The Biden administration in recent days quietly authorized the transfer of billions of dollars in bombs and fighter jets to Israel despite Washington’s concerns about an anticipated military offensive in southern Gaza that could threaten the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians.

The new arms packages include more than 1,800 MK84 2,000-pound bombs and 500 MK82 500-pound bombs, according to Pentagon and State Department officials familiar with the matter. The 2,000 pound bombs have been linked to previous mass-casualty events throughout Israel’s military campaign in Gaza. These officials, like some others, spoke to The Washington Post on the condition of anonymity because recent authorizations have not been disclosed publicly.

The 2,000 pound bombs, capable of leveling city blocks and leaving craters in the earth 40 feet across and larger, are almost never used anymore by Western militaries in densely populated locations due to the risk of civilian casualties.

archive link

  • TheFriar@lemm.eeEnglish
    2415·
    7 months ago

    Right, but whether or not you vote, one of these two pro-genocide assholes will be president in the end. You not voting does not help the people of Gaza. It does not help anyone but you and you getting to say “well I refuse to vote for him!” And everyone claps you on the back for a job well done. And then if trump wins, those of us in this country will have less time to devote to the situation in Gaza because every goddamn day, we’ll be worried about that, plus whatever trump and his fascist cronies are doing to hold onto power illegally here. And then there will be nothing we can do for Palestine, because we will be fighting our own battles here. And that’s before we even discuss Republican climate policy—which literally none of us will survive four years of.

    We don’t like voting for genocide light or genocide heavy. But trump will absolutely be an even worse case scenario for the Palestinian people. And he doesn’t give half a shit about what even “looks” better, so that vindictive prick will go full tilt with Israel. The democrats are facing calls from within their own party and from people who are sickened by what we’re seeing. And that might have an effect—maybe. But your and my anger at what’s happening in Gaza will only serve to spur the republicans/trump into an even crueler tact.

    Whether we like it or not, these are the choices we have. And none of us fucking like it. But that doesn’t stop it from being reality. We all see how shitty this is. No one that gives a shit about the people of Gaza are happy about it, but we’re realistic.

    Again, your not voting and telling other people not to, does not help the people of Gaza. Keeping trump away from the situation actually has a chance of us seeing the pressure actually change things.

    It’s not a pretty situation, it’s so far from ideal that it’s sickening. But we have to be realistic. And I fucking hate having to advocate for this. But it unfortunately makes the most sense.

    • distantsounds@lemmy.worldEnglish
      153·
      7 months ago

      I am only voting local at this point, because presidential is pretty much assumed in my state. Biden officially lost my support at this point and I’ll never vote Trump (rfk jr or any of the other clowns). Between this, climate policy, healthcare, and all the other broken promises…I won’t feel guilty either because I’ve been here before and it’s not the people, but the DNC that’s to blame. They know where the votes are; come get them

    • Maggoty@lemmy.worldEnglish
      177·
      7 months ago

      Electoral Boycotts are actually kind of what you do when your government goes off the rails. They help build legitimacy for changing the system. Browbeating people to vote just manufactures consent. They’re not going to turn around after the election and suddenly start listening to you. They’re going to loudly proclaim the percentage of votes they got in relation to people who voted and call it a mandate to continue fucking us.

      • I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.worldEnglish
        63·
        7 months ago

        Election Boycotts are the stupidest thing ever. Those in power fucking LOVE when upset people don’t vote. It makes it so much easier to ignore them.

        • Maggoty@lemmy.worldEnglish
          1·
          7 months ago

          Sure. When it’s just a couple people. As the numbers grow though it becomes a thing. Once the official party loses legitimacy it opens the door for actual reform.

      • TheFriar@lemm.eeEnglish
        78·
        7 months ago

        They’re not going to turn around after you don’t vote and start listening to you. I can’t say it enough, it’s a terrible situation we’re in. We have no good options. Voting isn’t a good option. But it’s the only option we really have.

        I say again, abstaining does not help the people you think aren’t being helped. It only serves your own self interest. There’s a difference between organizing an electoral boycott and just pissing and moaning and saying you’re better for not voting. None of us like that we feel we have to vote for this asshole. But to get to say, “well, I’m gonna not vote because it can’t get any worse!” Maybe that feels true for you, but tell that to trans people fighting for the right to exist, for people living hand to mouth trying to keep their family fed. Are these people thriving under neoliberal fuckface rule? Fuck no. But they’re not actively on the chopping block marked for death.

