How Should the U.S. Respond to Hamas Executing Americans?

Plus: A listener asks the editors, when it is right to revolt to stop repeated miscarriages of justice?

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How Should the U.S. Respond to Hamas Executing Americans?

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In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Nick Gillespie welcome special guest Charles C.W. Cooke to the show. The group discusses the six Israeli hostages, including American Hersh Goldberg-Polin, who were found murdered in Gaza over the weekend, before dissecting Kamala Harris' first major interview since entering the presidential race and Donald Trump's recent thoughts on abortion laws.

02:39—Six Israeli hostages found murdered by Hamas

20:25—Kamala Harris sits down for her first major interview with CNN's Dana Bash.

34:25—Weekly Listener Question

43:34—Donald Trump on in vitro fertilization and abortion laws

54:09—This week's cultural recommendations

Mentioned in this podcast:

"What If the U.S. Cuts Off Aid to Israel?" by Matt Welch

"Biden vs. Netanyahu," by Liz Wolfe

"Another Hostage Crisis Bedevils an American President," by Matt Welch

"End U.S. Aid to Israel," by Jacob Siegel and Liel Leibovitz

"Hamas, Israel, and what it means for the U.S.," by Nick Gillespie

"It's Been Easy To Forget How Bad Kamala Harris Is," by Elizabeth Nolan Brown

"Seven Questions That Should Be Easy for Harris to Answer," by Conor Friedersdorf

"When Biden's 'Bubble Wrap' Burst," by Matt Welch

"In Defense of Roe," by Nick Gillespie

"Breeder Reactionaries," by Wendy McElroy

"Myth Alaska," by Nick Gillespie

"Pity National Review & Conservatives, For Donald Trump Has 'Stolen' Their Issues," by Nick Gillespie

"Backpage's Michael Lacey Gets 5-Year Sentence," by Liz Wolfe

"More Babies!" by Liz Wolfe

"The Eternal Recurrence of Bush Conservatism," by Matt Welch

"Sandra Newman: Reimagining 1984 from Julia's Perspective," by Nick Gillespie

"Mark Twain vs. Tom Sawyer," by Nick Gillespie

"Charles C.W. Cooke on Brexit, #NeverTrump, and the Future of National Review," by Nick Gillespie

"Conservatarians Rising?" by Nick Gillespie

 

Upcoming Events:

• "Is the American Dream Alive?" A Free Press debate with Katherine Mangu-Ward on Tuesday, September 10
• "Reason Speakeasy: Kat Timpf & Nick Gillespie" on Wednesday, September 11

 

Send your questions to [e-mail]. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.

Today's sponsors:

• Lumen is the world's first handheld metabolic coach. It's a device that measures your metabolism through your breath. On the app, it lets you know if you're burning fat or carbs, and it gives you tailored guidance to improve your nutrition, workouts, sleep, and even stress management. All you have to do is breathe into your Lumen first thing in the morning, and you'll know what's going on with your metabolism, whether you're burning mostly fats or carbs. Then, Lumen gives you a personalized nutrition plan for that day based on your measurements. You can also breathe into it before and after workouts and meals, so you know exactly what's going on in your body in real time, and Lumen will give you tips to keep you on top of your health game. Your metabolism is your body's engine—it's how your body turns the food you eat into fuel that keeps you going. Because your metabolism is at the center of everything your body does, optimal metabolic health translates to a bunch of benefits, including easier weight management, improved energy levels, better fitness results, better sleep, etc. Lumen gives you recommendations to improve your metabolic health. It can also track your cycle as well as the onset of menopause, and adjust your recommendations to keep your metabolism healthy through hormonal shifts, so you can keep up your energy and stave off cravings. So, if you want to take the next step in improving your health, go to lumen.me/ROUNDTABLE to get 15 percent off your Lumen.
• In an election year, getting overwhelmed by the constant buzz of news and opinions is easy. Understanding the true impact of political events can be a challenge. Not another Politics Podcast, from the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy, provides clear, research-driven perspectives on the biggest issues. Get the insights you need to truly understand the political landscape—no spin, just facts. Subscribe today at harris.uchicago.edu/napp or look for "Not Another Politics Podcast," wherever you get your podcasts.

