Only a true believer in a political system that’s unprincipled at best will accept without question everything their duly appointed officials and spokespersons tell them.
It’s easy to imagine the devious skills and sketchy morality such officials must possess to do such a job. Those unsavory characteristics have become rather apparent in recent times. When journalists question them at media briefings, they resort to deflection, avoidance, deception, innuendo, gaslighting, and outright lying.
Ironically, it’s expected from our dubious mainstream media to not question them too intensely, or they won’t be getting that coveted invite to the next White House Correspondents Dinner.
Of course, a few journalists occasionally make these officials squirm by actually doing their jobs. Usually, that line of questioning will go against the self-serving interests of their corporate owners, which align curiously with those of self-serving politicians.
It goes without saying that the best time to watch a government press briefing is when one or more journalists show up to get to the truth instead of just being a stenographer for their publication. In all other instances, your time would be better employed watching paint dry.
This rant, however, is not about bad journalism. It’s about immoral ghouls and Warhawks like Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Matthew Miller, Karine Jean-Pierre, John Kirby, Vedant Patel, Sabrina Singh and others who are employed by the US government to ensure that truth either dies at the podium or takes an extended vacation.
Earlier this week, Jake Sullivan, US National Security Advisor, held a press briefing to update the media on developments in the Israel-Palestine massacre situation. His outrageously twisted narrative has become all too familiar since October 7th last year. Jake Sullivan can’t be trusted with the unbiased truth if someone wants to know what’s happening in the Middle East.
The shameless bits are between 3:43 and 11:11 on the YouTube timeline. You don’t need to watch anything before or after, unless you feel the need to torture yourself.
Sullivan’s statements below were copied from the YouTube transcript. I’ve made one or two spelling corrections for clarity.
Lie No. 1: “This is a war between the state of Israel and the terrorist group Hamas whose mission is to annihilate Israel and kill as many Jews as they can. The war began on October 7th when Hamas massacred 1200 people and took more than 200 hostages. There was a ceasefire in place on October 6th. Sinwar broke it.”
This opening by Sullivan actually contains multiple small lies. There is no war between Israel and Hamas. A war suggests a conflict between equal or near-equal combatants. Israel’s military strength is obscenely superior in both hardware and personnel, all backed by the military and financial might of America, England, Canada, Germany, and France. Hamas is a ragtag force of resistance fighters, numbering around 40,000 at best. Think more Samson and Goliath.
Hamas’ mission is not to annihilate as many Jews as possible, at least not anymore. It’s a convenient lie that is repeated often by Israel. Their charter was revised in 2017. The so-called war did not begin on October 7th either. Palestinians have been resisting Israeli occupation since 1948. However, Hamas was only formed in 1987 when it became clear that Israel had no intention of ever sharing the land.
Contrary to repeated claims, Yahya Sinwar did not break the ceasefire on October 7th. The truce existing before October 7th was broken by Israel on various occasions (here and here) with the killing of over 250 Palestinians by both the Defense Force (IDF) and illegal settlers in the West Bank and Gaza. It is reliably reported that Israel have consistently violated truces more often, and more violently than Palestinian resistance groups.
Lie No. 2: “The Palestinian civilians caught in the middle of this war are in Hell. The death and trauma they’ve endured are unimaginable. Their pain and suffering are immense. No civilian should have to go through that. This is on the president’s mind every, every day.”
It’s absurd to claim that Palestinian civilians happen to be caught in the middle of a war. They don’t choose to be there because they have nowhere else to go, being continuously herded from place to place like cattle. They are, in fact, being mowed down indiscriminately by both 2000-pound bombs and sniper gunfire.
It’s also extremely insensitive, possibly sociopathic, to claim to know what the Palestinians are going through when you’re speaking for a government supplying the means of inflicting the suffering. If Palestinian welfare was really on Biden’s mind (the mental acuity of which is being challenged regularly), he would simply not be repeatedly supplying the weapons that is causing all the death and destruction.
Lie No. 3: “Israel has an unusual, even unprecedented burden in fighting this war because Hamas uses hospitals and schools and other civilian facilities for military purposes and has built a vast network of military tunnels under civilian areas that puts innocent civilians in the crossfire. It does not lessen Israel’s responsibility to do all it can to protect innocent civilians.”
Israel has not provided any compelling or conclusive evidence that Hamas uses hospitals and schools as bases, as repeatedly claimed. Sullivan is merely repeating a blatant Israeli lie and talking point. Palestinian civilians also do not live in the tunnels, so why should they be in the crossfire of the oft-claimed most moral IDF soldiers. Shouldn’t the brave, moral IDF soldiers be pursuing Hamas militants underground in the tunnels, leaving civilians out of harms way?
