Summary

Trump’s nomination of Pete Hegseth, a Fox News presenter with minimal managerial experience, as defense secretary has stunned the Pentagon.

Hegseth has been a vocal critic of the military, calling for a purge of generals and questioning the appointment of Gen. Charles Brown as chair of the joint chiefs of staff.

Hegseth’s nomination is seen as a boost for the far right in Israel, as he has shown support for territorial expansion and suggested the construction of a new temple on the Temple Mount.

  • Cephalotrocity@biglemmowski.win
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    7 days ago

    Hegseth’s nomination is seen as a boost for the far right in Israel, as he has shown support for territorial expansion and suggested the construction of a new temple on the Temple Mount.

    Let me know, protest abstainers, when it sinks in how fucked palestinians are.

    • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
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      Yea, anyone who didn’t know that Trump’s immediate policy would be to glass Gaza is a fucking idiot. He was extremely transparent about it.

      • Yawweee877h444@lemmy.world
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        His son in law Jared kushner is a practicing orthodox jew, and his daughter Ivanka literally converted to Judaism for him. They are both practicing orthodox jews, check Kushners wiki.

        This is the daughter trump adores. Anyone supporting Palestine who voted trump or didn’t vote is an idiot.

        • Zaktor@sopuli.xyz
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          Orthodox Jews, while being more likely than the other major branches of Judaism to be conservative and support expansionist and oppressive Zionism, do not inherently hold that belief. There are sects of ultra-orthodox Jews that are hardline anti-Zionists. Don’t make the mistake of conflating religious belief with support for Israel in general or Israel’s genocide specifically.

          Kushner and Ivanka probably do, but because they’re just shitty people, not automatically because they’re religious.

          • AbidanYre@lemmy.world
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            6 days ago

            Kushner and Ivanka probably do

            Wasn’t Jared already talking about how he couldn’t wait to get his hands on some of that beachfront property even before the election?

          • Yawweee877h444@lemmy.world
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            Oh I agree completely. There’s many orthodox jews in and out of Israel that are very critical of Netanyahu, Israel foreign policy, etc.

            That wasn’t my point though. My point was that, his family as evidence, it should be simply obvious to everyone that trump will either be moderately supportive or very supportive of Israel, keyword being supportive. I doubt he’ll give a shit about the blight of the Palestinians.

            On the subject of kushner and Ivanka being devoutly religious, I’m very suspect. I believe these two to be spoiled and coddled their entire lives, I think they love money, power, and luxury, and that’s the extent of their world. Why they follow the tradition, I have no idea. Maybe they’re so narcissistic they latch onto the whole “gods chosen people” nonsense. Maybe it’s just following tradition of kushners family. Regardless, I don’t think there’s any substance to these people other than greed, that includes trump.

      • Lightor@lemmy.world
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        “I will never vote for genocide” Yeah, and you didn’t help stop it either.

    • Kecessa@sh.itjust.works
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      7 days ago

      Someone from an Arab group was saying on the radio that they basically didn’t care if it meant more deaths in Gaza if they encouraged their members not to vote for Harris, they would blame the Democrats… That’s some twisted logic if I’ve ever seen it.

      • idiomaddict@lemmy.world
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        That’s a pretty extraordinary claim, do you happen to remember any information about the group or radio show?

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            Bad, but I found this. It may be a translation issue, but it seems significantly less spiteful and more regretful than I how read your description.

            I do get it, it’s like getting a limb caught in a bear trap and not chewing through it. Sure, we’d all hope we would do it and know that it’s the best chance of survival, but it’s not easy to do. I’m not confused, just sad, worried and tbh, a little angry at the democrats. They could have made this an easier choice for us, and they might have won. I’m also angry at people who didn’t vote for Harris, but I really can’t understand how difficult it is for people like Abed Hammoud, so I’m going to save my anger more for the people who voted for trump

            • frostysauce@lemmy.world
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              tbh, a little angry at the democrats. They could have made this an easier choice for us

              It was as easy as can be, mate. It’s not the Democrats’ fault more than half or country are so fucking stupid.

              • idiomaddict@lemmy.world
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                It was not as easy as it could be, come on. Nobody wants to vote with Dick Cheney. They swung hard to the right and muddled it for people. It would be great if people were able to keep their eyes on the ball, but they couldn’t. Politicians should be generally aware of their potential supporters’ priorities, and there’s been a clear misstep here.

