Let’s have another roundup
(1) The death of Paul Kessler, 69, has been ruled a homicide. Kessler was the pro-Israel demonstrator who died as a result of being struck in the head (reportedly with a megaphone), falling to the pavement, and hitting his head again. The perp was a pro-Hamas demonstrator. My guess is that, if they ever find the perp, he will be charged with battery and some form of manslaughter. I think these pro-Hamas crowds will become more violent at some point.
(2) Oops!:
She thought she was attacking an “Israel school” on behalf of “her people back in Palestine.” Instead, an Indiana woman backed her car into a building being used by a group that uses Jewish symbols while often engaging in antisemitic harassment.
That’s according to local news reports and Jewish leaders in Indianapolis, after police arrested Ruba Almaghtheh, 34, Saturday for her attack on a building belonging to a Hebrew Israelite sect, a Black nationalist group.
“Indiana woman” indeed.
(3) Alan Dershowitz on Trump’s testimony in the New York “fraud” trial. The segment begins at around 3:39, and in it he compares Trump’s tactics to those of the Chicago Seven in 1969, particularly Abie Hoffman. The idea was – and is – that the judge is so biased the guilty verdict is a foregone conclusion, and the defendant is trying to provoke the judge into making reversible errors. Also, Dershowitz defends Trump’s right to make political statements during the trial.
(4) Here’s a recommended video featuring the trio of John Anderson, Jordan Peterson, and Ayaan Hirsi Ali. They tackle some big questions about the survival of Western culture.
(5) How Hamas exploits international law. For my own point of view on international law – written in 2006 – please see this post. And while we’re at it, please see this post, written around the same time, for my opinion on the calls for “proportionality” in Israel’s response.
My guess is that, if they ever find the perp, he will be charged with battery and some form of manslaughter.
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It’s not like he did something really heinous, like walk around the Capitol retrospectively unauthorized.
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The idea was – and is – that the judge is so biased the guilty verdict is a foregone conclusion, and the defendant is trying to provoke the judge into making reversible errors.
This may actually work. Trump has a truly impressive ability to enrage the foolish and pretentious. This seems to be especially true for those who are already strongly predisposed against him. That is, those who suffer from Trump Derangement Syndrome, which is undoubtedly true of this particular judge.
And whatever a given person’s feelings are about Trump, ultimately pretty much everyone knows that this particular case and trial is a complete and utter sham. Out of all the absurd allegations and legal assaults that have been brought against Trump in recent years, this is perhaps the most silly and transparently political.
The conference of ARC (Alliance for Responsible Citizens) had some heavy hitters and meaty discussions. Essentially, they are in opposition to the WEF and man-made Climate Change agenda.
Jennifer Marohasy, an Aussie climate warrior, was at the conference. While she approved of the philosophical renderings in favor of Western Civilization, she wanted more anti-global warming speakers and content. You can read her opinions here:
https://wattsupwiththat.com/2023/11/04/in-denial-about-the-science-part-2-arc-in-london/
I found her observations to be quite trenchant. The battle for Westen Civ must be fought on many fronts – not just the philosophical.
https://news.usni.org/2023/11/03/uss-gerald-r-ford-uss-dwight-d-eisenhower-operate-together-in-eastern-med
CVN-69 will be transiting Bab al-Mandab Strait in the coming days. Houthis? We’ll see.
Who has legit authority to create international law anyway?
In large measure it seems to me it started with the British imposing their will via the Royal Navy. For example, ending the transatlantic slave trade. A good thing to do, but also imposed based on power.
What was the legal basis of the Nuremburg trials? These were conducted as if they had a legal authority. Captain Daniel V. Gallery (he captured U505) was of the opinion we should have imposed our will but not invoked the law. Simply admit our authority to act as we wished was rooted in force, and hang the bastards as we saw fit.
Wouldn’t a “proportional” Israeli response require the beheading and incarceration of Palestinian babies?
