From Antisemite to Anti-American

When confronted with documented evidence of war crimes, defenders of atrocities cycle through predictable stages before settling on a final (final?) position: reframing opposition to genocide as “anti-Americanism.”

This evolution is telling. First came the antisemitism accusation - the nuclear option deployed when hospital bombings and destroyed aid trucks became indefensible. But when that weaponisation of historical trauma failed to silence criticism, the charge quietly disappeared, replaced by a more sophisticated imperial framework.

Now the same critic who was supposedly driven by “rabid anti-Semitism” gets recast as an anti-American contrarian. The accusations shift, but the goal remains constant: delegitimise opposition to documented atrocities through character assassination rather than evidence.

The “anti-American” framing is particularly absurd given the intertwined nature of Anglo-American imperialism. British special forces operate in Ukraine alongside extensive arms sales and military coordination with Israel. When Boris Johnson can veto Ukrainian peace negotiations and the UK maintains outsized influence in international organisations despite its declining economic power, we’re seeing coordinated imperial projects rather than American unilateralism.

The “special relationship” allows Britain to punch above its weight strategically while America provides the military muscle. Royal Marines in “high-risk operations” in Ukraine, deep military oversight of Gaza operations, and the historical legacy of the Balfour Declaration all point to British imperial continuity operating through American power.

Critics who oppose both British and American imperial interventions get labeled “anti-American” because the imperial mindset cannot process consistent opposition to coordinated oppression. It must choose sides in great power competition rather than opposing the system of domination itself.

The accusations will keep shifting - antisemitic, anti-American, whatever works - because the goal was never sincere concern about prejudice, but silencing criticism of documented atrocities.

Why complain?

Two years into Gaza’s destruction, you can trace the evolution of genocide denial in real time:

Phase 1: “It’s not happening” - Israel is only targeting Hamas, civilian casualties are minimal, reports are exaggerated.

Phase 2: “It’s justified” - Palestinians brought this on themselves, Hamas (“ISIS” - seriously?!) uses human shields, Israel has the right to defend itself.

Phase 3: “It’s normal” - War is ugly, these things happen, other conflicts are worse, why complain about hospital bombings when other wars exist?

Phase 4: “Why do you care?” - The mask fully drops. Not defending the actions anymore, just questioning why anyone should object to war crimes at all.

Each phase abandons the previous justification while moving the moral goalposts further into the abyss. By the end, you’re not debating policy or tactics - you’re facing someone who has reasoned themselves out of basic human empathy.

The weaponised whataboutism reveals the imperial logic - both Ukraine and Israel are Western client states whose “sovereignty” depends on US backing. When a UK prime minister can fly to Kyiv in order to veto peace negotiations, and US aid determines Israeli military capacity, these aren’t independent nations making sovereign choices.

Some of this stems from historical guilt transformed into moral blindness - where “never again” becomes “never again to Jews” rather than “never again to anyone,” providing cover for Western imperial projects wrapped in humanitarian language.

The most chilling part isn’t the denial itself. It’s watching someone systematically dismantle their own moral framework, piece by piece, to avoid confronting what they’re supporting.

“United have backed Amorim by spending £200m on attacking players this summer, while negotiations likely to end with Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Rasmus Hojlund joining Chelsea, Real Betis and Napoli respectively, are continuing.”

New £73m signing Sesko looks every bit as terrible as unfairly scapegoated Hojlund he has replaced in Amorim’s totally inflexible “system”.

Garnacho isn’t perfect, but he’s a matchwinner. Antony looked reborn on loan at Betis last season.

So, it’s pretty obvious it’s not the players, but the manager’s tactical inflexibility.

Man Utd chiefs back Amorim despite Grimsby defeat: bbc.com

Auto-generated description: A music chart features The Promised Land by Hovercraft in the top UK/Ireland R&B/Soul tracks at number 8, with an illustrated album cover showing silhouettes walking on a landscape during sunset.

Ha! Didn’t even realise at the time that big kid photobombed my obelisk pic!

“We might live in a world where critics of AI are the loudest, but songs like this quietly and powerfully prove them wrong.”

Big kid has expanded his cooking empire, and now has his own domain.

Higher Ground now on Apple Music.

It’s been wet and windy on hour holiday so far, so we made use of the indoor swimming pools here in the mornings. Afternoons chilling out in our chalet. Although it’s not easy to chill when the kids are on their tablets and the missus is on the phone.

Amazing what difference a year makes! Last time we were at Butlins, little kid was still barely verbal and was too small to climb up the Sky Park towers to slide down with his big brother. Now he’s so big and confident and excitedly telling us all about it.

A child walks across a mesh-covered bridge silhouetted against the sky.