SuddenDownpour

There's a possibility that this would provoke demobilization among Trump voters.

The KGB agent admits that they're propagandists, but the US propaganda runs so deep that the CIA agent isn't even aware that they do have propaganda.

I think you should read the UN report, if you have not

I'll give it a look later. You linked it in this thread, correct?

Do you have a source for this, like interviews with hostages where they said they were treated humanely, or something?

From the first few weeks of the conflict:

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/freed-israeli-hostage-says-she-was-well-treated-after-initial-violence-2023-10-24/

From her words, it looked like the conditions were terrible, but they made efforts to try and minimize the harm. It's likely that the treatment they gave the hostages varied wildly.

Honestly, like I say, to me it’s not super complicated. Punish the guilty (which in large part means stop shielding Israel from prosecution for their crimes; certainly no one is making much of any attempt to shield Palestine from the consequences of Hamas’s crimes.) How to do that and how to arrive at peace is complex, but “is this war crime that whatever people did, a war crime” is a lot simpler: The answer is yes.

Agreed with everything here.

A separate thread about that would have been appreciated. It's something terrible that should be called out, but posting it as a response to this is like replying: "Ok, and??? Some people of the country they're invading are horrible anyway."

If there's a silver lining to this, is that the people of one of the most populous countries in Earth are going to become far more likely to support policies against climate change.

Science in the real world is done with Kelvin.

Edit: Oh shit, you aren't @[email protected]. Sorry about that.

Furthermore: we shouldn't care too much about the speed at which Earth heats or cools down on its own. If we know we're a significant factor alongside its natural processes, we should still contribute to the NET temperature being one that's appropriate for human life. If the Earth was heating up this fast naturally, we should still try to cool it down by artificial means, if possible.

in case it’s directed in my direction

I mean zionists specifically because I see some from time to time justifying the extreme damage Israel has committed against civilians, some making a lot of effort to paint Hamas as a bunch of barbarians to further support that position. I only remember seeing you in this thread, and from your posts in it, you don't seem to be doing that.

That’s, honestly, my whole point in getting all up in arms about “let’s not worry about that rape because of which side is doing it” narratives like OP’s.

Bit off-topic in this comment chain (it would fit yours better) but: whenever I've seen someone or an organization pushing positions such as OP's article, there are a few valid reasons:

• Some media did rush to claim sexual violence far before they had any evidence of it, especially soon after the 7th of October, which should be scrutinized.

• There are differences between: A) Sexual violence committed by an individual or a few, B) That violence being tolerated by their superiors, and C) That violence being supported by their superiors. This distinction is important, since a very large organization having monsters in its ranks isn't statistically strange (and modern, well-run organizations make sure to punish those monsters and bringing them to one form of justice or another), but that organization not taking measures against those monsters or even promoting their behavior is far more serious.

• Plenty of media has ignored and continues to ignore the previous differences, and now that there is evidence of A, they use it to claim C.

• Those bad journalistic practices get used to promote violence against innocent Palestinians and support jingoistic horror.

Personally, I had no doubt that there would be monsters in Hamas who would abuse the prisoners in their captivity, but the organization itself has an interest in making sure that the prisoners who make it out alive say that they were treated humanely (as we've seen with some of them). Attacking civilians and taking them hostage is already really terrible to start with, but noting what's being done out of logical political goals and what's being done out of sheer sadism is important. If we compare Hamas with the Israeli government and army, we do currently already have evidence that the latter do at the very least tolerate abuse of Palestinian prisoners, apparently with gleeful support from much of Israel since they celebrate that violence by sharing it in social media.

Could there be people taking positions aesthetically close to mine who are, however, defending them in bad faith, as they just want to shield Hamas? There must be some, but the environment is heated enough that anyone who doesn't take a nuanced enough position is going to be called out sooner than later. Although figuring out the most reasonable positions is far more important, in my view.

To any zionist who's found their way into this comments section. Do you think that Israeli soldiers and leadership should be judged for the sexual assault of Palestinians with the same severity as Hamas members who committed, allowed or promoted sexual violence against their captured prisoners? Who should conduct the appropriate investigation and trial?

UN experts demand investigation into claims Israeli forces killed, raped and sexually assaulted Palestinian women and girls

Palestinians ‘beaten and sexually assaulted’ at Israeli detention centres, UN report claims

Israel’s use of rape against Palestinian detainees from Gaza exposed

Is that causation or correlation?

Always a good time to remember the old joke:

<<An agent of the CIA and an agent of the KGB are together at a bar, chatting after taking what's probably too much alcohol given their occupations.

The CIA agent tells the Russian: "You know, I must admit that you guys are really good at propaganda. The way you paint capitalism is great. People swallow it everywhere!"

The KGB agent replies: "Thank you, thank you, we put a lot of work into it, but American propaganda is something else. It is so good that you guys think you don't have propaganda!"

And the CIA agent says: "But we have no propaganda.">>

Myers, who says he’s a licensed security guard, was sitting in his car Wednesday to conduct “overwatch” while his son trains because “he has seen numerous crimes occur” in the parking lot, according to the probable cause statement.

Well fucking congrats for contributing to the statistic.