A drop in the ocean in the great schemes of things....but replicated by how many more
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Why does Trump give so much support to Netanyahu and Israel
(222 Posts)First of all, this is not an anti-semitic post, I have no issues with the Jewish faith or with the people of Israel, I do , however, have huge issues with Netanyahu and his current government. Below is taken from today's Washington Post and outlines what Trump has agreed to during his first term and to date in his second term. IMO, the war being conducted in Iran ATM is basically to Netanyahu's and Israel's benefit, not really to the benefit of the US. So why does Trump act as he does? Surely it's not just to appease American Jews as it is alienating far more American voters?
"Through five years in the White House, Trump answered some of their biggest prayers. He moved the American Embassy to Jerusalem, recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and ripped up the Iran nuclear deal. U.N. funding for Palestinian refugees was gutted. Jewish settlers in the West Bank, once condemned by Washington, are now getting their own U.S. passport office."
"Guess that's why the former Confederate states are so in favour of Trump and the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025/ Agenda 47."
Islamic societies seem very conservative already to me, Iran probably most of all, so I'm not sure how agenda 47 relates to East Africa.
valdavi
I've worked with Muslim women in London, tbh they don't appear downtrodden, they wear hijab as per their preference (sometimes do it for a couple of months & then revert to very Western for a while).And obviously they're out there working, socialising, going for meals with everyone else, & have degrees.
Radical religion always causes problems but its the "radical" that's the problem, not the religion.
If the proportion of the world that follows Islam increases, that doesn't mean to say that women are going to be treated as they are in Iran and Afghanistan. And there've been threads on here about the "Handmaids Tale" nature of some of the policies coming from the evangelical USA christians - the Bible says you have to be very sure before you cast the first stone...
There are a lot of paid by foreign agent American "TradWives" who loudly proclaim "living Biblical LifeStyles" , wearing "Modest Clothing" and "HeadCovering". "Submitting to their Husbands".
All in the so-called name of Jesus.
It's now heading to Europe. All paid for by botfarms.
David49
foxie48
David49
Not Uganda,
I did wonder. It's not a dangerous place per se but it's a bit close to the border with Sudan for my liking. Out of interest where were you?
East Africa faces severe Islamic pressure, the northern half of Kenya is really quite difficult, other coastal regions have a significant Muslim population.
I was in Malawi, from memory Zomba the Muslim population is descended from the merchants and slave traders of years gone by
Guess that's why the former Confederate states are so in favour of Trump and the Heritage Foundation's Project 2025/ Agenda 47.
foxie48
David49
Not Uganda,
I did wonder. It's not a dangerous place per se but it's a bit close to the border with Sudan for my liking. Out of interest where were you?
East Africa faces severe Islamic pressure, the northern half of Kenya is really quite difficult, other coastal regions have a significant Muslim population.
I was in Malawi, from memory Zomba the Muslim population is descended from the merchants and slave traders of years gone by
foxie48
Hegseth is a Christian Nationalist and sees this war as a Christian Crusade against Islam. IMO he is as dangerous as some of the Islamist extremists that so many seem to think are representative of most Muslims. It is most definitely not!
I completely agree- the parallels between the American state and countries espousing radical ideologies is frightening.
Hegseth is an extremely dangerous man...
David49
Not Uganda,
I did wonder. It's not a dangerous place per se but it's a bit close to the border with Sudan for my liking. Out of interest where were you?
Not Uganda,
If you are posting about Yumbe in Uganda, it is a majority Muslim (nearly 80%) area of Uganda, so the markets would have been primarily used by Muslims. I'm not saying I agree with their position, just clarifying that it's not the whole of the country but an area where there is a very high proportion of Muslims since the 19thC.
The biggest difference is that most in western countries including the UK accept that we an all choose which religion without discrimination. Islam goes beyond that, they are the only true religion, all outside are non believers, infidels, a bible can be burnt without fear, but the Koran it is a major issue. It's this aggressive attitude to religion that is a problem in many countries. The way that Muslims deliberately dress differently and resist integration is not good, and I include some Jews in setting themselves as different.
I was traveling in a poor African country, population 75% Christian 25% Islam, the Muslims were complaining that Pork was being sold in the local street market and they wanted it stopped. The Christian's were tolerating their customs but they didn't want to tolerate Christian customs.
I can understand why there was opposition to Hegseth's appointment. He is a fanatic and dangerous.
Hesgeth’s brand of right wing ideology is the mirror image of the Islamist extremists he says need wiping out. I find him genuinely scary. His ranting and the dreadful video he says demonstrates the USA is obliterating Iranian targets is frankly disgusting
Please let Starmer keep us out of this horror show
Hegseth is a Christian Nationalist and sees this war as a Christian Crusade against Islam. IMO he is as dangerous as some of the Islamist extremists that so many seem to think are representative of most Muslims. It is most definitely not!
