Middle East Conflict
- Thread starter The blue phantom
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Only Yahoo News of the "msm" (and The National in Scotland) seem to be covering it, but if it's not true (and some outlets are identifying the author as that Mark Smith complete with his LinkedIn picture) you'd think he or the FCDO would put something out. Otherwise maybe we'll have to get our news from the Tehran Times rather than the BBC...
Postman Pep
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west didsblue
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So the bloke who’s resigned is actually a junior civil servant based in the British embassy in Dublin who is nothing to do with assessing arms export licences and nothing to do with the FCDO’s activities in the Middle East.
No wonder most of the media aren’t reporting it. It’s not much of a story.
halfcenturyup
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Tbf, he sets out his credentials and his previous relevant experience in his resignation letter.
Mr Kobayashi
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British Foreign Office diplomat Mark Smith resigns over Israel arms sales
The official resigned over arms sales to Israel, saying the UK government "may be complicit in war crimes".
www.bbc.co.uk
Non-story being reported by the BBC.
British Foreign Office diplomat Mark Smith resigns over Israel arms sales
The official resigned over arms sales to Israel, saying the UK government "may be complicit in war crimes".
Non-story being reported by the BBC.
Smart guy. I wouldn’t want to risk being implicated in this.
British Foreign Office diplomat Mark Smith resigns over Israel arms sales
The official resigned over arms sales to Israel, saying the UK government "may be complicit in war crimes".
Non-story being reported by the BBC.
Mr Kobayashi
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It's as Norman Finkelstein describes it, a lunatic state.
When journalists go on live TV and call for the regulation of rape as a punishment you know it's a society that lives on a different planet.
They make the Russian TV propagandists look like moderate people invited to speak on a late morning Sunday programme on the BBC.
Bigga
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You really confuse me.
You're here condemning Israeli actions of genocide on the people of Palestine and yet, in the other thread, you're 'singing and dancing' for the support for Harris who's accepted very large funds ($5M+) from AIPAC in her support for the Israeli Gov and is "complicit" under the Biden-Harris ticket of green lighting min $23.5Bn in weapons going to Israel's bid to "defend itself" slaughtering Palestinian children, women and men.
This is a support for Harris who hasn't called for the stopping of arms but is 'open' to talking about a ceasefire.
Explain, please.
I’m under no illusion that Harris administration will be not be pro Israel but I think a Dem administration will always be better than GOP especially when Trump has billionaires like Miriam Adelson asking him to annex the West Bank.
My hope is that a black-Indian woman in her sixties is easier to pressure than Trump or even Biden who seems to have a deep ideological commitment to Israel.
Bigga
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Better than allowing settlers to murder their way to property in the West Bank? They're "illegal" but the Israeli Gov just watch sat on idle hands? They might as well be annexing it now.
And what adding adding the demographic of Harris got to do with her complete acceptance of the money AIPAC has thrown at her have to do with anything? If Harris is accepting such huge funds, does she not have an "ideological commitment to Israel" or is being 'available for hire' better somehow too?
It sounds like you fear the knife brandished in the open rather than the knife being shoved in the back whilst smiling for the camera.
I don't understand the thinking.
I get your point but in my opinion Harris is a typical Democrat who can be moved on conditioning aide to Israel. The easiest way she can be moved is by pressuring her to follow US Leahy Laws regarding military aide.
Outside of this pro genocide Biden State Department every credible organization has said Israel is committing war crimes. I don’t see a Harris not at least following US laws like Biden has to protect Israel.
Polling already shows a majority of Democrat voters would approve of conditioning aide to Israel. Only Biden because of his boomer racist brain is giving Israel cater blanche despite it being deeply unpopular.
The Future’s Blue!
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Like the UK, there’s only 2 parties in the race so sometimes it’s about who is ‘less worse’. I do wonder what Trump would do if he gets in, knowing what his previous stance was.
Then you have Ukraine.
No doubt. Unfortunately we live in a world where harm reduction is usually the best our politics offers. But, I wouldn’t vote shame a person personally affected everyone has the right to make their own personal decisions.
Bigga
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It might sound like I'm having a pop, but I'm just trying to understand the mindset.
Do you think that a voter's campaign is going to change the US policy of having an "interest" in the region; a strategic position in the MIddle East? You think a populist that didn't even win enough delegates in her own state in her election bid has the ability to change anything or go against what her donors say when THEY have the interest in Israel??
This is beyond Biden and his 'racism'. What does it say about a US public that chooses to vote in racists, then? It says the MSM funded by the 0.01% gives the public binary choices of who they'd 'prefer'.
Harris does what she can (and has in the past) to get into positions of power.
No worries I don’t think you are taking unfair shots at me.
I think enough pressure will be put on Kamala to make her change course.
Leaks from the administration particularly from people who have resigned from the State Department because of the war in Gaza have stated that Harris is a lot more emphatic to Palestinian lives than anyone in the Biden administration. I know that isn’t really saying much but it is promising. According to more leaks, the people she will have as part of her national security team will not be neo cons like Sullivan, Matt Miller, Blinken, and Brett McGurk which will be a big step up from a very low bar.
I know these changes are very minor but it leaves a lot to be hopeful about in my opinion. Like I said all the Harris administration will have to do is follow the laws already on the books and stop running cover for Israel.
I think the fact that Harris is a “squishy” standard Democrat means she isn’t going to tank her administration for Israel. Sure, she’s taken Israel lobby money and is just as pro Israel as any standard Democrat but it’s obvious the party has moved. Half of Democrats including herself boycott Netanyahu’s speech. And in my opinion there won’t be another Dem president as pro Israel as Biden.
The fact of the matter is the general Democrat electorate especially is already ready for these measures to be taken but as you put it the MSM and powers that be want to still pretend the public would be against it when data shows otherwise. People like Pelosi have even signed letters to Biden saying they endorse conditioning aide as well.
Unfortunately Kamala Harris has at the moment little room to maneuver but in my opinion if this war goes and as it has then she will be eventually be forced to break away from Biden because this level of support is unsustainable in her coalition.
mancity2012_eamo
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Does he know where Gaza is?