December 8th now makes 2 consecutive calendar Days of Infamy for America. But this one, coming 82 years and a day after the first, is not from an attack on America. It comes from America’s descent into madness, enabling and supporting Israel’s genocidal ethnic cleansing of Gaza after the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel.
The UAE sponsored the UN Security Council resolution demanding an immediate humanitarian ceasefire in Gaza. Within 24 hours they garnered nearly a hundred co-sponsors from the UN’s 193 members. UN Secretary-General Antonio Gutierrez invoked rarely used Article 99 of the UN Charter to bring the resolution to the Security Council for immediate consideration over “threats to international peace and “humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza”.
But the US blocked the resolution with a dastardly veto. Thirteen other members voted for it, including some of America’s staunch allies. Even our most lockstep ally Britain abstained. The US now stands alone in supporting Israel’s campaign making Gaza uninhabitable.
Ministers from Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinian Authority, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey came to D.C. to plead with Secretary of State Anthony Blinken to support the ceasefire. But Blinken put them off till after the after the UN vote.
When questioned about the devastation in Gaza, Biden, Blinken just nod and mutter something about imploring Israel to try harder not to annihilate all the Palestinians there. Meanwhile Netanyahu tells his war cabinet “We need 3 things from the US: munitions, munitions, and munitions.” And he gets them PDQ.
How bad is that annihilation? Roughly 70% of the 70,000 deaths and injuries are women and children. UN chief Gutierrez cited Article 99 for the first time since 1971 in calling the emergency session to address the “humanitarian nightmare Gaza is facing.” He cited endless bombings that have hit 339 schools, 26 hospitals, 56 health care facilities, 88 mosques and three churches.
Besides Gaza being destroyed, President Biden is ensuring that America’s standing in the world is being destroyed as a beacon of peace and freedom.
Yes, mark December 8th on the calendar as another American Day of Infamy.
Walt Zlotow became involved in antiwar activities upon entering University of Chicago in 1963. He is current president of the West Suburban Peace Coalition based in the Chicago western suburbs. He blogs daily on antiwar and other issues at www.heartlandprogressive.blogspot.com.
As I’ve said repeatedly, the only way this ends is with the military defeat – and probable destruction – of Israel. The only party that can carry that out is Hezbollah – with possible assistance from other regional states. Hamas is already doing its part by fighting Israel to a standstill. When Hamas begins to go down, Hezbollah will act – assuming Israel isn’t forced to stop before then by economic distress or geopolitical pressure, which, again, I doubt will work.
The only thing that stops the US from continuing a mad rampage in the world is the military defeat of the US – and by “defeat”, I don’t mean “pick up our toys and go home”, I mean the loss of a major part of the US’ military assets.
This is coming. Russia and China will see to it.
“When Hamas begins to go down, Hezbollah will act…”
To my mind this is a question of, “is this the final act” ? Something that must be a matter of consideration for all leaders in the region.
If this conflict is going to be an ‘intifada on steroids’ and only amount to a historical footnote in a couple years’ time, I don’t see external players getting more than trivially involved.
The likes of Hezbollah, Iran, Syria, Yemen et. al. may play the postmodern Prometheus; observe the war between the Gods and the Titans (in this case, between the IDF and the grass on the battlefield where a worthy opponent would be standing) and either side with an almost-victorious Palestinian side OR not side against the ASI.
And since Hamas (like the NVA / Viet Cong, Ba’athists, Taliban) has precisely NO chance of destroying or taking over Tel Aviv (as unto Washington), I don’t see any regional players going “all in” against the ASI and a battered or unscathed IDF.
Hamas doesn’t have to take over or destroy Tel Aviv. They just have to survive, meaning either they inflict so many casualties on the IDF that Israel gives up and stops the conflict, or economic and geopolitical considerations force Israel to stop. Just like most guerrilla groups, all they have to do is survive to win.
If they lose, however, and it looks like Israel is going to either ethnically cleanse or genocide Gazans, Hezbollah will have to enter the conflict. Despite Nasrallah’s concerns for Israel attacking Lebanon, he can’t afford for Hezbollah to be considered toothless because Israel will come after Hezbollah after Hamas. Hezbollah can destroy enough Israeli infrastructure and inflict enough damage on the already reeling Israeli economy that Israel will be forced to stop short of its goals.
If the US enters the conflict, that will force the regional states to reconsider standing on the sidelines, especially Iran and Syria. That depends, however, on whether US air power alone or in concert with Israeli air power has any chance of defeating Hezbollah. That’s problematic.
Hezbollah is even better prepared than Hamas against air strikes with bunkers – plus they probably now have air defense systems which will make air strikes costly. Allegedly they have SA8 low-altitude, short-range tactical surface-to-air missile systems, and SA17 and SA22 man-portable air defense missile systems as of two years ago and now the US claims – with what evidence I don’t know – that the Wagner Group will be supplying more SA22 MANPADs.
I don’t see this being a “historical footnote” because so far Israel has failed in its objective, it will need a year or two to even begin to succeed at containing Hamas, it’s impossible to get rid of 2-3 million people from Gaza, and yet Israel seems determined to go all in on what is doomed endeavor on Israel’s part.
All excellent points – thank you for the insights !
