilization capabilities “with our real comparative advantage, which is the innovation and spirit of our people.”
[…]
Attritable capabilities refer to platforms that are unmanned and built affordably, allowing commanders to tolerate a higher degree of risk in employing them.

random number generator

“We must ensure the PRC leadership wakes up every day, considers the risks of aggression and concludes, ‘today is not the day’—and not just today, but every day, between now and 2027, 2035, 2049, and beyond,” Hicks said.

in other words…
Pentagon Wants to Buy 1,000s of Small, Cheap, Autonomous Drones in Next Two Year

…What this clearly communicates is DOD’s sense of urgency, which I think is totally appropriate,’ Caitlin Lee, the director of the Acquisition and Technology Policy Program at the RAND Corporation, told Air & Space Forces Magazine….

Posted by: sln2002 | Dec 20 2023 18:54 utc | 52

Posted by: bevin | Dec 20 2023 15:31 utc | 9
Legally, per international law, Bahrain was claimed by Iran. The empire arrived in 19th (iirc) and setup shop with the local sheikhs as was their M.O.
As part of the negotiations with US and UK for the exit of British navy from the Persian Gulf and assumption of that role by Iran, the Shah agreed that Bahrain could hold a referendum to determine their choice and they chose independence. Tandem with this, UK asked for Iran’s blessing of the creation of United Arab Emirates which they got. Untold to the shah was the fact that Iran was never intended to be the “gendarme of the Middle East” and the shah fell for a bait-and-switch trap. In 1979, precisely at the time when Seven Sisters were going to have to agree to an entirely different contractural relationship with Iran, the Shah’s regime fell and within a few years, it was the US navy that ultimately replaced UK in Persian Gulf and ultimately CENTOM was born.
Alam’s diaries are a good source in English for first hand account of what was discussed in those years in the court.

Posted by: robinthehood | Dec 20 2023 19:06 utc | 54

“attritable capabilities”
SURGES to Top 10 wtaf room where “humane war” and “human execution” co-mingle with “femicide”.

Posted by: sln2002 | Dec 20 2023 19:12 utc | 56

Stating the obveous, the whole game is rigged.
Any westen hand wringing is just a sham, a deliberate time wasting ploy, envolving the polatiatians, media and military. Sucssesfully turning the days into weeks and weeks into months. Whilst the sickening butchery carry’s on and esculates on several levals including trauma, starvation deprivation of medical care and medicine.
No sign of an international arrest warrent on netinyahoo.
Rank hypocracy, only do what thou wilt.
When do we acept that as the reality and play by those rules their rules.
And dont tell me that would make us as bad as them it wouldent.
One is violence one is self defence.
Couse and effect, nataral justice. Its that or capitulation.
What else is ther.
Were all palistinians now.

Posted by: Mark2 | Dec 20 2023 19:30 utc | 58

Al-Qassem Daily SITREP day 75:
Aside from 3 Merkavas claimed, no daily SITREP published. Has happened before

Posted by: Exile | Dec 20 2023 19:42 utc | 60

Posted by: Pq | Dec 20 2023 17:34 utc | 33
Democrats are not necessarily democrats, like a Radical party does not need to be radical. Actually, the word “opportunist” was a self-description of Radical Party in France toward the end of 19th century (“possibilist” was another term). With all differences, Opportunist Party would be a better description for Democrats (or English Labour), but for historical reasons…

Posted by: Piotr Berman | Dec 20 2023 19:50 utc | 62

Here’re two relevant Q&As posed at today’s Briefing by Zakharova:

Question: White House spokesman John Kirby said that the United States is concerned with the Israeli authorities about the incidents involving civilian deaths in Gaza. He also said that killing civilians in Gaza was not part of Israel’s plans: “They are not trying to deliberately kill civilians.” How would you comment on these statements?
Maria Zakharova: It seems to me that such a statement could be made by a person who simply has no ideas (or he had them, but lost them) about decency, honour, humanism, law, and legality. Lack of conscience may be the only justification for such statements.
Question: Could you also give a general assessment of the US position on Gaza, given that it vetoed another ceasefire resolution and the US Secretary of State visited Israel with military support?
Maria Zakharova: If you are asking us about our assessment of the US position on the situation in Gaza in the light of the veto of another ceasefire resolution in the enclave and so on, the position of the US leadership, the establishment – those who draft it – can be described as anti-Semitic.
Both Israelis and Palestinians are Semites. Everything the U.S. does is directed against both Israelis and Palestinians. U.S. policy in the region is leading to the death of both. And moreover, to the intensification of the crisis in the Middle East. Not to de-escalate the situation, but only to deteriorate the overall situation and create risks for the future of the region that could have a truly fatal result. [My Emphasis]

