I'm only half joking here, or maybe not at all. Maybe the US and Netanyahu will make the Palestinians slaves. After all, PragerU says, "well being made a slave is better than being killed, no?" I like to know what's going on in the World, but I wonder if the time will come, in the horrific here-and-now, when my psyche cannot bear one more drop of this crap.
Quasim and readers: I have to share this with you. Check out this Substack post from Deaglan O’Mulrooney with a video of over 300,000 people walking across the Sydney Harbor Bridge protesting the Gaza Palestinian genocide. Powerful and wonderful to see such support!
It seems that when many to most reporters have been focusing on Epstein, you have continued to not let us turn away from hearing about the atrocities happening daily in Gaza. Please continue to support us being informed US citizens about US complicity in Netanyahu’s genocide. So many of us just look the other way and call it old news. Thank you, Qasim.
Israeli soldiers used more starving Palestinians today, Sunday. If Hamas hands over all the hostages, Israel will finish off everyone in Gaza--Palestinians, foreign doctors, everyone. This slaughter of innocents will be a murderous stain on every country in this world for all time to come. First these people were corralled like cattle in Gaza and now the people are being used for carnival-like target practice.
How awful is this when I have lost respect for every country on this Earth. I'm tired of hearing that we wrote a letter to Israel that in 10 days, or so, you must try to do better at getting food to the Palestinians or we will be very upset with you. (No mention of starving children being used for target practice.)
I am one of your new paid subscribers. I did so to put my money where (you know the rest). Like most of the sane world I was horrified by the brutal 7 October 2023 Hamas attack. I, like most of the world, wanted to see some kind of retaliation and justice. Only fair, right? What I didn’t see was the timing of the attack. I didn’t see how the IDF could have been so lax, so complacent. Then I read this in an editorial in Haaretz:
“This rupture occurred while Israel was ruled by the most extreme right-wing government in its history, comprising people for whom destroying Gaza is nothing less than the realization of an ancient dream. And thus, in October 2023, all the stars from our nightmares aligned.”
I made the financial decision to support your work for two reasons: firstly, your writing feeds my mind and my soul, secondly, because of those cowards who unsubscribed. Keep up the excellent work!
I’m sorry that I can’t afford to become a paid subscriber but I completely agree with your view of Gaza. It’s completely genocide and unbelievable that Israel, which was formed by people who survived Hitler’s genocide, is doing this.
This is thought provoking: Trump is foolishly throwing around nuclear threats. Tom Hoefling recently posted this about military readiness: https://substack.com/@tomhoefling/note/c-138516679 The hero of this war Robert Broudi (aka “Magyar”) spoke at a military conference in Wiesbaden. His speech stunned many people. It’s a bit long but totally worth a read. “In the Ukrainian army, they call me Magyar. I am a field commander of combat drone pilots in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Putin’s propaganda claims I am one of Russia’s most wanted enemies, so I cannot promise we will meet again, but I will speak in stark, black-and-white terms. Today, I lead 12 pilot units. Ninety-five percent of them were civilians before the war—businesspeople, athletes, lawyers, singers, anyone but military personnel. We make up just 2% of Ukraine’s entire army. Yet, we destroy one out of every three enemy personnel and one out of every three enemy targets. Putin, who promised to capture us in three days, has instead taught us, over three and a half years, to defend our homeland, our children, and our land. It is absolutely clear that we see no end to this war—not tomorrow, not in a month, and likely not this year. So, we pragmatically calculate our future and see the greatest threats, which, if this war is not stopped, will affect many countries that will inevitably be drawn into it. ➤ The first threat is that Putin is sending more infantry to the war than we can destroy each month. This is the primary challenge. ➤ Second, Putin has found a very convenient, cheap, and effective weapon to intimidate Ukraine’s civilian population and destroy our infrastructure. Its name is Shahed (Russian-Iranian kamikaze drones). ➤ Third, everyone in Ukraine who wanted to fight is already fighting. We don’t expect miracles, but we know what to do, relying on our own experience, our own blood, and the support of our partners. There isn’t a tank in the world that cannot be stopped by a $300-400 drone. No such tank exists. I’m ready to bet any amount that no matter how well-protected a tank is, it will be stopped by a drone made with Ukrainian components. That’s why I claim Ukrainian drones are the best in the world today. Drones create a kill zone, currently extending about 20 km around the frontline in Ukraine. The next challenge is replacing Ukrainian infantry with ground robotic systems to handle all frontline logistics. ➤ Fourth, we are building a multi-layered, echeloned wall—far