Audio production by Ian Keyser; assistant production by Hunt Beaty.

Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve

• Video Editor: Ian Keyser
• Producer: Hunt Beaty

What are we consuming this week?

Katherine Mangu-Ward

• National Treasure

Nick Gillespie

• How I Won a Nobel Prize: A Novel by Julius Taranto

Charles C.W. Cooke

• 1984 by George Orwell

Matt Welch

• Mark Twain directed by Ken Burns

---

Comments

[Rev Arthur L kuckland (5-30-24 banana republic day)]

Go to the UAE and take out hamas leadership. End all foreign aid. If another American hostage is killed bomb Gaza, do not rebuild do not try to "win hearts and minds"

[damikesc]

At the very least...stop demanding Israel be fucking nice to Hamas.

[Rob Misek]

How should the world respond to the US violating its signatory obligations to the UN genocide convention?

[VULGAR MADMAN]

Please tell us Nazi fagula.

[Michael Ejercito]

How is what is happending to Gaza different than what happened to Germany and Japan in the first half of the 1940's?

[Rob Misek]

1. There really is a holocaust occurring in Gaza.

[VULGAR MADMAN]

Yes, I remember when the Jews killed all those Germans forcing Germany to attack them.

Kill yourself.

[Rob Misek]

Do you remember this?

“We Jews are going to bring a war on Germany”. David A Brown, national chairman, united Jewish campaign, 1934.

“The Israeli people around the world declare economic and financial war against Germany …holy war against Hitlers people”

Chaim Weismann, the Zionist leader, 8 September 1939, Jewish chronicle.

The Toronto evening telegram of 26 February 1940 quoted rabbi Maurice l. Perlzweig of the world Jewish Congress as telling a Canadian audience that” The world Jewish Congress has been at war with Germany for seven years”.

[Rick James]

Huh, why would Jewish activists consider themselves at war with Hitler's people in the 1930s?

[Rob Misek]

Jewish leaders said that they were at war with Germany and were going to drive Germany into a war, which they did with WW2.

[Rob Misek]

Rich influential Jews coordinated successful global boycotts against all German trade in 1933.

That was how they FORCED Germany to defend itself, invade the nations starving them, resulting in WW2 just as Jewish leaders bragged it would.

http://www.hist-chron.com/judentum-aktenlage/hol/EncJud_boycotts02-ENGL-anti-Nazi.html#:~:text=Boycotts%2002%3A%20Jewish%20boycott%20movements%20against%20the%20Third,anti-Nazi%3B%20Encyclopaedia%20Judaica%201971%2C%20vol.%204%2C%20col.%201280-1282

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

Ah more neo nazi links from our resident retarded anti semite. None of the things you’re raving about ever happened.

Refuted.

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

Hey pussy. So are you a neo Nazi, or an Islamist? Answer the question or GTFO.

[Rob Misek]

I’ve demonstrated that you’re a liar.

I’m pleased with the optics.

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

Nope. Thats something else that never happened. You just rant and rave. Maybe you should just GTFO, and go join your faggot friends in Hamas. Since you love terrorists so much. But instead, you’re probably hiding out in some compound like those Nazi faggots we used to have over in Hayden, Idaho. Did you come over there for the annual neo Nazi parade that used to blight north Idaho? I can see that.

You’re an even bigger pussy than Sarc. And that’s really saying something. Now fuck off you delusional retard, real humans are talking here.

[Rob Misek]

You’re a demonstrated liar.

You said,

“Oh, and everything you’ve ever claimed here has already been refuted by everyone else already. They quickly beat me to the punch. ”

Then you said,

“And NO ONE HERE gives a fuck about your insane ramblings about the Holocaust,”

Why would I entertain any question form a needy pussy lying waste of skin like you?

I’m pleased with these optics, saved for all time on computers around the world and will use this as proof anytime I want, of what a lying waste of skin anonymous coward you are.

Hahaha

https://reason.com/2024/09/01/hanlons-razor-rusts/?comments=true#comments

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

“Optics”?

