A fascinating series of recent event have demonstrated that the Arab world is capable of defying US and Israeli ambitions. What is this about? And why is this happening now?
I sincerely hope that the Arab world does not go back on this. They have been weak over decades, for maybe good reason but they need to be bold big time
I know the stakes are hardly comparable, but as a Canadian I would say that my country is experiencing a similarly welcome spine-stiffening in response to Trump's outrageous claims against our sovereignty. Thank you Alon.
Canada has almost no leverage in any dispute with U$A, at this moment.
The minimum would be to cutoff the U$A from Canada's oil and gas, but Canada cannot defend itself if the U$A goes rogue.
I speculated that if Canada chose to "seriously fight back" the 82nd Airborne, or something like that would occupy Fort Mac and Cold lake only has ~ 1000 personnel.
Canada will need to join a global rebuke to the U$A, also requiring to change it's bigotry towards various powerful countries.
Fatmerica was never our friend; Canada is just a convenience market for them.
Separate comment, because it's another topic: that's a good observation about how the new Amerikan regime has so many people who speak bluntly because they're not elites. Courtiers can lie seamlessly, but it's not natural to bumpkins. No insult meant to jes' plain folks -- more of them should have power! Some Trumpkins, such as Marco Rubio, are elitists, and he can speak the coded language of deception. The Cabinet members who operate in the economic realm are not shooting their mouths off honestly. They're operating quietly outside the spotlight, because it's more efficient to loot things that way. Remember how in the first Trump admin, Steve Mnuchin at Treasury was there for the entire four years, while the loud clowns in non-financial departments were on constant "You're Fired!" rotation.
Anyway, mad props for giving us another insight to the psychology of a ruling class. Just as you did with your explanation of why Satanyahu WANTS the world to hate Israel, so the colonialists will be paranoid and rally around the Star of David flag. (The first time I saw a photo of that SoD ring that the Trump errand woman was wearing, I thought "that MUST be a Photoshop job. Nobody would rub it in the Lebanese faces so blatantly." Yet it was real...) You are excellent at diagnosing the psychosis of ruling classes. Now if only you could get them put on medications for their mental condition. There are injectable forms if they won't swallow the tablets.
You know who we haven't heard from about the Trumproposed ethnic cleansing of Gaza? The Syrians. Jordan and Egypt might show enough of a spine to refuse the plan make them the delivery address for the exiled survivors of the genocide. But Satanyahu and the rest of the Zio-owned West has knocked off Assad and replaced him with a regime of head-chopping compradors. The powers who pull the strings of Jolani, or whatever he's calling himself this week, could have their puppet say "In the name of Islamic mercy, WE will allow our Muslim brothers to seek shelter in our land." And the next day, NazIDF goons with guns will start rounding up Gazans and stuffing them onto buses bound for the border that nazIsrael shares with Headchoppyria. That border zone has gotten so much larger with all the land that Israel has grabbed in the past two months, eh? New tent cities in the Golan Heights and on the side of Mount Hermon! I can't claim this is an original idea of mine. Elijah Magnier (who I read via Nitter or Xcancel since I never signed up with fElon's mob) floated it in a Twaat last week. I've been waiting to see if anyone else ran with the idea but the word "Syria" has been absent from the commentary. That would align with the interests of Satanyahu, Trumpanyahu and the headchoppers. The latter owe their masters a favour for all weapons they got to bash Bashar.
You make good points Alon. Biden's silken lies were hard to counter, particularly when hard-won Arab (and world) solidarity in the UN is annulled by US veto. Trump's vulgarity triggers a defensive response from proud Arabs steeped in rich history, particularly when his narcissism demands they kiss his ring in the public square. I hope you're right that we're seeing the tide turn.
Thank you Alon and for your invaluable Mizrahi perspective. Love the title. It feels me with joy to see the Arab world standing its ground as you have described it here. My current “homework” is the reading of “Orientalism” by Edward Said because I’ve been wanting to know about the origins of the demonization and distortion of Arab culture: its history, religious practices, etc. in the so-called West. Thanks again.
I do find your ideas very compelling, and welcome. Trump has not given the craven rulers of the Arab countries, nor any of the others, any cover that would allow them to "make a deal." It's a good thing that the machinations have had the covers thrown off, and these messages have been so swiftly rejected.
