In trying to figure out what Trump will do, I follow Josh Marshall’s heuristic, devised ten years ago (Christ, has it been that long?) and dubbed “Trump’s Razor” in honor of the better-known one attributed to William of Occam:
“Ascertain the stupidest possible scenario that can be reconciled with the available facts.”
Damn. I clicked the link but saw nothing about Franklin visiting a brothel. Unfortunately I did learn more about the Constitution. Oww, learning hurts!
I'm certainly no fan of the Iranian government, but I confess myself surprised at your final couple of sentences in this one. I don't think American intervention in the Middle East has ever produced a good outcome, and I don't see how an administration like this one could possibly reverse that trend.
Have you read Haviv Reitig Gur's analysis of this war?
Additionally, the Americans are demonstrating (finally!) the "no better friends", aspect of their foreign power. America is incredibly popular in Israel. Trump may be the best loved American, even among the left. They're showing why America is actually a great ally to have. I know this war hits differently when you aren't hiding in bomb shelters, but taking out missile launchers that have killed our civilians is a positive on its own merits. And so the Americans have helped, on a very essential level, allies.
Then you aren't considering intelligence sharing, or proof of effectiveness of weapons and tactics as part being a good ally. How many attacks on Americans have been foiled due to Israeli intelligence? The truth is, you don't know because success is silent.
Israel is the one ally the US has in the region that shares anything resembling American values. Economically, Israel has benefited America greatly with companies and tech, and with cultural exchanges.
What would make you claim that Israel is not a good ally to the US? Israel isn't a puppet state of the US, the goals aren't perfectly aligned, but if being a good ally means marching in lockstep, you'll never find any good allies.
You don't understand the situation in the west bank or in Gaza, and that's fine. I'm sure you don't understand the situation in the Sinai either, and the US funds Egypt also (by your definition of funding). But if you think borders are contrary to American values, than I don't think you are paying attention!
Boy do I hope this is the humor part of your schtick, "if we cannot learn from reality, maybe we can at least learn from an actor speaking the lines of a writer for a movie that will show the consequences given in the screenplay, which may or may not be likely to occur in our reality."
I never realized before how The Man Who Wasn't There gives us a novel reformulation of the trolley car problem. Do you crash the car? or do you let Scarlett Johansson...
In trying to figure out what Trump will do, I follow Josh Marshall’s heuristic, devised ten years ago (Christ, has it been that long?) and dubbed “Trump’s Razor” in honor of the better-known one attributed to William of Occam:
“Ascertain the stupidest possible scenario that can be reconciled with the available facts.”
Damn. I clicked the link but saw nothing about Franklin visiting a brothel. Unfortunately I did learn more about the Constitution. Oww, learning hurts!
Learning? Gross!
High scores for both punditry and humor. Thanks.
"A Les Mis-style people’s uprising is now off the table"
The people in Les Mis fail in their uprising and are killed, like the people in Iran today.
This is an excellent point.
I'm certainly no fan of the Iranian government, but I confess myself surprised at your final couple of sentences in this one. I don't think American intervention in the Middle East has ever produced a good outcome, and I don't see how an administration like this one could possibly reverse that trend.
We're in it now, and I've spent a lot of words this week describing my misgivings, but I hope that in spite of all that it somehow works out.
Have you read Haviv Reitig Gur's analysis of this war?
Additionally, the Americans are demonstrating (finally!) the "no better friends", aspect of their foreign power. America is incredibly popular in Israel. Trump may be the best loved American, even among the left. They're showing why America is actually a great ally to have. I know this war hits differently when you aren't hiding in bomb shelters, but taking out missile launchers that have killed our civilians is a positive on its own merits. And so the Americans have helped, on a very essential level, allies.
Not sure who "we" vs "they" are. Israel has been a fantastic ally to the US, and the US has been a good ally to Israel.
Then you aren't considering intelligence sharing, or proof of effectiveness of weapons and tactics as part being a good ally. How many attacks on Americans have been foiled due to Israeli intelligence? The truth is, you don't know because success is silent.
Israel is the one ally the US has in the region that shares anything resembling American values. Economically, Israel has benefited America greatly with companies and tech, and with cultural exchanges.
What would make you claim that Israel is not a good ally to the US? Israel isn't a puppet state of the US, the goals aren't perfectly aligned, but if being a good ally means marching in lockstep, you'll never find any good allies.
You don't understand the situation in the west bank or in Gaza, and that's fine. I'm sure you don't understand the situation in the Sinai either, and the US funds Egypt also (by your definition of funding). But if you think borders are contrary to American values, than I don't think you are paying attention!
"IMHO, the only way this war could end well is if the Iranian regime is replaced by something better."
Hmm, I wonder if there's a Farsi version of "Won't Be Fooled Again" by The Who, that song with the line, "Meet the new boss, same as the old boss."
Boy do I hope this is the humor part of your schtick, "if we cannot learn from reality, maybe we can at least learn from an actor speaking the lines of a writer for a movie that will show the consequences given in the screenplay, which may or may not be likely to occur in our reality."
Nothing in life can be confidently predicted. To never act in the face of that truth doesn't make you wise.
I never saw that art house movie. Did it end well?
It ended horribly: It spawned multiple unwatchable sequels.
Sounds familiar.....
Yes, but it didn't middle well.
Lmfao 🤣 this title cracked me up
I never realized before how The Man Who Wasn't There gives us a novel reformulation of the trolley car problem. Do you crash the car? or do you let Scarlett Johansson...
Kermit Roosevelt says "hold my beer."