You look like a fringe Nazi nutcase with every comment you make. No one who comes to Reason agrees with you on anything. You’re just some pathetic gimp that comes here to get slapped around. As I’ve slapped you around.

Now answer the question bitch? Are you a neo Nazi, or an Islamist? While your dull little mind ponders that, go home and get your fucking shine box.

[DesigNate]

Refuted.

[JesseAz (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

This is the only response needed to the guy with Hitler screen savers.

[Rob Misek]

That delusion is the closest you’ll ever get to refuting anything I say.

Hahaha

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

Refuted.

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

Misek also believes that blacks were never slaves in the US, and that they were really enslaving whites to work on black owned plantations.

[Rob Misek]

Yeah, lying should be criminalized.

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

Ok. Criminalize lying. Then we can execute you.

[DesigNate]

Plus it makes him seethe which warms the cockles of my icy libertarian heart.

[Rob Misek]

Hahaha

You couldn’t be more wrong.

Your willful ignorance is recognized by all. Those are the optics.

That a bunch of Jews who are nothing without their holocaust victimhood story are blatantly involved in the perpetration of a holocaust in Gaza, makes me seethe.

Call me human.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

Why do you think only one side has to follow the rules?

You don't seem to be concerned about any morality regarding the kidnapping and use of human shields by Hamas.

Fuck Hamas.

[Rob Misek]

Hamas isn’t violating its signatory obligations to the UN genocide convention, Israel and its enablers, like the US are.

Hamas isn’t on trial in the UN international court of justice for committing genocide, because they aren’t, only Israel is.

Hamas isn’t ignoring the UN ruling to cease its offensive, they aren’t conducting one, only Israel is.

Hamas isn’t targeting and shooting civilians and calling them human shields, only Israel is.

One side, Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank are being exterminated in a genocide, a holocaust, being committed by Israel.

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

So? Israel are still the good guys. And if you had an ounce of conviction you would go fight for Hamas instead of spewing your neo Nazi/Islamist lies here..

Oh yeah, you’re just a huge sopping pussy. Weak and stupid too.

[Wally]

I think it should be taken seriously. So seriously that you should be executed. I recommend you being being beaten to death with a dictionary opened to the page with the word "genocide" so that you have an opportunity to learn the meaning.

[Rob Misek]

Wow, and you can’t even read.

In the present Convention, genocide means any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

Killing members of the group;
Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

The Genocide Convention establishes in Article I that the crime of genocide may take place in the context of an armed conflict, international or non-international, but also in the context of a peaceful situation.

Netanyahu is responsible for telling the IDF to commit genocide by referencing the Jewish biblical “god approved” genocide of women and children with the story of AMALEK. Clearly inciting genocide. With over 24000 non combatant women and children intentionally targeted and killed and IDF soldiers on record rejoicing about it referencing Amalek, the effect of Netanyahus instructions are clear.

Israeli defence minister Yoav Gallant said Israel was fighting “human animals” and that they will be “starved of food and water” which Israel has done and continues to do.

Amichay Eliyahu, the minister for heritage, suggested dropping a nuclear bomb on Gaza. Israel isn’t supposed to have nuclear weapons. Saddam Hussein was hung for crimes against humanity and he didn’t even have WMD much less threaten to use them.

The country’s mainly ceremonial president, Isaac Herzog, who described Palestinians as “an entire nation out there that is responsible” demonstrates the genocidal intention.

These statements in combination with their actual execution clearly meets the UN definition and criteria for genocide aka holocaust.

[JohnZ]

Gee, I wonder what led Hamas to do such a thing?
Maybe it's because of America being Pissrael's biatch for decades now and fleecing American taxpayers for over $100billion in aid to that nasty little zionist state.
Then there's the little wars Americans fought for that little shit hole , bleeding and dying for zionism.
Or maybe it's from America's bombing raids into Yemen, or bombing Iraq or bombing Afghanistan or Syria or....
America, the international Jeckyl and Hyde
The land of a thousand disguises
Sneaks up on you
But rarely surprises

[Rob Misek]

Netanyahu gave some billions in CASH to Hamas.

