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Brisketexan

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Posts posted by Brisketexan

  1. 5 minutes ago, chainsaw said:

    I answer in all sincerity: not crimes against humanity.

    Cool.  So don't do that.  What should they DO?

    When faced with an opposing side that will settle for nothing less than ending your existence as a state and a people....where do you go with that? 

    And I ask this as someone who literally handles disputes for a living, and has for the majority of my life on earth.  And I gotta tell ya, the worst disputes....the ones that end up turning out horrifically for EVERYONE, even the ultimate "winner" (because yes, that's the ultimate outcome -- battle to the end, one side 100% wins, one side 100% loses), are this kind of dispute.  The kind where no compromise, no partial measures, nothing less than total victory/total defeat are acceptable outcomes (and it only takes ONE SIDE to feel that way).  There is never a good ending.

    Will the Palestinian cause EVER allow for any ending but the apocalyptic one?  From what I see....no, they will not.  And it's maddening and infuriating.  In spite of all of their good arguments, in spite of having angles to play....they really won't budge off of "all or nothing," refusing to accept that in that circumstance, "nothing" is a very strong possible outcome for you.

    • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
  2. 3 minutes ago, Samson's Wig said:

    He should be dragged as much as legally possible.   Assholes like this who think they can lord their religion over children in a public school (or anyone else) need to be sent notice.  It's insane that this cult shit is still happening in 2023.

    It's going to get worse.  Much worse.  Your legislature is presently meeting to figure out how to make it so, right here in Texas.

    • Hook 'Em 5
  3. How about we agree on a few premises that we might have discussed before the events of this weekend (and I know that not everyone here will agree with them, but I’d bet a majority would).

    1. Israel has a right to exist.
    2. Jews have a right to exist without being targeted for extermination.
    3. The Palestinian people have a right to exist.
    4. That Palestinian “right to exist” means more than merely “continuing to draw breath” – it should mean a life with basic human rights, decent living conditions, and the ability to enjoy peaceful freedom.  And yes, it means having land in which they can have those things.
    5. Israel has behaved mighty shittily: the settlements, the recent right-wing shenanigans, etc. ad nauseum.
    6. Palestinians have behaved plenty shittily, targeting civilians within Israel and jews elsewhere in the world.

    I’m not even touching the multiple stupid-ass wars of extermination that the Palestinians and Arab nations launched against Israel.  Let’s keep this simple, and post-1967 in terms of conduct and principles to evaluate.

    Okay.  So we agree on those six premises. 

    Cool.  How do we get there (premises 1-4)?  Most reasonable conversation, and the Oslo accords, pointed the same way: a two state solution.  And again, for the sake of finding some measure of consensus on a premise, let’s agree that the Oslo accords were wildly imperfect and ultimately counterproductive. 

    But let’s pitch some end-games here, to see if they are even possible.

    1. Israel within its borders as of the 1949 armistice.  Palestinian state in the West Bank.  Jerusalem as a city under UN control.
    2. Israel within its 1948 borders.  Give everything else back, Palestinian state in the areas deemed “arab state” in 1948.
    3. Israel within its borders after the 1982 treaty with Egypt.  Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza, with the ability to freely move between them.

    Let’s just ask the main question: would the Palestinians and their leadership (and importantly their backers) ever accept ANY these, and let Israel be?  Every single person on this board knows the answer is NO. 

    The Palestinian position is pretty unambiguous: full right of return (even though the Palestinians and arab states started disastrous war after disastrous war and lost fucking land out the ass, which is how wars fucking go).  And honestly…..the end of the State of Israel.  The Palestinian position will never accept the existence of Israel.

    So, knowing those truths….WTF is Israel supposed to do?  I ask that in all sincerity – WTF are they supposed to do?  Set aside Israel’s shittiness of its settlement policy, the cheap right-wing provocations under Bibi’s regime….imagine that Israel had acted with a soft hand since 1982.  Do you think the Palestinian position would be anything other than “cool….exterminate the jews, end Israel, give all land to the Palestinian people?”

    There is no compromise.  So WTF do they do with that?

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  4. Just now, AUS-97HORN said:

    +checking in after 3 days,  very surprised to see no news that the principle either tried to touch, touched, or was rejected from touching, by the Class President.

     

    figured the chances of that were upwards of 90% when the article first came out.

     

    instead hes just going to walk away and lose his job, and probably cross one of the 3 bordering state lines to get a job teaching in new state next year.

    Naaah.  The post above is dead right.  He'll end up making big bucks on the Fox News/CPAC circuit.  Prepare to see his face on the next poster for some "PATRIOTIC CONSERVATIVE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE!" or some shit, under the title "Hero Christian Principal."

  5. 28 minutes ago, tokamak said:

    Why the fuck am I voting on parks in El Paso or the county treasurer in Galveston?

