#90% endorse

[afloweroutofstone]

Yassin al-Haj Saleh, "The Liquid Imperialism That Engulfed Syria," Commons, December 18, 2023:

Syria is a country of only 71,498 square miles in area, with a population of less than 24 million, and yet two global superpowers (the United States and the Russian Federation) and three of the largest regional powers (Iran, Turkey and Israel) are present on its territory. Israel has occupied the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967, and carries out almost nonstop incursions into Syrian air space today. In centuries past, prior to the heyday of European and Russian imperialism, Iran and Turkey were empires. While it is debatable whether they still qualify as imperial powers, they have never let go of their regional imperial ambitions. One way to understand them, regionally, is as “subimperial”: expansionist and interventionist, including militarily, in neighboring countries.

The U.S. and Russia have well-known histories of expansion and domination of peoples and territories. Imperialism was key to the very formation of both nations. But while Russia’s “manifest destiny” had been, for centuries, to expand into neighboring areas in Central Asia and Eastern Europe, it was in Syria that Moscow established its first overseas outpost. I will return to this crucial fact later.

In Syria, multiple imperial and subimperial powers have poured into one small country — some of them to protect a murderous regime, all of them annihilating any independent political aspirations among its people, dividing up sectors of Syrian society among themselves and their satellites, and denying Syrians the promise of a different future.

This unique situation was made possible by a combination of internal as well as international structures and dynamics involving five key powers — the U.S., Russia, Iran, Turkey and Israel...

One slogan of the recent protests that erupted in the southern city of Sweida on Aug. 20, 2023, speaks directly to the imperial-colonial complex that controls Syria:

["]We want the seaport, we want the land (the oil, in another formula) and we want the airport returned to us!["]

The seaport is Tartus, which, as mentioned, has been leased to Russia. The land is divided by the five occupying powers. And Damascus International Airport has, for several years now, been widely perceived to be under de facto Iranian control. The protestors in Sweida are thus drawing a connection between their economic hardships and the colonial relations between the regime and its Russian and Iranian protectors. In the version of the slogan that refers to oil, the implication is that it has been usurped by another imperial power: the U.S...

Lenin’s argument that imperialism represents “the highest stage of capitalism” has led many to think of imperialism as embodied in a very few capitalist powers. By this logic, there has been only one imperialism since World War II: Western imperialism, with the U.S. as its center and NATO as its military arm. The Soviet Union was not generally seen by those on the left as imperialist: not following World War II, nor after it invaded Hungary in 1956 and Czechoslovakia in 1968, nor even after it invaded Afghanistan in 1979. Similarly, Putin’s Russia has not generally been understood as imperialist, even after the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the intervention in Syria in 2015. For much of the so-called anti-imperialist left, not even the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 was enough.

This conception of imperialism must be challenged. The case of Syria requires a paradigm shift in the understanding of imperialism and the theorizing of new practices and phenomena pertaining to it.

Ultranationalism, expansion, dismissal of international law, exceptionalism, imperial imaginaries — these are characteristics of many powers in the age of the war on terror. With “terror” identified as the principal political evil globally, any state that joins in this alleged war can gain international legitimacy — even those engaged in war crimes and murder on an industrial scale. This has dealt massive blows to the rule of law both locally and internationally. It has contributed to a securitized politics, it has promoted thuggery among political elites and has weakened democracy and popular movements everywhere. Imperialism has permeated the practices of power in many countries, among which Syria is arguably the most unfortunate, with no fewer than five expansionist powers on its territory.

The concept of liquid imperialism is an attempt to capture the fact that five different powers have penetrated one small country. But it also speaks to the lack of solidity or coherence in these powers’ strategies, practices, visions and commitments. Unlike the imperial projects of the past, in Syria there is no “civilizing mission.” Natural resources are not a primary motive (though the intervening states have seized whatever they can get their hands on, from oil and phosphates to seaports and airports, to water and real estate). Rather, this is a scramble to control the future of the country.

There is also a liquid aspect in the relations among the five colonial powers. In Syria, we have two Russias — one of them is called the U.S. On a rhetorical level (especially at the beginning of the uprising), Moscow and Washington seemed to be on opposite sides: The Kremlin stood by Assad and the White House denounced him. Yet operationally, Russia and the U.S. were effectively on the same side — especially after the Islamic State came into the picture and became the central focus of U.S. strategy in Syria. From that point forward, Moscow and Washington were on the same page: The two powers closely coordinated “deconfliction” and their military personnel were on the phone to each other on a daily basis to avoid planes flying in the same location at the same altitude and to ensure airstrikes didn’t hit one another’s “friendlies.” For all the bluster about Washington wanting “regime change” in Syria, the exact opposite was the case. The researcher Michael Karadjis has demonstrated that U.S. policy in Syria was decidedly one of “regime preservation.”

