Middle East: President Biden is caught between a rock and a hard spot

[Lakhota]

‘On Thin Ice’: Some Biden Administration Staffers Feel Stifled Discussing Horrors In Gaza​

Several officials spoke to HuffPost about what one called the United States’ “monstrous disregard for innocent Palestinian lives” ― and the challenge of questioning Israel internally.

President Joe Biden departed for Israel on Tuesday evening on a high-stakes diplomatic visit amid ongoing Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed that has killed more than 4,000 people so far. As Biden grapples with the crisis, several U.S. officials told HuffPost it has become difficult to have a full debate within his administration about what’s happening in Israel-Palestine ― and in particular that people who want to talk about Israeli restraint or humanitarian protections for Palestinians feel stifled.

Several staffers across multiple agencies, most of whom work on national security issues, told HuffPost they and their colleagues worry about retaliation at work for questioning Israel’s conduct amid the U.S.-backed Israeli campaign to avenge an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, that killed more than 1,400 Israelis.

The fear is especially intense among staffers with Muslim backgrounds. On Sunday, presidential personnel office chief Gautam Raghavan organized a call with close to a dozen current and former high-level Muslim appointees to discuss their concerns. Some staffers said they felt unsafe voicing their opinions around colleagues, according to a person on the call, which has not been previously reported.

And officials tracking the escalating fighting are quietly sharing dark predictions about the ultimate toll of Israel’s operation in Gaza, Hamas’s base, along with pessimism about their ability to influence the situation and Biden’s commitment to reducing tensions.

The period since the Hamas attack represents “the first time in the administration that there was a real culture of silence,” one official said. “It feels like post-9/11 where you feel like your thoughts are being policed, and you’re really afraid of being seen as anti-American or an anti-Semite.”

A career civil servant described tension between their commitment to challenging rights abuses and their job.

“I’m trying to educate people about Palestine through social media, but I’m worried I’ll lose my security clearance for criticizing the president or blaming the U.S. for civilian massacre,” they told HuffPost. “I feel like there’s no place for me in America anymore, and I’m on thin ice with my clearance because of my heritage and because I care about my people dying.”

The seemingly stifled internal debate undercuts Biden’s narrative that his administration is historically diverse and open to perspectives from traditionally marginalized groups, including on questions of global affairs.

Much more at the link below...

Exclusive: ‘Culture Of Silence’ In Biden Admin Stifling Debate About Israel’s Actions In Gaza, Sources Say

Several officials spoke to HuffPost about what one called the United States’ “monstrous disregard for innocent Palestinian lives” ― and the challenge of questioning Israel internally.

www.huffpost.com

President Biden made the risky trip to Israel because he knew this situation was a potential powder keg that could blow up the entire Middle East - even before the bombing of Gaza's Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital. What do you think?

 

[Lakhota]

EXCLUSIVE: 'CULTURE OF SILENCE' IN BIDEN ADMIN. SINCE HAMAS ATTACK

​

 

[Lakhota]

'It Feels Like Post-9/11'...
​

 

[Rambunctious]

Americans held hostage day 12......

 

[EvilCat Breath]

Biden is not going to any high stakes summit. No one knows why he's going. The leaders of Jordan and Egypt have no interest in the senile American. Maybe Bibi can spare a few minutes.

 

[Esdraelon]

Biden is not going to any high stakes summit. No one knows why he's going. The leaders of Jordan and Egypt have no interest in the senile American. Maybe Bibi can spare a few minutes.

It really does make no sense at all. Going into an active war zone, pre-announced? Something weird is going on.

 

[luiza]

It really does make no sense at all. Going into an active war zone, pre-announced? Something weird is going on.

It tempts me to indulge in fancy .

That Deep State have completely finished with him and prefer to offer him as a sacrifice to be taken out in full view of the world .

It might be seen that in any such dream scenario it would symbolise the destruction of the US and an invitation to its detractors to rise up against it .

Bit of an outsider bet . But we may get lucky .

 

[fncceo]

Step one: The Palestinians launch horrific attacks against Jewish civilians in Israel.

Step two: 24 hours of ineffectual sympathy for Jews once again being slaughtered

Step three: The same chorus of shrill voices condemning Israel for attacking Hamas / Hezzbolah /PLO hiding amongst their civilian populace. Effectively preventing Israel from taking any significant efforts preventing future attacks


Rinse Repeat

 

[CowboyTed]

‘On Thin Ice’: Some Biden Administration Staffers Feel Stifled Discussing Horrors In Gaza​

Several officials spoke to HuffPost about what one called the United States’ “monstrous disregard for innocent Palestinian lives” ― and the challenge of questioning Israel internally.

