Re: [OT] Israel still has friends

On Sat, 11 May 2024 22:06:39 -0700
The Horny Goat <lcraver@home.ca> wrote:

On Fri, 10 May 2024 21:03:32 -0400, Rhino
<no_offline_contact@example.com> wrote:
 

I was very encouraged to hear this speech by Douglas Murray, a Brit
presently living in New York who is just back from several months in
Israel. A veteran war correspondent, Murray raced over to Israel
after Oct 7 and saw a very great deal of what has happened there
since then. For all the pain the Israelis have endured, he paints a
picture of a society of very patriotic people who are frequently
heroic in a very understated way. I was particularly moved by the
comments made by the old Israeli who was a veteran of the 1967 and
1973 wars about the younger generation in Israel. 
>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oM4L5DUh_Q
>
Israel would have to look a long way to find a better friend than
Douglas Murray. 

 
For Murray it's considerably more than just one Youtube video - he's
done more than a dozen such Youtube since last October.

I'm well aware of that. I've probably watched all (or at least most) of
them. I'm pretty sure I posted the odd one here.

And while I'm
not sure whether Murray's videos show more than one 1967/1973 veteran
praising the new generation there have been numerous Youtube
commentators saying similar things - I've watched several Murray
Youtubes since last October and that's one of his regular themes.
 

The video that is the subject of this post is simply a speech given in
front of an audience with no video or stills at all; he simply
recounted the veteran's remarks as an anecdote. I guess I didn't see
all of his post-Oct 7 videos then because that was the first one I
remember where he made any mention of the thoughts of older Israelis on
the current war and the generation fighting it.

Bear in mind that what in US terms would be called "regulars" are very
small in the IDF, at least 85+% of the Israeli army are what Americans
would call 'reservists' and that the IDF was modelled on the Swiss
model not the American model.
 
Depending on how their war goes from here I can well imagine it being
a major factor in the US election.

I think it already is. I think Biden's public scolding of Israel and
his decision to stop at an arms shipment - just the one so far but
there are clear threats of stopping others - is purely political. I
don't think the Democrats care much about the Gazans but they DO care
about votes in swing states like Michigan which have substantial Muslim
enclaves. Most polls show Biden behind Trump and the Democrats don't
want to lose those precious Muslim votes. All those fine student
"activists" professing their devotion to Hamas are also likely to be a
factor. While students are less likely to vote than seniors, the
radical ones aren't likely to vote Democrat if Biden isn't seen to be
standing up for the Palestinians.

--
Rhino