        I’m not going to tout Biden’s accomplishments and tell you he’s doing a great job. Because I don’t think he is. But there is something called harm reduction. I don’t want people addicted to heroin. But I’ll give them clean needles to avoid a worst case scenario. I’ll happily test their drugs or legalize them and give them a safe place and a doctor’s dosing to make sure they don’t die, gulping for air in the fucking gutter while people step over them because the current option is either arrest them or ignore them. Addiction is so goddamn far from ideal that it’s out of sight from way down there. But an addiction where they can be safely guided to manage their disease without all of the added risk is a better case scenario.

        When we’re staring down the barrel of a LITERAL GODDAMN FASCIST, I just can’t stomach the idea of holding my head high while I let it happen. Believe me, the younger me would’ve kicked my own ass for this position I take now.but guess what, I didn’t actually know everything back then and I didn’t used to be less self-centered than I am now. Believe me, I still struggle with this, because I’m not 100% there. I’m arguing with myself as much as I’m arguing with anyone else on this topic. I’m an anarchist. But I guess as I’ve gotten older I see more what Chomsky says about it, where I used to think he was just sooo far from “getting it.” Me. Some asshole 25 year old thinking this professor and thinker didn’t get it.

        These are not normal times. But allowing countless communities and our last scrap of a chance to avert an even more disastrous climate disaster just pass us by because we didn’t want the guy supporting genocide to get our vote…so the other guy who will more callously and vociferously engage with the genocidal state can take power back…just doesn’t make sense. No matter how you slice it. And it’s hard to get there. Because it puts the sacrificing our own principles on us. Not on the people doing wrong. And that, of course, isn’t the way it should be at all. But they have us over a barrel whether we like it or not.

        • Maggoty@lemmy.worldEnglish
          4·
          7 months ago

          Nobody is saying they will suddenly listen to us. That’s the point. There’s no point in participating. Immigrants and minorities are already in danger in red states and the Democrats are busy worrying if removing the filibuster or balancing the supreme court are too extreme. They aren’t riding in to save the day. You think the red states are waiting for a Republican president? This isn’t a video game and I’m tired of people treating it like one. Biden winning is not some kind of block unless he actually fucking does something. And he’s currently trying to enact the toughest measures we’ve had on immigrants since Operation Wetback. He’s not an ally.

          Harm reduction is supposed to open the door to a better option later as well. If that better option never comes then you’re still just stuck with harm. We don’t have a doctor for the country. We have a lesser prison sentence that was sold as harm reduction.

          And the Fascists are already here. They are not waiting for your permission. They are not waiting for the permission of any level of government. They are already taking over towns and schools. They’ve been elected all the way up to governor in some states. They aren’t going to sit and do nothing for the mere presence of a democratic president, and that’s all Biden offers. A calming presence while women are charged with murder for miscarriages.

          And you know what? We’ve been here before, and we will get out of it again. When we have a liberal/left party worth a damn.

          • I_Has_A_Hat@lemmy.worldEnglish
            21·
            7 months ago

            We’ve been here before, and we will get out of it again. When we have a liberal/left party worth a damn.

            Before you stands two paths. One goes straight, the other swings WAY off to the right. There is not a third path at this crossroads.

            Which path is better if your eventual goal is to move to the left? You can sit down and cry about how neither of the current paths goes left and say that you refuse to decide. But if you do this, a path will be chosen for you.

            Maybe it doesn’t really matter to you. Maybe you’re privileged enough that you can’t see a difference in your life between going straight and turning far right. But for me, turning far right could literally lead to my persecution and death. I can not tell you how pissed I will be if that unfolds because of some misguided protest against voting.

            • archomrade [he/him]@midwest.socialEnglish
              2·
              7 months ago

              That’s a terrible analogy, no wonder you don’t understand the point.

              There are 7 months until election day, and 7 months for Biden to decide if funding Israel’s genocide is worth beckoning Trump into the white house. Biden is a shit candidate, and we’ll need to deal with the fascists either way, but why should we be committing ourselves to voting for Biden when he needs our votes and he’s actively complicit in evil?

              In your analogy, does either path have time to change before you are forced to walk down it?

            • Maggoty@lemmy.worldEnglish
              1·
              7 months ago

              Ignore the evidence of your eyes. Pay attention only to the false either/or presented to you.

              So gaslighting us. We’re not stupid.

              And I’m okay with putting my life on the line for my country, it wouldn’t be the first time. I’m not going to let them hold me hostage just to watch the GOP do it no matter who gets elected.

    • juicy@lemmy.todayEnglish
      1111·
      7 months ago

      Do all the mental gymnastics you want. A vote for Joe Biden is a vote for genocide. Period.