Ceasefire ≠ Peace

 

I have followed the writing of Richard Fernandez since not long after 9/11.  His X handle is @wretchardthecat and he writes a regular column for PJ Media (The Belmont Club).  Earlier today, when the Biden administration started kinda-sorta calling for a pause in hostilities, my immediate thought was, “Someone must have realized that the Israelis really mean to do it this time – they mean to eliminate Hamas entirely.”

A little while ago Richard Fernandez posted three tweets in quick succession.

  1. Nasrallah seems to be signaling that he won’t rescue Hamas. The Iranian cavalry is not coming. The western left may still be able to save them.
  2. The political pressure is on to save Hamas in Gaza
  3. The tunnel war in Gaza extends way underground to Western political institutions. The dark money moles never rest.

The “million-man Palestinian march” being planned in the U.K. for November 11th is said to include plans to bus in protestors from all over the country. The money and organizations to do such things don’t appear out of thin air. Someone is funding it and working on the logistics.

Nothing about a ceasefire will lead to peace – it will only lengthen the conflict by ensuring that both combatants live to fight another day.

Add to this the recent history of multiple Democrat administrations bowing and scraping and, ultimately, funding the Iranians. And the widespread pro-genocide protests all over the West.  Something about it all undermines the simplistic narrative that the Iranians are the baddies who foment violence while the West is virtuously against all of that. There’s plenty of immigrants from the middle east to account for some of the anti-Israel hysteria but you have to admit that it’s far more than just middle eastern immigrants.  The foaming and frothing is not confined to immigrants at all.

And the irrational determination to fund war in Ukraine?  The insistence that the funding of Israel and Ukraine be coupled? That’s weird.

One is left with the unmistakable impression that what we are witnessing in Gaza is almost a mirage or a kind of theater really, but it is not the true conflict itself. As if it might just be a reflection of something else, something deeper, that has erupted to the surface in ways not entirely anticipated by those with their greasy fingers on the levers of power.

What could that deeper something be? It occurs to me, even as I’m writing this, that one possible explanation is that both the Iranians and the Ukrainians have kompromat on Western politicos and that the inexplicability of what is being done on the world stage by the U.S. is related to petty pocket lining more than anything like the actual national interest of the United States.  The Iranians don’t want to tempt their own fate after their attack dog overreached, so they are putting the screws to Biden to bail them out by reminding him of what they know. That is, of course, a total swag on my part. I’m just trying to make sense of events.

Something is not adding up. I don’t know what it is exactly, but my spidey sense is telling me that nothing is what it seems right now.

Is anyone else getting that vibe?

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  1. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Keith Lowery: that one possible explanation is that both the Iranians and the Ukrainians have kompromat on Western politicos

    I’ve thought that about Ukraine for a long time. I mean, it doesn’t make me special to notice, since the evidence of Biden/Burisma/Ukraine corruption keeps coming in. 

    Iran was Obama’s pet project. I’m not sure how that allows them to pressure the US, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s dirt to be found somewhere.

    • #1
  2. Bob Armstrong Thatcher
    Bob Armstrong
    @BobArmstrong

    If I were a senior decision maker in the Chinese Communist party with an eye towards Taiwan’s “reunification” with the mainland, I might calculate that having the US engaged in two simultaneous theatres (northern Balkans and the Levant) would lower the probability of them intervening in a third. I might fund this distraction via an intermediary such as Iran.

    • #2
  3. JoelB Member
    JoelB
    @JoelB

    I hope that whatever Israel ultimately plans to do to Hamas that they do it quickly and thoroughly. The longer it takes, the more bad guys will escape. At least that’s where I am emotionally. I agree that nothing is as it seems.

    • #3
  4. Barfly Member
    Barfly
    @Barfly

    Keith Lowery: Is anyone else getting that vibe?

    Yes. This is being done to us.

    • #4
  5. Globalitarian Misanthropist Coolidge
    Globalitarian Misanthropist
    @Flicker

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Keith Lowery: that one possible explanation is that both the Iranians and the Ukrainians have kompromat on Western politicos

    I’ve thought that about Ukraine for a long time. I mean, it doesn’t make me special to notice, since the evidence of Biden/Burisma/Ukraine corruption keeps coming in.