What you describe in this new US leadership is likely irremediable. I don't see much opportunity for any fast pivoting amongst this bunch. The bludgeoning approach might work for casino operators and real estate moguls, but not in more subtle minds which reside amongst those whom they will have to deal with.
It's good to see some optimism for a change. Thank you!
A truly inspirational piece, as was the one you did immediately prior to this. You're more unique, concrete, invested, and on the ground emotionally and psychologically than most of the writers/commenters who generally and often correctly criticize the Arab states in this dynamic. What you express and reveal, which most of these others don't or can't, are the important underlying nuances in their contextual underlying dynamics. Americans of all stripes find it near impossible to challenge the arbitrary imposition of "humiliate yourself or else." Ask Kyrie Irving; RFK Jr.; the president of Columbia; etc. and down the line socioeconomically. How much harder it has to be for these adjacent nations and peoples.
‘The Mizrahi Perspective’ actually caught my eye. It’s is a great choice, accurate and pedagogical in one shot. And it sounds good, too.
Your last two commentaries since Trump’s announcement of his real estate ambitions for Gaza have given me more solid reasons to be hopeful. You’ve provided even the most modest activist/observer a key to recognizing these subtle signs of resistance which until now would have been both undetectable and unimaginable. Now I get why Hezbollah was ‘not allowed’ to be in the Lebanese government yet was included within hours. I may allow myself a slight inner jubilation while waiting for the tide to really turn.
I love this! Alon, you have given me the first feeling of hope for our world that I have had since I realized Obama is a member of the oligarch team. You have very clearly made your point, and it makes a lot of sense.
The video gets stuck at just 4 seconds in. I don't know if this happens only on my system or if there is a problem with the video itself. At any rate I'm glad I could read the transcript.
Oh, that's a shame. I know it sounds obvious, but have you tried refreshing the page? If anyone else reports a problem I'll reload the video. Hope a refresh will help
It still doesn't work for me here, but I was able to watch it on Youtube without a problem. I had already read the transcript, of course. Anyway, thanks very much for all your very important work.
So American governance has gone from Michael Corleone to Tony Montana.
I hope they are well armed!
I sincerely hope that the Arab world does not go back on this. They have been weak over decades, for maybe good reason but they need to be bold big time
I know the stakes are hardly comparable, but as a Canadian I would say that my country is experiencing a similarly welcome spine-stiffening in response to Trump's outrageous claims against our sovereignty. Thank you Alon.
Canada has almost no leverage in any dispute with U$A, at this moment.
The minimum would be to cutoff the U$A from Canada's oil and gas, but Canada cannot defend itself if the U$A goes rogue.
I speculated that if Canada chose to "seriously fight back" the 82nd Airborne, or something like that would occupy Fort Mac and Cold lake only has ~ 1000 personnel.
Canada will need to join a global rebuke to the U$A, also requiring to change it's bigotry towards various powerful countries.
Fatmerica was never our friend; Canada is just a convenience market for them.
Separate comment, because it's another topic: that's a good observation about how the new Amerikan regime has so many people who speak bluntly because they're not elites. Courtiers can lie seamlessly, but it's not natural to bumpkins. No insult meant to jes' plain folks -- more of them should have power! Some Trumpkins, such as Marco Rubio, are elitists, and he can speak the coded language of deception. The Cabinet members who operate in the economic realm are not shooting their mouths off honestly. They're operating quietly outside the spotlight, because it's more efficient to loot things that way. Remember how in the first Trump admin, Steve Mnuchin at Treasury was there for the entire four years, while the loud clowns in non-financial departments were on constant "You're Fired!" rotation.
Anyway, mad props for giving us another insight to the psychology of a ruling class. Just as you did with your explanation of why Satanyahu WANTS the world to hate Israel, so the colonialists will be paranoid and rally around the Star of David flag. (The first time I saw a photo of that SoD ring that the Trump errand woman was wearing, I thought "that MUST be a Photoshop job. Nobody would rub it in the Lebanese faces so blatantly." Yet it was real...) You are excellent at diagnosing the psychosis of ruling classes. Now if only you could get them put on medications for their mental condition. There are injectable forms if they won't swallow the tablets.