greater than the Great Wall of China—that will stop everything flying toward us, from attack to reconnaissance drones. We are creating this wall today. When Putin launched 100 Shaheds at Ukraine, he promised 500. We didn’t take it seriously then. Now, it’s no laughing matter, as we’ve already crossed the 400 mark. Our experience will be invaluable to the civilized world because any country could face this same prospect. I don’t know which NATO member state could protect a single city while facing 200-300 Shaheds every day for a week, without stopping. Your national security requires urgent reassessment. I rarely travel abroad. This is my second trip. Tomorrow at this time, I’ll be back at the front. But last year, I visited a military base of a NATO member in Europe. They showed me a well-organized facility with a ton of equipment, all in perfect condition. They asked what I thought of it. My answer didn’t please them. Without coming closer than 10 km, four teams of Ukrainian pilots could turn that place into Pearl Harbor in 15 minutes. I’m not saying this to scare anyone. I’m saying these technologies are so accessible and cheap that if they fall into the hands of terrorists, 100 terrorists could upend any country’s order. Our fight, our joint fight with our partners, is in our shared interest. We pay with our lives; you gain from our experience, which we will share with the conscientious nations of the world that support Ukraine in good faith. Thank you for your attention.”
I’m an old timer who used to protest against the Vietnam War. In the end, the protesters were proven right.
Robert McNamara initially supported increased military involvement in Vietnam, believing the U.S. could achieve victory. He publicly presented optimistic assessments of the war's progress, often citing statistics and body counts to demonstrate success, but in later years, particularly after leaving his post, McNamara publicly admitted the war was a tragic mistake and expressed deep regret for his role. "We Were Wrong": A key quote from McNamara reflecting his changed perspective is, "We were wrong," according to the LBJ Library.
Nader Qasim, your work is still valuable and important! Thank you! I live below the poverty line and every dollar I can spare goes to Gaza, but as soon as any are freed up I’d love to subscribe and support you. Thanks so much for your excellent journalism!!
I am posting this on places where people who are concerned about the treatment of people may access. If this is not permitted, please delete. Given the United States position that food is not a human right, as Palestine is being starved and the food insecurity increases in the United States, I have written these letters asking that issue be addressed. Please feel free to copy and send your self if you are so inclined.
Bureau of International Organization Affairs
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW, Room 6311
Washington, DC 20520
Subject: Urging the U.S. to Recognize Food as a Human Right in United Nations Votes
Dear Office of International Organization Affairs:
I am writing as a concerned citizen to express deep alarm over the United States’ repeated votes against United Nations resolutions affirming the right to food as a fundamental human right.
In recent years, the U.S. has stood nearly alone—often with only one or two other countries—in opposing declarations that food is a basic human entitlement. These votes not only isolate us diplomatically, but also send a troubling message that our government does not recognize a moral or legal obligation to ensure people’s access to sufficient and nutritious food.
The right to food is widely recognized in international human rights law, including in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Denying this principle undercuts both our domestic efforts to combat hunger and our global leadership in promoting human rights.
At a time when food insecurity is rising—due to conflict, climate change, and economic inequality—it is unconscionable for the United States to oppose international consensus on such a core issue of human dignity.
I urge the Office of International Organization Affairs to reconsider the U.S. position in future General Assembly sessions and to work toward policies that affirm food as a human right. Doing so will restore our credibility, align us with the global community, and support a future where no person is left to go hungry.
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
United States Mission to the United Nations
799 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
Subject: Condemnation of U.S. Vote Against Food as a Human Right at the United Nations
Dear Ambassador Shea:
I am writing as a deeply concerned citizen to express my unequivocal condemnation of the United States' repeated votes against United Nations resolutions affirming the right to food as a fundamental human right.
At a time when millions across the globe—including right here in the United States—suffer from food insecurity, it is both morally indefensible and politically shortsighted for our country to oppose such a basic affirmation of human dignity. That the United States and Israel stood alone in rejecting this essential right is an international embarrassment and a betrayal of our professed commitment to human rights and justice.
