World is Falling Apart Thread (Locked forever)

[Sarge]

The moral equivalence drawn by Kerry in his speech was absolutely ridiculous.

[marurun]

The moral equivalence drawn by Kerry in his speech was absolutely ridiculous.

I disagree. This isn't a one-sided conflict. The Palestinians aren't the bad guys lusting for Jewish blood (though groups with those sentiments do certainly exist). The Israeli aren't the long-suffering peace-mongers, patiently waiting for the evil Palestinians to see the light. Both sides want peace, and both sides want advantage. Neither side wants to fail to achieve stability and control. For decades now Israel has had all the power. Israel controls water, power, flow of money and goods. Terrorism and extreme anti-Jewish sentiments persist among many Palestinians because they are isolated and controlled and have no power in the relationship. That oppression, regardless of who started the mess and how, only perpetuates negative views. Their only means of influence and power is to basically play dirty, because they have no other advantage. As for Israel, the primary thing holding them in check is international law and the demands of allies like the US. Israel knows that if they take things too far it will be too difficult for the US to stomach the relationship, and Israel is dependent upon that relationship. There are many in Israel who wants peace and support a two-state solution, in fact the majority of the population does, but the dominant orthodox Jewish nationalists in Israel (Israel is as much a theocracy as a democracy) cannot stomach the two-state solution and basically want Palestine to completely capitulate.

Basically, there are no good guys in this conflict. Israel and Palestine have both committed too many bad acts against the other. The only road to peace involves an external party forcing both sides to face their worst selves and find a way to put them aside.

[Sarge]

I believe in comparison, Israel is most assuredly the "good guy" in this conflict. Should the situation be inverted, I suspect Israel would have been wiped out long ago.

[marurun]

I would have agreed with you 25, 30 years ago, but I think the longer history suggests this is a morass with no moral high ground. Good guys aren't comparative. Someone less bad doesn't become good by default.

[CRTGAMER]

President Obama Last 30 Day Actions or a Rebute against Trump?
The UN vote on Israel, sanctions against Russia after failing to do so 18 months prior, offshore oil drilling restriction, releasing and reducing sentences on prisoners, federal land takeover against protests by state governors, all this and claims of a smooth transition. Is President Obama attempting to undermine Trump in hopes he would fail later? Trump already has plans to abolish many of Obama's legacy as promised to the voters in his campaign; Obama setting last minute policies if just to fire back is so wrong and not looking out for the nation. He is certainly killing the Democratic Party who are now on life support.



What has happened to the trust of the President? The United States has no control with two countries one was an allie and one a rival are just putting everything on hold until Trump takes over on January 20, 2016!

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/israeli-pri ... ions-vote/

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu places hope in Trump after United Nations vote



In a series of statements, Netanyahu has criticized the Obama Administration for letting Resolution 2334 pass Friday by abstaining, using unprecedented language that has turned a policy disagreement into a personal vendetta.

“The entire Middle East is going up in flames, entire countries are toppling, terrorism is raging and for an entire hour the secretary of state attacks the only democracy in the Middle East,” Mr. Netanyahu said. “Maybe Kerry did not notice that Israel is the only place in the Middle East where Christmas can be celebrated in peace and security. Sadly, none of this interests the secretary of state.”

“From the information that we have, we have no doubt that the Obama Administration initiated it, stood behind it, coordinated on the wording and demanded that it be passed,” Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday. After Friday’s vote, Netanyahu’s office said he looked forward to working with Trump “to negate the harmful effects of this absurd resolution.”

http://en.kremlin.ru/events/president/news/53678

Statement by the President of Russia Vladimir Putin



We regard the recent unfriendly steps taken by the outgoing US administration as provocative and aimed at further weakening the Russia-US relationship. This runs contrary to the fundamental interests of both the Russian and American people. Considering the global security responsibilities of Russia and the United States, this is also damaging to international relations as a whole.

As it proceeds from international practice, Russia has reasons to respond in kind. Although we have the right to retaliate, we will not resort to irresponsible ‘kitchen’ diplomacy but will plan our further steps to restore Russian-US relations based on the policies of the Trump Administration.

