There's some minor schadenfreude for the Netanyahuists who learned that, no, actually, putting all your chips on the flakiest, scammiest, piece of shit around was not some brilliant strategy and that yes, you too are the mark; but not nearly enough to compensate for the pointless destructiveness of this whole mess. Other than that minor bit of schadenfreude, the only other upside is: it probably could have gone way worse?
While it is obviously a Great American Defeat/Suez moment, I appreciate that the US is capable of moving on from the failed venture because the comfort of the populace (aka gas prices) is still important. We are not Russia yet.
I totally agree, and you put it well. But the chorus of criticism of the “deal” makes me nervous. We should be cheering for it as the best way we could hope for out of a terrible war. Criticize the war, not the “deal.”
I thought Vance’s admonishment of the more extreme Israeli ministers was interesting and if I were an apologist for Israel, very concerning. The Nat Con’s support for Israel is an inch deep. They’re itching for a reason to break with Netanyahu and embrace their instinctive anti-semitism. Israel is in a really dangerous position and it’s all thanks to Bibi.
"If you ever thought Trump is capable of behaving strategically, let alone undertaking some “civilizational” plan, you are far dumber than he is."
I'll never comprehend this. The contingent of Washington Republicans who have claimed to be hard-nosed realists and advocates of US "strength" have put their chips on . . . . Donald Trump? The guy who says things like, "no one knows that the word dumb has a "b" in it"??
Hey John, first time/long time. Care to expand on the use of ‘schiesty’ in your column? Was just talking about this with my partner the other day (she, like yourself, is from NY). For me, it has the tang of weapons-grade Jew-hatred, up there with the k-slur, for her (not Jewish; neither am I) its sense is kinda neutral. Curious to hear.
See the Wikipedia entry on "Shyster." It doesn't have obviously anti-Semitic (or Yiddish, for that matter) origins, though it's so often used in a way that links unscrupulous lawyering to Jewishness that I guess I have to concede the point. Lisa Simpson calls Lionel Hutz a "shyster," IIRC.
Please don’t misunderstand me: this is asked from genuine linguistic or semantic curiosity, it’s not a hidden bear trap. I suppose my instincts say that ‘schiesty’ (adj) when used as a noun would set off my alarm bells (“he’s a schiesty”), which is interestingly the reverse of “Jew”, when used as an adjective (I’ll not give an example, yall are welcome to supply them)
There's some minor schadenfreude for the Netanyahuists who learned that, no, actually, putting all your chips on the flakiest, scammiest, piece of shit around was not some brilliant strategy and that yes, you too are the mark; but not nearly enough to compensate for the pointless destructiveness of this whole mess. Other than that minor bit of schadenfreude, the only other upside is: it probably could have gone way worse?
You, thank you, gave the game away early. At the worst Scheiße is merely misanthropic, and certainly universal.
While it is obviously a Great American Defeat/Suez moment, I appreciate that the US is capable of moving on from the failed venture because the comfort of the populace (aka gas prices) is still important. We are not Russia yet.
and meat, per Zevon. we must have meat.
I totally agree, and you put it well. But the chorus of criticism of the “deal” makes me nervous. We should be cheering for it as the best way we could hope for out of a terrible war. Criticize the war, not the “deal.”
I thought Vance’s admonishment of the more extreme Israeli ministers was interesting and if I were an apologist for Israel, very concerning. The Nat Con’s support for Israel is an inch deep. They’re itching for a reason to break with Netanyahu and embrace their instinctive anti-semitism. Israel is in a really dangerous position and it’s all thanks to Bibi.
who could have predicted that the Israeli government getting into bed with the world’s worst anti-semites was not good for the jews?
John, you nailed in three pithy paragraphs.
"If you ever thought Trump is capable of behaving strategically, let alone undertaking some “civilizational” plan, you are far dumber than he is."
I'll never comprehend this. The contingent of Washington Republicans who have claimed to be hard-nosed realists and advocates of US "strength" have put their chips on . . . . Donald Trump? The guy who says things like, "no one knows that the word dumb has a "b" in it"??
Hey John, first time/long time. Care to expand on the use of ‘schiesty’ in your column? Was just talking about this with my partner the other day (she, like yourself, is from NY). For me, it has the tang of weapons-grade Jew-hatred, up there with the k-slur, for her (not Jewish; neither am I) its sense is kinda neutral. Curious to hear.
it's not antisemitic
I am Jewish
And trump, perhaps more saliently, is not.
I guess in context it could be
I’m aware!
See the Wikipedia entry on "Shyster." It doesn't have obviously anti-Semitic (or Yiddish, for that matter) origins, though it's so often used in a way that links unscrupulous lawyering to Jewishness that I guess I have to concede the point. Lisa Simpson calls Lionel Hutz a "shyster," IIRC.
Please don’t misunderstand me: this is asked from genuine linguistic or semantic curiosity, it’s not a hidden bear trap. I suppose my instincts say that ‘schiesty’ (adj) when used as a noun would set off my alarm bells (“he’s a schiesty”), which is interestingly the reverse of “Jew”, when used as an adjective (I’ll not give an example, yall are welcome to supply them)
Hear, hear.