Why in cash in suitcases in the backs of cars?

Zero traceability and accountability.

How does that kind of money affect Hamas leadership and priorities?

Puppeteers and puppets.

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

Nope, never happened. You retarded islamofascist Nazi. You probably furiously jack it to a poster of your idol, Hitler.

Israel strong, bitch.

[Rob Misek]

When lying is criminalized you’re going to need to find a new religion Kol Nidre boy.

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

Really? I’m agnostic. And you’re still a weak, stupid little bitch.

[Rob Misek]

Why is it when exposing the atrocities committed by Jews, everyone is lying except Jews?

Jews are nothing more than members of a religion. They’re not a race. Yet, it is the cult of Judaism that advocates lying on their most religious day with the Kol Nidre.

Even their fuckwit leaders try to lie to themselves and all others by claiming that the Kol Nidre is not about Jews lying to people, but their lying to God.

They are all too stupid to recognize that god is omnipresent, meaning god exists in past, present and future simultaneously. Hey fuckwits LIES DONT WORK ON GOD. The Kol Nidre is meaningless unless it’s about lying to people.

This is the Kol Nidre text. See for yourself.

“All vows, obligations, oaths, and anathemas [curses]which we may vow, or swear, or pledge, or whereby we may be bound, from this Day of Atonement until the next we do repent. May they be deemed absolved, forgiven, annulled, and void, and made of no effect: they shall not bind us nor have any power over us. The vows shall not be reckoned vows; the obligations shall not be obligations; nor the oaths be oaths.”

[diver64]

How Should the U.S. Respond to Hamas Executing Americans?

Stone Age meet Bomb

[Dillinger]

idk asking seems a little late now G-P isn't alive ...

[Stupid Government Tricks]

Here's a novel idea: do nothing. Cancel all treaties, withdraw all ambassadors, close all embassies.

Leave people alone.

If Americans want to provide foreign aid, leave that decision to them.

If foreign governments care about American public opinion, let them cozy up to the American public, not a bunch of cronies in charge of billions of stolen tax dollars.

If Americans are dumb enough to wander around dangerous foreign countries, or even dangerous places like Chicago, that is their business. Leave rescue and ransom to their kith and kin, NOT politicians dispensing stolen taxes.

[VULGAR MADMAN]

We’ve been stacking bodies of scumbags who messed with American citizens abroad since Jefferson.

[mad.casual]

Leave rescue and ransom to their kith and kin

Yeah, see, some people have problems with "common use" that this sort of thing is not going to assuage.

[rbike]

Come on man. We need to bring the Palestinians here. Move them to Idaho. It would only be fair.

[SQRLSY]

I refute your argument... By NOT reading it! By gray-boxing you, I demonstrate my indisputable moral and intellectual superiority!

So THERE!!! Nanny-nanny-boo-bah!!!

(Also, you are icky-poo!!!)

[JesseAz (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

Fiona has spoken.

[Rick James]

We are a member nation of the UN, yes?

Hostages
International conventions strictly prohibit the taking and execution of hostages.

There are many reasons why hostages are taken. If the motive is political, the aim is often to put pressure on the political authorities of a country. This can include demanding that they recognise an armed opposition group, release detained members of the group, and so on. Hostage-taking can also be motivated by purely financial reasons. In this case the objective is to obtain a ransom. On a large scale, financially motivated hostage - often a veritable industry- aims to finance the activities of hostage-takers. The term “kidnapping” is frequently used to refer to the criminal business of ransom.

Hostage-taking can occur in times of armed conflict, peace, or internal disturbances and tensions. It can affect nationals or foreign citizens of the country where they have been abducted. In the last case, the foreign country is entitled to manage the release of its citizen based on its right of diplomatic protection.

It is a crime under international and domestic law to take hostages. In some countries, the payment of ransom may also be criminalised by domestic criminal laws. This is notably intended to fight against the financing of organised crime and terrorism. However, in many countries, courts will accept the argument of duress as an excuse when the payment is made by relatives of the victim.