The lie that the IDF is at war with Hamas continues to fall flat because innocent civilians are being killed in a ridiculously disproportionate ratio. Israel is, in fact, doing very little to protect civilians, if at all. Their lies about telegraphing their intentions to civilians before attacks are unfortunately not selling very well either.
Lie No. 4: “We believe Israel can and must do more to ensure the protection and well-being of innocent civilians. We do not believe what is happening in Gaza is a genocide. We have been firmly on record rejecting that proposition.”
The American government is well aware that Israel is not doing enough to protect civilians. Yet, they have not acted forcefully or decisively after the multitude of war crimes that are reported daily. These spokespersons have merely noted that they are concerned about each reported atrocity and have failed to condemn even one.
There surely must be strong suspicion that the American government does, in fact, believe a genocide is happening. Certainly, the evidence is incontrovertible, since it’s being broadcast live on television in an unprecedented fashion. However, they won’t admit it because it calls their complicity into account. Has anyone ever accused of genocide accepted that proposition?
When does one make a call on genocide? When 34,000 people are massacred, or 100,000? Has a bar been set for calling genocide? Do all two and half million Palestinians in Gaza need to be killed before it’s called genocide? Or do we have to wait for six million to perish? Do we really have to wait for the International Court of Justice to decide five to ten years from now?
Lie No. 5: “The United States will continue to lead International efforts to urge humanitarian assistance throughout the Gaza Strip because innocent civilians should never go without food, water, medicine, shelter, sanitation or other basic necessities. Active diplomacy by President Biden has made a considerable difference in getting more aid into Gaza. Now we are redoubling that diplomacy to press the key actors including Israel and Egypt. I discussed this issue with my Israeli and Egyptian counterparts yesterday.”
The US government has been complicit in Israel’s enforced blockade of humanitarian aid into Gaza by, among other things, discontinuing assistance to UNRWA. They have done nothing about the border crossings that were closed, nor have they done anything about Israeli civilians illegally blocking aid trucks from entering Gaza. The American government has expressed concern, yes, just like they do for all the atrocities committed, but never condemnation.
America’s abysmal efforts to airdrop food parcels into Gaza actually ended up killing Palestinians on the ground. Why are airdrops required when hundreds of trucks are lined up at closed border crossings, waiting to enter? Israel has been cynically rejecting entire truckloads of aid on inspection to frustrate the humanitarian response. America has, of course, registered its concern but continues to supply the bombs that necessitate the aid. This vicious cycle would be comical if it were not so tragic.
Why is America constructing a floating pier on the coast of Gaza when there are multiple border crossings through which aid can be transported? Is there another nefarious reason for its construction? Which defense contractors (and, by extension, politicians) benefit from the contract?
Lie No. 6: “The United States has sent a massive amount of military assistance to Israel to defend itself against all threats including Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran and its other proxies. We are continuing to send military assistance and we will ensure that Israel receives the full amount provided in the supplemental. We have paused the shipment of 2,000 PB bombs because we do not believe they should be dropped in densely populated cities. We are talking to the Israeli government about this. We still believe it would be a mistake to launch a major military operation Into the Heart of Rafa that would put huge numbers of civilians at risk without a clear strategic gain. The president was clear that he would not supply certain offensive weapons for such an operation were it to occur. It has not yet occurred and we are still working with Israel on a better way to ensure the defeat of Hamas everywhere in Gaza including in Rafa. This has been the subject of detailed conversations between our professionals and I discussed this again with my Israeli counterpart just yesterday.”
If America was genuinely concerned about 2000-pound bombs being dropped in densely populated areas, why are they still supplying them? The whole of Gaza is already a densely populated area, the most densely populated in the world by some accounts.
The pause in shipping of 2000-pound bombs to Israel since this press briefing, is bound to be resumed as Congress passed a bill threatening to slash funding for key defense agencies. Well, so much for their concern for civilian casualties and the “better way” their professionals are apparently discussing.
Lie No. 7: “Military pressure is necessary but not sufficient to fully defeat Hamas. If Israel’s military efforts are not accompanied by a political plan for the future of Gaza and the Palestinian people, the terrorists will keep coming back and Israel will remain under threat. We are seeing this happened in Gaza City so we are talking to Israel about how to connect their military operations to a clear strategic endgame about a holistic integrated strategy to ensure the lasting defeat of Hamas and a better alternative future for Gaza and for the Palestinian people.”
Military pressure should never be necessary. It’s only useful for Warhawks who have arms to sell or need to bully others but are bereft of solutions to solve diplomatic or political crisis. Hamas “won’t keep coming back” if Israel does the right thing and grants the Palestinians their rights to autonomy, dignity, and justice. The Hamas lie needs to be perpetuated to ensure that the military solution grows legs.