President Joe Biden departed for Israel on Tuesday evening on a high-stakes diplomatic visit amid ongoing Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed that has killed more than 4,000 people so far. As Biden grapples with the crisis, several U.S. officials told HuffPost it has become difficult to have a full debate within his administration about what’s happening in Israel-Palestine ― and in particular that people who want to talk about Israeli restraint or humanitarian protections for Palestinians feel stifled.

Several staffers across multiple agencies, most of whom work on national security issues, told HuffPost they and their colleagues worry about retaliation at work for questioning Israel’s conduct amid the U.S.-backed Israeli campaign to avenge an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, that killed more than 1,400 Israelis.

The fear is especially intense among staffers with Muslim backgrounds. On Sunday, presidential personnel office chief Gautam Raghavan organized a call with close to a dozen current and former high-level Muslim appointees to discuss their concerns. Some staffers said they felt unsafe voicing their opinions around colleagues, according to a person on the call, which has not been previously reported.

And officials tracking the escalating fighting are quietly sharing dark predictions about the ultimate toll of Israel’s operation in Gaza, Hamas’s base, along with pessimism about their ability to influence the situation and Biden’s commitment to reducing tensions.

The period since the Hamas attack represents “the first time in the administration that there was a real culture of silence,” one official said. “It feels like post-9/11 where you feel like your thoughts are being policed, and you’re really afraid of being seen as anti-American or an anti-Semite.”

A career civil servant described tension between their commitment to challenging rights abuses and their job.

“I’m trying to educate people about Palestine through social media, but I’m worried I’ll lose my security clearance for criticizing the president or blaming the U.S. for civilian massacre,” they told HuffPost. “I feel like there’s no place for me in America anymore, and I’m on thin ice with my clearance because of my heritage and because I care about my people dying.”

The seemingly stifled internal debate undercuts Biden’s narrative that his administration is historically diverse and open to perspectives from traditionally marginalized groups, including on questions of global affairs.

Much more at the link below...

Exclusive: ‘Culture Of Silence’ In Biden Admin Stifling Debate About Israel’s Actions In Gaza, Sources Say

Several officials spoke to HuffPost about what one called the United States’ “monstrous disregard for innocent Palestinian lives” ― and the challenge of questioning Israel internally.

www.huffpost.com

President Biden made the risky trip to Israel because he knew this situation was a potential powder keg that could blow up the entire Middle East - even before the bombing of Gaza's Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital. What do you think?

I think that the release of Foreign Hostages will be sorted through other channels... They seem to be making progress with that...

I don't think US has to own this... They can be highly supportive of Isreali defensive actions (like taking out Rocket sites)....

The big question to Israel is
'What do Isreal want?'...
Isreal was is normalisation talks with Saudi when this attack happened... Iran were paying for this attack to get a reaction, that reaction is for Isreal to go over the top. Saudi pull out of talks and Iran gets what they paid for. Iran wins... Isreal looses...
This response is in support of Iran.
(See, nothing about US there)

What should Isreal do to make Iran or Hamas loose?
How about first instead of supporting Hamas over the Palestinian Authority (see below). Get the PA to take over the Gaza Strip, support them in weeding out the Hamas fighters and then send the leaders and anyone involved in the attack of Hamas to the Hague to be tried for War Crimes.
This gives Isreal massive legitimacy. If any Hamas flee or are already abroad an International arrest warrant can be issued for them. Anyone who harbours them would be considered a pariah nation. This would totally erode their support and reduce them to nothing more than a cartel..
With the PA, negotiate. 55 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank in the last 12 days... A lot of this violence is being led by Illegal Settlers. The Illegal Settlers are increasing there attacks year on year..
Get rid of the Illegal Setters... Not easy and there would be a few compromises (land swaps).

This is what the real world sees

Which side is saying they should not exist?

Actions speak louder than words...

 

[1srelluc]

Huff-N-Puff source.....Smells the same too.

 

[Seymour Flops]

​

“I’m trying to educate people about Palestine through social media, but I’m worried I’ll lose my security clearance for criticizing the president or blaming the U.S. for civilian massacre,” they told HuffPost. “I feel like there’s no place for me in America anymore, and I’m on thin ice with my clearance because of my heritage and because I care about my people dying.”

It's not hard to guess that this anonymous person's caring about people dying started only when the Israelis started fighting back, not when the Israelis were massacred, kidnapped and tortured by the Arabs of Palestine.

'It Feels Like Post-9/11'...
​

And why would it not?

