alt text: A “xit” from user @ChrpngBrd in which he responds to another “xit” from @BlueBoxDave that says “If Israel falls then America falls. It’s that simple.” @ChrpngBrd’s response is a thumbs up emoji, and two stills from The Simpsons S02E19 “Lisa’s Substitute.” In which, the first image is Martin Prince putting up a poster saying “A vote for Bart is a vote for Anarchy!” and the second image is Bart Simpson putting up a poster that says “A vote for Bart is a vote for Anarchy!”

  • Neato
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    99 months ago

    Israel isn’t easily replaceable in US foreign policy for the Middle East. I.e. the US uses Israel as a base of operations in the area. But the US definitely doesn’t need Israel for it’s survival or even to exert influence on the Middle East: it just makes it easier.

    • @[email protected]
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      9 months ago

      The US didn’t have a base in Israel till 2017, it’s never really been a significant base of operation for US forces. Us forces have more presence in basically every country in the region with the exception of Yemen, Egypt and Iran. Hell, there’s even a base Syria.

        • @CatfishSushi
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          99 months ago

          Frankly I’m not sure NATO can rely on Turkey.

          • ✺roguetrick✺
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            9 months ago

            NATO can always rely on Turkey because Russia will always want the black sea to itself. That’s been true from the Tsar, to the USSR and now to the federation. It’ll never change.

            Turkey just plays a strange game with powers it has proxy fights with, like Russia and Iran.

    • @[email protected]
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      9 months ago

      With declining importance of oil, the US has less reason to give a shit about the Middle East. We’re a ways off from that point, but it’s coming.

      If you think the Middle East is fucked up now, just wait until there’s a power vacuum from nobody caring about oil anymore.