There is nothing more frustrating in American politics than discussing Israel.  Nothing.  It is difficult to maintain a balanced view of the situation when many people are ready to lynch you for putting a word wrong in relation to ‘our greatest ally.’

And like many of the real issues underlying the Culture War between the Overly-Woke and The Deplorables, these ab-reactions are meant to stifle debate rather than discuss uncomfortable and inconvenient truths.

I don’t feel like I have many of the answers as to why Israeli officials act the way they do.  Sometimes I get feedback from folks who truly want to engage but more often than not what I just described is what happens.

This livestream goes off into that territory a bit while trying to present what I think is happening with President Trump’s foreign policy decisions.  This one is definitely NSFW, so fair warning applies.

A Peace to End All Pea... Fromkin, David Best Price: $4.51 Buy New $14.19 (as of 11:15 UTC - Details) I had to go there because it is obvious that President Assad in Syria is serious about playing the long game with Bibi in getting back the Golan Heights.  Israel may have won the 1967 war, but Syria has won the 2018 war.

In short, two can play that game.

We discuss these things along with the significance of Turkey asking for admission into the BRICS alliance.  As I detailed in my post from yesterday that move would improve Russia and China’s ability to support President Erdogan’s obvious intention to walk an independent path from the U.S. despite the fulminations of Trump and the harpies in K Street.

The ultimate goal in discussing these things it to both illuminate truth and find the threads of potential solutions to what has been an intractable problem.  I still believe there’s a Grand Bargain possible in the Middle East but I know now that it will happen with some form of capitulation by Netanyahu and his Defense Minister Lieberman (who is aptly named).

Reprinted with permission from Gold Goats ‘n Guns.

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