True, they "only" killed 700 in one day, not 3,000, as they did on 9/11. But in a country as small as Israel, that will certainly feel like a 9/11. If Muslims worldwide feel that they are being scapegoated, maybe they should start forcibly and publicly denouncing the actions of their fellow Muslims instead of making excuses for it and blaming the small country of Israel.

View attachment 844718
Which side is saying they should not exist?

Palestine was never a nation. It was a territory which has had Jews and Muslims for centuries, unlike what the 1917 part of that clever but inaccurate chart shows. There was no need to found a nation for Muslims, there are more than twenty Muslim nations in the middle east already. Yet, too many of those Muslims are enraged by the existence of just one Jewish nation.

It is the Muslim side saying they should not exist, and as we saw on October 7th, they do not mean for Palestine to become a Muslim nation and the Jews live peacefully as a minority. They mean for both Israel and the Jewish people to be wiped out.

 

[LordBrownTrout]

It really does make no sense at all. Going into an active war zone, pre-announced? Something weird is going on.

That's what Im thinking. Who is sending him there? I dont care for the buffoon but I sure wouldn't send him into that. But then again, that short stairway at the back of the plane could be just as deadly.

 

[CowboyTed]

It's not hard to guess that this anonymous person's caring about people dying started only when the Israelis started fighting back, not when the Israelis were massacred, kidnapped and tortured by the Arabs of Palestine.


And why would it not?

True, they "only" killed 700 in one day, not 3,000, as they did on 9/11. But in a country as small as Israel, that will certainly feel like a 9/11. If Muslims worldwide feel that they are being scapegoated, maybe they should start forcibly and publicly denouncing the actions of their fellow Muslims instead of making excuses for it and blaming the small country of Israel.


Palestine was never a nation. It was a territory which has had Jews and Muslims for centuries, unlike what the 1917 part of that clever but inaccurate chart shows. There was no need to found a nation for Muslims, there are more than twenty Muslim nations in the middle east already. Yet, too many of those Muslims are enraged by the existence of just one Jewish nation.

It is the Muslim side saying they should not exist, and as we saw on October 7th, they do not mean for Palestine to become a Muslim nation and the Jews live peacefully as a minority. They mean for both Israel and the Jewish people to be wiped out.

I have clearly shown in those pictures way that ethic cleansing is happening especially over the last 55 years.

Palestinians are people from that area and have lived in that area for thousands of years... Palestinians are not apart of other nations they are there own people...
Just because you are Christian doesn't mean you are Mexican and Mexico has to take you in... You theory is that US can become estinct and Christians can be pushed off their land because they can goto Mexico..

 

[Independentthinker]

‘On Thin Ice’: Some Biden Administration Staffers Feel Stifled Discussing Horrors In Gaza​

Several officials spoke to HuffPost about what one called the United States’ “monstrous disregard for innocent Palestinian lives” ― and the challenge of questioning Israel internally.

President Joe Biden departed for Israel on Tuesday evening on a high-stakes diplomatic visit amid ongoing Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed that has killed more than 4,000 people so far. As Biden grapples with the crisis, several U.S. officials told HuffPost it has become difficult to have a full debate within his administration about what’s happening in Israel-Palestine ― and in particular that people who want to talk about Israeli restraint or humanitarian protections for Palestinians feel stifled.

Several staffers across multiple agencies, most of whom work on national security issues, told HuffPost they and their colleagues worry about retaliation at work for questioning Israel’s conduct amid the U.S.-backed Israeli campaign to avenge an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, that killed more than 1,400 Israelis.

The fear is especially intense among staffers with Muslim backgrounds. On Sunday, presidential personnel office chief Gautam Raghavan organized a call with close to a dozen current and former high-level Muslim appointees to discuss their concerns. Some staffers said they felt unsafe voicing their opinions around colleagues, according to a person on the call, which has not been previously reported.

And officials tracking the escalating fighting are quietly sharing dark predictions about the ultimate toll of Israel’s operation in Gaza, Hamas’s base, along with pessimism about their ability to influence the situation and Biden’s commitment to reducing tensions.

The period since the Hamas attack represents “the first time in the administration that there was a real culture of silence,” one official said. “It feels like post-9/11 where you feel like your thoughts are being policed, and you’re really afraid of being seen as anti-American or an anti-Semite.”

A career civil servant described tension between their commitment to challenging rights abuses and their job.

“I’m trying to educate people about Palestine through social media, but I’m worried I’ll lose my security clearance for criticizing the president or blaming the U.S. for civilian massacre,” they told HuffPost. “I feel like there’s no place for me in America anymore, and I’m on thin ice with my clearance because of my heritage and because I care about my people dying.”

The seemingly stifled internal debate undercuts Biden’s narrative that his administration is historically diverse and open to perspectives from traditionally marginalized groups, including on questions of global affairs.

