Biden’s aid package consists of anti-missile defense systems and humanitarian aid to Gazans. I have no problem with either of those, and neither should Gazans.
The aircraft carrier and other naval forces aren’t doing anything except trying to keep other countries from entering the conflict and shooting down missiles. Which again I have no problem with.
If you must draw a silly analogy, it’s like showing up to the bank robbery and opening a suitcase full of bulletproof vests.
First of all, Biden hasn’t sent any weapons to Israel since October 7. And he’s not planning to send “guns and bombs”, he is asking Congress for anti-missile systems accompanied by humanitarian aid for Gaza. Which I think is appropriate.
Second, I don’t think Bibi interpreted that as a blank check. I think Bibi is an idiot who doesn’t care what Biden thinks. In a follow-up speech on 10/19, Biden had much more to say:
President Netanyahu and I discussed again, yesterday, the critical need for Israel to operate by the laws of war. That means protecting civilians in combat as best as they can. The people of Gaza urgently need food, water and medicine. …
As I said in Israel, as hard as it is, we cannot give up on peace. We cannot give up on a two-state solution. Israel and Palestinians equally deserve to live in safety, dignity and peace. …
When I was in Israel yesterday, I said that when America experienced the hell of 9/11, we felt enraged as well, and while we sought and got justice, we made mistakes. So I caution the government of Israel not to be blinded by rage.
However, Israel is a sovereign country and unfortunately isn’t taking orders from the US. The US is trying its usual approach of attempting to bribe a foreign government into better behavior, but success is hardly guaranteed.
If you’re referring to the US, they haven’t sent Israel any weapons since the October 7 attacks. They have already warned Israel to obey the rules of war. And currently the US is not considering sending bombs, only anti-missile systems for Israel alongside humanitarian aid for Gazans.
The US hasn’t sent any military equipment to Israel since the attack on October 7.
Biden requested a package, but Congress hasn’t yet approved it. It consists mainly of missile defense systems, not weapons for the current offensive. And it includes an almost equal dollar amount in humanitarian aid.
Well, there has certainly been a change in tone from the US, with new calls for a pause in fighting. And this is likely to affect the shape of the current aid package.
But Israel is ultimately a sovereign country. Biden doesn’t support Israel unconditionally as some have accused, but he also can’t force Israel to do what he wants.
The FBI did question some people on that website, but not necessarily because of that website. For example, they questioned one person on that website because of his Facebook post:
The did include faces, but so what? If you sign something in public, why would you expect strangers to be unable to associate you with what you signed?
And being misconstrued is also part of public debate. Always has been. You can’t expect to denounce something in public and not get yourself denounced in return. You can’t expect everyone you publicly oppose to be fair or open-minded when they clap back.
I don’t think so. To summarize, a bunch of students signed a letter on their own behalf or on behalf of the student organizations they lead. Their names were collected and published on a website. I don’t see any problem in that. If you sign a letter, you should own it.
The website further denounces the letter as well as organizations like al-Jazeera as anti-semitic. That’s fine too. Public debate naturally involves people in the debate accusing each other of all sorts of things: anti-semitic, fascist, racist, sexist, whatever. If you don’t like that kind of negative feedback, don’t make public statements - such as signing letters.
The website further drags individuals who had nothing to do with the letter into the debate. That’s inappropriate.
Everything McCarthy did, he did to please Republicans. Most Republicans privately don’t want a shutdown, they know it’s electoral poison for the GOP. Especially for Republicans in vulnerable districts, like Boebert (ever wonder why she voted to keep government open? Now you know).
Likewise, apart from a few loudmouths Republicans generally want Ukraine aid - in fact McConnell insists on it - and that’s the only reason McCarthy included it.
McCarthy wasn’t doing Democrats any favors. On the contrary, he backstabbed Democrats when he thought he could get away with it. No reason for Democrats to support someone like that.
Johnson isn’t deaf, Republicans will privately make the same demands to him that they did to McCarthy, he has to do what they want just like McCarthy did, and Democrats know it. Hopefully with less backstabbing this time.
Doesn’t matter if it’s a student or otherwise. If you sign a public document, then you should not be afraid to be associated with the document. Otherwise what is the point of signing it?
And again, student or not if they didn’t sign it then they should be left alone (even if they are indirectly related to someone who did sign it).
Some of the tactics are questionable, namely dragging in students who never signed the letter in question.
But if you did sign an open letter, then I think you basically doxxed yourself. I mean, the purpose of signing an open letter is to publicly endorse whatever it says.