We’ve been doing an okay job of holding up the fence, but Trump has some momentum now and he’s beginning to knock shit down and break it. Next up is our relationship with the Muslim world, friend and foes alike. The Supreme Court got the ball rolling yesterday when they upheld Trump’s travel ban for people from Chad, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Syria and Yemen. Apparently, tomorrow Trump will pour some kerosene on the fire by announcing that we’re moving our Israel embassy to Jerusalem and recognizing Jerusalem as the capital.
Our allies are united in saying this is a very bad idea. Some of these countries may not be able to be our allies for much longer. Obviously our enemies are furious and will use this to recruit people who will do us harm. The worst part is probably that this is wholly unnecessary and can’t even solve any problems in theory. This isn’t like trying to rid your property of a wasp’s nest by hitting it with a bat. It’s like taking a wasp’s nest out of your neighbor’s yard, carrying it home, and then hitting it with a bat.
There’s simply no need to move our embassy at this time, and it’s a particularly reckless move to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. There’s complete unanimity that this will cause a violent backlash and undue stress on our international relationships, with the only debate coming from people who welcome these problems.
The King of Jordan’s response was typical:
King Abdullah II strongly cautioned against the move, “stressing that Jerusalem is the key to achieving peace and stability in the region and the world,” according to a statement from the royal palace in Amman.
“King Abdullah stressed that the adoption of this resolution will have serious implications for security and stability in the Middle East, and will undermine the efforts of the American administration to resume the peace process and fuel the feelings of Muslims and Christians,” the statement said.
The reaction from NATO member Turkey was similar:
In a televised speech, Mr Erdogan addressed the US president directly, saying “Mr Trump! Jerusalem is a red line for Muslims.
“We could go as far as cutting diplomatic ties with Israel over the issue,” he added.
France does not approve:
“Mr. Emmanuel Macron reaffirmed that the question of Jerusalem’s status had to be dealt with in the framework of peace negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, with the aim in particular to establish two countries, Israel and Palestine, living in peace and security side by side with Jerusalem as capital.”
Egypt has warned against it. Saudi Arabia has warned against it.
But apparently, Trump has already informed Mahmoud Abbas that it’s a done deal.
Basically this is happening because Trump promised a bunch of American Christian fundamentalists that it would. Never mind that some of the most pissed people are Arab Christians, as King Abdullah II noted.
There isn’t even a conceivable way that this could make America citizens safer. It completely swamps any additional safety that might result from Trump’s travel ban.
And that’s not to mention that our security isn’t the only factor here. This is a dispute with more than one claimant, and it isn’t only our security that will be harmed.
How better to stampede americans into accepting authoritarian rule, especially once they loudly and constantly proclaim “See! It’s those evil libberals fault! They were against the ban, and now look what’s happened!”
Fascism 101.
This news deeply saddens me because I know it will lead to many unnecessary deaths. It’s an idiotic provocation of the first order. It’s Trump thumbing his nose to the world. But to many, it will seem more like America defecating on values held dear.
To many people of faith, Jerusalem is not just a place. It is the holy land. The best analogy I can think of for those who don’t understand is if you love a dog, cat or other pet as if it was your child. One could rationally say, “Well, it’s not your child.” One could take the pet and roll it around in feces and deliver it on your doorstep, “no worse for it.” The reaction from the one who loved the animal would of course be outrage.
This will spark an outrage many times larger in the hearts of millions — many sincere lovers of God and others who just feel slighted and humiliated because of the hue of their skin. The outrage will be beyond anything we’ve seen to date. And it will be in the hearts of tens of millions.
This will be the best recruiting tool ISIS (and others of their ilk) have ever had. Wahabism will be given a green light to run over our friends in the Muslim world, the very ones who want to make peace with the west. This is tragic on so many levels.
There a lot of sincere people of faith, lovers of God, who feel the same way about Jerusalem right now. That’s the problem.