The diplomats who are returning to Russia will spend the New Year’s holidays with their families and friends. We will not create any problems for US diplomats. We will not expel anyone. We will not prevent their families and children from using their traditional leisure sites during the New Year’s holidays. Moreover, I invite all children of US diplomats accredited in Russia to the New Year and Christmas children’s parties in the Kremlin.

It is regrettable that the Obama Administration is ending its term in this manner. Nevertheless, I offer my New Year greetings to President Obama and his family.

My season’s greetings also to President-elect Donald Trump and the American people.

I wish all of you happiness and prosperity.

President Elect Trump use of Twitter to calm the storms caused by the current administration.

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/

We cannot continue to let Israel be treated with such total disdain and disrespect. They used to have a great friend in the U.S., but not anymore. The beginning of the end was the horrible Iran deal, and now this (U.N.)! Stay strong Israel, January 20th is fast approaching!

https://twitter.com/netanyahu

President-elect Trump, thank you for your warm friendship and your clear-cut support for Israel!

Great move on delay (by V. Putin) - I always knew he was very smart! Russians are playing @CNN and @NBCNews for such fools - funny to watch, they don't have a clue! @FoxNews totally gets it!

President Obama's tough stance on drugs and gun violence.

http://bearingarms.com/jenn-j/2016/12/2 ... ed-felons/

Obama Grants 153 Commutations, 78 Pardons to Convicted Felons - <December 20, 2016>
Today, President Obama granted clemency to 231 deserving individuals — the most individual acts of clemency granted in a single day by any president in this nation’s history. With today’s 153 commutations, the President has now commuted the sentences of 1,176 individuals, including 395 life sentences. The President also granted pardons to 78 individuals, bringing his total number of pardons to 148. Today’s acts of clemency — and the mercy the President has shown his 1,324 clemency recipients — exemplify his belief that America is a nation of second chances.

Although the president still plans to issue even more grants of both commutations and pardons before finally leaving office in January, he has already surpassed every other president in his pursuit to show ‘mercy’ to “deserving individuals” – criminals previously found guilty of such offenses as possession of a firearm by a convicted person, possession of an unregistered firearm, possession of a shotgun in relation to a drug trafficking offense and carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Among the 153 commutations issued, 39 (including 10 with life sentences) were imprisoned for charges including firearms violations. Among the 53 pardons issued, 4 individuals were serving time for firearms violations.

[marurun]

Again, since you don't bother to read, our abstention in the UN is consistent with our historical approach to Israel. Obama is doing nothing out of the ordinary at all. One need only look at the final months of most recent presidencies to see a clear pattern. So much Kool Aid in everything you post in here.

[CRTGAMER]

Again, since you don't bother to read, our abstention in the UN is consistent with our historical approach to Israel. Obama is doing nothing out of the ordinary at all. One need only look at the final months of most recent presidencies to see a clear pattern.

I read your previous Reply and do not agree completely on it. Republicans, Democrats and even the UK are against Obama's policy.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/20 ... resolution

My post above is not focused if the UN resolution was right or wrong. The bigger issue is what has been happening with all the last minute changes affecting the country and accusations of the smooth transition purposely going sour.

The United States has lost face in the world when an allied country and a rival country both just waiting until Trump takes over!

[MrPopo]

The United States has lost face in the world when an allied country and a rival country both just waiting until Trump takes over!

I think this is a statement we can ALL agree on, for different reasons.

[marurun]

Russia is waiting for Trump because Trump is likely to ignore their aggressive bad behavior in the world and spying on the US. Putin has an inferiority complex and dreams of empire building, and he knows Trump will cause the US to decline, which is to his advantage.

[marurun]

https://www.thenation.com/article/fake- ... re-facing/

"It has now become clear that faithful followers of Limbaugh, or Fox News, will not only immediately discount any mainstream-media story that reflects badly on politicians or policies they like, no matter how well sourced and substantiate; they will consider the story itself yet another reason to support those politicians and policies, and will quite possibly believe the opposite, simply as a matter of principle."

To add to this, a great many of these folks will claim to, and do, read a variety of news sources, left and right, but they do so with a closed mind, looking for fault and ammunition against the enemy view, not with the aim of learning more about the world to refine their world view.