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betsushikimeon Soldiers watch the US withdrawal from Bagram through the lens of Pokemon Go

Sorry but the OP is right. Everyone in Europe was shocked and very, very angry that the US attacked yet another country that wasn't a threat to it and had nothing to do with 9/11.

Even today, I personally have no idea what the US went to do in Afghanistan. Iraq, at least, had oil. But, Afghanistan? What was the point?

betsushikimeon The overfitted brain: Dreams evolved to assist generalization

Also a bit of a jump from neural networks to brains.

betsushikimeon Why is the Gaza Strip blurry on Google Maps?

> Take Europe instead of just the US - protests in Europe against Israel with no equivalent against Iran or Russia, both of whom funded and sent troops to Syria where Assad has committed actual genocide leading to displacement of millions.

The reason for this is that most people around most of the world see the US as the greatest threat to world peace and the prosperity of nations, with China probably second and Iran and Russia very distant contenders. This is certainly true in the Arab world, but in Europe also.

Remember also that the US, under president Trump, went back on a peace deal with Iran, leaving the EU in a very difficult position, between the US rock and the hard place of even more strife in the Middle East. And for many of us, the Middle East is next door, not half a world away as it is for the US. I appreciate of course that Israel is in the Middle East but that's exactly the point. For Europeans, a large region right at our doorstep full of people armed to the teeth and chomping at the bit to kill each other, not to mention that at least one of them is a neuclear power, is a very pressing matter.

Or, if you want a different perspective, Europeans see Israel as closer to European culture (you're even in Eurovision!), a secular democracy with an educated and modern population that can be influenced by international politics and by the popular opinion in European countries. So it makes sense that they would try to influence you.

betsushikimeon Why is the Gaza Strip blurry on Google Maps?

Just to clarify, my comments here are no endorsement of calling Israel an illegal state in any way, shape or form.

betsushikimeon Why is the Gaza Strip blurry on Google Maps?

I don't remember the reaction to Hezbollah's attack. I remember the incident, but not the reaction in the news. If you felt that was one-sided, then I will defer to your opinion and accept that I don't have an explanation for it, other than the fact that news organisations are very often prejudiced and their reporting is dictated by their political affiliations.

Regarding Syria, Yemen, Armenia and Ethiopia, perhaps you are right that the atrocities committed there are not given the same atttention in the news (it depends on where you are; in my country, Syria received the same amount of coverage, mainly because we received a large number of refugees from the war).

However, even if those atrocities were given the same attention as the atrocities committed by Israel against the Palestinians, that would not necessarily mean that the latter atrocities would somehow be considered less severe, or that public opinion would turn against the Palestinians. Is that what you would expect?

I should also say that the Palestinian issue has been going on for more than 40 years now without resolution and it's natural that there is more attention paid to it, if nothing else because everyone would like to see the end of it.

In any case, realistically speaking, the occupation is a cause célèbre and there's nothing anyone can do about that, except perhaps ending the occupation.

betsushikimeon Why is the Gaza Strip blurry on Google Maps?

I can't reply to bronzeage's comment above so I'm adding my comment here.

> Gaza is literally not occupied by Israel.

That is according to Israel and I believe also the US. Everyone else, including the UN, most world governments, international organisations etc consider Gaza to be still occupied, despite the "disengagement".

In practical terms, the "disengagement" means nothing. Gaza is penned in and the Palestinians have nowhere to go. The IDF goes in anytime it likes.

More accurately, Gaza would be described as a vast prison, but I think "occupied territory" is a milder and less shocking description, so actually kinder to Israel. In truth, what Israel is doing to Gaza and its inhabitants is unprecedented in world history and will drag Israel's reputation to the gutter for generations to come.

betsushikimeon Why is the Gaza Strip blurry on Google Maps?

Yes, the coverage of the conflict is one-sided and popular opinion is on the side of the Palestinians. The reason for that is that the conflict itself is one-sided. Gaza is occupied by Israel.

Further, Israel has the overwhelming advantage in military power and the Palestinians suffer the overwhelming majority of casualties every time there is conflict.

In the 2008-09 war, the total number of Israeli citizens killed was 13, 10 of whom were combatants and 3 non-combatants (according to the IDF, see [1]). The total number of Palestinians killed was, depending on the source, between 1166 (IDF estimate) and 1440 (Palestinian ministry of Health, Gaza) [1].

The IDF protects your homes and your families, yes. It also crushes the lives and obliterates the houses of the Palestinians. Public opinion is against Israel not because the IDF protects Israeli citizens, but because the IDF kills Palestinians.

Finally, the IDF can protect your families and your homes, but there is nobody to protect the lives and homes of the Palestinians. Public opinion is their only shield and it doesn't stop bombs.

My comment is by way of explanation, not by way of accusation.

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[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casualties_of_the_Gaza_War_(20...