• Xhieron@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Bernie too! I volunteered for Bernie in 16, I think he would have been an outstanding president, and I think he’s possibly the best politician working in the federal government right now.

      But a Sanders administration would have the exact same policy on Israel, because this is realpolitik, and that means we have to be a little more cynical. Israel is absolutely engaged in genocide, and it is reprehensible, but the US also cannot afford not to have an ally in the Levant, full stop. Neither can Eastern Europe or South Asia.

      • Monument@lemmy.sdf.org
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        4 months ago

        I have a personal theory that the U.S. needs Israel to be a bully in the region, both to project power on the U.S.’ behalf, and to destabilize it a bit to ensure that regional conflict keeps oil prices low.
        But in about 15 years, it’s estimated that the transition to electrics/renewables will cut oil consumption down to a point where the U.S. can supply its own domestic needs and those of it’s European allies without them being reliant on either the Mideast or Russia.

        I think we’ll see a trailing off of U.S. support to Israel around that time, as petro-economies become irrelevant.

        I also think Israel’s leadership knows this, and I think that’s why they are genociding so hard to get ahead of the softening of their heavily subsidized military and economy. The fall will lead to strife, and it’s far easier to stay united in an ethnically and religiously homogenous “country” than it would be in a country with a large minority population or entire land areas given over to folks who do not represent the country’s self image.

        And I also think this is part of the U.S. plan to stave off failure, if internal strife and external meddling in politics doesn’t get us. It’s losing the energy revolution because it lacks the materials that this generation’s technology is based on. It’s slipping in technology, and has been sliding on the education front since Regan. Oil can prop up the economy for a decent while. And maybe by the time oil can’t sustain, the U.S. will find another rabbit in Uncle Sam’s hat before its commitment to rugged individualism, anti-intellectualism, idiosyncratic notions of Christianity/morality, and constantly meddling in the affairs of others fracture it.