An Analysis of the Expected Pointless Resumption of a Losing War by a Stupid President and How the Princes Who Have Been Burned by Kushner Will Suffer the Iranian Retaliation
We begin with an analysis of what is to come in the Persian Gulf after the November 3 elections with an expectation that the US and Israel will launch a “shock and awe” attack on Iran which the Iranian leadership expects, warning that they will retaliate by striking oil and AI facilities, data centers, undersea cables etc. in seven Gulf Countries. We assess whether a pointless resumption of a losing war by a stupid president will motivate the Iranians to make a deal ahead of time and how the Gulf potentates and the Saudi Crown Prince, who have been burned by Jared Kushner and Trump, are desperate to avoid retaliation that could end their regimes. Joining us is Robert Young Pelton, an author, filmmaker, journalist, and explorer. He is the publisher of Dangerous Magazine and has a first-hand perspective on the war on terror from direct contact with the world’s most infamous jihadi, rebel and insurgent groups. His books include: The World’s Most Dangerous Places, Come Back Alive, Three Worlds Gone Mad, Licensed to Kill: Hired Guns in the War on Terror and his autobiography, The Adventurist. His writing, films, investigations etc. are available at his website robertyoungpelton.com
With an Electoral Stalemate in Israel, Will Eisenkot Reach Out to Israeli Palestinians Who Voted in Record Numbers?
Then as Israel’s election results come in, it is becoming clear that no party will win a majority in Parliament. This means that the Prime Minister’s chair is still up for grabs. While both Benjamin Netanyahu and his leading opponent, Gadi Eisenkot, ran to the right in this election, Netanyahu especially stoked fear-mongering and anti-Arab sentiments. If Eisenkot had instead embraced the Palestinian electorate in the country – roughly 20% of the population – he could have sealed his victory. Instead, we’re waiting to see if he’ll reach out to Israeli Palestinian voters who voted in record numbers or if Netanyahu will re-form his coalition with the far-right which has caused so much human suffering in recent years. Adalah, the Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel, has advocated for Palestinian human rights for decades. They were also at the polls yesterday, alleging line slowdowns, insufficient ballots, and voter intimidation by settlers in Arab-majority areas. Speaking with Background Briefing’s Anna Leah is Dr. Hassan Jabareen, Adalah’s General Director, who fights in the courts against these voter suppression tactics. A former visiting scholar at Georgetown and Columbia schools of law and a Yale World Fellow, among other awards, he is a lecturer at Tel Aviv University.