Foreign Affairs It’s Time to Get Out for Good Trump must not let Netanyahu and the neoconservatives invent new objectives. Credit: Lance Cpl Nathaniel Sapp/Getty Images “Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon” has been Trump’s much-repeated message, and after last night’s bombing of the Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities, the president declared his mission accomplished. Declaring the operation a “spectacular military success,” he called for Iran’s leaders to return to negotiations. “Now is the time for peace,” he wrote on his Truth Social site. Americans must hold him to it.  Iran, of course, will have a say in what happens next. Tehran will inevitably retaliate. It has many options, including targeting U.S. military personnel in the region, disrupting traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, or executing cyber or terror attacks in the Middle East or outside it. So far, Iran’s response has been moderate. Tehran has indicated that damage caused by U.S. strikes is reparable and limited. There are also reports that Washington gave Iran advanced warning that this was intended to be a limited strike. It is possible that Iran might calibrate its response to avoid American casualties.  As Iran’s leaders weigh their options, Trump should take clear and decisive steps now to encourage Iran toward deescalation, offering commitments that U.S. military action was indeed a “one-off” and not the start of a longer American campaign. First, Trump must back away from the “deal or bombs” threats he continues to make toward Iran, including in his triumphant speech to the nation following the strikes. After hitting Iran’s nuclear facilities and setting back its path to a nuclear weapon, there is no urgent threat to the United States that would require either a quick deal or additional U.S. military action. In fact, giving Iran ultimatums to return to negotiations only increases the risk of deeper U.S. military involvement because it will create political pressure on Trump to act if diplomacy fails—as is likely in the short term. After all, Iran has no reason now to believe that diplomacy will protect it from future airstrikes and little incentive to compromise in the near future. Instead, Trump should reiterate the limited nature of the U.S. military action and declare clearly that, despite recent social media posts, the United States does not seek regime change in Iran. After twice undermining his own diplomatic outreach to Iran’s leaders—first by letting Israel strike Iran and then by authorizing U.S. bombs—Trump’s words may carry little weight. Still, his assertion that political change is not on the U.S. agenda could make a difference, especially when amplified by other U.S. political leaders. Trump might also enlist the assistance of regional partners like Saudi Arabia, allies in Europe, and even Russia to communicate the message that the United States will not interfere in Iran’s domestic politics. Second, while immediately moving U.S. servicemembers out of the region might leave them vulnerable, Trump should immediately order recently surged fighter aircraft and air tankers back to their home bases and redirect the second carrier strike group back to Asia. He should also recommit to plans to withdraw forces from Syria and Iraq on their planned timeline and look for other opportunities to reduce U.S. military presence in the region as soon as it is safe to do so. This would reinforce his promise to the American people not to become embroiled in another endless Middle Eastern war and offer Iran assurances that the United States is not planning further military involvement. Netanyahu and the neocons will not rest on their laurels for long. Washington’s “one-off” has only whetted their appetite. They are already discovering more secret nuclear facilities to target and still aiming for regime change. Trump’s preferred diplomatic pathway to a dismantled Iranian nuclear program has already been derailed by Israel’s unilateral attack and subsequent U.S. military action. Twice he has let his instincts for peace be overruled by calls for war. He must resist pressure to let it happen again. The post It’s Time to Get Out for Good appeared first on The American Conservative.

We must Bless BiBi with a bucket of SHIT poured over his head... People need to know this before we lose millions of lives in WWIII!!! Send this to as many as possible!!

An under-the-radar classic

An underrated part of his sound.

by Caitlin Johnstone, Caitlin Johnstone: The US is the only nation on earth that can rival Israel in its ability to play the victim when the ball they’ve thrown at the wall bounces back. The US military has bombed multiple Iranian nuclear sites on the orders of President Trump, immediately putting tens of thousands of US military […]

