Alastair Crooke : Time Running Out for Netanyahu

Most of the world is overjoyed by Trump’s huge defeat. Who doesn’t love it when a bully gets his comeuppance? Some in Europe hope that now that they have gotten rid of this “cowboy”, as Germans used to call Americans like Trump, they can get back to relations with the US as they used to be, with the Democrats leading their European vassals against Russia, but others know that the relationship is permanently changed. Meanwhile in Washington, Trump has fired Chief of Staff Suzi Wiles and appointed Stephen Miller, another total Zionist warmonger. A disastrous attack on Iran appears to be imminent. Alastair likens the situation to a Greek tragedy, because in spite of the fact that everybody in the play and in the audience can see it coming, the protagonist is blinded by hubris and does it anyway.

The midterm elections also demonstrated a reaction against oligarchy. Elon Musk spent half a billion on them, and every single one of his candidates lost. People are getting sick of these plutocrats. This antipathy to the ruling class is a very hopeful sign. It looks to me like the dawning of class consciousness and revolt against the ruling class.

This discussion also covers AI, in which there has been such enormous investment that seven high-tech AI companies are keeping the whole stock market afloat. It is now looking very unstable and likely to crash in a manner similar to the “dotcom bubble” of the Clinton administration. Western AI with its fantasy goal of “superintelligence” is losing out to Chinese technology which is using it in sane and sensible ways to increase productivity.

In Israel, President Herzog has asked General Eisenkot to form a government, but he may not be able to do so, and his mandate will only last until Dec. 20. Meanwhile, Netanyahu remains as a “caretaker” Prime Minister. He has been weakened, and the head of the IDF has already told him he will not obey an order for a suicidal attack that would lead to the devastation of Israel. It looks like a political meltdown with no end in sight. One Israeli general has said if this keeps up, Israel will cease to exist within two years. Netanyahu’s ability to attack Iran is also limited by the fact that Democrats take power in Congress on Jan 3 and will likely not approve a continuation of the Iran war.

Iran’s position has become increasingly hardline. They are no longer afraid of the US, and they are confidently insisting on a clear-cut victory. They have the ability to devastate Israel, sink US aircraft carriers, and even attack European countries that have backed Israel or the US against Iran. The Ukraine war is increasingly becoming merged with the Iran war. The Russian position has also become increasingly hardline. If the West is not willing to discuss a new security arrangement for the whole of Europe, Russia will not pause in its complete destruction of Ukraine.