[nikrei]

90s brothers brought to you straight from the arcade floor!

[sevenhundred721]

I can't wait to learn more about Vegapunk Lilith. What is Stella's idea of the evil within himself? Does it have to do with his "sins" of creating the Mother Flame and studying the Void Century? Is evil his ambition and desire for peace that is ultimately too rash and short-sighted and leads to catastrophe? Because we know Lilith cares about her comrades. We know that she is helpful and pragmatic. We know she ISN'T defined by greed or violence. So how is she evil? Because I don't believe for a second that she doesn't somehow fit Stella's idea of evil in a way we haven't been shown yet. But I'm so eager to find out what that actually means.

[the-owl-tree]

maybe there is some devious user out there tormenting people with takes like "rainflower and lizardstripe are morally good characters who are in the right for abusing their children" but im gonna be real. i have yet to see that and i have a hard time believing that it's something that's genuinely being touted around as a genuine fact

[sprout-senior]

i support veganism; i actually really like a lot of vegan food! veggie burgers are better than regular ones for me!

but please. PLEASE. ease up on the tofu. you can put it in the most scrumptious luxurious flavorful sauce and it will still taste bland on the inside. there have to be other high protein alternatives that are more versatile for making vegan versions of food that Does Not Have Tofu. it will always taste like tofu. there are a few different reasons why i personally am not vegan and the copious amounts of tofu is one of them

jk, it doesn’t actually matter, people can make whatever the fuck they want however the fuck they want and it’s not a problem at all even a little bit. i just hate tofu and sometimes i want to try a vegan recipe without tofu jumpscare

[cha1cedony]

Trying to set up a filterable RSS-to-Tumblr AO3 feed is hellish 🥲 I want to automate tagging for Archive warnings… I’ve seen a couple blogs around who have done it sooo maybe I’ll DM them idk? I think it involves Javascript (scary). Also apparently IFTTT doesn’t allow direct links anymore, so I was trying Make.com, but there’s no templates and I can’t test it bc it runs on a timer 😭

DnDads is such a small fandom so idk if anyone would even care about an ao3feed blog for it, but I can set up a quick one rn if anyone is interested :3 !!!! I was mostly just looking into it for myself, though… thought it would be nice to have automated (and just kinda fun to mess around with lol)

[robotpussy]

I must apologise to 1995 dredd. 2012 dredd is pissing me off even more!

[splatdoro]

i dont get why people keep comparing palworld to pokemon when (at least from what ive seen from trailers) the gameplay seems vastly different?

[books-apples-socks]

listening to "the southern book club's guide to slaying vampires" is such a mixed experience because on one hand you're treated to a wonderful narrator (bahni turpin) whose voice acting is beautiful and who makes wonderful character choices in pronunciation and mispronunciation and on the other hand.... the book itslelf is racist and sexist

[jirachibaby]

Hi! I understand how hard it is to have wrist pain/issues and the stresses and terrors that that brings and I'm proud of you for keeping going!

Something I've found helps from my physio is gyroscopic exercises, I dont want to push products on you, as I understand how irritating that can be, but I'd reccomend looking into it! If you search "gyro ball" on google it should pop up.

Keep fighting, You're doing amazing!

-Goose

oh yeah i have one of those! it's cool! i think i forgot it at my mom's though... haha

thanks for the advice and encouragement, it means a lot <3

i'm really lucky to have amazing friends and support keeping me going through this. and, not to make anyone too excited, but i am working on my inverted comic. just... slowly. very, very slowly.

[cipheramnesia]

The gender interrogator sounds about ten more questions away from an egg crack moment tbh.

i love my fans 💚

(for context anon (blank account) is trying to figure out how to misgender me)

[nonsenseparts]

Hello dears! I am asking you to support my campaign to help me reach my goal. I am now in bad need your support to help me stay alive and safe. Gaza is a very dangerous place either on the level of livelihood or on the level of souls. I need your monetary support to enable me to get the basic needs for my family till Rafah crossing point reopens to move my family to safety and peace. Please help a family be alive through your small donations or througn your shares to others. Thank you so Much for your stand beside people in need.

.

[samerpal]

"First, I would like to thank everyone who supported me.🙏🌹

This is my new platform, friends, after my old platform was deleted for reasons unknown to me.

I ask for your help in sharing my story again to keep hope alive for me and my family, friends.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.♥️

My family and I appreciate your cooperation and hope to reach the desired goal and save us.🙏

Attached are the verification links for the old account from the supporters.

Link vetted by @ibtisams

Link vetted by @el-shab-hussein and @nabulsi

Link vetted by @sar-soor

My approved number by the families in need and endorsed by the supervisors is 196."

