Avatar
CR
fd47fff135cf129da3f7ab451d592588dad29c0ea49390715e9f7a248b42adf1

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cy0nwd9n9ylo

“Mr Cohen said that the Irish government's intervention in the International Court of Justice risks "oversimplifying a highly complex and tragic conflict, unfairly isolating Israel, and undermining the integrity of the term 'genocide'"”

Is it possible he feels that way because Palestinian lives are not worthy of the term ‘genocide’?

https://www.reuters.com/world/saudi-arabia-abandons-pursuit-us-defence-treaty-over-israel-stalemate-2024-11-29/

Rather than serving US strategic interests, the irrational support for Israeli violence, seemingly unconditional, has only served to create antagonism and sour relations with the US in the region. One might say, this support hinders US strategic interests. What “interests” exactly does Israel serve the US, other than creating for it enemies?

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2ek2gkp9k2o

This is what America has been reduced to: ‘urging’ Israel not to use the weapons it has donated for attacking UN peacekeepers. All citizens of the US ought to be concerned when their government has to plead a country whose war is funded by the American tax payer (actually, by the whole world, for those who understand the monetary system at play).

Replying to Avatar NSmolenskiFan

I agree with Monbiot that both capitalism’s defenders *and* detractors rarely define it.

I find the following definition the most useful: “Capitalism is an economic system in which capital goods are put to work in order to generate more capital goods.” In other words, capitalism is a system in which growing productivity through capital investment is the main aim of economic activity. This is what differentiates capitalist economies from other types of commercial economies, and why it has been such a runaway engine of growth historically.

Importantly, you can have a capitalist economy in which the means of production are either privately or publicly owned. The question then becomes: what structures of ownership create optimal conditions for the generation of capital goods? In other words, what structure of ownership lends itself best to increasing the rate of economic growth in a human society? This is where economists from different schools genuinely disagree, and that disagreement needs to be made explicit and owned in order for political conversations to be actually productive.

Naturally, I agree with economists who have argued that returns on capital are most strongly incentivized under the conditions of private property protected by the rule of law. Societies that prioritize private property ownership will economically outperform societies in which the state is the owner of capital goods. This is what we should be debating, not whether “capitalism” (which is nothing more than a social technology) is “good” or “bad.”

So often you hear well-meaning young people complain about “capitalism” without knowing what it really means or what they’re advocating for

https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-news-10-01-2024-eb175dff6e46906caea8b9e43dfbd3da

Hamas supporters claim the Oct 7th attacks furthered the Palestinian cause. This is an extraordinary claim, given the death and destruction that has ensued, and the real threat of this conflict escalating out of control to regional war. This threat seems ever closer with the latest developments.

Not to mention the credible claims of innocent Israeli civilians being killed by Hamas, the act of which does constitute ‘terror’. Surely, Palestinians deserve both better leaders and adversaries.

https://apnews.com/article/us-troops-middle-east-israel-hezbollah-e37e2dbef573e33c0f8fb6a8103f27f1

It’s not in the US strategic interest to finance and enable the destruction of a region by a chronic perpetrator of aggression and war. Nevertheless, the myth that Israel serves US strategic interests continues to be propagated. There are strong reasons to believe the opposite is true.

Although it is hoped any local terrorist organisations can be reformed or replaced, there is little hope that state terrorist actors, including Israel, and, arguably, the US, can also be reformed or forced to desist.

A world war today will be devastating. It’s sad but true that the experiment in ‘democracy’ will come crumbling down, once it becomes clear it’s largely been a charade, and actually the same old human tricks are still at play - power and exploitation.

Well said. The purpose of acknowledging past wrongs is to prevent repeating similar wrongs, not to be personally guilty for what our ancestors did. It is correct to acknowledge the irony of stopping migrants coming into a country that was invaded by Europeans.

Actually, my personal opinion is that securing the border is wise, and that mass migration erodes diversity in cultures we see around the world. I think mass migration is not necessarily good for the migrants nor the residents, at least in the short and medium terms. There are also cultural conflicts that often occur.

However, it is also worth acknowledging that the US/West meddling in the foreigners affairs of the world creates conditions for people to want to leave their corrupt/impoverished countries. However, the financial manipulation that is at play is hopefully levelling out as other powers such as China rise, helping to balance the powers. BTC is arguably a libertarian movement divorced from traditional western “left-right” politics, and it would be better in my opinion for the above posters to realise this. Ultimately, we have to choose between right and wrong, and fairness and injustice. It’s unfortunate some quickly resort to “you are the enemy for raising some facts”.

Consider that europeans replaced the native people of what is today USA. Add to that South America, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the pillaging of Africa. Now, economic exploitation is at the heart of the West’s interaction with other nations, and, as mentioned by the other poster, that leads to people trying to emmigrate to America, a continent stolen/invaded by Europeans.

Both parties are corrupt in different and similar ways. Focusing on one point may distort perspective. The US government is now a den of partisan and self-interested people who are heavily influenced by lobbyists rather than the interests of citizens. Basically, the US government is a machine that is to be controlled or influenced for one’s own interests.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckgn5xkp3rko

Western nations have created a warring state they can no longer control or, to a large extent, influence. Rather, arguably, Israel yields powerful influence of the USA.

It’s not clear why the US is appearing to attempt to sponsor peace negotiations, when they are in large part responsible for the destruction Israel is dispensing. The US cannot absolve itself of responsibility and aggression by this political manoeuvring and manipulation.

https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hezbollah-war-ff2ec626f5d8883014f577b9a0cfaf1e

If any other world actor had boobie-trapped thousands of devices with explosives and detonated them simultaneously and in indiscriminate locations, they would have been labelled terrorists. Being the primary enablers of the state of Israel, the US shares in the responsibility of state-orchestrated terror.

https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-pagers-hamas-gaza-war-df4c835ee3d1471e79d1a7fe951226bf

Why is the question whether Israel is prepared? There is little doubt about the adversarial conduct of the USA towards the Middle East, all the while the myth is perpetuated that Israel serves a strategic interest for the US. This myth is perpetuated in large part by Americans whose allegiance is first to Israel and second to America. The US, meanwhile, largely funds Israel’s wars and atrocities, at cost to US tax payers.

https://apnews.com/article/uk-israel-arms-sales-c13210a21f1df7ef060f06a7a34addd1

One day, the world will look back with condemnation at the West’s enabling of the destruction of Gaza, a small, impoverished enclave. The same West that, in the centuries prior, had also been persecuting and/or murdering jews. Perhaps a knack for being on the wrong side?

The US has and continues to conduct unethical policies in the world arena, at cost to its long-term financial viability and political credibility.