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Why we’re revisiting our series on allyship this Pride Month At The Optimist Daily, we believe that allyship is a lifelong practice; one that demands reflection, humility, and, most of all, action. This June, we are celebrating Pride Month but also witnessing disturbing policy decisions affecting many vulnerable communities. We felt it was an appropriate time to take the opportunity to revisit one of our most impactful two-part series on the topic of allyship. Originally published in the height of the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, this series remains deeply relevant today. The conversations around justice, equity, and inclusion have evolved, but so have the risks of performative support. Pride, in particular, can be a time when companies and individuals display rainbow flags without backing them up with meaningful, sustained solidarity. That’s why we’re republishing this series: to remind ourselves that allyship isn’t a social media post or a seasonal gesture. Allyship is a continuous commitment to uplifting and supporting marginalized communities in real, tangible ways. Whether you’re re-reading or coming to it for the first time, we hope Part I offers fresh insight and renewed motivation for showing up as an active, intentional ally not just this month, but all year round. How to be an ally part I: performative allyship In recent years, and especially in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by police officer Derek Chauvin in May 2020, social advocacy and activism around the world have evolved and continue to evolve at an admirable pace. The emergence of activism in the era of social media, which, whether we like it or not has assumed incredible power and sway over public opinion, has also given way to new terminology to shape the fight against social injustices. This stretches across multiple identities, countries, generations, and experiences, and in the thick of COVID-19, has largely taken place in the abstract and complex space we know as the internet. The danger of marrying activism with media is that despite good intentions, personal action can remain confined to images and online personalities, which will not lead to the real desired change. If you want to learn how to move your fight for social justice from online to real life, then this two-part series (which draws from the work of Jess Mally, co-founder of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion agency Beloved) is for you.  Read on for a deep dive into one of the neologisms born out of contemporary English-language social justice activism: allyship. Part one focuses on what allyship is, as well as defining and identifying performative allyship, and part two will answer the question: what does it mean to practice effective allyship? What is an ally? An ally is understood to be someone who advocates for the inclusion and equal representation of marginalized communities for the benefit of humanity on the whole through intentional and positive efforts. Allyship is not an identity but a state of being that continues to support people or groups outside of themselves.  Allyship is not reserved only for the super privileged—anyone can assume allyship as privilege is intersectional. Thus, men can be allies to women, white women can be allies to people of color, economically privileged people can be allies to those who are not, etc. What is performative allyship? The rise of performative allyship is closely related to social media, as these platforms offer people a space where their allyship is reduced to a desirable image rather than rooted in the reality of effective action. Performative allyship usually does more harm than good, because they are centered on the actor rather than on those they are trying to align themselves with. Here are six signs that our own actions add up to performative allyship. Your education stops with social media Though following and reposting educators on social media can be constructive (after going through rigorous fact-checking), the oppressive systems that we are trying to subvert are too complex to be completely understood through short tweets or groups of 10 infographics. You’re quick to tweet but slow to speak If social media is the only space in which you stand up to racism or other forms of injustice while you let day-to-day incidents go at work or when you’re with friends and family, this is a sign that your allyship is performative. You’re skipping over the internal work The world is brimming with other people’s unjust actions, so it’s easy to start pointing fingers. However, allyship begins with a hard look at our own thoughts and actions, past and present. Doing the inner work required of allyship means being honest about past harm we may have caused, making the effort to apologize for it, and maintaining an open and willing mindset to learn (and unlearn).  You’re centering your voice and are profiting from your “allyship” It can be easy to get caught up in the conversation, so much so that you end up taking over the space—however, the most effective ally is one who offers their resources and privilege to the ones who are most marginalized. So, for any community of color, this means women and trans women of color. “It also means making space, not taking it,” writes Mally in her piece published in The Good Trade. “It’s essential to resist the urge to become the ‘savior’ (a deeply problematic notion rooted in anti-Blackness, anti-indigeneity, etc.)” She goes on to recommend the work of Black women-led advocacy group NoWhiteSaviors for those who are not familiar with the concept of saviorism. You’re expecting a pat on the back or a thank you from those you seek to ally yourself with Advocating for marginalized groups that have been oppressed for generations under broken systems isn’t a favor or even an act of charity. Eradicating racism and all the other “isms” is simply the right thing to do and in the end, it will benefit everyone. You quit as soon as it gets hard Allyship is inherently uncomfortable and difficult—it can be overwhelming to be constantly confronted with racism, discrimination, and yes, internet trolls. While the desire to switch off is understandable, it’s important to remind yourself that quitting is a privilege that many people— namely those you are advocating for, don’t have. Next steps Now that we know how to recognize allyship that doesn’t “go beyond the black square” so to speak, check out part two to learn how to practice effective allyship. The post How to be an ally part I: performative allyship first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a long-awaited step towards justice for the most vulnerable, the UK government has announced plans to scrap the Vagrancy Act of 1824. The law, which criminalises rough sleeping in England and Wales, will be replaced next year with more compassionate, targeted legislation. Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner called the move “drawing a line under nearly two centuries of injustice.” She added: “No one should ever be criminalised simply for sleeping rough and by scrapping this cruel and outdated law, we are making sure that can never happen again.” A decline in prosecutions, but the law still lingers While prosecutions under the Vagrancy Act have declined significantly. From a peak of 1,050 in 2011 to just 79 in 2023, homelessness charities have continued to campaign for its repeal. For years, advocates have stressed that criminalising rough sleeping doesn’t address the root causes of homelessness. Instead, it pushes people further into the margins. Replacing punishment with protection The Labour government has promised a more nuanced approach. Rather than sweeping away all enforcement powers, new “targeted measures” will ensure police can still act in cases of organised criminal activity. According to the government’s statement, the legislation will include new offences such as facilitating begging for profit and trespassing with criminal intent. This shift moves the focus away from survival behaviour and toward addressing exploitation and public safety concerns in a more humane manner. A milestone moment for homeless advocacy For many organisations working with unhoused people, this is a watershed moment. Crisis CEO Matt Downie called it “a landmark moment that will change lives and prevent thousands of people from being pushed into the shadows, away from safety.” He added: “We hope this signals a completely different approach to helping people forced onto the streets and clears the way for a positive agenda that is about supporting people who desperately want to move on in life and fulfil their potential.” A future built on support, not stigma While the previous Conservative government announced plans to repeal the law in 2022, they insisted on passing alternative legislation first. This plan fell through before the 2024 general election. Now, Labour has committed to seeing this reform through, with amendments being introduced to the Crime and Policing Bill. The changes reflect a broader shift in public sentiment: homelessness is not a crime; it’s a crisis. And tackling it begins with empathy, investment in support services, and policies that affirm dignity over punishment.The post Decriminalizing rough sleeping: A new chapter in compassion and justice first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.