@90-ghost @ibtisams @nabulsi @aces-and-angels @sar-soor @sayruq @fairuzfan @palestinegenocide @vakarians-babe @northgazaupdates @northgazaupdates2

Trapped Family in Gaza Appeals for Help to Survive 🕊️🇵🇸🙏

I Samer Abu Ras, am reaching out to you with a heartfelt humanitarian appeal, after the ongoing war in Gaza has cast its dark shadow over my life and the lives of my family. Our lives were once filled with peace and stability before the onset of this catastrophe, but now, we find ourselves living in a situation described as nothing short of tragic.

My wife, Shurooq, our three children, and I are now homeless, without a source of income, and without hope for the future. My family and I have lost our businesses and our home due to the war, and we now have nothing left but the cold streets and troubled hearts.

My children are suffering greatly as a result of these horrific events. They have lost the security and stability they once enjoyed and are now facing new health and psychological challenges that threaten their lives. As a father and husband, I feel powerless in my ability to provide adequate protection and care for them.

My child, who is a year and a half old, is experiencing hardships far beyond his tender age. Since the war broke out, we had to flee our home and seek refuge in a tent in a displacement camp. My child lives in extremely difficult conditions, deprived of safety and stability. The tent does not provide adequate protection from harsh weather, and food and medicine are scarce. My child suffers from malnutrition and illness, lacking basic healthcare. He cannot play or grow in a healthy and suitable environment. My only dream is to see him grow up in a safe place full of opportunities

In the face of difficult circumstances, Samer Abu Ras and his family find themselves facing serious challenges in their daily lives. They reside in a modest tent lacking comfort and security, suffering from a shortage of clean water and food, and encountering difficulties in accessing necessary healthcare. Despite these challenges, they continue to express hope and resilience in confronting adversity, holding onto hope for a better tomorrow and a return to a more stable and secure life.

I appeal to you today, dear friends, to extend to me a helping hand in escaping this hell. Regardless of the size of the donation, every drop of generosity will contribute to alleviating our suffering and rebuilding our lives anew.

We need your help to secure the funds necessary to travel away from these destructive wars and seek a safe and stable environment where we can build a better future for our children

Let us stand together in these difficult times and let hope triumph over despair by providing support and assistance to those in dire need. Let us be part of the solution and build a better future for ourselves and future generations.

Thank you for listening and for the potential generosity of your giving, and for your generous donations that will change the lives of my family for the better.

With sincere gratitude and appreciation

‏Samer Abu Ras and family.

@heba-20 @soon-palestine @marnota @riding-with-the-wild-hunt @i-am-aprl @nabulsi @sayruq @communistchilchuck @palipunk @palestinecharitycommissionsassoc @faggotfungus @ghost-and-a-half @magnus-rhymes-with-swagness @three-croissants @interfacefox @appsa @akajustmerry @feluka @flower-tea-fairies @90-ghost @victoriawhimsey @ficsforgaza @aria-ashryver @mangocheesecakes @humanvoicebox @plomegranate @queerstudiesnatural @commissions4aid-international @palestinegenocide @ghost-and-a-half @bibyebae @heritageposts @norrriey 🍉🌹🍉✍️

🌹🍉🇵🇸❤️🌹🍉🇵🇸❤️🌹🍉

[eggnogged]

listen let me be honest for a second. the wedding singer was probably one of adam sandler's best movies. not that it wasn't without its issues obviously. but it was a very good combination of comedy and sweet romance. also that song he sang called "somebody kill me" that he introduced by saying "i was listening to the cure a lot" okay so relatable. and the soundtrack was a banger

[spaghettioverdose]

If you don't know what's happening in Romania, basically everyone is losing their minds over this presidential election. People have had SRI (Romanian Intelligence Service) knock on their door over incredibly mild jokes about the elections. The platform of most of the candidates has been jacking off about how good the US and EU are, and how we need to give them more access to our resources right now. This one independent guy (some guy who left AUR because he was too anti-NATO) won the first round of presidential elections very unexpectedly (and by a significant amount). People are resigning over it. The candidate from his old party endorsed him, while the vice president of the same party condemned him. Everyone is blaming tiktok, AI, Russia, or the diaspora for this. PNL and PSD (the two biggest parties) have started bickering over this (and might shut down the government again who knows lol). A lot of people have no idea who the fuck he is. Liberal political analysts are making unhinged articles about this guy etc.

And like. This guy is fashy but 90% of the criticism against him is that he's anti-NATO.

It's gonna be the first time in 30 years a candidate from PNL or PSD didn't make it into the second round.

Like it's not even surpsising that this guy and the AUR candidate had a lot of success. They're the only ones that address even slightly the effects of imperialism on Romania and the conditions that the average Romanian lives in, while all the other ones talk about vague wank and push for more privatisation and more NATO shit. Really sucks that it's the fascists, but that's what happens when you heavily suppress communists for 30 years.

[lankyledlights]