No Tears for Tehran or Tel Aviv

An Israeli government minister threatens to “wipe Iran off the face of the Earth”:

Israeli Economy Minister Nir Barkat warned on Sunday that the military is ready to “eliminate” the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah and strike Iran if they open up a “northern front” in the current conflict.

“The plan of Iran is to attack Israel on all fronts. If we find they intend to target Israel, we will not just retaliate to those fronts, but we will go to the head of the snake, which is Iran,” Barkat told The Mail on Sunday. He added “the ayatollahs in Iran are not going to sleep good at night” if they move against Israel.

Barkat warned that Lebanon and Hezbollah, which is backed by Tehran, “are going to pay a heavy price, similar to what Hamas is going to pay.”

Israel would go “after the heads of Iran” if necessary, the minister said. “Israel has a very clear message to our enemies. We are saying to them, look what’s happening in Gaza – you are going to get the same treatment if you attack us. We are going to wipe you off the face of the Earth.”

Imagine if Putin was using this sort of rhetoric. We’d be hearing 24-7 non-stop about Russian atrocities and war crimes, which we’ve already been hearing a lot of for the last 19 months even though Russia refuses to so much as declare war against Ukraine.

Now, it is also true that the Iranian and the Palestinian leaders direct precisely the same sort of eliminationist rhetoric at Israel. The primary difference is that neither Iran nor the Palestinians make any serious pretense at being human rights-respecting democrats whose priority is protecting civilians on both sides and are only going to war reluctantly and in defense of their citizenry.

Americans and Europeans cannot support Israel under this rationale for the very pertinent reason that doing so would absolutely justify Russian attacks on London, Berlin, Paris, and Washington DC. Iran is no more guilty of waging war by proxy on Israel than the USA, the UK, and the rest of NATO are guilty of waging war by proxy on Russia.

And the more extreme the rhetoric coming out of both sides, the more apocalyptic the objectives, the more the rest of the world is correctly inclined to simply leave them alone and let them all fight it out amongst themselves.

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Another Mysterious Death

An Australian fitness model dies of Suddenly at the age of 41:

Popular New Zealand fitness influencer and mother of five, Raechelle Chase, has died suddenly.

The model’s oldest daughter Anna Chase confirmed her death in a touching statement, News.com.au reported. “She was supportive, kind-hearted and always had the best advice for us,” she wrote. “She was a wildly driven woman with ambition and has inspired millions of people around the world. I miss her immensely and that love won’t ever fade.”

As of yet, Raechelle’s cause of death has not yet been revealed and is currently under investigation by the New Zealand police.

Whatever could it be? Such a totally unpredictable and unforeseen tragedy!

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Sir, This is a Wendy’s

Question: Take a guess what media outlet this quote is taken from:

People attending a Thursday performance from Dave Chappelle reportedly were very upset with comments the comedian made about Israel.

The Israelis are currently engaged in a massive war against Hamas following the horrific slaughter of more than 1,400 men, women and children in Israel. So far, the war has been mostly an air campaign, but all signs indicate a ground invasion could come in the near future.

The topic has dominated the news, and for good reason. Hamas terrorists murdered innocent people, and Israel is now responding. That’s called war and retaliation.

Dave Chappelle thinks going to war with Hamas in Gaza is a war crime committed by Israel.

DAVE CHAPPELLE REPORTEDLY ACCUSES ISRAEL OF WAR CRIMES DURING SHOW, COMPLETELY MISSES THE MARK, 22 October 2023

Answer: It’s from Outkick the Coverage. Now how, pray tell, is this sports-related news of any kind?

Clay Travis really needs to tell his writers to stay in their freaking lanes.

And I know when I want an opinion on geopolitics and war, the first person I turn to is a comedian.

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The ADL Fights the Real Enemy

Never mind that little matter of WWIII. The ADL remains laser-focused on its primary foe.

The ADL is like the annoying little kid in grade school who smells bad, picks his nose, pinches the girls, is despised by all the boys, and barely scrapes by with a D, yet somehow believes he is the smartest, most popular boy in the class.

No American wants to fight for this wicked organization, die for it, or spend a single taxpayer’s dollar on its behalf. In the meantime, one wonders if those supporting Israel are thinking through the logic of their support.

The Israeli government warned it would target Tehran if Hezbollah escalates the conflict.

Do those who support the Israeli government’s threats really not understand that the consequence of accepting this reasoning is to justify Russia targeting Berlin, London, Paris, and Washington DC?