    Iran was Obama’s pet project. I’m not sure how that allows them to pressure the US, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s dirt to be found somewhere.

    Yes, but this doesn’t make sense to me either.  What could be worse in the world’s or the US people’s eyes than what we already know about he Bidens?  Admitting it or proving it all wouldn’t matter, and least not after the first week or two.  And we have people like Diane Feinstein becoming near billionaires while working for the government.  Heck, we have Epstein with Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton.

    And nobody is being jailed or losing power.  The world order is not shaken.  What more would it take?

    All that’s left is child sacrifice.  And seriously, that might not even matter.

    • #5
  6. Barfly Member
    Barfly
    @Barfly

    Bob Armstrong (View Comment):

    If I were a senior decision maker in the Chinese Communist party with an eye towards Taiwan’s “reunification” with the mainland, I might calculate that having the US engaged in two simultaneous theatres (northern Balkans and the Levant) would lower the probability of them intervening in a third. I might fund this distraction via an intermediary such as Iran.

    Plausible, but Iran doesn’t need  Chinese funding. Obama takes care of them.

    • #6
  7. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    Globalitarian Misanthropist (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Keith Lowery: that one possible explanation is that both the Iranians and the Ukrainians have kompromat on Western politicos

    I’ve thought that about Ukraine for a long time. I mean, it doesn’t make me special to notice, since the evidence of Biden/Burisma/Ukraine corruption keeps coming in.

    Iran was Obama’s pet project. I’m not sure how that allows them to pressure the US, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s dirt to be found somewhere.

    Yes, but this doesn’t make sense to me either. What could be worse in the world’s or the US people’s eyes than what we already know about he Bidens? Admitting it or proving it all wouldn’t matter, and least not after the first week or two. And we have people like Diane Feinstein becoming near billionaires while working for the government. Heck, we have Epstein with Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton.

    And nobody is being jailed or losing power. The world order is not shaken. What more would it take?

    All that’s left is child sacrifice. And seriously, that might not even matter.

    I hear you, but a good 50% of Americans still believe Ole Joe is just a regular guy who pulled himself up from nothing and — oh, yeah, he was demigod Obama’s VP — and the media wouldn’t lie, would they?? Everything is going swimmingly, just ask NBCCBSABCCNN. . .

    50% of Americans believe they’re voting for the good guys when they vote Democrat, and Republicans are Bushitler-Trump-fascists. 

    These are the people the powerful need to keep blinded to reality. Their useful idiots. The protected class can’t afford to lose all their support. 

    • #7
  8. cdor Member
    cdor
    @cdor

    Globalitarian Misanthropist (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Keith Lowery: that one possible explanation is that both the Iranians and the Ukrainians have kompromat on Western politicos

    I’ve thought that about Ukraine for a long time. I mean, it doesn’t make me special to notice, since the evidence of Biden/Burisma/Ukraine corruption keeps coming in.

    Iran was Obama’s pet project. I’m not sure how that allows them to pressure the US, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s dirt to be found somewhere.

    Yes, but this doesn’t make sense to me either. What could be worse in the world’s or the US people’s eyes than what we already know about he Bidens? Admitting it or proving it all wouldn’t matter, and least not after the first week or two. And we have people like Diane Feinstein becoming near billionaires while working for the government. Heck, we have Epstein with Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton.

    And nobody is being jailed or losing power. The world order is not shaken. What more would it take?

    All that’s left is child sacrifice. And seriously, that might not even matter.

    Child sacrifice was already done by Hamas. Evil billionaires seem to always be wanting to rule the world by destroying the half that they do not control. I was just telling my wife today how lucky we were to be born during the baby boomer generation. Yes, there have been many small wars, and much death and pain. Most of us, however, have enjoyed a life of freedom and economic growth. But now it seems that the world is spinning out of control. I feel helpless to stop it.

    • #8
  9. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    The “million-man Palestinian march” being planned in the U.K. for November 11th is said to include plans to bus in protestors from all over the country.