Much more at the link below...

Exclusive: ‘Culture Of Silence’ In Biden Admin Stifling Debate About Israel’s Actions In Gaza, Sources Say

Several officials spoke to HuffPost about what one called the United States’ “monstrous disregard for innocent Palestinian lives” ― and the challenge of questioning Israel internally.

www.huffpost.com

President Biden made the risky trip to Israel because he knew this situation was a potential powder keg that could blow up the entire Middle East - even before the bombing of Gaza's Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital. What do you think?

He put himself there, along with the rest of us. His foreign policy has been a disaster.

 

[CowboyTed]

He put himself there, along with the rest of us. His foreign policy has been a disaster.

What the fuck are you talking about....

Do you think a Hamas Fighter give one fuck what any US President thinks about him?

How fucking deranged are you? The guy is going to butcher innocent people and you think he will stop because US President can hump a US Flag and kiss the ass of the Russia President...

 

[Seymour Flops]

I have clearly shown in those pictures way that ethic cleansing is happening especially over the last 55 years.

Palestinians are people from that area and have lived in that area for thousands of years... Palestinians are not apart of other nations they are there own people...

Jews were living in that area before the formation of Israel. For thousands of years. What you mean is that Muslim Arabs were also living in that area. Neither group had more right than the other to the title "Palestinian," because there was no nation of Palestine.

In 1948, as the world was seeking solutions to the constant warring among nations, the world - not just the United States, nor some band of Zionists - decided that granting Jews a small sliver of land in the desert for their own homeland would help to that end. The Arabs living in the areas not given to Israel could have formed their own nation, and the other Arab Muslim nations could have recognized it and all could have gotten along swimmingly.

There never was a nation called "Palestine," nor people who were citizens called "Palestinians." That is a made up term coined that Arabs used to fault Israel for occupying Gaza and the West Bank from which they had been invaded.

The UN offered a two-state solution in 1947. A Jewish state, an Arab state and Jerusalem an international city. There really could have been a Palestine, and Palestinians. What could be more fair?

But, nooooooooo!

Some people just had to pout their anger. Sore losers for 75 years now, and no let up. Time for them to grow up and accept reality. They - Hamas, and the Arabs in Palestine that put Hamas in power - have set back the cause of peace for at least a generation. Young Israelis will have a difficult time forgetting their own 9/11 in 2023. That's not Israel's fault, that is Hamas, the nations that fund them, and the U.S. politicians who fund the nations who fund them.

Just because you are Christian doesn't mean you are Mexican and Mexico has to take you in... You theory is that US can become estinct and Christians can be pushed off their land because they can goto Mexico..

The United States is an existing nation. Palestine is not.

A better analogy would be post Civil War. During the Civil War, United States citizens, pretended there was a country called "Confederate States of America," and called themselves "Confederates." They fought a war to that end. It was a real war, with soldiers fighting soldiers, not cowards murdering babies and kidnapping women. Still, when they lost, when Lee surrendered, they accepted it. The world did not fund efforts to dig tunnels, improvise explosives, and conduct sneak attacks.

The "Palestinians" have lost any moral high ground if ever they had any.

 

[Arlette]

‘On Thin Ice’: Some Biden Administration Staffers Feel Stifled Discussing Horrors In Gaza​

Several officials spoke to HuffPost about what one called the United States’ “monstrous disregard for innocent Palestinian lives” ― and the challenge of questioning Israel internally.

President Joe Biden departed for Israel on Tuesday evening on a high-stakes diplomatic visit amid ongoing Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed that has killed more than 4,000 people so far. As Biden grapples with the crisis, several U.S. officials told HuffPost it has become difficult to have a full debate within his administration about what’s happening in Israel-Palestine ― and in particular that people who want to talk about Israeli restraint or humanitarian protections for Palestinians feel stifled.

Several staffers across multiple agencies, most of whom work on national security issues, told HuffPost they and their colleagues worry about retaliation at work for questioning Israel’s conduct amid the U.S.-backed Israeli campaign to avenge an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, that killed more than 1,400 Israelis.

The fear is especially intense among staffers with Muslim backgrounds. On Sunday, presidential personnel office chief Gautam Raghavan organized a call with close to a dozen current and former high-level Muslim appointees to discuss their concerns. Some staffers said they felt unsafe voicing their opinions around colleagues, according to a person on the call, which has not been previously reported.

And officials tracking the escalating fighting are quietly sharing dark predictions about the ultimate toll of Israel’s operation in Gaza, Hamas’s base, along with pessimism about their ability to influence the situation and Biden’s commitment to reducing tensions.

