Former President Barack Obama cautioned against ignoring the complexities of the Israel-Hamas war, warning that “all of us are complicit.”

“If you want to solve the problem, then you have to take in the whole truth. And you then have to admit nobody’s hands are clean, that all of us are complicit to some degree,” he said in an excerpted interview with Pod Save America released Saturday.

  • S_204@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    You seem to not understand what a proportionate response in war is. Israel’s goal is extermination of the terrorist threat in Gaza, their actions are proportional for those goals. Not lost in the calculation is the terrorists saying they intend on continuing their terror attacks on civilians, making a ceasefire all but impossible to institute.

    The question of whether or not it’s humane or ethical is a different question that should be debated.

      • Serinus@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Watch this My life as a Palestinian fighter - YouTube with a little bit critical of an eye and tell me what you think. This is supposed to be in favor of Palestinians, but what I get out of it is that the mother is proud of the son fighting and dying. What I get out of this is that many Gazans want the fighting to continue, but only when it’s their people fighting Israel. Who do you think put out this video? Do you think Israel is behind it? Or do you think it’s honestly made in favor of Palestine? What’s the purpose of this video and who made it?

      • PersnickityPenguin@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        How do you propose to kill everyone who is Hamas without killing any civilians?

        In war, civilians always die. That’s just reality.

          • fosforus@sopuli.xyz
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            1 year ago

            Again, how would you suggest they do it? Don’t avoid the question.

            If this was World War 2, would you be saying that we shouldn’t kill any nazis if it causes civilian casualties? Nazis, like their Hamas associates, also used human shield tactics.

            • coffee_poops@sh.itjust.works
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              1 year ago

              They have one of the most technologically sophisticated militaries in the world. You think they can’t minimize civilian casualties? The state of Israel is run by fascists who are building an ethnostate. They don’t care about Palestinians.

              The cost of destroying Hamas isn’t worth intentionally targeting civilians. They’re blowing up HOSPITALS.

          • rengoku2@lemm.ee
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            1 year ago

            You didnt answer his question. Avoiding it does not make you more right than him.

            • coffee_poops@sh.itjust.works
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              1 year ago

              I’m not answering the question because I’m not drawing the line at no civilians. It’s not my position so I’m not going to defend it.

      • S_204@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Where did I justify anything? I’m pointing out your ignorance is all.

        Proportional in the context you’re using it doesn’t mean what you think it does.

        You’re probably one of those people who says things like genocide when the population has doubled since 1950, or apartheid when Arabs serve in the IDF, sit as judges in the courts and hold seats in the parliament.

        Tensions are high, spreading disinformation like you are doing is a problem that needs to be called out. Notice I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt assuming you’re just ignorant and not doing this intentionally.

        None of what I’ve said justifies the actions of anyone either. I’m simply pointing out that accuracy is important and you made a mistake.

        • coffee_poops@sh.itjust.works
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          1 year ago

          You know that they’re are streets in Jerusalem that Palestinians are not even allowed to walk down, right? It’s an apartheid state.

            • spiderplant@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              Proportional in the context you’re using it doesn’t mean what you think it does.

              Proportionality is important in international law which is one of the reasons that the UN keeps calling out Israel for war crimes. Another cool fact in international law is that the threat to national security has to be imminent to strike into another country. They can’t just bomb in retaliation and say they are preventing future attacks.

              You’re probably one of those people who says things like genocide when the population has doubled since 1950, or apartheid when Arabs serve in the IDF, sit as judges in the courts and hold seats in the parliament.

              Big Zionist misinformation here, population numbers going up can not disqualify acts from being genocidal. Also black people participated in South African society in the same way but no one would say SA wasn’t an apartheid state because a minority existed in the army or parliament.

      • Guydht@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Oh so having thousands of armed forces destroying borders in a calculated coordinated attack including drones and rockets is not an army?

        Read about Hamas. Learn that they’re a small army, coordinated and with levels of commands, platoons, and units.

        Stop imagining Israel as being terrorists targeting civilians - they’re an army targeting terrorists who target civilians, and who’re hiding behind civilians for safety.

        • Linkerbaan@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          Are the cartels armies?

          If a cartel attacks Mexico, should Mexico just bomb their entire city?

          • aidan@lemmy.worldM
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            1 year ago

            Are the cartels armies?

            In some capacity yes.

            If a cartel attacks Mexico, should Mexico just bomb their entire city?