I don’t know that “Hamas … just have to survive,” – in that, I don’t know Hamas can survive this. The ASI seems to have an either-or strategy in play : Kill all in Gaza and kill everyone in Hamas in the process, OR, kill all of Hamas and kill everyone in Gaza in the process.
The classic “heads I win, tails you lose” hedge bet.
Absent the internal dissent (or reshuffle of strategy) in Tel Aviv that you mention, I think the ASI is committed to ethnic cleansing down to the last ‘human-animal’ (surely including all the duck-birds and reptile-snakes living in the region, too).
Does the ASI and PM Netanyahu fear Hezbollah in any real sense ? Or is their confidence in both the Iron Dome and related ballistic defenses, and American military support, such that they brush off any/all Hezbollese military might as a non-issue ?
“…it’s impossible to get rid of 2-3 million people from Gaza”
Well, for people like you or me, IF we were inclined to displace.
For people happy to starve out, bomb out, plague out (cholera, diptheria) an entire group of contained humans…well, inaction can do a lot of heavy lifting in that regard.
It’s possible the fanatics running Israel still think they have military superiority with or without US support.
They don’t. It’s that simple. That’s what they’re going to find out. Short of using nukes, Israel will be defeated by Hamas and/or by Hezbollah. And if they use nukes, it’s over for Israel. The rest of the world will destroy them, with or without US consent.
Period. End of story.
I wish I held your confidence, RSH. But it seems there is nothing so preposterously dumb that the sitting US government cannot find a way to accomplish it.
For thousands of years, religious people have thought “The End Times ™” were upon them. And I’m sure each time, the most devoted of the lot either acted as if they were, or acted to make sure they were.
Every time trouble flares up in the Holey Land (sic), the more religious crow about the “End of Days” and “Armageddon” (doubtful they have seen either movie) and those of religious persuasion in the governments of Israel and the USA both seem eager to self-fulfil a prophecy or three.
I worry that this time around, the “it’s for-reals this time !” mentality will see ASI and USA leadership willing to go all-out. Consequences be damned, because, they think the world is ending anyways and want to be first in line to greet the Messiah.
Either that or dedollarization brings about the collapse of the US Federal Government
Another country would suffer immediate sanctions and condemnations from the US had it done just 50 percent of what Israel has done. Hypocrisy rules from the narcissistic US government.
The best way to avert WAR, is by utilizing PEACE. US, get your butt in line, immediately.
Sadly, the US does not want peace.
The business of the US is war and imperialism.
Only a complete collapse of the US economy and military superiority will bring peace again.
Sadly, I have to agree with you. Our dollar has to become worthless, which can happen if BRICS get’s more members. I don’t think Americans are aware of what their lives will be like if that happens. We have some of the stupidest leaders in our country, willing to sacrifice the Republic for their enrichment.
Maybe the US dollar doesn’t have to become worthless.
The nation was VERY successful in the late 19th century with tariffs, a multi-polar world and with our military only used for defensive purposes. The world economies were not pegged to our Dollar.
We have been drunk on economic, military and cultural power for 80 years. Time to become humble again and stop being controllers of the world (while ignoring our own citizens).
If countries stop selling in the U.S., there will be millions of U.S. citizens who work in the import business who will lose their jobs. It can happen. China dumps bonds. Japan dumps bonds. Arab nations dump dollars. Imports stop coming. Potash from Russia stops coming. BRICS prevails, get stronger, utilizing the currencies of the countries in the organization, rather than the dollar.
“Potash from Russia stops coming.”
Well, maybe the state of Colorado (and others that legalised Weed) can start a WW2-throwback “scrap metal drive” but with users’ spent roaches and spliff.
“Give Uncle Sam Your Half-Burnt Blunt !”
Maj. General Smedley Butler: War is a Racket
The democrats need to start utilizing some NEW strategies… Redundancy is boring…
“War is business, and business is good” – every weapons maker, ever.
Here is evidence that Israel is losing against Hamas:
Palestine – Occupation Forces Have Serious Losses
https://www.moonofalabama.org/2023/12/palestine-occupation-forces-takes-serious-losses.html
Allegedly Hamas has only lost somewhat over 1,000 out of the 20-30,000 fighters they have. The Israeli 7,000 figure is bogus propaganda. There has been no video evidence of that scale of Hamas’ losses. Israel is undoubtedly claiming various Palestinian civilian casualties as “Hamas casualties” since Israel officially does not discriminate between them.
Do the math. At this rate, it will take Israel literally years to defeat Hamas.
Meanwhile Israel lost something like 180 armored vehicles in the last ten days, according to reports. Hamas is butt-humping them.
More evidence that Israel is losing.
Palestinian Resistance Unleashes Heroic Epics in Ongoing Confrontation with IOF in Gaza
https://english.almanar.com.lb/1999164
Watch the video included:
https://media2.almanar.com.lb/videofiles/2023/December/news/reports/11-10-%D8%AE%D8%A7%D9%86%D9%8A%D9%88%D9%86%D8%B3.mp4.mp4
Meanwhile, Hezbollah continues to keep a significant portion of the Israeli army busy in the north today:
Number of Israeli Occupation Sites Come Under Hezbollah Fire on Lebanon Border
https://english.almanar.com.lb/1999406