David Sterman

Platner sat for lengthy interview with antisemitic conspiracy theorist, said he was ‘longtime fan’ of his show Weeks before Graham Platner promoted an antisemitic conspiracy theorist in a now-deleted social media post on Thursday, the controversial Maine Senate candidate appeared on a popular YouTube show whos...

At a certain point you just cannot keep extending someone the benefit of the doubt. www.yahoo.com/news/article...

JUST BECAUSE SOMEONE IS A BAD GUY DOESN'T MEAN YOU CAN ASSASSINATE HIM

Putting aside for a short moment the issues with fully rejecting the pottery barn rule, that’s not actually an answer to this question.

Also to be clear absolutely sure deep skepticism about any post facto claims any of these strikes weren’t deliberately targeted and in line with higher orders.

Another similar example of this problem being discussed.

nationalsecurity.law.georgetown.edu/wp-content/u...

Do agree on importance of ends, larger criticisms though for sure.

I also think this skips over the immediate level of regional aggressiveness from Iran vs Iraq and how that shapes the way and risks of how folks make their critiques.

Feeble Criticism of War With Iran Echoes the Lead-Up to War With Iraq We need to take a firm stand against this reckless and pointless war, not fixate on whether or not it was done the "right way."

I do not buy the comparison here between supposed process critiques today of Iraq in 02/03.

The political context is different and in between we have a case of authorization/process complaint derailing a war.

This is too generous to 02 folks.

www.liberalcurrents.com/feeble-criti...

I mean I think his I don’t know if it technically is a war line should be the real focus here tied to the absolutely absurd OLC nonsense re Maduro and definitions.

The Trump claim about the Cole bombing and Iran is just so wild.

We have OBL’s docs, a key plotter in detention, a massive investigation, AQ’s own story, policymaker discussion of Iran response after 9/11, 25 years of surveillance of AQ.

None comes close to supporting this bs.

While there was some debate about Khobar Towers, Iran as behind the Cole bombing is up there with the Saddam did 1st WTC, Oklahoma City, Flight 800 & 9/11 conspiracy theories laundered by Wolfowitz & those adjacent to him. Closer ties between AQ & Iran in more recent years do not validate this. 2/2

As we learn about the first deaths of US servicemembers, it’s worth remembering that not only did Trump not get the constitutionally required authorization for his war of choice, he didn’t even bother to address the nation. He made a brief video on his personal social media company at 3am.

Argentina seeks arrest of Iranian minister over 1994 bombing The call for his arrest comes after an Argentine court blamed Iran for an attack on a Jewish centre.

The newly-appointed head of Iran's IRGC, Ahmad Vahidi, is wanted in Argentina for his role in the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center, which killed 85 people. www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-l...

This seems odd to me. I think there are reasons to wonder about more recent ties and if their nature shifted.

But this far back just seems deeply lacking of support in an area that we have a lot of material on that does not align with such conclusions.

Even in Trump 1 often emphasized a shift.

Folks crafting false conventional wisdom about what this war means for other nations lessons re sovereignty/prolif w/o accounting for the multidecade quasi-war between Iran and the U.S., Iran’s long history of aggression regionally, and how that is all tied into the choices Iran made re security.

Not sure I buy this as having that much meaning given

A) restriction of success. Failed real attempts cut against norm args.

B) Implied restriction of currently serving. Some major relevant ones here.

C) Already limited by state on state violent disputes. Which for most recent quite down.

Here’s my 2021 report touching on this exact move.

Though I view this as mostly sloganeering and divorced from an effort to actually examine endlessness, escalation as route out of endlessness is a common symptom (and may sometimes work).

www.newamerica.org/future-secur...

Some thoughts on this.

First, it’s not a new frame. I noted this use in my report on Defining Endless Wars.

Second, I do think using “forever war” here functions to keep the focus on duration and not on opening a focus on strategy that can come with endless war.

This, too, is anti Semitic, and also completely insane.

This isn’t to say it’s not a relevant frame to watch. But it also has a tendency to take over analysis - something we’ve seen in other cases.

Still think folks should be cautious about framing regime change as the core objective/character of this war.

First, lack of clarity is imo dominant.

Second, rise up after we do what we do is not a statement of clear commitment to regime change.

Third, lot of capability focused talk.

Vance: ‘No chance’ U.S. will be in drawn-out war in Middle East As President Trump contemplates military action in Iran, the vice president told The Post he still sees himself as a “skeptic” of overseas military intervention.

Yes, Vance's belief is entirely consistent with well-known truths in political science such as "all wars are short," "outcomes are predictable," "the stronger power always wins," and "the enemy doesn't get a vote"

The extent of recent Pakistani strikes both in Afghanistan but also prior cases in Pakistan probably should re-raise some real questions on the supposed extent of Pakistani gov opposition to the U.S. drone campaign.

The growth of Red-Brown politics (TYT talking about "goyim," Graham Platner boosting Stew Peters) will not be stemmed by saying they are "not real leftists." Even if you think they are not part of any meaningful left, they need to be fought by acknowledging they portray themselves as on the left.

Is the U.S. Conducting Air Strikes Against Al Qaeda in Yemen? Reports suggest renewed U.S. drone strikes in Yemen against AQAP despite official denials, raising transparency and accountability questions.

Watching debate on Twitter among Yemeni journalists and analysts over if these strikes are American or Emirati.

Goes to how much of an issue it is that the U.S. substantially contributed to a bad info environment by not taking transparency/trust seriously.

www.justsecurity.org/129392/us-ai...

Truly irksome to see folks no true Scotsman-ing instances of anti-Semitism on the left.

Your personal position within intra-left disputes does not excuse acting as if these are fully separable. Especially given these are often institutions responding to audience pressures.

Not sure that was really something that should have been treated as a debate or that the choice of debaters was appropriate.

Recalling how a certain outlet chose Cenk Uygur who recently went full 9/11 conspiracy and whose cohost is now tweeting about the goyim waking up to defend Platner’s Nazi tattoo.

The Young Turks are going full Nazi, and they should be quarantined from all liberal and progressive circles.

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