Lie No. 8: “Israel’s long-term security depends on being integrated into the region and enjoying normal relations with the Arab States including Saudi Arabia. The advantages of strong partnerships were on display recently when a coalition of countries helped Israel defend itself against Iranian missiles and drones. We need to consider the Tactical Battlefield situation in Gaza in light of the bigger strategic picture. We should not miss a historic opportunity to achieve the vision of a secure Israel flanked by strong regional partners presenting a powerful front to deter aggression and uphold Regional stability. We are pursuing this vision every day.”
This vision for the Middle East is wholly American. It’s part of America’s imperialist foreign policy objectives. America has never cared about the interests of nations in the Middle East. They care only about the oil and their own selfish interests. The Middle East was never meant to be secure. America’s continued interference in the region is predicated on an insecure ME.
Lie No. 9: “We are urgently and relentlessly working for a ceasefire and a hostage deal starting with the first phase and building to an enduring calm as the president said this week there could be a ceasefire tomorrow if Hamas simply released women wounded and elderly hostages, all innocents. Israel put a forward-leaning proposal on the table for a ceasefire and hostage deal. The world should be calling on Hamas to come back to the table and accept a deal. The hostages include Americans and citizens from around the world. The president is determined to bring them safe safely back to their loved ones and I met with with the families of these American hostages again just this past Friday. They know how hard the president is working on this.”
America has vetoed every single effort to enforce a ceasefire in Gaza at the United Nations. In all fairness, it could be said that they are working relentlessly to scupper any ceasefire.
Hamas did, in fact, offer ceasefire deals on several occasions since October 7th. Israel rejected every single one of them, including the latest deal accepted by Hamas just about a week ago.
Far from being determined to bring the hostages back home safely, it would appear that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is determined to get them all killed. Even the families of the hostages and Israeli citizens, who are now protesting almost daily, are convinced of this.
Lie No. 10: “Iran and its proxies have tried to take advantage of the war in Gaza to launch attacks on Israel. Hezbollah is attacking every day. The threat posed by Iran and its proxies to Israel to Regional stability and to American interests is clear. We are working with Israel and other partners to protect against these threats and to prevent escalation into an all-out regional war through a calibrated combination of diplomacy, deterrence, force posture adjustments and use of force when necessary to protect our people and to defend our interests and our allies we will not let Iran and its proxies succeed. These are President Biden’s positions they reflect his commitment to getting an outcome in Gaza and across the broad broader Middle East that protects Israel’s future security and pay, paves the way for a future of dignity and security for the Palestinian people as well rather than Israel getting mired in a counterinsurgency campaign that never ends and ultimately saps Israel’s strength and vitality and this is all consistent with President Biden’s longstanding view that ultimately a two-state solution is the only way to ensure a strong secure Jewish Democratic state of Israel as well as a future of dignity security and prosperity for the Palestinian people.”
Contrary to Sullivan’s assertions, Israel has been the main source of instability in the Middle East. Their continued illegal occupation of Palestine is the reason for the Hamas resistance. They have provoked Hezbollah by assassinating Hamas leaders inside Lebanon. They have also provoked Iran into responding to their bombing of a consulate inside Syria. America is using Israel as a proxy to enforce military order in the Middle East.
Neither Biden, nor any previous American administration has really cared about implementing a two-state solution. They just like talking about it. Former Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton even tried to re-write history in order to enforce the lie that the Palestinians walked away from a deal in 2001.
It’s also telling that Sullivan confirms that Israel wants to keep the ethnostate concept intact when he mentions the term “Jewish Democratic State” The American government must be delusional if it believes that right-wing lunatics from the Israeli government such as Benjamin Netanyahu, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir actually intend negotiating a two-state solution. They seem more intent on ethnic cleansing, or even the more extreme final solution of genocide.
The one and only truth, sort of: “One last thing. No president has stood stronger with Israel than Joe Biden. He was the first president ever to visit Israel during wartime. He is protecting Israel at the United Nations. He mobilized a coalition to directly defend Israel against an unprecedented Iranian attack. He led the bipartisan effort to pass a supplemental that ensures Israel’s defense and military edge for years to come, His commitment to Israel is Ironclad. Ironclad doesn’t mean you never disagree. It means you work through your disagreements as only true friends can do that’s exactly what we’ve done for the past seven months and that’s what we’ll keep doing and with that I’ll uh, be happy to take your questions.”
It is indeed true that President Biden is committed to Zionism and Israel. He has said so himself on many occasions. He is not only protecting Israel at the United Nations with his disgraceful use of the veto, lawmakers in his government intends protecting the Israeli war criminals from prosecution at the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Sullivan’s assertion that America and Israel are true friends rings hollow. The evidence actually points to a toxic relationship… on both sides.
If you ever have the misfortune of having to sit through another US government media briefing, please pay careful attention. Mainstream media certainly aren’t going to challenge it with conviction, or break it down for you very truthfully.
lenny unencumbered 