LiberalFox

Israel and the Palestinians both want peace, it's just they disagree over what peace should look like. They both care so much about peace that they've been at war with each other in some form since 1948.

Yeah the hostages are probably keeping Sinwar alive (if he's alive) I'm sure Hamas would consider existing and an Israeli withdrawal from the strip as a victory. They could certainly claim it as such. Sinwar being alive seems like a problem. I could see Israel letting some Hamas survive but not removing the mastermind of the 7/10 attack would be a difficult sell. Obviously the hostages must all be returned as part of any proper ceasefire.

I'm not sure Hezbollah could overwhelm Israeli air defences. Even if they have enough rockets and missiles they would need enough people trained in launching them, enough launch sites and to be able to coordinate it. Considering their leadership just got wiped out, their communications network got destroyed along with thousands of militants and Israel has total air supremacy over Lebanon I don't see that happening. I'm thinking Israel keeps the air war going and lets their air defence take care of sporadic launches. What I'm reading now is that Iran faces a dilemma because if they negotiate now then they have accepted a strategic defeat but they don't really have many options left because trying to launch an all out war with Israel and the US would result in a defeat. On the other hand this might be a chance to end the conflict without fully achieving Israel's objectives in Gaza. So it might suit Iran to take the defeat but have some influence left still.

I'm not saying JSO are definitely justified but actually there's a history of similar actions having an impact in this country. The suffragettes for example. I honestly think there's a lot of kneejerk reactions and contempt for JSO from people that made an emotional decision to discount them because they don't like them. But JSO aren't looking for likes. They aren't about saving the whales and having a bumper sticker and selling you a hipster lifestyle. That didn't stop oil. Maybe throwing soup at a Van Gogh and going to prison won't stop oil either. I like them because they seem to genuinely wind up people I don't like which after the Brexit debacle is about the most enjoyment I get out of activist movements. I wouldn't recommend someone to get involved with them because I don't think it's worth going to prison trying to save the planet from capitalists and centrist dads.

Not a Van Gogh fan?

Great news (hopefully).

This is why I deliver Focus...

I tend to assume that Hezbollah decided they were okay with a war when they started firing rockets into northern Israel. That's been their previous MO, provoke Israel into invading and then fight from prepared positions so that they can inflict meaningful losses on the IDF and because war inside Lebanon allows them to maximise the propaganda war. Of course it depends on Iran. If the Iranians want to maintain Hezbollah as a deterrent then a ceasefire makes some sense but from an Israeli perspective it would give Iran and Hezbollah 3 weeks to mobilise for a full war rather than pressing an attack after the relative success of the pager attacks and initial air strikes. I suppose a more likely scenario is the Israelis sticking with an air war but avoiding a ground invasion. Though I'm not a diplomat!

Who knows what has been going on behind the scenes regarding Lebanon. I can't see that this is beneficial in any way to Democrats. Almost certainly there's going to be war in southern Lebanon while the US votes for president.

I think we should just pay children to teach themselves. We could close all the schools and turn them into either prisons or immigration detention centres.

We're actually the most successful club in our size bracket in Premier league history in my opinion.

I wouldn't really care if he turned up dead. I know that's not politically correct these days. I wish people would shut up about him and that baby killer nurse. With that I should probably go back to not posting

Every time I contribute my thoughts on a subject there's about a 50/50 it gets deleted so I wonder what the point is really. Especially as I'm totally falling out of love with the game anyway. Whole thing is just a masterclass in extracting money from the British working classes for an increasingly commercialised and soulless experience. Not that I've been to a live match for years now. It's not like this is an actual community. Just something I signed up to when Sven was in charge to pass the time. And to be honest I probably prefer intellectual spaces now. Not going to do a Col and fully delete my account but I should probably take the hint that I'm not welcome here and spend my time where I am.

I'm a big fan of internationalism but if we can't build a functional society at home then I struggle to see how we will contribute to a better way of life for all humanity.

Now we can't build anything and everyone thinks of German engineering as the gold standard. Was walking around the other day and couldn't help but feel society has completely eroded. We don't take any pride in ourselves as a nation anymore.

Stupid people who think their opinions matter and should be treated with the same level of respect as experts.

I'd love the news thread to get deleted.

That has to be a result of excessive tyre wear. Feels extremely harsh and I'd not be unhappy to see it reversed.

How the internet tries to force content down our throats. There's been this recent incident with an armed policeman appearing to use excessive and unnecessary force against a suspect. I don't want to watch acts of extreme violence without a very good reason regardless. Based on the second hand opinions of people who've actually served I feel pretty confident this wasn't a lawful act but I have nothing to add to the conversation. Now I'm not having a go at the people who viewed the incident and weighed in on it. There's absolutely a valid discussion to be had over what constitutes police brutality and what constitutes the finding out part of 'f***ing around and finding out'. What annoys me is how clearly the internet wants to ram this story down my throat. Clearly it's a goldmine for generating outrage and therefore clicks and engagement to it's being pushed heavily. I can't help but feel this online drive to push outrage content online for the benefit of capitalists is destroying society by making us addicted to conflict with each other. We are like the apes at the beginning of 28 days later. Subjected to 24/7 emotional stimulation based on violence and outrage. This is far more destructive than playing violent video games that was the moral panic when I was young. Those games were obviously escapism. This is real. We are watching real police brutality. Real people dying in war. Real political violence. Yet the underlying motive is profit by using this material to control our viewing habits. (Or in some cases like the CCP controlling what we are allowed to be angry about for the benefit of a totalitarian government).

I'd like to think so although I do think there's a little bit of gatekeeping goes on perhaps unintentionally.

Oh I see. Seemed like a fundamentally decent person but I know from experience that a break at least can be a good idea. Sorry if what I wrote sounded accusatory in any way. It's good of you to honour people's requests like that.

Not looking to instigate drama but what's the situation with Col? Did he really get his whole account suspended? But if he did then presumably Mark has greenlighted Col posting from a guest account? @Mark Did you get a chance to read my DM to you? Would be nice to get a reply in your own time. If I can influence anyone it would be to ask that we remember why we are here which is to share our love or connection with LCFC...

Interesting topic. I'll admit here that I couldn't name a single influencer. It's very much a post millennial phenomenon. My influencers were whoever I was trying to impress at school or copying to fit in. I do think it's a bit sinister that you have grown adults very carefully and deliberately looking to target children's emotional immaturity either for pure profit or to push an agenda. I think it would be very hard to come up with a regulatory framework because I don't see how you could legally define what an influencer is.

Just the forum. I need to leave due to the behaviour of the owner towards me. Sorry if there was ambiguity. I am hoping to find a different community. I posted here because it is the topic I will miss the most. There are some wonderful people here. It feels awkward to call specific people out so I won't. If you don't think it applies to you then it probably does.

I'm going to have to leave this place for my own sanity. Best of luck to everyone with their lives.