I. IN TIMES OF ARMED CONFLICT
IHL is clear: taking and executing hostages is prohibited. Such acts are war crimes in both international and non-international armed conflict (GCI-IV, Common art. 3; GCIV, arts. 34 and 147; API, art. 75). Perpetrators can be tried before any national court under the principle of universal jurisdiction. This is possible as long as the State in question has incorporated this obligation (derived from the Geneva Conventions) into its domestic laws.

The Statute of the Nuremberg Military Tribunal, set up after World War II, unambiguously asserts that such acts are war crimes. This is also reflected in its judgments, (as established by the United Nations (UN) International Law Commission in June 1950). This is further reinforced by the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC), adopted 17 July 1998 and entered into force on 1 July 2002. The Rome Statute categorically defines taking hostages in an international or non-international armed conflict as a war crime, which comes under the Court’s jurisdiction (arts. 8(2)(a)(viii) and 8(2)(c)(iii) of the Rome Statute). Consequently, in accordance with the conditions of its jurisdiction, the ICC is therefore able to judge and prosecute individuals accused of taking hostages, provided that certain conditions pertaining to the Court’s operations are met. Furthermore, IHL explicitly prohibits the use of human shields.

This rule has gained customary international law status. Indeed, Rule 96 of the study on the rules of customary IHL published by the ICRC in 2005 provides that “the taking of hostages is prohibited” both in international and non-international armed conflicts.

Commentary of the Fourth Geneva Conventions recall that the term “hostage” must be understood in the broadest sense in the context of armed conflict. This includes anyone unlawfully deprived of their freedom, often wantonly and sometimes under threat of death by parties to the armed conflict to obtain some military advantage in their conduct of hostilities. This broad interpretation has been confirmed by the decisions of international tribunals. To be considered hostages, detainees must have been used by the party to the conflict to obtain some advantage or to ensure that a belligerent, other person or other group of persons enter into some undertaking. ( Prosecutor v. Tihomir Blaskic , Case no. IT-95-14-T, Judgment, 3 March 2000, paras. 158 and 187).

➔ Human shield ▸ International Criminal Court ▸ Protected Persons ▸ Universal jurisdiction ▸ War crimes/Crimes against humanity

II. IN TIMES OF PEACE OR INTERNAL DISTURBANCES AND TENSION
The International Convention against the Taking of Hostages was adopted on 17 December 1979, by the UN General Assembly (Resolution 34/146). The Convention entered into force in 1983 and had 176 States Parties as of May 2024.

Article 12 of the Convention expressly states that its provisions do not apply in times of armed conflict, in which case humanitarian law is applicable.

Article 1 of the Convention defines a hostage-taker as:

“Any person who seizes or detains and threatens to kill, to injure or to continue to detain another person (hereinafter referred to as the “hostage”) in order to compel a third party, namely, a State, an international intergovernmental organization, a natural or juridical person, or a group of persons, to do or to abstain from doing any act as an explicit or implicit condition for the release of the hostage, commits the offence of taking hostages (“hostage-taking”) within the meaning of this Convention.

The Convention further specifies that not only those who commit such an act but also any person who attempts to commit or who participates as an accomplice in such an act or attempt is accountable and must be punished. The States Parties to the Convention undertake to punish such offenses (arts. 1(2) and 2).

And so on...

[VULGAR MADMAN]

Guess who will actually enforce all that shit.

[Longtobefree]

Yeah. So what's your point?
Hamas signed on to any of those treaties?

[Rick James]

I wonder if there's ever been a situation where a non-signatory nation's top leaders have found themselves in a trial at Nuremberg?

[CE]

Only when they get to the end of their rope.

[docduracoat]

Way too long.
Did not read

[VULGAR MADMAN]

“Executing Americans” are the dumb fags who write this shit suggesting that those Americans were killed legally?

Did Jeffery Dahmer “Execute” his victims?

What crime were these people accused of? Did they get a trial?

Come on, shitheads, answer me.

[Kungpowderfinger]

They save “murder” for police officers, like with St. Floyd

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

All praise to St. Floyd!

[Wally]

Maybe we should build another statue of him?

[Commenter_XY]

How should America respond?