      • Serinus@lemmy.world
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        The same strategy is Hamas’s primary MO. If Israelis die, it’s good for Hamas. If Gazans die, it’s good for Hamas. On one hand, Israel should get a hell of a lot more blame than the Democrats. On the other, you can see how this powers Hamas strategy.

        • oo1@lemmings.world
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          Exactly, and same for Israel in respect of settlers.

          There’s a good reason Netanyahu chose to install hamas and usurp and kill Arafat.

          States/ Nations are usually willing to sacrifice a fair number of their people for the benefit of those in power - I’m sure the benefits trickle down though.

    • Saledovil@sh.itjust.works
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      The new temple will be the seat of the world government headed by the Antichrist. That’s why far-right evangelicals want to rebuild it. You’d think he’d be able to just do it himself after conquering the world. And of course, the outcome of the final battle between God and Satan is actually uncertain.

    • KNova@infosec.pub
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      You sure sound gleeful that a bunch of people’s lives are about to be ruined.

      The Dems could have done much more to prevent this. Letting a Muslim American elected democrat speak at the DNC would have been the smallest bone thrown.

      Stop voter blaming.

    • dank@lemmy.today
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      It literally can’t get worse. Have you watched the news lately? The good news is the second in command of the world’s most ravenous, vicious, blood thirsty empire will soon be an unqualified blowhard–and the first in command will be similarly (un)qualified. Death to America.

    • Psychodelic@lemmy.world
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      It’s so gross how much some/the majority of libs are enjoying shitting on small, powerless groups that didn’t support their preferred candidate

    • ceoofanarchism@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      Oh ye Biden was really making a difference. Stop pretending the dems are materially different on this even if the re less blunt.

      • enbyecho@lemmy.world
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        Stop pretending the dems are materially different

        You are lucky. For you there is no material difference. For many, there very much is. Contrary to popular opinion, you do not have to always and exclusively vote for your own selfish interests.

    • Deceptichum@quokk.au
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      Are you living under a fucking rock?

      Palestinians are already fucked. They are literally going through a genocide. There is no worse outcome.

      It doesn’t get worse under Trump, it’s the same under Trump. Just as Biden continued Trumps other Israel bullshit. Birds of a feather massacre together.

      • PugJesus@lemmy.world
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        Palestinians are already fucked. They are literally going through a genocide. There is no worse outcome.

        Ah yes, the two states of existence, genocide, and not-genocide. That’s why the genocide, which has been going on for near two-decades now, is no more urgent today than it was in September of last year.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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          I hate that idea. It was genocide when the Nazis were putting Jews in ghettos, it was genocide when Nazis were putting them in labor camps, it was genocide when they decided on the Final Solution and started putting them in the gas chambers.

          Genocide can get worse. People who say that it can’t are coming from such a ridiculous position of privilege that they will never understand suffering.

        • Deceptichum@quokk.au
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          Pug I usually respect your takes, but this isn’t one of them.

          For nearly a century it’s been a state of apartheid, the genocide in earnest started after oct. The UN and many other institutions have raised huge concerns over it.

          It feels like you’re just trying to downplay what Palestinians are actively going through under Biden to push on the angle of Trump being worse. Honestly it reeks of genocide denial, which I suspect wasn’t your intent.

          • PugJesus@lemmy.world
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            It feels like you’re just trying to downplay what Palestinians are actively going through under Biden to push on the angle of Trump being worse.

            “Palestinians are being genocided, but that doesn’t mean that the genocide can’t happen faster or in a more bloody manner”

            “I think you’re just trying to downplay what Palestinians are going through under Biden”

            ???

            For nearly a century it’s been a state of apartheid, the genocide in earnest started after oct.

            No. It really didn’t start in October.

            The UN and many other institutions have raised huge concerns over it.

            Yes, they have, and rightfully so. The escalation of the genocide to where it is now is a major atrocity, beyond where the genocide was before.

            Don’t be fooled for a single fucking second that this is as bad as it gets.

            • cygnus@lemmy.ca
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              Exactly, it’s such a bizarre statement. It’s like saying ghettoes and the holocaust were the same thing.

              • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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                I’m also guessing that the people in Gaza who are still alive think that it could definitely get worse. What with them not being dead yet.

          • frostysauce@lemmy.world
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            to push on the angle of Trump being worse

            You… You think that is an angle? Wait and see how not worse Trump is for the people in Gaza.

      • jumjummy@lemmy.world
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        There is no worse outcome

        Let’s save that comment so we can revisit in 2025 shall we?

      • aesthelete@lemmy.world
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        There is no worse outcome.

        This reminds me of a joke about Russian history.

        Russian history in 5 words:

        And then things got worse.

      • BarqsHasBite@lemmy.world
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        Biden was pushing for a peace treaty. Trump is going to glass the whole place and build seaside resorts.

        • Deceptichum@quokk.au
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          Biden was pushing for a peace treaty by sending them guns, money, and assurances that the US would attack anyone who resisted?

          Yeah right and McDonalds is a health food company because they offer a salad.

          • Eldritch@lemmy.world
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            The United States has shipped Munitions and weapons to Israel for decades. It didn’t magically become about genocide just because you pretend it did. I would absolutely argue that we should reconsider or slow down or hold off on sending them more. But that wouldn’t have stopped anything. And it would be foolish to think otherwise. And yet there are still so many fools.

            Let’s play a fantasy game for a moment. Biden cancels all future arms shipments to Israel. You’re happy and the situation is now resolved right? The zionists in the house and Senate would never unanimously override his veto. And just continue those shipments. Then he would have burned any political Capital he had for negotiations and goodwill. Leaving us with less chance to stop it than before. And only empowering Netanyahu and the ghoulish zionists.

            This fantasy black and white thinking is a curse. That you and so many others are so terminally online. Getting high on your own supply of passing this rhetoric back and forth that you believe it. Sometimes things are complicated and have nuance. But what’s the point of nuance when you can just virtue signal for nothing and get nothing in return. You won. The Biden ministration nor the Harris administration will be sending any more arms or support to Israel after january. And no one will be arguing for a ceasefire either. Everyone is saved. And you certainly weren’t played a fool. Congratulations.

              • Eldritch@lemmy.world
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                I’d say you’re right. But they need to understand that capitalists will always need to find someone new to exploit, and fascists will always need to find someone new to scapegoat. They’re only safe on the other side of the world so long.

            • AbidanYre@lemmy.world
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              Biden cancels all future arms shipments to Israel. You’re happy and the situation is now resolved right?

              Don’t worry, they’ll find something else to be mad about.

      • Cornelius_Wangenheim@lemmy.world
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        The death toll up to this point is about 45k. Israel has not settled any land in Gaza or started expelling Palestinians into neighboring countries. There is a lot of room for it to get worse.

  • DaddleDew@lemmy.world
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    Placing people in positions of power based on personal loyalty over competence. This is how dictators secure their power. It also usually completely cripples the country’s ability to function at every level but the dictators don’t care about that.

    • Billiam@lemmy.world
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      You better worry about how many will obey when he orders them to be used on American soil.

      • Zaktor@sopuli.xyz
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        Anyone who’s been on a military base should be very worried about that answer. It’s Fox News 24/7, in both recreational and professional areas.

        • Zorsith@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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          People seriously do not understand the degree of nationalistic propaganda anyone on a military installation is subjected to.

          Every poster, every event, every song, every sale ad for the commissary or other on-base stores, daily national anthem blasted over Giant Voice systems.

          It’s not just the military members themselves exposed to it; it’s their spouses and children; people are raised from birth in this environment. It’s every retiree who got a job back on the same base they retired from active duty on.

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            There’s also a definite undercurrent of being put-upon special people separate from the civilians who don’t know what it’s like to sacrifice for “freedom”. It’s not a good atmosphere to rely on when an autocrat, who is their legal commander in chief, and who their media propagandizes for, tells them to do something that they theoretically should refuse. There’s so many avenues to just do it.

        • peopleproblems@lemmy.world
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          I always hear a different story. One side says the soldier/airman/sailor/(are Marines just grunts?) is supposed to carry out all lawful orders by their superior, and the other is to protect the constitution.