            That’s a different question entirety unrelated to if they’re armies or not. 1940s Japan certainly had an army, but did that justify nuking and firebombing cities?

            • Linkerbaan@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              This is nothing like Japan. This is like Vietnam where America invades a country it isn’t supposed to be and “self defences” all over the place

          • Guydht@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            That’s the wrong question. The right question is if the mexican cartels started launching rockets and slaughtering the U.S.bordering Mexico - then what do you think would happen?

            • jarfil@lemmy.world
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              1 year ago

              That isn’t even a question, it’s a tautology given how the US is fully supporting whatever Israel is doing.

          • jimbo@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Makes you wonder the atrocities they’ve been through to commit to such acts.

            It’s fascinating that you’re capable of that kind of thinking with regard to Gaza and yet seem incapable of applying it to Israel, despite being just as relevant.

            • spiderplant@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              Ah yes let’s apply it to the side with rights, running water, food, the biggest military in the middle east, backed by the US, given free reign to commit war crimes by the west, deeply racist, most of the population have not lost family in the fight, has fortified bunkers in every house and have no fear of having their house bulldozed to make way for a stronger neighbours population.

              • jimbo@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                the biggest military in the middle east, backed by the US

                It’s like there’s a historically sound reason for that or something…the events didn’t even happen that long ago.

                most of the population have not lost family in the fight

                Yes, because of the aforementioned large military. And maybe they haven’t lost someone in the particular fight (although it’s a rather asshole thing to even mention) this is not the first time Israel and other Jews have suffered casualties from surprise attacks.

                has fortified bunkers in every house

                You say that like it’s an indicator that they’re doing alright. How many people in your area feel the need to have fortified bunkers in in their homes to prevent them from being murdered by people living a few miles away? And how many of those people actually had to use those bunkers in the last month (like many Israelis just did)?

                • spiderplant@lemm.ee
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                  1 year ago

                  It’s like there’s a historically sound reason for that or something…the events didn’t even happen that long ago.

                  Its like there’s a historical correlation for large armies and fascist states.

                  But to counter your point, Taiwan keeps on shrinking their army and even dropped conscription despite the even bigger threat of China. They know the US will bail them out just like they would Israel in an all out war. Even looking at all the defending forces in Palestinian or defensive based armies around the world you don’t need a large or extremely well equipped army unless you are looking to invade am area.

                  Yes, because of the aforementioned large military. And maybe they haven’t lost someone in the particular fight (although it’s a rather asshole thing to even mention) this is not the first time Israel and other Jews have suffered casualties from surprise attacks.

                  Every surviving family or friend of someone killed is another person given reason to pick up weapons and fight. Every person who is under threat of starvation, physical violence and death is a person justified in their right to defend themselves. When there is a 36x difference in deaths and one side facing such brutality and oppression, the other side has no right to claim victim.

                  You say that like it’s an indicator that they’re doing alright. How many people in your area feel the need to have fortified bunkers in in their homes to prevent them from being murdered by people living a few miles away? And how many of those people actually had to use those bunkers in the last month (like many Israelis just did)?

                  When one side has the psychological and physical safety of a bunker in their home and the other has to face the bombs without any protection it absolutely is an indicator that they are doing alright.

    • Thief_of_Crows@sh.itjust.works
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      1 year ago

      The only reason a terrorist threat exists at all is that Israel has openly said they are trying to genocide Palestinians. Combined with the last 30 years of Apartheid they’ve already done.

      • aidan@lemmy.worldM
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        1 year ago

        The only reason a terrorist threat exists at all

        How did this recent war start again?

          • aidan@lemmy.worldM
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            1 year ago

            Mhm it’s almost like after 75 years there are generations that have been born on this land, and now are the locals.

            • spiderplant@lemm.ee
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              1 year ago

              So you’re for a 1 state solution with equal rights and a government ran by the majority like south Africa?

              • aidan@lemmy.worldM
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                1 year ago

                So you’re for a 1 state solution with equal rights

                Sure, or a 10 state solution. Whatever, the number of states doesn’t matter.

                ran by the majority like south Africa

                I oppose absolute democracy. I would support a representative state with strong constitutional protections.

                  • aidan@lemmy.worldM
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                    1 year ago

                    I know, I’m not even specifically talking about South Africa. I’m addressing the “ran by the majority” part.

        • Thief_of_Crows@sh.itjust.works
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          1 year ago

          By Israel running an apartheid state and committing countless war crimes against the people of Gaza. What is your point exactly?