Meanwhile on the International front....

not great

https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2023/11/12/us-airstrikes-iran-syria/

The Pentagon on Sunday announced a new round of airstrikes on Iranian facilities in Syria that officials said were linked to dozens of recent attacks targeting U.S. troops there and in neighboring Iraq, this time causing an undetermined number of fatalities among proxy fighters backed by Tehran.

The operation marked a significant escalation by the Biden administration, which has sought to deter the sharp rise in violence against American forces in the Middle East without provoking a broader regional conflict as tensions flare over the war in Gaza.

 

No, you're not of the set to which I was referring (somehow I should have emphasized the air quotes). I originally thought to use "the cultural left," but it seems that's a bit triggering to some 'round these parts.

 

Israel at war: What you need to know – day 37

 

Aside from mass killings of civilians, neither side in this war seems to have made much if any progress towards their putative goals after more than a month of conflict. Other Arab nations, and even Hezbollah, seem quite unwilling to join a general war against Israel. Israel in turn seems not to have made much progress towards its stated objective of destroying Hamas. The relatively low number of IDF forces killed in action, 46, suggests most of the estimated 30,000 armed members of Hamas have so far avoided direct contact with the IDF (how many were killed in bombardment is unknowable). Two Hamas leaders traveled to Cairo last week for back-channel negotiations over a hostage release, so the group isn't exactly surrounded. As for what Israel's plan is for Gaza after Hamas is neutralized, that remains vague, quite possibly because it doesn't have one yet.

 

I would say they're probably destroying the tunnel system and killing Hamas by the dozens even if it's not being reported with NFL-like statistics.

"The IDF Mezuzahs lead the league in Hamas corpses, destroyed tunnels, and fumble recoveries!"

 

UN mourns record death toll in war with over 100 employees killed in Gaza

Journalist casualties in the Israel-Gaza war - Committee to Protect Journalists

As of November 13, CPJ’s preliminary investigations showed at least 40 journalists and media workers [killed]

I think the numbers coming from both sides are likely unreliable.

US voices concern over killing of Palestinians as Gaza death toll tops 11,000

Could be lower. Could be higher.

Israel-Hamas War: Israel Lowers Oct. 7 Death Toll Estimate to 1,200

Asked about Palestinian civilians, American officials have emphasized that they do not have the ability to verify any toll, and said that Hamas uses civilians as human shields.

They have, though, made broad assessments. On Tuesday, the U.S. national security spokesman, John Kirby, told reporters, “There have been many thousands killed, and each one is a tragedy.” On Wednesday, Barbara Leaf, the assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, told a House committee that U.S. officials thought the civilian casualties were “very high, frankly, and it could be that they’re even higher than are being cited.”

 

I just wanted to make the joke about not being nice. The phrase has been used by the cultural right to try to use this situation to score political points, so yeah, that sets some people off.

 

I’d love your definition of “the cultural left,” @doctorquant. And I’m not saying it to you like I’d say it to Alma.

 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/RA8HfSwYt5g

 

Beau on the recent Arab summit. Interesting.

 

I'd as soon piss on a spark plug as attempt such a definition. I was just having a little fun.

 

Does he write this stuff out?;I cannot listen to him. I could read whatever he has to say in about 1/3 of the time he takes speaking.