    Because long ago, we wrote a VERY detailed constitution, that so micromanages shit that to FIX such micromanaging, we have to enact constitutional amendments.

    We should chuck the whole thing and have a new constitutional convention.   

    HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!  I crack myself up.  Can you imagine a constitution drafted under this regime?  It would say shit like "voting in the Republican primary entitles a citizen to a $500 payment from the state treasury.  Voting in the Democratic primary is a criminal offense, punishable by up to 10 years in prison."

    • Fuck Around and Find Out 2
  6. Just now, hobbes2702 said:

    No one is sympathizing with Hamas. That’s ridiculous and you know it. 

    False.  Go back and read some early posts in the Global Spring thread and the Israel thread.  There's a SHITLOAD of "blame the victim first" responses. 

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  7. 2 minutes ago, InkaUtexas said:

    And the true Hamas leadership is either in Qatar, Tehran or Beruit. 

    Which is where Israel needs to hit them.  It needs to run Operation Wrath of God II, following the post-Munich playbook.

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  8. 6 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

    Hamas hasn't chosen "total war," because Hamas can't carry out "total war."

    Israel is the only participant in this war that can carry out a genocide.  Were Israel to do that, then I have no trouble saying that Israel would be wrong.

    Israel needs to defend itself.  And it's going to take rough measures to do so.  

    But Israel also needs to exist in the world after this war.  And being a genocidal ethno-state is going to make that pretty damned difficult.  As someone who supports Israel, I really hope it doesn't choose that path.

    You are operating under the mistaken belief that ability limits aspiration.  Hamas will carry out as much "total war" as it can.  It is an unambiguous enemy.  There is no longer any room for negotiation, compromise, or rapprochement.  Hamas must be exterminated.  Not weakened, not neutered.  Completely eliminated.  It's the only sane and rational response/approach for Israel.

    The "rough measures" to which you refer are going to look pretty fucking genocidal for a good while.  But not forever.  There will still be living breathing Palestinians in Gaza when this is done.  It may well be that very few of them are males over the age of 14. 

    You know that's true. And you know that it can't be any other way.  Not anymore.

    EDIT: and YES, Israel's one-two punch of poor leadership, at once being all talk and mild action on "look how tough we are and how shitty we can be" as it is also more occupied with grandstanding than actually governing has bitten Israel in the ass.  They'll have to deal with that as well.  But that doesn't change how they have to deal with Hamas now.

    • Hook 'Em 6
    • Fuck Around and Find Out 1
  9. 6 minutes ago, Dnaguy said:

    I think you may be over thinking this one / you’re jaded AF. 

    He is, but I don't begrudge him the "jaded AF" element.  That's why I wanted to provide some actual explanation.  Water is absolutely a priority, and it is the kind of bread-and-butter stuff our state gov't SHOULD be paying lots of attention to.

    • Hook 'Em 1
  10. 3 minutes ago, Ghost of LL said:

    Hamas has the ability to kill people inside Israel, and Israel has the right to eliminate that ability.  And Israel should and will avail itself of that ability.  

    Few more effective ways than a full blockade of Gaza.  Nothing in.  Nothing out.

    Which is also genocidal.

    Fuck around and find out has been the way of the world since we figured out how to sharpen sticks.  If you think that's not going to be Israel's play, you aren't paying attention. 

    Hamas has chosen total war, with as much genocide as it can muster, with the support of the people in Gaza.  Hamas chose total war, Israel will give it to them.  You know that to be true.

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  11. 1 minute ago, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

    Oh it's a huge fucking pickle, I'm well aware. But I tend to think that committing genocide will not work out in Israel's favor in the long-term. 

    Also don't think you're wrong.

    Also don't thing that Israel gives a fuck.

    Also have a hard time thinking that if I was in their shoes, that I'd give a fuck either.

    I think they lock down Gaza while they pound it.  For weeks.  Airstrikes.  Artillery.  Anyplace that has ties to Hamas, targeted.  Inka is right -- parts of Gaza will end up looking like Grozny.  Then, after that....the next phase.  No idea what it looks like.

    • Hook 'Em 5
  12. 3 minutes ago, bolverk said:

    An editorial published on Monday in the Global Times, which is affiliated with a mouthpiece of the Chinese Communist Party, blamed Western countries for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in an effort it said was led by the United States. It also warned that taking sides on the issue now would only add “fuel to the fire.”

    ........

    “China has an opportunity to showcase its leadership and mediation prowess in a more substantial way,” said Gedaliah Afterman, the head of the Asia Policy Program at the Abba Eban Institute for Diplomacy and Foreign Relations at Reichman University in Israel.

    “Successfully doing so,” he added, “would not only mitigate regional tensions but also solidify China’s reputation as a key player in fostering de-escalation and sustaining regional stability.”

