After watching a recent House debate on HR 108 attempting to adopt a War Powers Resolution on behalf of Lebanon, it might not be difficult to comprehend how relatively inexperienced ‘socialist’ candidates continue to defeat incumbent House Members including the most recent ‘upset’ in Colorado.
Even before the recent election, the House of Representatives, once referred to by the country’s founders as the “People’s House” because its frequent two year election cycle ostensibly brings elected officials closer to their constituents, has been largely transformed into an apathetic, Constitutionally anemic identity as if a ‘for sale’ piece of real estate has been posted on line available to the highest bidder.
HR 108 was defeated 189 – 235 with two principled Republicans (Rep. Lauren Boebert (Colo) and Rep. Tom Massie (Ky.) voting Aye as 212 unprincipled Republicans voted Nay along with 22 Nay Democrats. It was exactly the kind of vote that encouraged vacating the GOP and into the Independent ranks where I plan to remain.
The Resolution was sponsored by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) although Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY) Ranking Member on the House Foreign Affairs Committee assumed the leadership along with Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.) Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. While Tlaib is the daughter of immigrant Palestinian parents, Chair Mast is a veteran of the Afghanistan war with the loss of both legs who later joined the IDF and became known for wearing a foreign country’s uniform in Congress on ‘multiple’ occasions rather than a US Army uniform which may inform where his political loyalties reside.
As a Colorado voter who does not live in the same district as defeated incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette, I was familiar with DeGette who served thirty years in the House yet remained mostly anonymous. From a safe Dem district, DeGette had the opportunity to provide leadership on any number of essential issues in favor of peace or health care or the world’s children but instead chose pursuit of a lucrative AIPAC agenda.
What missed mention during the recent debate was that the current conflict in Lebanon has been created by Israel’s invasion of Lebanon which began in 1978 and has continued over the decades. Listening to Chair Mast, it might have been believed that Hezbollah was cause of the conflict as he stressed Hezbollah’s role as a ‘terrorist’ entity.
However, during the House debate, Mast repeatedly failed to mention that Hezbollah represents a home grown indigenous ethnic opposition (Christian-Muslim) to Israel’s invasion; with a number of its members elected to the Lebanese State Parliament as indicative of widespread popular public support.
To date, the current invasion has killed thousands of Christian and Muslim civilians, destroyed hundreds of ancient towns and historic villages with a spiritual background; some of which Jesus Christ and few of his Apostle’s were known to frequent. Many of those celebrated towns have been willfully destroyed by the IDF which targets Christian sites with nary a complaint from Americans who might be horrified to recognize the destruction of thousand year old religiously important locations.
In consideration of the overall corruption and immorality of the Peoples House, it would not be difficult to conclude that recent elections have seen relatively inexperienced ‘socialist’ candidates easily defeat incumbent Democrats becomes more plausible.
While the debate questioned whether “remove US Armed Forces from hostilities in Lebanon” language was an accurate statement of fact, the US makes no secret of its contributions of weapons, intel, satellite and tech support (excluding ‘boots on the ground)’ just as it has provided Ukraine and Israel on multiple occasions that would constitute providing military assistance.
Once part of the Ottoman Empire until after WW I, Hezbollah’s origin can be traced to Israel’s first invasion as an invading force in Lebanon since 1982 in direct response to protect Lebanese sovereignty from Israel; as Israel’s great ally, the US considered Hezbollah a threat to its political ideology aligned with Iran as a challenge to US dictates in the Middle East.
Reports on X now identify Israel settlers “stealing” South Lebanon homes absent its rightful owners as well as IDF abuse of Palestinian children.
Given President Trump’s belated desire to relieve the US of further participation in the Iran War, the MoU with Iran agreed to remove Israel from Lebanon as a top priority. Not unexpectedly, Israel as a non MoU signer has refused and reiterated its acquisition of southern Lebanon until it claims victory.
As hegemon of the world, the US has used its authority to block Lebanon from expressing sovereignty over its own country as US policy dictates Lebanon Army resistance to Israel’s military incursions and has denied a viable Lebanese military with no authority to organize itself on behalf of the Lebanese people in order to challenge Israel’s invasion.