    They chose Remembrance Day for this. The day when WW1 dead are memorialized, and good Britains wear a poppy. The usurpation is intentional, and rather bold: your ceremonies and traditions are over. Our concerns are now paramount.

    Not a wise move.

    • #9
  10. kedavis Coolidge
    kedavis
    @kedavis

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    The “million-man Palestinian march” being planned in the U.K. for November 11th is said to include plans to bus in protestors from all over the country.

    They chose Remembrance Day for this. The day when WW1 dead are memorialized, and good Britains wear a poppy. The usurpation is intentional, and rather bold: your ceremonies and traditions are over. Our concerns are now paramount.

    Not a wise move.

    Well, except Britain – although not as much as France – has been importing muslims for decades to try and cover up for not having enough children of their own, and it may not be too long before they’re outnumbered in what used to be their own country.  The muslims already tend to get their way in many elections and other matters because otherwise they get… testy.

    Also, Professor Cat wanted me to mention…

     

    • #10
  11. James Lileks Contributor
    James Lileks
    @jameslileks

    One is left with the unmistakable impression that what we are witnessing in Gaza is almost a mirage or a kind of theater really, but it is not the true conflict itself.

    No, I think it is what it is, and what it always has been. 

    As if it might just be a reflection of something else, something deeper, that has erupted to the surface in ways not entirely anticipated by those with their greasy fingers on the levers of power.

    What could that deeper something be? It occurs to me, even as I’m writing this, that one possible explanation is that both the Iranians and the Ukrainians have kompromat on Western politicos and that the inexplicability of what is being done on the world stage by the U.S. is related to petty pocket lining more than anything like the actual national interest of the United States.

    I think a Mitt Romney admin would have reacted the same way to Ukraine and Hamas, and the only kompromat they’d have on him would be a picture of him holding a Diet Coke. It’s possible a Trump administration would have shrugged at Putin taking Ukraine; I don’t  think a Trump admin would’ve turned on Israel. 

    It’s possible Hamas et al got high on their own supply and didn’t realize that their genius plan of maximum horrors would provide only a temporary thrill. It’s the old South Park scheme:

    1 Kill and rape happy dancing girls and murder families en masse and film it all

    2 ???

    3 Victory!

    Bin Laden had the same mindset. 

    It is in the national interest of the United States to blunt Russian expansion into Europe, and it is the national interest to stand up for an ally that reflects our own values, especially when the forces arrayed against it are also inimical to our own civilization. 

    • #11
  12. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Keith Lowery: And the irrational determination to fund war in Ukraine?  The insistence that the funding of Israel and Ukraine be coupled? That’s weird

    Can you think of a reason to uncouple them? Supposing, of course, that you could think of a way to do it. 

    • #12
  13. The Scarecrow Thatcher
    The Scarecrow
    @TheScarecrow

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    The “million-man Palestinian march” being planned in the U.K. for November 11th is said to include plans to bus in protestors from all over the country.

    They chose Remembrance Day for this. The day when WW1 dead are memorialized, and good Britains wear a poppy. The usurpation is intentional, and rather bold: your ceremonies and traditions are over. Our concerns are now paramount.

    Not a wise move.

    Use facial recognition software on the whole million of them and then put every one of them on the terrorism watchlist. “Thank you for all gathering together in one place for us. Smile!”

    Oh, and then start with that list when the deportations begin.

    • #13
  14. Western Chauvinist Member
    Western Chauvinist
    @WesternChauvinist

    The Scarecrow (View Comment):

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    The “million-man Palestinian march” being planned in the U.K. for November 11th is said to include plans to bus in protestors from all over the country.

    They chose Remembrance Day for this. The day when WW1 dead are memorialized, and good Britains wear a poppy. The usurpation is intentional, and rather bold: your ceremonies and traditions are over. Our concerns are now paramount.

    Not a wise move.

    Use facial recognition software on the whole million of them and then put every one of them on the terrorism watchlist. “Thank you for all gathering together in one place for us. Smile!”

    Oh, and then start with that list when the deportations begin.