    This is interesting, and I hadn't really thought of it this way.  China has a choice of positioning itself as an OUTSIDER counter to the west and the US (that seems to be the role they've leaned into, although not wholeheartedly), OR it could position itself as an alternative from WITHIN the international order.  Why align yourself with shithole pariahs?  Do you really want to be king of the shithole pariahs?  Wouldn't you rather be a bonafide rival of real countries, because China is a real country, with real broad-based prosperity (it certainly sees itself that way).

    Kind of like how Texas and OU positioned themselves as power players who were a CFB playoff alternative to the SEC....but finally realized that they'd have more power and prosperity from working WITHIN the SEC than from outside it.  I need to read more about this possible dynamic.  I don't think China will choose it, or will choose it in any large part, but it could be interesting.

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  13. 11 minutes ago, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

    I just don't see how a state that was created in response to the genocide of Jews can turn around and starve 2 million people to death. 

    Also, I don't think Israel can do much of anything without US approval. 

    You're not wrong.

    I just come back to this: a movement that has as its unambiguous goal the extermination of all Jews wherever they may be found, a movement that is supported by the people of Gaza, has committed an act of genocide (yes, that's what a massive campaign to slaughter Israeli civilians is), and promises to commit more.

    How do you respond to that?  Not "we did this because you aren't allowing our infrastructure to develop."  No.  "We did this because we will not rest until every Jew is dead."  Is there any other sane or rational response OTHER than rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands very, very dirty?

    That's one of the reasons that "all or nothing, every one of you must die" movements/wars are the worst fucking kind of war.  There's an argument to be made that Israel would be stupid to leave anyone alive in Gaza.  Of course, there's the counter-argument that Israel would then be as bad or even worse than what it is fighting.  Neither argument is without merit.  That's why I don't look forward, at all, to what is to come.  There are only bad outcomes on the horizon.  Pick your poison, but don't fool yourself -- it's all poison.

    • Hook 'Em 5
  14. Just now, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

    Can they really do that? That's genocide.

    I think that's gonna be the plan to start with, at least.  So, they definitely CAN do it.  The question is how long they'll do it, and what the ultimate end-game is.

    • Hook 'Em 1
  15. So, how long does Bibi's government last?  Sure, there's galvanization now in the initial stages of the war.  But this was a massive failure by the current Israeli government, which does a great job of talking tough, but did a lousy job of actually being prepared.  That will be an "interesting" process to watch in the coming months.  @Ghost of LL doesn't think the government will last the year.  I think it will, because this war will still be hot as hell then, and people wont want to bring the government down at that point.

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    • Rage+1 1
  16. Just now, Parliament said:

    Can we request a title change to, "The Perpetual Middle East Quagmire Thread: Israel."  Sadly, I think it fits.

    Well, we've got that one in the CR, and it fits there.  This is more about war news and tracking events, much like the Ukraine thread here has done really well. I really like the aggregation of information there, and would love to be able to follow a similar aggregation here.

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    • Like 1
  17. Suggested on the Global Spring thread....this probably needs its own thread.  It's a declared war, this ain't just one of those periodic flare-ups of tension and violence.  Keep it DT: posts of news, events, public statements, etc.  Discussions of how this is due to the meddling British bastards, or petulant muslims mad they lost at the Battle of Vienna, should generally go to the CR.

    Qatar purportedly trying to negotiate regarding hostages:

    Quote

    Mediators from Qatar have been in contact with Hamas officials to try to negotiate the release of Israeli women and children seized by the militant group and taken into Gaza, the Reuters news agency reports.

    A source briefed on the talks told Reuters that the Qataris proposed the Israelis be exchanged for 36 Palestinian women and children detained in Israel.

    The source said the talks were being conducted in co-ordination with the US.

    Neither Israel nor Hamas have directly commented on the reports.

     

    • Hook 'Em 4
  18. 1 minute ago, YGIFS said:

    it seems like every White christian male of a certain ilk are too busy scouring underage social media, drag shows, and underground brothels for "field research" to protect us from ourselves in the name of American Greatness.

    What if they're just scouring those things for fun?

    Asking for .....an internet message board full of "friends."

  19. 2 minutes ago, DefinitelyNotHollywoodColt said:

    Bizarre this war doesn't have its own thread

    It probably should....this is pretty clearly not one of those "periodic flare-up of tensions and violence" deals.  It's a fucking declared war.

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    • Like 3
  20. 2 minutes ago, Dahobbs said:

    Oh, and @Boss Hogg is definitely a troll.

    You can tell who people are by the Twitter/Threads/etc. accounts they follow and cite from.  Seriously, it's as bold a "tell" as there is these days.  And....Boss Hog is exactly who you thought he was.

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