The sentiment is shared but the term “Great Satan” was actually coined by Khomeini during the Iran hostage crisis and is still predominantly used in Iran rather than the Arab world.

I also want to note that half of Israeli Jews are of Middle Eastern descent, and holy fuck at least where I’m from these guys would literally get lynched.

Not arguing for it, but Israel was built on such displacement so it’s not exactly impossible. You just need to have no respect for human life.

Adding to what the other person said: If they’d lost the election (which was fairly unlikely; the writing was on the wall) they’d have claimed it to be rigged, so his statement would be “true” either way.

I hope this means the next round of protests hits the 10 million people mark.

No Kings hit 13 million in total. The estimates you see floating around were produces by Alt National Park Service, who had people out there counting, and the reason there are many is that they posted estimates on their (I think Bluesky???) account as the day progressed, so larger estimates simply came from later in the day and 13 million was the final estimate. And no, this doesn’t mean Trump will be legally forced to resign by the 3.5% “rule”.

I’m so happy for you :).

That’s the Iranians and while I hate the agree with Khomeini he got that one right. Israel is Little Satan btw.

Iran has this kind of relationship with Russia as well, I don’t see how it helped them the tiniest bit.

It gave them weapons they can’t manufacture themselves and kept them afloat financially despite frankly brutal Western sanctions. Since they’re still able to be a thorn in the West’s side, I’d say they’re doing something right.

Every country can choose its own destiny of course, but if you think Russia will do more than send militia to oppress your population (like in Africa), you’re not paying attention.

I don’t think anyone is expecting Russia to go to war on their behalf, but a more or less reliable non-Western trade and defense partner is a pretty attractive proposition. But then again I could be completely off the mark so take this with a grain of salt.

All those facts together, it felt totally reasonable to believe that Saddam Hussein had chemical weapons and was willing to use them or give them to terrorist

Only if you ignore… literally everything else about the situation. “Felt reasonable” isn’t an excuse to start a fucking war.

I think this perspective is too short-sighted, and the idea that going against the party a full 25% is more than a little ridiculous but also that’s not the point. I asked a question about the future, not about the past.

I agree Iraq was a mistake, but I believe Iraq was a mistake based on intelligence failure

If it was just an intelligence failure half the country wouldn’t be railing against it. Iraq was also justified by lies, just slightly better packaged lies.

And deservedly so, fuck genocide supporters.

You talk about equality and democratic principles, but neither of these allow you to take people’s stuff. To quote the article:

“Sixty per cent of the natural resources needed in the United States of America are on Native American land,” said Hall, a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, also known as the Three Tribes.

“So they have to figure out that they got to come to us and talk to us if they want our resource they want to extract. And so I think to bring us to the table, that’s what we’re trying to get to. Let’s talk.”

And that’s the crux of the issue; nothing from European settlement of North America to the present day gives the Canadian government a legitimate claim to the resource and lands that have historically belonged to the First Nations. Therefore, it’s their stuff and they decide who does what with it; they have about as much responsibility to the majority interest as you have to your neighbors, and I doubt you let your neighbors waltz in and take your money with no compensation. And it’s not like these are wealthy people not paying their fair share; I hope I don’t need to get into the historical and current problems facing First Nations people directly due to colonial and later Canadian policy. It’s not at all difficult to make the argument that Canada is just a bunch of white dudes who came from Europe, committed a bunch of atrocities, declared themselves the legitimate government of Canada, committed more atrocities and are now appealing to the majority interest when it suits them. Canada simply has no legitimate right to the land or resources owned by the First Nations without a treaty consented to by both sides; “we are your legitimate government so give us your shit” is nothing more than rank tyranny. And yes, tyranny of the majority is tyranny.

TL;DR: You need people’s consent before you take or use their stuff.

I’ve seen people here supporting a war on Iran because of WMDs and women’s rights. The brain rot extends way beyond the Republican party; there’s a reason DNC Zionists haven’t come out against this.

They’re still the state, just mask-off (or on, in this case).

Given the shit the West is up to in Iran, can’t blame them.

Russian operatives could drive in a bunch of explosives and destroy all the planes on the tarmac.

Please Putin do this and I will literally give you a blowjob.

That’s way too flattering for America. Israel is screaming “trap here, trap here, get into the trap now before seats run out” and the whole West is like “shut up and take my money”.

Okay the US is fucked and at this point there aren’t going to be free and fair elections. What do you propose people do about it? Stay in lockstep with the ineffectual DNC?

Your election season is 2 years long and is somehow measured by how much money is spent reaching voters.

Their election season, I’m watching from the other side of the world and find this as absurd as you do.

It is absolutely normal when not campaigning to work with people who can actually effect change,

The only thing the Democrats can do in America’s Republican-controlled government is stall and obstruct, and they’ve clearly proven they don’t intend to do even that. Are you even keeping up with this stuff? The only antifascist actor with the ability to effect change here is the people, so by your own logic he should be working with civil society and grassroots resistance organizations, not the ineffectual beyond help Democrat leadership. And in the first place America is in the middle of a fascist takeover—what makes you think anything about this situation is normal?

particularly if the masses seem more intent on vying for virality of their protest sign selfies and not upsetting anyone rather than actually resisting fascism.

This holds true even more for the Democrat leadership than it does for the rank and file. In the immortal words of Democratic consultant James Carville: “it’s time for Democrats to embark on the most daring political maneuver in the history of our party: roll over and play dead.”

If the masses are more intent on vying for virality of their protest sign selfies, the DNC is flat out not doing anything. American liberals’ ineffectuality was inherited from their leadership, not the other way around. If the leaders change, enough rank and file will follow to maybe get something done. I mean hell, the Democrats were out there condemning “protestor violence” during the LA protests and supporting the exact “peaceful protest” that you’re saying doesn’t accomplish shit. These guys are hopeless; at least the masses can be radicalized with the right influence and events, influence such as the words of Barack fucking Obama. I mean don’t get me wrong all my criticism of the Democratic leadership also applies to Obama so I wasn’t expecting him to get off his ass or anything, but it should be remembered that he’s not acting not because he can’t or there’s a better play, but because he doesn’t want to.