One, end all talk of ceasefire. A ceasefire is a reward to Judeocidal terrorists.
Two, dial up the lethality to hamas, significantly. And to supporters who put themselves in harms way. That includes targeted assassination of hamas leadership, wherever we can lay hands upon them.
Three, abandon two-states as unworkable, given palestinian intransigence. Encourage incentivized, voluntary emigration of palestinians to muslim countries in the area. There are winners and losers in wars; Israel is the winner....losers leave.
Four, the Abraham Accords are working. Expand it.
Five, do not sign a defense treaty with KSA....for now.

[SIV]

Fuck off, neocunt.

"We" have no business starting and intervening in MidEast wars

[JohnZ]

Ron Paul is right.
Washington's long sad criminal history of foreign interventionist policies and military adventurism have caused more death, misery and destruction than at any other time in human history.
Sooner or later American citizens pay for it.
The real enemy is Washington, D.C.

[Wally]

We have business protecting our fellow citizens. It is one of the few legitimate roles of government. The appropriate response is the killing of every single member of Hamas. When they are dead, then they can have a ceasefire. If handled this way, we won't have to get involved a second time. It saves lives in the long run.

[Uncle Jay]

How about identifying all the Hamas terrorists?
Locate them.
Kill them.
Bury them with pigs so they can burn in hell forever according to Muslim writings.
Dance on their graves.
That works for any sane person.

[VULGAR MADMAN]

Let’s be economical, just feed them to pigs. Alive.

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

Why do you hate pigs?

[Vesicant]

The answer is the same as it always has been -- turn Gaza into trinitite.

[JFree]

At what point does America have an obligation to respond to Americans who were merely born here - and left the country for the purpose of becoming a citizen elsewhere and living their life there forever and even joining that other state's military?

[SIV]

When the adopted second (or third) national identity's government has been rejected by the US Multinational citizen.

[AT]

How Should the U.S. Respond to Hamas Executing Americans?

The same way it should respond to Hamas executing anyone. Express, with overwhelming force and extreme prejudice, that terrorism and hiding behind hostage will never - ever - be tolerated. That to even consider it is drafting your death warrant.

[Jerry B.]

"Perdicaris alive or Raisuli dead."

[Chipper Chunked Chile Con Congress (ex NCW)]

120 years later and it's still the same as ever, over there.

[Kungpowderfinger]

Can’t we just airlift some pallets of unmarked currency to the motherfuckers again?

[Rick James]

we could deliver it by a floating pier.

[VULGAR MADMAN]

Why not airlift it to me instead?

[DesigNate]

This guy knows how to Democrat.

[Minadin]

As long as they drop it without a chute.

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

And a half ton of come state of the art concentrated explosives. Just for yuks.

[Mother's Lament]

"How Should the U.S. Respond to Hamas Executing Americans?"

1. Send a SEAL team to the UAE to get revenge on the Hamas Leaders that ordered this.

2. Then stop fucking around in the Levant. Leave Israel and Hamas and Hezbollah to finish their business by themselves.

3. Stop giving money to the PA and Israel. And while you're at it also Egypt, Lebanon, and Jordan. It's been 80 years, they will have to learn to live without it.

[AT]

Language.

And no, you’re wrong. It’s not “their business.” They make it EVERYONE’S business. And they’re getting more brazen about it every day.

Do you think Hamas’ goal is simply the destruction of Israel? Of course it’s not. They’re molesting their goats every night in absolute delight in seeing how American useful idiots are waging their war against the West itself. All those dykes in hijabs setting up homeless camps on college campuses and live streaming their mein kampf on TikTok? That’s Hamas (aka Iran) at work. That’s their asymmetrical warfare. That’s their modern jihad.

And the American media, academia, and celebrity class are all doing their bidding. Willfully.

It’s not enough to take out Hamas leadership. It’s time to take out Islam. Or at the very least, send them deep into their caves with the absolute certainty that if they EVER poke their heads out again, it’ll be blown clear off before they can take a breath of fresh air.