“incarceration”
Obviously I meant “incineration”, was not allowed to edit even immediately after the post. *#&$(# autocucumber
FOAF,
I believe “proportional” is used to mean targeting enemy forces and minimizing civilian deaths, at least in how it is used formally. The anti-Israel propaganda mill uses it incorrectly to attack Israel. A serious analysis would probably conclude Israel is meeting the “proportional” criteria.
Even so, it seems to me such considerations exbibit something of a luxury belief system. Powerful modern nations can follow it when dealing with entities like Hamas or the Taliban, as long as they have a significant advantage in firepower. All such considerations will go away if you are pressed with a significant enough threat.
FOAF, I believe Caroline Glick made that exact point, tongue in cheek. Proportional incineration indeed!
Dershowitz is correct. Trump has great assignments of error.
Reportedly, Kessler’s killer has been identified and the coroner has ruled it to be a homicide.
‘Judge’ Erdogon is heavily ensconced with a number of radical leftist org. This is also questionable behavior.
https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1721733556597375067
Western culture is on life support.
Add to calls for ‘proportionality’ “Just War Doctrine”. Arguably, two sides of the same coin.
and in it he compares Trump’s tactics to those of the Chicago Seven in 1969, particularly Abie Hoffman.
Not to mention Trotsky’s antics in the Czar’s court in 1905, probably Hoffman’s model.
“Don – I believe “proportional” is used to mean targeting enemy forces and minimizing civilian deaths, at least in how it is used formally. The anti-Israel propaganda mill uses it incorrectly to attack Israel. A serious analysis would probably conclude Israel is meeting the “proportional” criteria.”
You are correct Don. Correctly used, proportionality refers to the collateral damage inflicted in achieving military goals, not whether an attack is an appropriate response to a attack or provocation.
Bombing a military headquarters and taking out the entire leadership in response to a credible terrorist threat would meet the proportional doctrine as there is a valid military objective with little or no collaterial damage.
Carpet bombing a refugee camp to take out a terrorist who nuked a US city would not meet the proportional doctrine as the collateral damage far outweighs the military objective of the action.
Azrael
Law of Land Warfare–and other legal doctrines addressing the issue–forbid taking up a position to fight from among civilians. In this, Hamas has been guilty since they had three guys in their club. It’s their SOP.
As you point out, mass use of munitions with civilian casualties beyond the value–however defined–of the target are forbidden the attacker. Who, it should be noted, is not forbidden from attacking.
Should be noted that mass use of munitions is used instead of putting your grunts in the enemy’s field of fire. And not using massed munitions means your line guys will suffer additional casualties. This is not often acknowledged.
When I got home from OCS and showed my father–Infantry ETO 44-45–some of the ROE for Viet Nam, he snarled, “Which traitor wrote these?” His division’s first contact was in Holland where the Dutch civilians had not had time to get out of the way, apparently, and so artillery prep was limited. This caused him to lose some of his guys.
It was far worse in Viet Nam.
That is the other side of the proportionality issue. It is not often acknowledged, since the adjective deleteds pushing it don’t care in the least for American casualties.
In fact, more US casualties, the more pressure to let our enemies prevail, to the pleasure of our adjective deleteds.
Although, ultimately, I did not deploy, I spent May of 71 at Valley Forge Army Hospital during a busy season. The ROE stories would curl your hair. In many cases, it’s why these guys were there in the first place.
Artillery class: After a call for fire, how long before rounds on the ground? Three minutes. Cool
ROE class. How long to get clearance for artillery? Hour, maybe more. Maybe never. Have to get clearance before you go out, on specified locations from which you may be able to adjust fires.
That’s proportional. So to speak.
All of that said, every dead or injured Palestinian civilian, no matter who fired the munition which hit, is legally and morally the responsibility of Hamas.
@ Miguel – the IBD post you linked was written in 2012, and clearly describes the vector Obama was traveling along, as shown by the list of his actions aiding Islamist terrorists and enemy nations.
Had his and a subsequent Clinton administration continued on that trajectory, absent the presidencies of al-Sisi in Egypt (2014) and Trump in America (2016), we most likely would have been facing the showdown of Israel & Hamas/Hezbollah/Iran some years ago.