I’ll eventually have selections from her briefing translated and posted in an article once the original transcript is finished being posted. The Briefing lasted almost 2.5 hours.
librul | Dec 20 2023 19:38 utc | 58–
Thanks for your reply. I agree with your analysis. On your other question, a pause isn’t an ending, and Ansarallah was very clear thet the siege must stop for its interdiction to cease.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 20 2023 19:56 utc | 64

@Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 20 2023 19:56 utc | 63
Gloves off

Question: White House spokesman John Kirby said that the United States is concerned with the Israeli authorities about the incidents involving civilian deaths in Gaza. He also said that killing civilians in Gaza was not part of Israel’s plans: “They are not trying to deliberately kill civilians.” How would you comment on these statements?
Maria Zakharova: It seems to me that such a statement could be made by a person who simply has no ideas (or he had them, but lost them) about decency, honour, humanism, law, and legality. Lack of conscience may be the only justification for such statements.

Or should I say, gloves slapped across the face.

Posted by: librul | Dec 20 2023 20:08 utc | 66

Those 3 carrier groups are getting mighty long in the tooth : stuff must be breaking all the time on those ships after this extended deployment. Bailing wire and duct tape only goes so far.

Posted by: Exile | Dec 20 2023 20:10 utc | 68

Re: cheap drones by the thousands
The organization that buys $15,000 coffee makers, $5,000 toilet years , and $5,000 155mm shells ain‘t ever going to spec and buy ‚cheap‘ drones

Posted by: Exile | Dec 20 2023 20:12 utc | 70

” Maria Zakharova: It seems to me that such a statement could be made by a person who simply has no ideas (or he had them, but lost them) about decency, honour, humanism, law, and legality. Lack of conscience may be the only justification for such statements.
Or should I say, gloves slapped across the face.
Posted by: librul | Dec 20 2023 20:08 utc | 65 ”
Words are just empty, hollow vessels unless backed up by action. She wont even call out the Zionist entity directly. Shameful.

Posted by: Moonie | Dec 20 2023 20:15 utc | 72

No, the USN counted on allied navies for mine warfare during the Cold War.
There has been some effort add capabilieties IIRC: modules for the LCS, perhaps some add on for destroyers but I am not sure anything of substance has come out of the effort.
Posted by: Satepestage | Dec 20 2023 19:57 utc | 64
Yes I know what ally navy do you mean US count for mine warfare: UK, whose navy believe is in 1918.
The Royal Navy is a (bad) joke.
In an era of camouflaged anti-ship cruise missiles and heavy drones mine clearance is an impossible task that at the end requieres “boots on the ground” to clear hundreds of kilometers around the coast, and then it is when things could turn very very very really interesting….

Posted by: Dave | Dec 20 2023 20:24 utc | 74

The Guardian reports that a Rwandan doctor Sosthene Munyemana has been jailed for 24 years by a French court for his involvement in the 1994 genocide of Tutsis. The public prosecutor had sought a sentence of 30 years, arguing that the “sum total” of his choices showed “the traits of a genocidaire”. Specifically
– he helped draft a letter of support for the then interim government
– he was accused of helping set up roadblocks to round people up and keeping them in inhumane conditions
Meanwhile in 75 days Israel has only killed 20,000 people + 8,000 missing. 52,000 injured. Most hospitals destroyed. Random destruction of civilian infrastructure. Torture. Executions of civilians on sight in West Bank (300 dead since Oct 7). Siege denying water, food, fuel, medical aid, telecoms. Targeted killings of doctors, journalists and their familiies. Ran over injured people with a bulldozer burying them alive. They did it again last night.
Nothing to see here. Move along.

Posted by: pq | Dec 20 2023 20:44 utc | 76

When did an eye for an eye (Beside the fact the Israeli’s government deliberately left the drawbridge down) turn into an eye for ten eyes?

Posted by: phenon | Dec 20 2023 21:00 utc | 78

Oh well, some don’t understand what is deemed strong language and damning language within diplomacy-speak. FYI–that’s the first time any Russian official has called out the Outlaw US Empire for directly killing both Palestinians and Zionists. In short, the Outlaw US Empire’s entire actions over the decades of its interference in trying to establish the internationally agreed upon solution for Palestine are blatantly Anti-Semitic, thus overturning decades of Establishment Narrative.

Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 20 2023 21:07 utc | 80

Words are just empty, hollow vessels unless backed up by action. She wont even call out the Zionist entity directly. Shameful.
Posted by: Moonie | Dec 20 2023 20:15 utc | 71

You are right, lip service game again and again. But it’s not only Russia, look at China.
China have a military base on the other side of Bab-al-Mandab, in Djibouti, but not a single beep from there toward US strike groups jamming the strait.
I was watching the video of one of the recent ships sanctioned by Yemen the other day, with several Cosco (Chinese Shipping group) containers on it. Shame, shame, shame …!

Posted by: Framarz | Dec 20 2023 21:21 utc | 82

John Helmer at Dances with bears does excellent forensic journalism drawing the conclusion that Israel and the US are using neutron weapons. This is a war crime. Add it to the list.
https://johnhelmer.org/new-evidence-that-israel-is-using-a-new-uranium-weapon-make-that-the-neutron-bomb/

Posted by: eagle eye | Dec 20 2023 21:27 utc | 84

If they actually say it is deliberate they will be fired… but they do everything except state the obvious: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-12-21/israel-gaza-map-blocks-warning-system-contradictory/103187116

Posted by: Rae | Dec 20 2023 21:28 utc | 86

“Oh well, some don’t understand what is deemed strong language and damning language within diplomacy-speak. FYI–that’s the first time any Russian official has called out the Outlaw US Empire for directly killing both Palestinians and Zionists. In short, the Outlaw US Empire’s entire actions over the decades of its interference in trying to establish the internationally agreed upon solution for Palestine are blatantly Anti-Semitic, thus overturning decades of Establishment Narrative.”
Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 20 2023 21:07 utc | 79
I wholeheartedly agree.

Posted by: canuck | Dec 20 2023 21:33 utc | 88

I want to share a little nuance in the reporting of the resistance. The Cradle has a posting up with the link below
https://new.thecradle.co/articles/us-base-struck-by-rockets-in-western-iraq
At the end of the posting they also reported

On 8 December, a rocket attack struck the vicinity of the US embassy in Baghdad’s Green Zone. A spokesman for Iraq’s armed forces announced on 14 December that Iraqi security services were involved in the attack.
“Our security services were able, after intense technical and intelligence efforts, to identify the perpetrators … Preliminary information showed that some of them, unfortunately, are connected to the security services,” said Major General Yahya Rasoul.
The Office of Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani said that day that an investigation into the embassy attack is ongoing.

I expect the US military in Iraq has lots of reasons to keep looking over their shoulders to see who might be sneaking up on them….lets hope they get stiff necks from twitching before leaving Iraq.

Posted by: psychohistorian | Dec 20 2023 21:40 utc | 90

I suggest that everyone, literally the whole world, take the fastest and absolutely free test for nationalism. Whether it exists, whether you are affected by it or not. Ask yourself: In order to feel empathy for a suffering child, do you need to know their nationality? If so, you are sick [My Emphasis]
I agree 100% with Maria. As Seuss tried to teach humans: Sneeches are Sneeches whether they have stars or no stars upon thars. If you love your child, then you should love all children regardless their ethnicity, nationality, or any other contrived otherness. Either a person is morally consistent or not. That’s what Maria’s message to Kirby amounted to, which seems to have flown over the heads of some barflies.
Posted by: karlof1 | Dec 20 2023 21:22 utc | 82
Do you agree that “nationalism” is the same as whatever you wish to call the mindset that only feels empathy for their own compatriots?
Bigotry is not “nationalism”. Ethnic chauvinism is not “nationalism”.
So we see Maria is packing a ideological barb in a seemingly innocent human expression. That is not just merely diplomatic speak. It is manipulative ideological speak which indicates Maria has had training with more than diplomatic corps of the Russian Federation.
> test for nationalism
Actually this was a test for the verbal comprehension of your rapt audience.