Islam is like Communism. It’s a persistent global threat that needs to be taken seriously, and dealt with swiftly and with extreme prejudice. Just like Nazism was. Will we ever clear the board completely? No, probably not. But we can sure as heck scatter them to the four winds and turn a menacing eye towards anyone who even suggests they should be tolerated in any way shape or form.

The Muslims want a jihad. Fine. Give it to them. Good and hard. Them AND their enablers. And don’t tell me it can’t be done because of the civilians. The jihadis want to hide behind innocents? That’s easily solved. Teach every soldier the Arabic phrase and how to recognize the answer to: “Ma’am, son, do you swear allegiance to the United States right here and now?”

If they refuse, shoot them. If they accept, the jihadi will do it for you. At which point, you shoot the jihadi.

Purging this world of Islam is not rocket science. Granted, we’ve made it exponentially harder than it ever had to be in the USA, the UK, Germany, France, etc. But it is entirely doable, if we just stop pussyfooting around the problem.

[mtrueman]

" It’s time to take out Islam. "

Your nihilism is no match for their faith. State persecution only makes a religion stronger, and boosts the resolve of the faithful. Romans vs. Christians.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

""Purging this world of Islam is not rocket science.""

You said Islam is like Communism and we can't even purge that.

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

That would involve actually purging it.

[CE]

WW3, the only true libertarian option?

[Vernon Depner]

Where in the US is Gaza located?

[JohnZ]

Southside Chicago.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

Probably somewhere in Minnesota or a college in a big city.

[Uomo Del Ghiaccio]

First, the US should stop sending weapons to Israel. We should not be involved in the war in Gaza.

Second, the US should capture and arrest Hamas officials living outside of Gaza and try them for the murder of US citizens.

[CE]

The US has done execution by drone for less. Those 4-bladed things with no explosives that go right through your car might deter some of the grifters running Hamas from the safety of their hotels.

[mtrueman]

"might deter some of the grifters running Hamas from the safety of their hotels."

Israel has been assassinating Hamas leaders right from the beginning. I doubt a Hamas leader has died peacefully in bed for decades. Much the same can be said for the wives and children of Hamas leaders who are also routinely assassinated. The deterrence is marginal at best. What's your plan B?

[JohnZ]

As long as Israel controls congress and the White House, nothing will change.
Only that more taxpayer dollars will be sent to that nasty zionist/talmudic state.

[JohnZ]

Everybody or nearly everybody responding seems to forget or at least know nothing about Washington's failures at foreign policies that led to this moment. of course this wouldn't have to happen if it wasn't for all the little shit bags at AIPAC who control YOUR representative in congress or should I call it the American Knesset. You see, your representative actually works for that nasty little zionist state and not you. Israel comes first and foremost. YOUR representative in congress doesn't make a move without first consulting with his or her AIPAC controller who gives them their marching orders.
If you haven't had enough of this crap, then you aren't a real American.
Time to end all foreign aid and that includes that slimy zionist israel.

[mtrueman]

Biden seems to have ceded any leadership role on the Gaza issue to Netanyahu. His response will be our response. And Netanyahu is willing to sacrifice the lives of the hostages. America's donor class has been on board from the start, opposing any calls for ceasefire or hostage exchange, and demonizing those who voice support for these calls as terrorists and anti-semites.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

Biden seems to have ceded all roles.

[CE]

Biden should have joined the war to eradicate Hamas. Negotiating with terrorists only encourages them. Hamas has declined multiple options for cease fires and hostage swaps already. Hamas could have ended all of the civilian casualties at any point, by releasing all of the hostages and surrendering to face justice for their crimes.

[mtrueman]

"Biden should have joined the war to eradicate Hamas. "

It's up to congress to declare war.

" Negotiating with terrorists only encourages them. "

It also frees hostages, as we saw in November last year. But freed hostages are not the issue. Netanyahu and the US are willing to sacrifice the lot of them.

"Hamas could have ended all of the civilian casualties at any point, by releasing all of the hostages and surrendering to face justice for their crimes."

It would have taken two to end the fighting, and Hamas was offering such a deal from Oct. 8th - an exchange of several hundred Israeli hostages for some 5,000 Palestinians held by Israel. The Israelis refused, and any Americans who supported a ceasefire and hostage exchange were and still are smeared as terrrorists and Jew haters.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

""It would have taken two to end the fighting, ""

Yes, but only one side can end the hostages' nightmare right now.