You know who we haven't heard from about the Trumproposed ethnic cleansing of Gaza? The Syrians. Jordan and Egypt might show enough of a spine to refuse the plan make them the delivery address for the exiled survivors of the genocide. But Satanyahu and the rest of the Zio-owned West has knocked off Assad and replaced him with a regime of head-chopping compradors. The powers who pull the strings of Jolani, or whatever he's calling himself this week, could have their puppet say "In the name of Islamic mercy, WE will allow our Muslim brothers to seek shelter in our land." And the next day, NazIDF goons with guns will start rounding up Gazans and stuffing them onto buses bound for the border that nazIsrael shares with Headchoppyria. That border zone has gotten so much larger with all the land that Israel has grabbed in the past two months, eh? New tent cities in the Golan Heights and on the side of Mount Hermon! I can't claim this is an original idea of mine. Elijah Magnier (who I read via Nitter or Xcancel since I never signed up with fElon's mob) floated it in a Twaat last week. I've been waiting to see if anyone else ran with the idea but the word "Syria" has been absent from the commentary. That would align with the interests of Satanyahu, Trumpanyahu and the headchoppers. The latter owe their masters a favour for all weapons they got to bash Bashar.
You make good points Alon. Biden's silken lies were hard to counter, particularly when hard-won Arab (and world) solidarity in the UN is annulled by US veto. Trump's vulgarity triggers a defensive response from proud Arabs steeped in rich history, particularly when his narcissism demands they kiss his ring in the public square. I hope you're right that we're seeing the tide turn.
Thank you Alon and for your invaluable Mizrahi perspective. Love the title. It feels me with joy to see the Arab world standing its ground as you have described it here. My current “homework” is the reading of “Orientalism” by Edward Said because I’ve been wanting to know about the origins of the demonization and distortion of Arab culture: its history, religious practices, etc. in the so-called West. Thanks again.
I do find your ideas very compelling, and welcome. Trump has not given the craven rulers of the Arab countries, nor any of the others, any cover that would allow them to "make a deal." It's a good thing that the machinations have had the covers thrown off, and these messages have been so swiftly rejected.
What you describe in this new US leadership is likely irremediable. I don't see much opportunity for any fast pivoting amongst this bunch. The bludgeoning approach might work for casino operators and real estate moguls, but not in more subtle minds which reside amongst those whom they will have to deal with.
It's good to see some optimism for a change. Thank you!
A truly inspirational piece, as was the one you did immediately prior to this. You're more unique, concrete, invested, and on the ground emotionally and psychologically than most of the writers/commenters who generally and often correctly criticize the Arab states in this dynamic. What you express and reveal, which most of these others don't or can't, are the important underlying nuances in their contextual underlying dynamics. Americans of all stripes find it near impossible to challenge the arbitrary imposition of "humiliate yourself or else." Ask Kyrie Irving; RFK Jr.; the president of Columbia; etc. and down the line socioeconomically. How much harder it has to be for these adjacent nations and peoples.
‘The Mizrahi Perspective’ actually caught my eye. It’s is a great choice, accurate and pedagogical in one shot. And it sounds good, too.
Your last two commentaries since Trump’s announcement of his real estate ambitions for Gaza have given me more solid reasons to be hopeful. You’ve provided even the most modest activist/observer a key to recognizing these subtle signs of resistance which until now would have been both undetectable and unimaginable. Now I get why Hezbollah was ‘not allowed’ to be in the Lebanese government yet was included within hours. I may allow myself a slight inner jubilation while waiting for the tide to really turn.
I love everything about your comment
I love this! Alon, you have given me the first feeling of hope for our world that I have had since I realized Obama is a member of the oligarch team. You have very clearly made your point, and it makes a lot of sense.
I swear this made my day (: thank you, Mary
The video gets stuck at just 4 seconds in. I don't know if this happens only on my system or if there is a problem with the video itself. At any rate I'm glad I could read the transcript.
Oh, that's a shame. I know it sounds obvious, but have you tried refreshing the page? If anyone else reports a problem I'll reload the video. Hope a refresh will help
It still doesn't work for me here, but I was able to watch it on Youtube without a problem. I had already read the transcript, of course. Anyway, thanks very much for all your very important work.