Posted by: robithehood | Dec 20 2023 21:52 utc | 92

Outlaw US Empire for directly killing both Palestinians and Zionists (@karlofi)
How on earth is Empire killing Zionists? Zionists own the US Congress, Senate, President, most of the current administration, the media, finance, academia. Scott Ritter explained and emphasized it again today on Danny Haiphong. AIPAC tried to recruit him when he was at MSNBC. He has spoken at length about how Israel was the one to get the US to invade Iraq in 2003. Aside from the issue of tail and dog, nobody asked Israel to bomb Gaza to rubble before sending soldiers in. That was their own brilliant decision. Live by the sword, die by the sword.
I highly recommend this interview by Rania Khalek at Breakthrough News for a great overview of history. Zionists have been killing Palestinians for a hundred years now, so it’s a bit much to blame it on Empire.
The History of Antisemitism, Zionism & Palestinian Resistance to Colonization, w/ As’ad Abukhalil
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7j2AmxLLNlk
TIL: The British double dealing of promising Palestine to the Hashemites in Mecca while concluding the Sykes Picot agreement with the French was revealed by the Bolsheviks in 1918 when they published it in Pravda. The Russian Empire had assented to this.
He emphasizes that the European zionists like Herzl had the same colonial mentality of not viewing the indigenous peoples of the area as people.
Israel is always screaming the problem is Iraq, no it’s Iran, no it’s Hamas, no it’s the PLO, no it’s Syria, it’s Lebanon. They always have some excuse and they’re the ones using Empire to do the fighting. Why aren’t they sending ships to the Genocide Guardian thing?
Like, how about drawing a line from the e in Acre to the K in Kirkuk. Palestine should do something like that: we’ll take everything from the H of Haifa to the T of Tel Aviv to the G of Galilee, down to the E of Eilat!

Posted by: pq | Dec 20 2023 21:54 utc | 94

I suggest that everyone, literally the whole world, take the fastest and absolutely free test for being a useful idiot. Whether it exists, whether you are affected by it or not. Ask yourself: In order to feel empathy for a suffering child, do you need to know if they are pro “empire” or pro “multi-polar”? If so you are of use, do write to us. We’re hiring!

Posted by: robinthehood | Dec 20 2023 22:04 utc | 96

robinthehood@53
The Baghdad Pact was signed in 1955 and CENTO, modelled after SEATO and NATO, a Cold war anti-communist organisationwas formed. The members were the UK, Turkey, Pakistan, Iraq and Iran.
It was dissolved, finally, in 1979 when the “Shah” was de-throned.
I think that the gentleman in question was well aawre of what his role was meant to be-a regional gendarme stamping out anything smacking of nationalism or communism.
Regarding the controversies over Russia and China and the role they are playing. Their position would seem to be that the basis of the problems in the Middle East lies in outside interference, not only from the Uited States but from the rest of the imperialist world.
It would make no sense, though it might excite some keyboard warriors, for them to do for the Palestinians what the Imperialists are doing for their champion.
Furthermore I don’t think that the Palestinians in Gaza- officially those the West Bank, represented by the PA are on Israel’s side- either expected or desired Sino-Russian military assistance.
What Russia and China are doing is to make it clear that Iran is under their nuclear shield- any attack on Iran will trigger an appropriate response.
In other words if the US and Europeans want to get any further involved in the oppression of Gaza and the persecution of Palestinians nobody in Moscow or Beijing is going to be surprised.
Disgusted: yes.
As all the world-the Rest of the World- is disgusted.
But like the RoW, the Russians and Chinese do not want a nuclear war and are not going to cause one by taking military action against the United States.
Instead the islamic world is slowly coming together and will do what is necessary. As so often in the history of Islam the initiative comes from the highlands of south west Arabia where the Frankincense, Myrrh and, more recently, the coffee comes from.
I see that Malaya has followed, despite the fact that its government is one that the US is said tohave helped install. In the wings Indonesia and Pakistan are clearing their throats- the people demand it- and Turkey, which has made much of its islamic connections in recent years is going to have to act too.
When they do-and they will- the world will have been transformed. Though there is no knowing how many posters here will mutter to themselves that history shouldn’t work that way: the Console should shout out GAME OVER and play a triumphant tune.
On the contrary, you will know that the Empire has been defeated when the forces that beat it protest that nothing has changed, and everything is as it always was.

Posted by: bevin | Dec 20 2023 22:35 utc | 98

” But like the RoW, the Russians and Chinese do not want a nuclear war and are not going to cause one by taking military action against the United States.
Posted by: bevin | Dec 20 2023 22:35 utc | 97 ”
Pure avoidance and excuses. Who said anything about military action against the US ? What about sanctions, a diplomatic embargo, an economic embargo, economic sanctions, referral to prosecute for war crimes etc …

Posted by: Moonie | Dec 20 2023 22:41 utc | 100