[mtrueman]

Hamas has shown the willingness to return its hostages in exchange for Palestinians. Netanyahu is willing to sacrifice Hamas held hostages, and America is following his lead. Don't be fooled by these crocodile tears over their fate.

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

No ceasefire. Just exterminate Hamas. They’re not going to stop otherwise. And fuck the ‘Palestinians’ who overwhelmingly support Hamas

[mtrueman]

"No ceasefire. Just exterminate Hamas."

This has been Biden's solution all along. Unwavering support for Netanyahu, a little bit of virtue signalling at the UN, and for domestic consumption, demonizing those who call for ceasefire as terrorists and Jew haters. It hasn't worked and Hamas is stronger than ever.

[damikesc]

More "But did you SEE the dress she was wearing?" mentality from mtrue.

[mtrueman]

More she's a terrorist and a Jew hater mentality from damikesc.

[TrickyVic (old school)]

I think the professional answer is to respond in a hopefully effective way that can't be traced back to a three letter agency.

[CE]

A few options for how to respond to terrorists when they capture and/or kill American citizens:

A) mount a rescue mission (Perot option)
B) negotiate their release (UN option)
C) declare/join war and wipe them out (Netanyahu option)
D) pretend it didn't happen and build them an aid pier (Biden option)
E) scare the daylights out of them so they release the hostages (Reagan option)
F) blame YouTube videos (no wait, that's only for when they kill an American ambassador)

[Fire up the Woodchippers! (5-30 Banana Republic Day)]

Isn’t F the Clinton option?

[diver64]

That sure is. Good memory. Blame a YouTube video that had about 30 views.

[shadydave]

What did we do to Barack Obama when he did it?

[It's only a paper moon, Nominalists]

Run for cover, a FACTS bombing !!!!

Just 15% of active-duty servicemembers gave Obama a thumbs up in the annual Military Times survey and more than half – 55% – say they disapprove of Obama’s job as commander-in-chief. The President has struggled to gain the approval of troops throughout his time in office, but these numbers reflect a new low for Obama, who finished his first year in office with a 35% approval figure and only 4 in 10 disapproving, according to the Military Times survey. T

[diver64]

How to end the murder of Americans? Make the lesson so public and painful there is no question doing it is a very bad idea. As soon as those terrorists took the American hostages, The President should have issued an immediate ultimatum and started killing Hamas leadership all over the world. If that didn't work in a short enough time then overwhelming force into Gaza to get them back.

[mtrueman]

"How to end the murder of Americans? "

Stop pretending you care. They've been held for 11 months now without a peep from you or the Reason staff. And anyone in America calling for a ceasefire or a hostage exchange is routinely smeared as a terrorist and Jew hater.

[LIBtranslator]

It's an old established practice. When Catholic Hitler freed the Dutch from dog-eat-dog capitalism to the joys of Christian National Socialism, some malcontents retaliated. German law made it okay to shoot a large number of Dutch civilians for every Nazi casualty. Not long after one of these episodes came an unequal yet apposite reprisal on Dresden.

[RickAbrams]

Under the Obama Doctrine, the Biden-Harris response will be to blame Netanyahu for being so mean to Hamas that Hamas had no choice but to executed the hostages.

[It's only a paper moon, Nominalists]

Maybe demonic Biden can drop the unfunded liabiltiy unisex bathrooms and remember ; " the purpose of government is to secure the unalienable rights of the people, including life, liberty"

[It's only a paper moon, Nominalists]

They kill Americans because Biden is in power, the stupid, spineless destoyer of America

[It's only a paper moon, Nominalists]

IT is in our Founding Documents: Governmenbt exists to protect rights. Go in with power and tell them that that is a violation of international law and Natural Law. You don't want to kill killers ?Care to explain that.

[Peter Kreeft taught me LOGIC, BEWARE !!!!!!!]

Trump has already done what Biden refuses to do: Give a Ronald REagan-type ultimatum : Release of face doom.