The period since the Hamas attack represents “the first time in the administration that there was a real culture of silence,” one official said. “It feels like post-9/11 where you feel like your thoughts are being policed, and you’re really afraid of being seen as anti-American or an anti-Semite.”

A career civil servant described tension between their commitment to challenging rights abuses and their job.

“I’m trying to educate people about Palestine through social media, but I’m worried I’ll lose my security clearance for criticizing the president or blaming the U.S. for civilian massacre,” they told HuffPost. “I feel like there’s no place for me in America anymore, and I’m on thin ice with my clearance because of my heritage and because I care about my people dying.”

The seemingly stifled internal debate undercuts Biden’s narrative that his administration is historically diverse and open to perspectives from traditionally marginalized groups, including on questions of global affairs.

Much more at the link below...

Exclusive: ‘Culture Of Silence’ In Biden Admin Stifling Debate About Israel’s Actions In Gaza, Sources Say

Several officials spoke to HuffPost about what one called the United States’ “monstrous disregard for innocent Palestinian lives” ― and the challenge of questioning Israel internally.

www.huffpost.com

President Biden made the risky trip to Israel because he knew this situation was a potential powder keg that could blow up the entire Middle East - even before the bombing of Gaza's Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital. What do you think?

It is a powder keg and decades of unconditional American support for Israel has contributed to it.

 

[jknowgood]

‘On Thin Ice’: Some Biden Administration Staffers Feel Stifled Discussing Horrors In Gaza​

Several officials spoke to HuffPost about what one called the United States’ “monstrous disregard for innocent Palestinian lives” ― and the challenge of questioning Israel internally.

President Joe Biden departed for Israel on Tuesday evening on a high-stakes diplomatic visit amid ongoing Israeli-Palestinian bloodshed that has killed more than 4,000 people so far. As Biden grapples with the crisis, several U.S. officials told HuffPost it has become difficult to have a full debate within his administration about what’s happening in Israel-Palestine ― and in particular that people who want to talk about Israeli restraint or humanitarian protections for Palestinians feel stifled.

Several staffers across multiple agencies, most of whom work on national security issues, told HuffPost they and their colleagues worry about retaliation at work for questioning Israel’s conduct amid the U.S.-backed Israeli campaign to avenge an Oct. 7 attack by Hamas, the Palestinian militant group, that killed more than 1,400 Israelis.

The fear is especially intense among staffers with Muslim backgrounds. On Sunday, presidential personnel office chief Gautam Raghavan organized a call with close to a dozen current and former high-level Muslim appointees to discuss their concerns. Some staffers said they felt unsafe voicing their opinions around colleagues, according to a person on the call, which has not been previously reported.

And officials tracking the escalating fighting are quietly sharing dark predictions about the ultimate toll of Israel’s operation in Gaza, Hamas’s base, along with pessimism about their ability to influence the situation and Biden’s commitment to reducing tensions.

The period since the Hamas attack represents “the first time in the administration that there was a real culture of silence,” one official said. “It feels like post-9/11 where you feel like your thoughts are being policed, and you’re really afraid of being seen as anti-American or an anti-Semite.”

A career civil servant described tension between their commitment to challenging rights abuses and their job.

“I’m trying to educate people about Palestine through social media, but I’m worried I’ll lose my security clearance for criticizing the president or blaming the U.S. for civilian massacre,” they told HuffPost. “I feel like there’s no place for me in America anymore, and I’m on thin ice with my clearance because of my heritage and because I care about my people dying.”

The seemingly stifled internal debate undercuts Biden’s narrative that his administration is historically diverse and open to perspectives from traditionally marginalized groups, including on questions of global affairs.

Much more at the link below...

Exclusive: ‘Culture Of Silence’ In Biden Admin Stifling Debate About Israel’s Actions In Gaza, Sources Say

Several officials spoke to HuffPost about what one called the United States’ “monstrous disregard for innocent Palestinian lives” ― and the challenge of questioning Israel internally.

www.huffpost.com

President Biden made the risky trip to Israel because he knew this situation was a potential powder keg that could blow up the entire Middle East - even before the bombing of Gaza's Al-Ahli Baptist Hospital. What do you think?

Biden doesn't care about Israel, he supplied the money for the attack. You do know Biden didn't extend the agreement that Iran cannot get a ballistic missile. It expired yesterday, so now they can execute their plan to shut our energy grid down? Look it up uninformed.

 

[jknowgood]

It is a powder keg and decades of unconditional American support for Israel has contributed to it.

You do realize, Israel is one of our best allies?

 

[Arlette]

You do realize, Israel is one of our best allies?

Yeah, what have they ever done for us?