This is Trump mindlessly doing shit he’s told his base loves. Nothing else matters. And according to Gallup, they are 29% of Americans. And these are truly detestable people whose sole purpose in life is to cause pain and consternation for others.
It is not mindless. The right wants to empty the embassies. The current SOS has no use for them. No embassy…visas can only be issued by some private contractor based where ever they choose.
I originally read that as feckless, not reckless. They both work.
It’s that new right-wing fad “Kissing the Netan-yahu”
I think it is also meant to be another distraction from the Russia probe.
Squirrel
This is the work of that airhead, Kushner.
Aided by Adelson?
Adelson, another genius.
Read it and weep.
https:/972mag.com/is-sheldon-adelson-behind-trumps-decision-on-jerusalem/131218
Thank you for the link. Several years ago The New Yorker had a long article outlining his association with the Chinese mob in relation to his Shanghai casinos. Just as cozy with his US counterparts.
He’s declared war on Christmas
Well, at least we have a competent Secretary of State, and the experienced Kushner as our Middle East ‘problem solver’, and a fully staffed State Dept.
So we should be fine.
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Yes, that’s right. Kushner’s supposed to be solving world peace in his spare time. This will make that so much more likely.
It’s working perfectly to plan…..by Putin.
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Did anyone ever remember the fight over the Democratic platform? Did anyone see Zaid Jilani’s reporting today about this? Ben Cardin, and a few others, aren’t bothered by this at all. This action is bipartisan in the way that the Iraq War was bipartisan.
Welp:
Yep. There aren’t going to be any consequences to anyone that matters in this country. A few diplomats killed. Maybe some middle class tourists shot somewhere they hadn’t been shot before. Most of the dead will be far away. Netanyahu gets one step closer to his dream of isolating the US globally such that it has no other allies but Israel to concern itself with. Until Saudi does something real like kick out US contractors from its oil fields, no one who matters really cares about the fallout.
There’s too many dual-Israeli/USA citizens who are elected federal politicians in our govt.
I wish we had a law like Australia does that bans dual citizens from running for and serving in a federal political office.
It’s a clear conflict of interest.
Yes, this is a VERY bipartisan effort. Make no mistake. Shelly Adelson may be the loudest voice in Trump’s ear, but some Big D pols are equally in favor of it. Been in the making for a long time, and a lot of fanatical “churches” have been pushing this for decades, so their “flocks” will be behind it, too.
Nothing good will come of this.
Been in the making for a long time, and a lot of fanatical “churches” have been pushing this for decades, so their “flocks” will be behind it, too.
The evangelical churches love this. John Hagee and that type. This keeps them on Trump’s side. Why would they abandon him after he gave them a golden goose?
There is a growing generational divide on this in the Dem party. Most young Democrats actually do want to be an honest broker or to side with the Palestinians.
There’s some of us old Dems who feel the same way, too.
He’s like an ADHD toddler smearing his shit all over the walls of his bedroom purely to gain attention. Like pulling out of the Paris climate accord, this is a disgusting bit of ego-gratification: Trump being obnoxious and destructive because he can.
This stunt is sure to further damage our standing in the world, and get many people killed.
Trump always acts out when he feels hemmed in. No different and it shores up his evangelical base.
The recklessness of this move is a feature not a bug, particularly if you have a Dominionist nutjob (oops, that’s redundant) as your VP like the Popular Vote Loser does in Sharia Mike.
They want this to escalate into chaos and violence because it brings things that closer to the End Times and thus, the Rapture.
I for one would love the Rapture to occur if that means the likes of the American Taliban (as represented by Sharia Mike) would get lifted up somewhere and leave us to our business.
This irresponsible madman has endangered the entire American community living in any Muslim country. This will not end well.
. . . not end well” has been widely applicable to most anything one might pluck from current events.
Has the new guy in the White House done anything since January 20th that is not 180 degrees away from the right thing to do, or not do in this case? Just asking.
He ensured the failure of ACA repeal.
(If you’re counting inadvertent results. He’s also galvanized and strengthened the Left around the world.)