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Even Clownocrats Resist

You know Clown World has gone too far in its slavish obedience to the neoclowns in Washington when even EU bureaucrats are openly criticizing its unelected leadership’s overt hypocrisies with regards to Ukraine and Gaza.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is turning a blind eye to Israel’s “war crimes” in Gaza, hundreds of EU staffers wrote in a letter circulating within the bloc’s institutions, the Irish Times reported on Friday.

The European Commission is giving a “free hand to the acceleration and legitimacy of a war crime in the Gaza Strip,” the letter signed by 842 people states. It was reportedly circulated among diplomats and staffers at the Commission and other EU bodies.

While the missive opens with a condemnation of Hamas’ attack on Israel earlier this month, it follows with an “equally strong” condemnation of what the writers describe as “the disproportionate reaction by the Israeli government against 2.3 million Palestinian civilians trapped in the Gaza Strip,” accusing von der Leyen of a “double standard.”

The letter claims she “completely ignored” Israel’s blockade stopping water and fuel from reaching Gaza, while noting that she described an “identical act” by Russia as “terror.”

The recent observations by the Financial Times were dead-on, except it’s not just the Global South that is being lost by the USA. There are massive demonstrations in support of Palestine all across Europe, from the UK to Spain, and it isn’t just the Muslim migrants taking part either. Only the media and the fully-owned politicians are supporting Israel now, and Israel hasn’t even entered Gaza in force yet. EU staffers are the most genuinely true-believing of all the various clowns around the world, and yet the complete 180 that has been performed regarding their most strongly-held principles is proving too much even for them.

There is absolutely no support for the USA’s rush to war anywhere in Europe, and it won’t surprise me if the situation has a significant effect on the next round of elections. No one wants war in the Middle East, but if it comes, the Europeans will be heavily in favor of Iran and the Palestinians. So much so, in fact, that might even serve to effect a rapprochement with Russia.

One factor of which most Americans are unaware is that the Europeans will not break economic ties with China. They simply can’t afford to do so, and they know that following the USA’s lead on Russia has harmed their economies more than they ever imagined possible. So it appears various forces are gathering for a crisis in US-European relations.

Meanwhile, the Pentagon continues to plunge headlong into another neocon war for which it has no support beyond Ben Shapiro, Mark Levin, and the ADL, and which it is likely to lose in a catastrophic manner.

Following detailed discussions with President Biden on recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces across the Middle East Region, today I directed a series of additional steps to further strengthen the Department of Defense posture in the region. These steps will bolster regional deterrence efforts, increase force protection for U.S. forces in the region, and assist in the defense of Israel.

First, I redirected the movement of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group to the Central Command area of responsibility. This carrier strike group is in addition to the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which is currently operating in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. It will further increase our force posture and strengthen our capabilities and ability to respond to a range of contingencies.

I have also activated the deployment of a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery as well as additional Patriot battalions to locations throughout the region to increase force protection for U.S. forces.

Finally, I have placed an additional number of forces on prepare to deploy orders as part of prudent contingency planning, to increase their readiness and ability to quickly respond as required.

I will continue to assess our force posture requirements in the region and consider deploying additional capabilities as necessary.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III, 21 October 2023

This is just another reason why being forced out of the military for refusing to get vaxxed was the right move.

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Saturday Arktoons

ALT★HERO: Q Episode 65: Mile-wide Wedgewood Crater

BEN GARRISON Episode 118: Durham Report

三更战 Episode 6: 十二兄弟

CHUCK DIXON PRESENTS: ADVENTURE Episode 97: The Brigand

STONETOSS Episode 234: Downside

SHOTGUN SAMURAI Episode 18: Shotgun Samurai

FAIRY DOOR Episode 50: A Moment to Breathe

CHATEAU GRIEF Episode 305: Trespassito

FULLSTRIKE! Episode 27: Sensei

THE CHRONICLES OF THE ADVENTURE, HUNTING, AND LIQUIDATION COMMITTEE Episode 21: Setting the Ambush

THE WISE OF HEART Episode 45: A Cowboy Speeding Ticket

RIOT TOWN, USA Episode 34: Disputing the Estate

FLYING SPARKS Episode 94: Caught Off Guard

Arkhaven Comics is pleased to announce that AH:Q is back on Arktoons. These episodes are from Issue 6, which means the print edition will be shipped to backers once it is completed by the production team.

ALT★HERO: Q

Setup for a Showdown

Russia responds to the US Navy’s provocative move into the Mediterranean:

As the Israel-Gaza conflict escalates, with the expected involvement of various regional powers, the inclusion of global ones after the United States sent a massive naval force to the Eastern Mediterranean was guaranteed. And indeed, this now includes Russia which decided to send its superfast, high-flying MiG-31 jets to patrol the Black Sea. Namely, on October 18, Russian President Vladimir Putin publicly announced that Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) will deploy MiG-31K/I (interceptors modified into strike fighters) armed with 9-A-7660 “Kinzhal” air-launched hypersonic missiles (usually given the unconfirmed Kh-47M2 designation) in response to large-scale US naval deployments. Although this doesn’t immediately indicate that the jets are on combat duty to tackle the possible involvement of US forces, the “Kinzhal’s” range and speed are more than enough to jeopardize American assets.

