larry johnson with updates on our various emergencies in the world;

Too much has been made of my disagreement with Professor Doctorow regarding who is calling the shots in Israel’s war against the Palestinians. Doctorow believes that the United States is the puppet master and that Israel is dutifully following orders as part of some grand U.S. strategy. I disagree. While there is no doubt that the U.S. is trying to execute a crazy strategy, one born of neocon fantasies, to re-make the Middle East into a Jeffersonian democracy, the notion that Israel is a pliant, obedient proxy is nonsense. Israel is going to do what it thinks it can get away with, and to hell with what Biden wants.

I think Doctorow and I both agree that the US can put an end to slaughter of Palestinians in a heartbeat by cutting off funding and supply of weapons. But the Biden team ain’t going to do that. There is too much Israeli and Jewish money behind them to put that at risk.

Let me offer a metaphor. I have a couple of Rottweilers. Wonderful dogs. The Rottie is a strong-willed creature who will do what he or she wants unless properly trained and controlled. Let me suggest that the US is a clueless, weak owner and that Israel is an undisciplined Rottie. A trained Rottie, when put on the leash, will walk with its owner and obey commands. An undisciplined Rottie can be a nightmare.............more.......