I have zero problem with this. No US embassy should fly any flag other than Old Glory. No POW flags, no LGBT flags, nada. Full stop. These are US embassies representing all Americans, and the only flag we all live under is the Stars and Stripes.
Don’t like that take? How about I lobby to fly a personal favorite. I’m actually partial to the one on the left. No one has an issue, right?
For me that was around the $70K range 4-years ago. Now there’s been crazy inflation and I’m at $81K. If I hadn’t gone nuts on credit cards, I’d be sitting pretty.
She was 17 and the age of consent in AR is 16.
Loud as hell too! Sounds like god’s own hornet when they buzz you.
Of course they could fire on civilians. This ain’t new folks.
Tin soldiers and Nixon coming
We’re finally on our own
This summer I hear the drumming
Four dead in Ohio
Gotta get down to it
Should have been done long ago
What if you knew her
And found her dead on the ground
How can you run when you know?
(Funny anecdote, step-mom was a student at Kent State and was on campus. She had no idea the shooting was happening.)
What does a serious negotiation look like though? I can’t see any path forward that makes anyone happy. Best we can hope for is a fragile peace that can, and will be, shattered at any moment.
It’s in the best interest of the Arab world to keep Palestine under Israel’s thumb. It’s like abortion in America for Republicans, a fight they don’t want to win. Why would Arabs agree to anything that sucks fuel from the hate/terrorism machine?
It’s in the West’s best interest to keep Israel independent of Arab influence. Alexander Haig said it better than I could:
“Israel is the largest American aircraft carrier in the world that cannot be sunk, does not carry even one American soldier, and is located in a critical region for American national security.”
I’ve asked around on lemmy and the best answer I’ve heard is, “Two state solution!” I’m all about it. But it ain’t happening. Because of my two points above.
It’s all so hopeless I could cry. What a clusterfuck. Guess it’s a temporary and fragile peace. Again.
Never seem to be able to link people to posts, see mine below. I think you’re on the money here.
Kinda like when a diplomatic delegation says, “We strongly condemn…” That ain’t your neighbor mad about your fence line, that’s saying, “FAFO, war coming right up.” Words and actions have very, very, particular meanings in international affairs. People get master’s degrees and doctorates studying and practicing this. These are not playground fights.
Maybe? We can hope? How much of this spending is under direct control of the President? After all, Congress has the power of the purse. If Biden could control defense spending on a whim, why is he begging for aid to Ukraine? If he can do as he pleases…?
“and in 2019, the amount was raised again, now standing at a minimum of US $3.8 billion that the US is committed to providing Israel each year”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel–United_States_relations
https://www.foreignassistance.gov/cd/israel/
EDIT: As to #2, I should add: I’m aware America has a history of giving our President’s more and more, and more, military power. The President can roll aircraft carriers and troops, but direct spending? Someone help me out?
LOL, we have that and more in my little town.
I’ll grant, it could be gear to jump start unloading a real delivery. Gotta have something to start with.
Russian warship, go fuck yourself.
Yes we do, but per-capita numbers are useless without figuring in mileage. I drive from the southern tip of Italy to the Italian alps, twice on a round trip, to pick up my kids.
That would end the war, but Russia will quickly put another gangster in charge. Those people have forever been, and forever will be, unable to self-govern.
Imagine how heartbroken you would be to lose such a valuable possession. Not like you could just run out and buy another.
At some point, why does NATO not just stomp Russia flat? They’re weak as hell from trying, and failing, to beat up their little brother.
NATO: “I dunno. This guy who has threatened us, nonstop for decades, is on the ropes, and keeps threatening us. Gosh. What do we do now?”
The answer has always been MAD. But does Russia even have flying nukes any longer? They sure as fuck can’t field tanks and rifles and men. Or naval vessels. Or airplanes. Or… anything.
I came of age in the Cold War, never been a hawk before now, but FFS are we going to put up with this vile country forever?!
I came of age as a small man dealing with bullies, and not the social media kind. Real bullies that would kick the shit out of you when no one was looking, and sometimes when they were. Constantly on the lookout at school, at the park, at the mall, at Circle K, everywhere.
Know how to beat them? Stand the fuck UP. You (mostly) don’t have to exchange fists, merely get up in their face, show them violence is on the table.
But no, we’ll puss around, wring our hands, clutch our pearls. We’ll “practice” sending troops running about, we’ll leak our “super serious training plans”.
Bow up on Russia NOW, fight if we must, or continue to suffer for countless more decades.
The assumption is that women and children are not, or cannot be, fighters. The morality is that women and children are worth more.
I’m a man with two small children. My wife was treated like a goddess while pregnant. Never seen anything like it, very eye opening, had never seen a person so societally elevated. Humans, rightfully, place a premium on the lives of women and children.
It’s how we mammals, evolved. From a perfectly brutal perspective, and ignoring smaller factors, I can splatter my seed everywhere. The woman has to take it from there, and that’s one hell of a burden.
As much as I love the idea of sexual equality, it’s simply not true when survival is at stake. So yeah, as a man, I’ve learned my life is worth less. And I’m fine with that.
tl;dr: Suck it up boys. Your life barely counts vs. women and children. You got plenty of other advantages.
With my whole chest: FUCK. THE. RUSSIAN. PEOPLE.
Those vile scum have never once in history had their shit together. All they’ve ever accomplished is bringing misery to themselves and exporting it to their neighbors. Hell, they export misery worldwide!
Last century? 50-years of Cold War hanging over our heads. 50-years of planet killing devastation, good to go. If men like Vasily Arkhipov and Stanislav Petrov hadn’t had the balls to defy orders, we’d be living in Fallout.
Once the Soviet Union collapsed? They turned into gangsters, overnight, fucking their people over, because that’s how they roll. Raped the whole country, and you get what we have here today. Oligarchs raiding the military until it’s almost non-functional. Oligarchs with world bending wealth while the people freeze to death.
The Russians refuse to join the rest of the planet for peace and prosperity. FFS, North Korea is their ally. How fucked up is your situation when you’re purchasing howitzer shells from the retarded kid living in a shack?!
Now they’re prosecuting a war against their little brother, failing miserably, barely hanging in at best. Ya know, because they fucked themselves over so hard they can’t field working tanks, rifles or soldiers.
And what do the Russian people do? Same thing as always! Curl into a depression ball and say, “So it goes. Pass the vodka.”
And for those of you coming along thinking, “Damn this guy hates Russia.” I don’t hate Russia nearly as much as Russians hate Russia. The minute those people show an ounce of spine, I’ll be their biggest cheerleader.
If we drop all political considerations, indiscriminately fucking with international trade routes is sure to get your ass kicked. Right or wrong don’t matter. Call it terrorism or piracy or whatever you like, it ain’t gonna fly.
Been wondering the same. Traditionally the US has supported Israel, no matter what. But fuck me. Biden has thrown all has cards on the table in support of genocide, and I still have to vote for him. What a clusterfuck.
Meanwhile, Ukraine is fighting our arch enemy and we’re bickering about whether to send them more arms. Here’s our chance to destroy Russia, once and for all, with not a soldier lost, not even a mildly damaged M4 rifle, and gather all the intelligence in the world on modern combat. Finally. And the GOP won’t do it. Reagan is spinning in his grave.
So, uh, she’s a Christian and doesn’t know Easter comes on different dates every year? And that the 31st comes on a different day of the week every year?