With the USS “Dwight D. Eisenhower” Nimitz-class supercarrier (CVN-69) joining the USS “Gerald R. Ford” (CVN-78), the US Navy now operates two carrier strike groups (CSGs) in the Eastern Mediterranean. Combined, both vessels can carry up to 180 aircraft, in addition to other ships escorting them as part of the CSGs. This massive force is a threat to Russian allies in the region, particularly Syria, and by extension, Moscow’s forces deployed in the Middle Eastern country.

The MiG-31s armed with “Kinzhals” and flying over the Black Sea cover the entirety of the Eastern Mediterranean without going anywhere near American CSGs. Namely, although estimates vary significantly, the “Kinzhal’s” range is up to 2000 km, meaning that the MiG-31K/I strike fighters are capable of launching the hypersonic missiles well beyond the range of any US ship-based air defenses, interceptors or similar assets.

It should be noted that the US Navy also sent the USS “Bataan” (LHD-5) Wasp-class amphibious assault ship with the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (SOC – Special Operations Capable) and additional naval forces.

The USS “Bataan” can also carry up to 20 aircraft, further reinforcing the already massive US presence in the area. In addition, the 26th MEU has at least 1600 marines, although its full combat strength is up to 2400. Apart from these, the Pentagon deployed other assets such as the A-10 “Thunderbolt II” attack jets, F-15E “Strike Eagle” strike fighters, as well as the B-1B “Lancer” long-range bombers. The latter were sent from their home base in Texas on October 12 and forward deployed to RAF (Royal Air Force) Fairford airbase in the United Kingdom. From there, “Lancers” could launch strikes against targets across the Middle East and elsewhere, jeopardizing at least half a dozen countries in the region.

As previously mentioned, all of the aforementioned assets are a threat to Russian forces deployed in the area, as well as to Moscow’s allies, particularly Syria. It should be noted that the forces Washington DC sent so far are absolutely unnecessary against Hamas.

This underlines expectations that the Middle East will be the second front in WWIII. Most of the US forces arriving in nominal support of the incipient Israeli offensive in Gaza – and quite possibly Syria and Southern Lebanon as well – are not only useless against Hamas, but against Hezbollah as well.

Since Russians have resolutely refused to directly engage the NATO in Ukraine, it appears that the neoclowns are determined to find a way to provoke them into open war in a manner that they can’t resist.

When military leaders make their final, fatal mistake, it is usually the sort of action that has hitherto been very successful for them. The cautious leader fails to act when he must, the aggressive leaders bites off more than he can chew. Israeli officers are indoctrinated in the romance of the bold and daring stroke that wins the war, and revere aggressive generals like Dayan, Sharon, and Patton. This is why I am beginning to suspect that instead of simply beginning the ground offensive in Gaza, we’re going to see a bigger, more comprehensive attack on two or more fronts that is intended to catch Iran, Syria, and Hezbollah by surprise.

The presence of the US military would be to ensure that the IDF holds its gains by keeping Iran and Russia from defending their allies. I tend to doubt, however, that the US forces still command the respect that used to render them such a compelling deterrent.

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The Global South is Lost

One unanticipated outcome of the recent flareup in the Middle East is that it appears to have put the final nail in the coffin of the Clown World Order by making it clear that the so-called “rules-based order” does not actually have any genuine principles or rules, thereby ensuring widespread global preference for the sovereign nations of the Multipolarity over the Imperial USA and its occupied satrapies.

Attempts by the US and its allies to “paint Moscow as a global pariah” have been “poisoned” by the rush to support Israeli retaliation against Hamas in Gaza, the Financial Times reported on Wednesday, citing more than a dozen officials.

“We have definitely lost the battle in the Global South,” one senior G7 diplomat was quoted as saying. “All the work we have done with the Global South [over Ukraine] has been lost… Forget about rules, forget about world order. They won’t ever listen to us again.”

“What we said about Ukraine has to apply to Gaza. Otherwise we lose all our credibility,” the official added. “The Brazilians, the South Africans, the Indonesians: why should they ever believe what we say about human rights?”