I've worked with Muslim women in London, tbh they don't appear downtrodden, they wear hijab as per their preference (sometimes do it for a couple of months & then revert to very Western for a while).And obviously they're out there working, socialising, going for meals with everyone else, & have degrees.
Radical religion always causes problems but its the "radical" that's the problem, not the religion.
If the proportion of the world that follows Islam increases, that doesn't mean to say that women are going to be treated as they are in Iran and Afghanistan. And there've been threads on here about the "Handmaids Tale" nature of some of the policies coming from the evangelical USA christians - the Bible says you have to be very sure before you cast the first stone...
It is looking like a major miscalculation. The Times Story podcast 12/03 is well worth listening to as it explains the situation that the Gulf States find themselves in, why they didn't want war with Iran and what the impact of the war might be for the future. Trump has a lot of money invested in the ME and the Gulf States have been very pro his presidency but this war, particularly if it escalates or if the Strait stays closed, is likely to affect the Gulf States negatively and they could be much more wary of getting entangled with Trump and his family. I wonder if Qatar will still deliver his plane?
Thanks for that explanation foxie48.
On the Trump profiting from his presidency issue, there is no doubt he has. This was on Sky News the other day.
news.sky.com/story/latest-worlds-richest-people-rankings-revealed-as-number-of-uber-wealthy-grows-13517650
All his actions as president are geared to the uber rich, including himself and his family profiting. He has miscalculated with Iran.
I'm aware of that but there has been suspicious trading reported throughout Trump's presidency especially with regard to the announcement of tariffs as well as the various military operations. Just posting what I have read in reliable news media.
In April 2025, U.S. senators requested a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation into potential insider trading and market manipulation linked to "erratic" tariff announcements by the Trump administration, which caused significant stock market volatility. AI generated
"An account trading under the username "Magamyman" made more than $553,000 placing bets on the prediction market site Polymarket about Iran and its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, just before an Israeli strike killed him on Saturday."
"It's insane this is legal," Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) wrote on X. "People around Trump are profiting off war and death,"
.
There doesn't need to be insider trading, any kind of volatility brings opportunity AND risk, speculators a can add do risk millions.
Some may be gaining on physical oil sales but getting caught with expensive oil when the market falls is the risk. It's only easy with hindsight because values can change in minutes, holding overnight or weekend can bankrupt you.
“Planning around preventing this exact scenario — impossible as it has long seemed — has been a bedrock principle of US national security policy for decades,” a former US official who served in Republican and Democratic administrations said. “I’m dumbfounded.” CNN news report
CNN this morning.
"Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Energy Secretary Chris Wright have been key players throughout the planning and execution stages of the conflict, the sources acknowledged. But Trump’s preference of leaning on a tight circle of close advisers in his national security decision making had the effect of sidelining interagency debate over the potential economic fallout if Iran were to respond to US-Israeli strikes by closing the strait. "
I don't think there were any "official" plans but the Carter Declaration promised the Gulf states that the US would keep the Strait open to shipping so they have relied on that promise. There's been problems over the years but the US have managed to keep it open with minimal stoppage but the use of drones has effectively meant Iran can keep it closed if they want to. Trump should have known this and factored it in before attacking Iran. There is a strong suggestion that Trump and some of his billionaire friends are making a lot of money out of the rise in the price of oil. I can't find positive evidence of this but there's been a lot of suspicious trading which could well be "insider trading" and tbh I think Trump is more than capable of using his power to enrich his family and friends so perhaps he knew the strait would be a problem but just went ahead anyway because he could make money.
Sorry foxie48, I didn’t realise there was an official Plan B for the straits. I’d just picked up where the alternative routes are from what I’ve been reading. It looks as though the pipelines may have been developed in the meantime, anticipating this could happen, by the countries most affected.
"If the US didn't have a plan, why did they make the promise and why did they start a war knowing that Iran could easily stop the oil shipments?"
Because Trump thought he could easily "do a deal" with Iran,
maybe Iran will be tougher than he thinks.
Interestingly Vance has not been visible recently, apparently he was against the Iran war but has kept quiet, and IF Trump fails he will lead a republican rebellion against Trump.
Regarding alternatives to Hormuz, a pipeline or canal would be possible but nobody would use it in peacetime making it uneconomic. As we are seeing, a war with Iran means they can strike anywhere in the Gulf region, currently ships are being hit by drone boats, even destroyers would be vulnerable to that sort of attack.
Khameni junior seems hard line, the secret police appear to be controlling the population, getting any sort of victory is going to be very hard for Trump
The President was Carter and protection of the Strait of Hormuz was laid out in the Carter Declaration, there is also the reasoning behind there being no proper plan B in the Briefing Room about 12 minutes into the programme. It is a very useful listen and explains a great deal about the difficulties of keeping the Strait open when the US has in the past been able to.
And there’s the Panama Canal, assuming Trump stops interfering there.
edition.cnn.com/2026/03/12/americas/panama-canal-strait-hormuz-oil-iran-war-intl-latam
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