Food is not a privilege—it is a necessity for life. The refusal to recognize it as a right signals to the world that the U.S. government does not accept responsibility for ensuring the most basic conditions of survival for its people or for contributing to a more just global order. This position undermines our credibility on human rights and puts us at odds with nearly every nation in the world.
I urge you and your colleagues to reconsider this stance and to support future resolutions affirming the right to food. The United States must not be remembered as a nation that stood in the way of justice for the hungry.
Great dad joke! And thank you again for all you do to keep it real and call out fascism, Islamophobia, racism, misogyny, anti LGBTQ rhetoric, and standing against the genocide in Gaza. I know it must be exhausting. We hear you and support you & are in for however long it takes to turn it all around for peace, culture, education and the dignity of life for all people! I hope you get your breaks in to enjoy your beautiful family.
Hey Quasim, been listening and reading both you and Waj Ali for a few months and so appreciate both of you and that you don’t do pay walls because I never would’ve been able to get this information. I am happy to say that I came into some unexpected money from a friend who was helping me out so I subscribed to both of you on the same day! I’ve been wanting to do that for quite a long time and I want to say how happy it made me that I can support both of you with actual dollars. Your voices and perspectives are so critically necessary and important in this vacuum of real information. I am Arab, Lebanese, on my father’s side and Jewish on my mother’s side. So much misinformation and ignorance about the rich, shared historical relationship between Arabs and Jews. Deep love, respect and appreciation for each other. Thank you.
First, your Dad jokes are worth the subscription cost. You are also one hell of a good fighter for Human Rights. We all need people like you in our corner.
I'm only half joking here, or maybe not at all. Maybe the US and Netanyahu will make the Palestinians slaves. After all, PragerU says, "well being made a slave is better than being killed, no?" I like to know what's going on in the World, but I wonder if the time will come, in the horrific here-and-now, when my psyche cannot bear one more drop of this crap.
Quasim and readers: I have to share this with you. Check out this Substack post from Deaglan O’Mulrooney with a video of over 300,000 people walking across the Sydney Harbor Bridge protesting the Gaza Palestinian genocide. Powerful and wonderful to see such support!
It seems that when many to most reporters have been focusing on Epstein, you have continued to not let us turn away from hearing about the atrocities happening daily in Gaza. Please continue to support us being informed US citizens about US complicity in Netanyahu’s genocide. So many of us just look the other way and call it old news. Thank you, Qasim.
Qasim, your ardent support for Gaza & Palestinians was exactly why I did subscribe! Keep educating and advocating👏🏽🇪🇭👏🏽
Israeli soldiers used more starving Palestinians today, Sunday. If Hamas hands over all the hostages, Israel will finish off everyone in Gaza--Palestinians, foreign doctors, everyone. This slaughter of innocents will be a murderous stain on every country in this world for all time to come. First these people were corralled like cattle in Gaza and now the people are being used for carnival-like target practice.
How awful is this when I have lost respect for every country on this Earth. I'm tired of hearing that we wrote a letter to Israel that in 10 days, or so, you must try to do better at getting food to the Palestinians or we will be very upset with you. (No mention of starving children being used for target practice.)
F*ck this. DO SOMETHING!!!!
I am one of your new paid subscribers. I did so to put my money where (you know the rest). Like most of the sane world I was horrified by the brutal 7 October 2023 Hamas attack. I, like most of the world, wanted to see some kind of retaliation and justice. Only fair, right? What I didn’t see was the timing of the attack. I didn’t see how the IDF could have been so lax, so complacent. Then I read this in an editorial in Haaretz:
“This rupture occurred while Israel was ruled by the most extreme right-wing government in its history, comprising people for whom destroying Gaza is nothing less than the realization of an ancient dream. And thus, in October 2023, all the stars from our nightmares aligned.”
https://apple.news/AnExQqc-WRFqEnKMrhpO08g
This current genecide is intentional. The facist Netanyahu regime found the key to their solution on 7 October 2023.
Pls watch full show
https://www.democracynow.org/2024/10/29/a_night_at_the_garden_marshall
Aaron Parnas on substack 8/2 Trump is sending the military to cities
I made the financial decision to support your work for two reasons: firstly, your writing feeds my mind and my soul, secondly, because of those cowards who unsubscribed. Keep up the excellent work!
