The unfortunate reality is that a not insignificant portion of US voters conflate modern Israel with biblical Israel.
Any stance other than full support of anything Israel does will stick Biden with the Right version version of being racist: an antisemite—and getting that label is enough to get apathetic right leaning voters to go to the polls.
Trump played the Israel card all the time and his base loved him so much for it that they would plug their ears whenever his crimes came to light.
Biden has the unenviable position where if he shows any signs of disapproval of Israel’s actions, he risks another Trump presidency. (Which is absolutely insane considering the whole insurrection thing.)
They want “judgement day” to happen, and that involves a religious war in that area.
They’re not supporting the Jewish people or even the country of Israel, they’re trying to usher in Armageddon because they think they’ll be rewarded in heaven. It’s a death cult.
My issue is Biden and other “moderate” Dems consistently side with this right wing extremist death cult.
This is just realpolitik. A second Trump presidency is an existential threat to the Republic. Under those terms, it’s hard not to justify any action, no matter how repugnant, that prevents it or even reduces the likelihood. That full-throated support of Israel happens to put Biden in the same camp as end-times death cultists is incidental: it polls better than the alternative.
To be even more cynical, there’s a compelling, if grizzly, argument that American-friendly Israel is a perpetual anchorhead for American geopolitical interests in the Levant, and genocide doesn’t really change that. It’s easy (and appropriate) to condemn all actors here: Hamas, Netanyahu/IDF, and the US/Biden are all evil. Sane people everywhere would prefer that all parties put down their rockets and go the fuck home.
But if that’s not going to happen, would Biden be serving his country better by wagging his finger at Netanyahu?
You’re not wrong, but think of it in terms of Biden tolerating this evil nonsense has the potential to curtail Trump actively encouraging or even instigating more and worse.
Think of it as less kicking the can down the road, as it is kicking the can out of Trump’s hand before he has a chance to pick it up and do something we’ll all regret more.
The unfortunate reality is that a not insignificant portion of US voters conflate modern Israel with biblical Israel.
Any stance other than full support of anything Israel does will stick Biden with the Right version version of being racist: an antisemite—and getting that label is enough to get apathetic right leaning voters to go to the polls.
Trump played the Israel card all the time and his base loved him so much for it that they would plug their ears whenever his crimes came to light.
Biden has the unenviable position where if he shows any signs of disapproval of Israel’s actions, he risks another Trump presidency. (Which is absolutely insane considering the whole insurrection thing.)
It’s not even that…
Did you ever watch that documentary on rightwing extremist Christians taking over the Republican party?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_(miniseries)
They want “judgement day” to happen, and that involves a religious war in that area.
They’re not supporting the Jewish people or even the country of Israel, they’re trying to usher in Armageddon because they think they’ll be rewarded in heaven. It’s a death cult.
My issue is Biden and other “moderate” Dems consistently side with this right wing extremist death cult.
Campaigns are expensive, gotta get some of that AIPAC money.
This is just realpolitik. A second Trump presidency is an existential threat to the Republic. Under those terms, it’s hard not to justify any action, no matter how repugnant, that prevents it or even reduces the likelihood. That full-throated support of Israel happens to put Biden in the same camp as end-times death cultists is incidental: it polls better than the alternative.
To be even more cynical, there’s a compelling, if grizzly, argument that American-friendly Israel is a perpetual anchorhead for American geopolitical interests in the Levant, and genocide doesn’t really change that. It’s easy (and appropriate) to condemn all actors here: Hamas, Netanyahu/IDF, and the US/Biden are all evil. Sane people everywhere would prefer that all parties put down their rockets and go the fuck home.
But if that’s not going to happen, would Biden be serving his country better by wagging his finger at Netanyahu?
If that happens Israel just goes back to using the IDF as muscle so “settlers” can steal land from Palestinians…
Two weeks ago the status quo was still massively fucked up, and going back to it won’t solve anything. It’s just kicking the can down the road
You’re not wrong, but think of it in terms of Biden tolerating this evil nonsense has the potential to curtail Trump actively encouraging or even instigating more and worse.
Think of it as less kicking the can down the road, as it is kicking the can out of Trump’s hand before he has a chance to pick it up and do something we’ll all regret more.
You kind of lost me after that
But it seems you’re using that neoliberal logic where Dems should always agree halfway with Republicans
If that happens Israel just goes back to using the IDF as muscle so “settlers” can steal land from Palestinians…
Two weeks ago the status quo was still massively fucked up, and going back to it won’t solve anything. It’s just kicking the can down the road.