          National Guard and Coast Guard aside (which are technically state militaries, but Congress has recently given the President to authority to Federalize them without the governor consenting), it seems to me that one of the things a service member should have learned was that the military cannot operate domestically.

          Now, I’ve met some smart officers, and some really dumb officers, and a lot of… People who survived enlistment and they all swear up and down that the reality comes to what happens when a gun is pressed against your head. Do you die for your country (as is your job) or do you commit treason risking that punishment in the future.

          I like to imagine there’s a super top secret elite of the elite who are basically selected because at some point faced with that question and they take the bullet and become involved with an organization like Tenet.

  • Allonzee@lemmy.world
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    I think this is pretty funny in a the capitalist propagandizers are running the nuclear state insane asylum kind of way.

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    This is a pretty outstanding Dipshit Move, even by the standards of Trump. And a good 90% of his actions seem stupid to the point of being actively malicious anyways.

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    I guess on the plus side when China invades Taiwan we won’t have to honor our long-standing commitments and get our hands dirty defending our allies I mean economic partners

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      With TSMC in Taiwan still the only chipmaker worth its salt in the world, that’s not going to happen. They’ll have every carrier group there the second China sticks it’s pickles across the line.

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        Trump believes Taiwan “stole” chip making technology from the states. And judging from most Republican’s general stupidity on this matter… They think majority of the semiconductors are produced in China. Because to them Taiwan == China.

  • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
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    Why the fuck would a good candidate for Secretary of Defense have any serious opinion on foreign policy.

    Don’t miss that red flag among all the others.

    • MagicShel@lemmy.zip
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      Trumpets don’t value knowledge. They value commitment and loyalty and the ability to blame others.

    • LillyPip@lemmy.ca
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      He’s clearly an accelerationist. Rebuilding the temple on the Mount is a requirement for Jesus to come back and kick off biblical Armageddon.

      Trump has surrounded himself with insane people who are hell-bent on destroying the world so they can be raptured. Choosing people for these roles who openly say shit like this further proves that is their actual plan.

      They want to destroy the world and jumpstart their revelations prophecy. They don’t give a shit what happens to the rest of us.

  • FiveMacs@lemmy.ca
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    Y’all better have some contingency plans in place to prevent him for doing well…anything

    • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
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      Eh, the military will probably coup before submitting to Stalin-esque purges.

      That isn’t a particularly good thing. Coups are like Lay’s and Pringles… You can’t just have one and once you pop you just can’t stop.

      • cygnus@lemmy.ca
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        Yeah, I’m trying to think of a recent (<100y) example that didn’t result in a junta or other coups, and I’m drawing a blank.

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            I don’t think that’s really a coup — if anything it’s the same as what Trump wants to do, but unlike Mr. Pizza Hut he isn’t on the right side of history.

            • PugJesus@lemmy.world
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              I interpreted you as saying that you couldn’t think of a mass purge that didn’t result in a junta or other coups.

              • cygnus@lemmy.ca
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                I was thinking (and presumably xmunk too) of scenarios where the military overthrows the government.

                There are lots of examples of purges not resulting in coups, including the most famous purger of recent times, Stalin.

                • PugJesus@lemmy.world
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                  I was thinking (and presumably xmunk too) of scenarios where the military overthrows the government.

                  Ah

            • bdonvr@thelemmy.club
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              Collapsing the USSR and causing horrible living conditions throughout the area for the better part of two decades was the right side of history?

      • Erasmus@lemmy.world
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        No because he has already said when he becomes President he is going to create a task force that will basically clean house in the military of any ranking people that are not ‘yes men’

        He is wanting to create a North Korea/Russia style military that is only there to agree with him.

      • MagicShel@lemmy.zip
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        This is an insane take. No, the military isn’t going to coup over this. If the generals were getting executed, perhaps, but they’re just being retired or shuffled off to other duties.

    • CaptDust@sh.itjust.works
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      We definitely have plans, big plans. Big massive contingency plans. Well, I can’t really describe them right now, because they’re so big. It’s really more like concepts, but check back in 2 weeks.

    • peopleproblems@lemmy.world
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      We don’t! That’s the best part about having a country full of idgafologists and sociopaths.

      The answer is Guns, and more guns.

      But people seem to not understand how fucking outgunned the population is versus the military.