If, as McCarthy said, “It Turns Out Joe Biden Was the Clandestine Agent of a Hostile Foreign Power,” then it is just as clear that Obama was & is the agent of one as well.
(h/t Barry on the Obama thread)
Not just just civilian casualties, proportionally includes destruction of civic and cultural works and environmental damage. All collateral damage of which people are only a part.
I was listening to Judge Napolitano and Matt Hoh talk about international laws of warfare and how it was the US via Truman and Eisenhower that established these norms like proportionality, etc.
Had these rules been in place, and had we followed them, would we have won WWII?
(1) There have been lots of stories posted calling out the MSM for misleading headlines that implied Kessler just kind of fell down and killed himself somehow.
Here’s an update from Red State explaining what happened, according to the witnesses. The pro-Hamas crowd continued to pour out hate even while the victim was being treated and put in the ambulance.
Now we know how Nazi Germany looked.
https://redstate.com/jenvanlaar/2023/11/07/exclusive-video-from-pro-hamas-protest-where-paul-kessler-was-murdered-n2166004
If the Global Cloacal Left (and the Democratic Party) can huff and puff and CLAIM…
…that since the Constitution offers Trump protection under the Law of the Land, SCREW THE CONSTITUION;
then why can’t all the moral arbiters amongst us huff and puff and CLAIM…
…that since International Law offers Israel protection under the Law of Warfare, SCREW INTERNATIONAL LAW?
(Jes’ askin’…)
Related:
“How Hamas Weaponizes International Law—
“The terror group’s cynical manipulations risk undermining adherence to humanitarian principles worldwide.”—
https://www.city-journal.org/article/how-hamas-weaponizes-international-law
H/T Powerline blog.
(But hey, if “Biden” can weaponize EVERYTHING…then why shouldn’t Hamas be able to do it, too…?)
It goes without saying, but I find it so awful that it should be said; the western left cares nothing–is there a word which means “nothing” as if it were written in size forty font?–for the those killed by allies of the left.
It is simply not possible to discuss much of anything with those having this mindset.
In their defense–I’m a fair minded guy–sometimes they have to acknowledge it’s happening but they do it by accusing those who mention it of some vile moral crime.
In western Europe, for years, it was socially forbidden and, lacking the First Amendment, sometimes not legal to refer to violent crimes and sexual assaults committed by “migrants”. See Rotherham. So I guess that’s a kind of admission. Maybe.
Seems it may be changing; the admissions made by those who can see are going unchallenged. And action is actually being taken, at least in Scandinavia. Society paid a high price to get here.
Related, heh….
“Football hooligans alliance supporters warn fans ‘do not come tooled up’ with weapons as they bid to ‘protect’ the Cenotaph from pro-Palestine protest…”—
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-12724631/Football-hooligans-weapons-Cenotaph-Palestine.html
– – – – – – – – – – – –
+ Bonus:
“Begging” Britain is going to have to make some tough choices…in several spheres…
“Paramedic begs police to clear Just Stop Oil activists out of the road so he can go to a ‘life or death’ emergency”—
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12724399/Just-Stop-Oil-Waterloo-Bridge-London.html
However, it looks like they do things a bit different in Panama…
“Motorist shoots dead two environmental protesters blocking a road: Driver caught in traffic gets out of his car and guns down demonstrators when they refuse to move in Panama”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12725473/Motorist-shoots-dead-two-environmental-protesters-blocking-road-Panama.html
re Ruba Almagharrrrrrrgggghhhhh or whatever … that individual may have been placed in Indiana by the powers that be, but she is not and never will be an Indiana woman. We have a folk song entitled “Back Home Again in Indiana.” That individual was quoted as referring to “back home in Palestine.” When she can refer to Palestine as the old country and to Indiana as home, then we’ll talk. Based on her actions recently, she should be deported.
Richard Aubrey on November 8, 2023 at 7:01 am said:
” … the western left cares nothing … for those killed by allies of the left.”
The vote on the Ohio constitution concerning legalizing abortion is a great example of that for the unborn.
Lincoln said: “As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master.”
Perhaps we can play that out today as: “As I would not wish to be aborted, so I would not abort (or promote abortion).”