West ‘lost’ Global South over Israel, Financial Times, 18 October 2023

Now, this is apparently shocking news to the inhabitants of Clown World as well as its rulers, but it was always inevitable. The “Israel exception” to decades of baseless assertions about democracy and human rights and respect for indigenous peoples was never going to survive the Internet anyhow, nor was “the plight of the poor, oppressed Jewish people who never did nothing bad to nobody” ever going to cut any ice with anyone but high-trust, soft-hearted ignoramuses with no sense of history.

And it’s a particularly bad look for Israel to be observed to be “defending itself” by continuously expanding its territory. Considering that a significant percentage of the Global South has historical experience with violent colonization of its ancestral lands, it should not be much of a surprise that there is a natural tendency for those nations to instinctively side with the Palestinians. Indeed, those who are old enough will recall how many US-resident Jews vehemently supported the blacks in South Africa on much flimsier historical claims than those presently possessed by the Palestinians.

But as the Financial Times points out, it is the juxtaposition of Clown World’s position on the Russia-Ukraine situation with it’s position on the Israel-Palestinian situation that has probably been the most harmful to its credibility in the eyes of the Global South. Ukraine’s crimes against the Russians in the Donbass, and the 9,900 Russians killed there between 2014 and 2022, were far in excess of the various crimes committed by Hamas in the same timeframe, and yet the global media has spent the last 19 months relentlessly decrying Russian actions that have been considerably more restrained, given Russia’s capabilities, than the total ethnic cleansing or even extermination of the Palestinians now being threatened all over social media in response to a single Hamas raid.

Clown World is deranged and dying. One hopes the Great Powers of the Multipolarity will use their power and influence in a more circumspect and generally beneficial manner once it is gone.

UPDATE: Clown World is going to try to succeed itself.

The current US-led world order has “sort of run out of steam,” but Washington will shape the system that replaces it, US President Joe Biden told supporters on Saturday.

No, it really won’t.

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ComicsGate is Comics Now

The Dark Herald observes that the independents have completely routed the dinosaurs of the comics industry:

Comics Gate is over and the Big Two lost bigly.

What was CG has turned into is a revived and hyper-successful indie comics scene. The reason the old indie comics scene petered out was because back in the 1990s there was a one-two punch of comic book shops failing en masse, combined with the Big Two being big enough back then to get out in front of the movement.

Well, the big two don’t seem to be much bigger than the indie houses these days and genuinely talented creatives got screwed by lawyers assigned by the mega-corporations that still own the Big Two. Here’s a surprise, it turns out that “creator-owned” doesn’t actually mean “creator-controlled.” Sure the creator “owns” the character but the Big Two can do whatever the hell it feels like with them.

You made a comic book about a roaring, roistering barbarian warrior who kills orcs all day and bangs the bar wenches all night? Tough luck shithead! Conanson is now a genderqueer, trans living in New York City and constantly being amazed by how kick-ass his ex-girlfriend is because we say so.

You can do what Bill Winningham did and put his comic into the public domain. Maybe, but DC is fighting that one tooth and nail. Bottomline, you make a deal with the devil, the devil will be in the details.

When the history of the last gasp of the traditional comics industry is written, one of the most significant elements noted by historians will be the ALT★HERO crowdfunding campaign on Freestartr. Although the platform is defunct, the comic is going strong – I just received the final inks for Issue #10 from the illustrator – and the unprecedented support it received from the readers here inspired Ethan van Sciver, Eric July, and most recently, Razorfist, to launch even more successful campaigns.

Since the comics media – with the exception of Bounding Into Comics – studiously ignores Arkhaven, most people still don’t realize that ALT★HERO was most successful new comics crowdfund ever at the time of its launch. It has since been surpassed, of course, but it was conclusive proof that creators not only had any need of Marvel or DC Comics to produce top-quality comics, but could actually be better off going independent than working for them.

ALT★HERO Issue 10

Now we’re seeing the mainstream artists struggling to find work, seeing their sales crumbling, and watching their creations be wilfully destroyed. Now we’re seeing new names and established figures alike going independent. And now the independents are starting to work together. While it’s too soon to name any names or titles, Arkhaven will be publishing some of the most successful recent crowdfunds, and some of those titles will also be appearing on Arktoons. All of the creators retain ownership and control of their creations, and in fact, some of these new creations are already being licensed by third parties.

Comic book legend Chuck Dixon, the creator of Bane, will see his recently released Chuck Dixon’s Conan novels get developed into a new RPG sourcebook. The new RPG sourcebook is being created by Autarch LLC and will use the company’s upcoming Adventurer Conqueror King System Imperial Imprint (ACKS II), the second edition of the company’s role-playing game.

The independent ecosystem may be small in comparison with the mainstream comics and RPG industries now, but note that it is already larger, and much more successful, than either of those industries were in their early days. And these are just the early days.

The ride never ends.

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