    We watch a lot of British crime drama — nothing gets solved without CCTV. It would seem it’s omnipresent. 

    • #14
  15. Miffed White Male Member
    Miffed White Male
    @MiffedWhiteMale

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    One is left with the unmistakable impression that what we are witnessing in Gaza is almost a mirage or a kind of theater really, but it is not the true conflict itself.

    No, I think it is what it is, and what it always has been.

    As if it might just be a reflection of something else, something deeper, that has erupted to the surface in ways not entirely anticipated by those with their greasy fingers on the levers of power.

    What could that deeper something be? It occurs to me, even as I’m writing this, that one possible explanation is that both the Iranians and the Ukrainians have kompromat on Western politicos and that the inexplicability of what is being done on the world stage by the U.S. is related to petty pocket lining more than anything like the actual national interest of the United States.

    I think a Mitt Romney admin would have reacted the same way to Ukraine and Hamas, and the only kompromat they’d have on him would be a picture of him holding a Diet Coke. It’s possible a Trump administration would have shrugged at Putin taking Ukraine; I don’t think a Trump admin would’ve turned on Israel.

    It’s possible Hamas et al got high on their own supply and didn’t realize that their genius plan of maximum horrors would provide only a temporary thrill. It’s the old South Park scheme:

    1 Kill and rape happy dancing girls and murder families en masse and film it all

    2 ???

    3 Victory!

    Bin Laden had the same mindset.

    It is in the national interest of the United States to blunt Russian expansion into Europe, and it is the national interest to stand up for an ally that reflects our own values, especially when the forces arrayed against it are also inimical to our own civilization.

    I’m in despair.  We fought a world war 80 years ago to kill off Jew-hating Nazis in Europe, and now they seem to be back, and have gone global.

    This won’t end well.

     

    • #15
  16. lowtech redneck Coolidge
    lowtech redneck
    @lowtech redneck

    The Scarecrow (View Comment):

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    The “million-man Palestinian march” being planned in the U.K. for November 11th is said to include plans to bus in protestors from all over the country.

    They chose Remembrance Day for this. The day when WW1 dead are memorialized, and good Britains wear a poppy. The usurpation is intentional, and rather bold: your ceremonies and traditions are over. Our concerns are now paramount.

    Not a wise move.

    Use facial recognition software on the whole million of them and then put every one of them on the terrorism watchlist. “Thank you for all gathering together in one place for us. Smile!”

    Oh, and then start with that list when the deportations begin.

    Don’t be silly, that kind of action is only warranted when a bunch of people trespass and ‘parade’ with velvet ropes in DC.

    • #16
  17. The Reticulator Member
    The Reticulator
    @TheReticulator

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    The Scarecrow (View Comment):

    James Lileks (View Comment):

    The “million-man Palestinian march” being planned in the U.K. for November 11th is said to include plans to bus in protestors from all over the country.

    They chose Remembrance Day for this. The day when WW1 dead are memorialized, and good Britains wear a poppy. The usurpation is intentional, and rather bold: your ceremonies and traditions are over. Our concerns are now paramount.

    Not a wise move.

    Use facial recognition software on the whole million of them and then put every one of them on the terrorism watchlist. “Thank you for all gathering together in one place for us. Smile!”

    Oh, and then start with that list when the deportations begin.

    We watch a lot of British crime drama — nothing gets solved without CCTV. It would seem it’s omnipresent.

    Russian crime shows have been like that for some time, too.  There are almost always cameras.  If there is no camera evidence, that’s part of the crime.  In the U.S., if the cameras don’t work, it’s the end of the story and those who say Epstein didn’t kill himself are crazy conspiracy theorists.  In Russia crime shows, the clue that leads to finding the perps is the fact that the cameras didn’t work.  Also, in Russian crime shows, if a detective has gotten promoted above his competence and is making the department dysfunctional, they blame the adoption of Americanisms.  There are also turf wars between the police and the FSB, but in Putin’s Russia the writers and producers don’t dig too deeply into that.  They miss a lot of story opportunities that way. 