Qasim you’re the best 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
I’m sorry that I can’t afford to become a paid subscriber but I completely agree with your view of Gaza. It’s completely genocide and unbelievable that Israel, which was formed by people who survived Hitler’s genocide, is doing this.
No pressure ever to become a paid sub. Grateful to you for reading sharing and raising your voice for humanity.
This is thought provoking: Trump is foolishly throwing around nuclear threats. Tom Hoefling recently posted this about military readiness: https://substack.com/@tomhoefling/note/c-138516679 The hero of this war Robert Broudi (aka “Magyar”) spoke at a military conference in Wiesbaden. His speech stunned many people. It’s a bit long but totally worth a read. “In the Ukrainian army, they call me Magyar. I am a field commander of combat drone pilots in the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Putin’s propaganda claims I am one of Russia’s most wanted enemies, so I cannot promise we will meet again, but I will speak in stark, black-and-white terms. Today, I lead 12 pilot units. Ninety-five percent of them were civilians before the war—businesspeople, athletes, lawyers, singers, anyone but military personnel. We make up just 2% of Ukraine’s entire army. Yet, we destroy one out of every three enemy personnel and one out of every three enemy targets. Putin, who promised to capture us in three days, has instead taught us, over three and a half years, to defend our homeland, our children, and our land. It is absolutely clear that we see no end to this war—not tomorrow, not in a month, and likely not this year. So, we pragmatically calculate our future and see the greatest threats, which, if this war is not stopped, will affect many countries that will inevitably be drawn into it. ➤ The first threat is that Putin is sending more infantry to the war than we can destroy each month. This is the primary challenge. ➤ Second, Putin has found a very convenient, cheap, and effective weapon to intimidate Ukraine’s civilian population and destroy our infrastructure. Its name is Shahed (Russian-Iranian kamikaze drones). ➤ Third, everyone in Ukraine who wanted to fight is already fighting. We don’t expect miracles, but we know what to do, relying on our own experience, our own blood, and the support of our partners. There isn’t a tank in the world that cannot be stopped by a $300-400 drone. No such tank exists. I’m ready to bet any amount that no matter how well-protected a tank is, it will be stopped by a drone made with Ukrainian components. That’s why I claim Ukrainian drones are the best in the world today. Drones create a kill zone, currently extending about 20 km around the frontline in Ukraine. The next challenge is replacing Ukrainian infantry with ground robotic systems to handle all frontline logistics. ➤ Fourth, we are building a multi-layered, echeloned wall—far greater than the Great Wall of China—that will stop everything flying toward us, from attack to reconnaissance drones. We are creating this wall today. When Putin launched 100 Shaheds at Ukraine, he promised 500. We didn’t take it seriously then. Now, it’s no laughing matter, as we’ve already crossed the 400 mark. Our experience will be invaluable to the civilized world because any country could face this same prospect. I don’t know which NATO member state could protect a single city while facing 200-300 Shaheds every day for a week, without stopping. Your national security requires urgent reassessment. I rarely travel abroad. This is my second trip. Tomorrow at this time, I’ll be back at the front. But last year, I visited a military base of a NATO member in Europe. They showed me a well-organized facility with a ton of equipment, all in perfect condition. They asked what I thought of it. My answer didn’t please them. Without coming closer than 10 km, four teams of Ukrainian pilots could turn that place into Pearl Harbor in 15 minutes. I’m not saying this to scare anyone. I’m saying these technologies are so accessible and cheap that if they fall into the hands of terrorists, 100 terrorists could upend any country’s order. Our fight, our joint fight with our partners, is in our shared interest. We pay with our lives; you gain from our experience, which we will share with the conscientious nations of the world that support Ukraine in good faith. Thank you for your attention.”
I’m an old timer who used to protest against the Vietnam War. In the end, the protesters were proven right.
Robert McNamara initially supported increased military involvement in Vietnam, believing the U.S. could achieve victory. He publicly presented optimistic assessments of the war's progress, often citing statistics and body counts to demonstrate success, but in later years, particularly after leaving his post, McNamara publicly admitted the war was a tragic mistake and expressed deep regret for his role. "We Were Wrong": A key quote from McNamara reflecting his changed perspective is, "We were wrong," according to the LBJ Library.
Will this also happen with Gaza?
Nader Qasim, your work is still valuable and important! Thank you! I live below the poverty line and every dollar I can spare goes to Gaza, but as soon as any are freed up I’d love to subscribe and support you. Thanks so much for your excellent journalism!!