    • #17
  18. Rodin Member
    Rodin
    @Rodin

    Keith Lowery: What could that deeper something be? It occurs to me, even as I’m writing this, that one possible explanation is that both the Iranians and the Ukrainians have kompromat on Western politicos and that the inexplicability of what is being done on the world stage by the U.S. is related to petty pocket lining more than anything like the actual national interest of the United States. 

    This is the rational explanation. We want that explanation to be rational because it implies that it can be dealt with removing the compromised players amongst us. The irrational explanation is beyond our reason and control. That is the scarier alternative.

    • #18
  19. Nanocelt TheContrarian Member
    Nanocelt TheContrarian
    @NanoceltTheContrarian

    Globalitarian Misanthropist (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Keith Lowery: that one possible explanation is that both the Iranians and the Ukrainians have kompromat on Western politicos

    I’ve thought that about Ukraine for a long time. I mean, it doesn’t make me special to notice, since the evidence of Biden/Burisma/Ukraine corruption keeps coming in.

    Iran was Obama’s pet project. I’m not sure how that allows them to pressure the US, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s dirt to be found somewhere.

    Yes, but this doesn’t make sense to me either. What could be worse in the world’s or the US people’s eyes than what we already know about he Bidens? Admitting it or proving it all wouldn’t matter, and least not after the first week or two. And we have people like Diane Feinstein becoming near billionaires while working for the government. Heck, we have Epstein with Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton.

    And nobody is being jailed or losing power. The world order is not shaken. What more would it take?

    All that’s left is child sacrifice. And seriously, that might not even matter.

    Cleary it doesn’t. We saw Hamas sacrifice babies, and Biden  wants a cease fire to protect Hamas.  For Democrats (Obama in particular), child sacrifice can be performed before or after birth. The Left celebrates Hamas because they share the same values.  Why would the Left not side with a group who has the same perspective on human life?  Just because Hamas specifically targets Jews, rather than all of the human species as do the Democrats, they are still fellow travelers, and Democrats are not going to diss Hamas just because the Hamas agenda is a little more focused than that of Democrats vis a vis infant sacrifice.

    Hamas does it for Allah; Democrats do it for Gaia. No real difference. Child sacrifice is the sacrament of the New World Order. Welcome to Gehenna. All hail, Moloch!

    • #19
  20. Globalitarian Misanthropist Coolidge
    Globalitarian Misanthropist
    @Flicker

    Nanocelt TheContrarian (View Comment):

    Globalitarian Misanthropist (View Comment):

    Western Chauvinist (View Comment):

    Keith Lowery: that one possible explanation is that both the Iranians and the Ukrainians have kompromat on Western politicos

    I’ve thought that about Ukraine for a long time. I mean, it doesn’t make me special to notice, since the evidence of Biden/Burisma/Ukraine corruption keeps coming in.

    Iran was Obama’s pet project. I’m not sure how that allows them to pressure the US, but I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s dirt to be found somewhere.

    Yes, but this doesn’t make sense to me either. What could be worse in the world’s or the US people’s eyes than what we already know about he Bidens? Admitting it or proving it all wouldn’t matter, and least not after the first week or two. And we have people like Diane Feinstein becoming near billionaires while working for the government. Heck, we have Epstein with Prince Andrew and Bill Clinton.

    And nobody is being jailed or losing power. The world order is not shaken. What more would it take?

    All that’s left is child sacrifice. And seriously, that might not even matter.

    Cleary it doesn’t. We saw Hamas sacrifice babies, and Biden wants a cease fire to protect Hamas. For Democrats (Obama in particular), child sacrifice can be performed before or after birth. The Left celebrates Hamas because they share the same values. Why would the Left not side with a group who has the same perspective on human life? Just because Hamas specifically targets Jews, rather than all of the human species as do the Democrats, they are still fellow travelers, and Democrats are not going to diss Hamas just because the Hamas agenda is a little more focused than that of Democrats vis a vis infant sacrifice.

    Hamas does it for Allah; Democrats do it for Gaia. No real difference. Child sacrifice is the sacrament of the New World Order. Welcome to Gehenna. All hail, Moloch!

    Focused.

    • #20
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