Thank you for donating to Gaza!
I am posting this on places where people who are concerned about the treatment of people may access. If this is not permitted, please delete. Given the United States position that food is not a human right, as Palestine is being starved and the food insecurity increases in the United States, I have written these letters asking that issue be addressed. Please feel free to copy and send your self if you are so inclined.
Bureau of International Organization Affairs
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW, Room 6311
Washington, DC 20520
Subject: Urging the U.S. to Recognize Food as a Human Right in United Nations Votes
Dear Office of International Organization Affairs:
I am writing as a concerned citizen to express deep alarm over the United States’ repeated votes against United Nations resolutions affirming the right to food as a fundamental human right.
In recent years, the U.S. has stood nearly alone—often with only one or two other countries—in opposing declarations that food is a basic human entitlement. These votes not only isolate us diplomatically, but also send a troubling message that our government does not recognize a moral or legal obligation to ensure people’s access to sufficient and nutritious food.
The right to food is widely recognized in international human rights law, including in Article 25 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and Article 11 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Denying this principle undercuts both our domestic efforts to combat hunger and our global leadership in promoting human rights.
At a time when food insecurity is rising—due to conflict, climate change, and economic inequality—it is unconscionable for the United States to oppose international consensus on such a core issue of human dignity.
I urge the Office of International Organization Affairs to reconsider the U.S. position in future General Assembly sessions and to work toward policies that affirm food as a human right. Doing so will restore our credibility, align us with the global community, and support a future where no person is left to go hungry.
Sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
Electronic contact:
https://register.state.gov
Ambassador Dorothy Camille Shea
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
United States Mission to the United Nations
799 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
Subject: Condemnation of U.S. Vote Against Food as a Human Right at the United Nations
Dear Ambassador Shea:
I am writing as a deeply concerned citizen to express my unequivocal condemnation of the United States' repeated votes against United Nations resolutions affirming the right to food as a fundamental human right.
At a time when millions across the globe—including right here in the United States—suffer from food insecurity, it is both morally indefensible and politically shortsighted for our country to oppose such a basic affirmation of human dignity. That the United States and Israel stood alone in rejecting this essential right is an international embarrassment and a betrayal of our professed commitment to human rights and justice.
Food is not a privilege—it is a necessity for life. The refusal to recognize it as a right signals to the world that the U.S. government does not accept responsibility for ensuring the most basic conditions of survival for its people or for contributing to a more just global order. This position undermines our credibility on human rights and puts us at odds with nearly every nation in the world.
I urge you and your colleagues to reconsider this stance and to support future resolutions affirming the right to food. The United States must not be remembered as a nation that stood in the way of justice for the hungry.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Electronic contact:
https://usun.usmission.gov/contact/
BYW Thai and Mexican fusion sounds amazingly delicious. I would definitely go!
Well now I have to make it happen no matter what.
Great dad joke! And thank you again for all you do to keep it real and call out fascism, Islamophobia, racism, misogyny, anti LGBTQ rhetoric, and standing against the genocide in Gaza. I know it must be exhausting. We hear you and support you & are in for however long it takes to turn it all around for peace, culture, education and the dignity of life for all people! I hope you get your breaks in to enjoy your beautiful family.
Thank you and grateful for your support Jenny
Hey Quasim, been listening and reading both you and Waj Ali for a few months and so appreciate both of you and that you don’t do pay walls because I never would’ve been able to get this information. I am happy to say that I came into some unexpected money from a friend who was helping me out so I subscribed to both of you on the same day! I’ve been wanting to do that for quite a long time and I want to say how happy it made me that I can support both of you with actual dollars. Your voices and perspectives are so critically necessary and important in this vacuum of real information. I am Arab, Lebanese, on my father’s side and Jewish on my mother’s side. So much misinformation and ignorance about the rich, shared historical relationship between Arabs and Jews. Deep love, respect and appreciation for each other. Thank you.
I don’t take your trust and generosity lightly, Jean. Thank you so much for your kind words and your gracious subscription.
You are so welcome and it is my utmost pleasure.
First, your Dad jokes are worth the subscription cost. You are also one hell of a good fighter for Human Rights. We all need people like you in our corner.
Thank you Deb! :) I’m glad someone enjoys them.
8) (I wear glasses)