Travis
@someforeignfield.bsky.social
680 followers 180 following 1.3K posts
Former USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, former International Rescue Committee. Humanitarian professional, missile and tank weirdo, posts stuff about missiles, the Middle East, and why it matters at https://substack.com/@someforeignfield
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someforeignfield.bsky.social
Now that the dust has settled on Israel's strike on Qatar, I wanted to discuss some of the oddities of the story that has become the mainstream narrative- the alleged firing of missiles from over the Red Sea. I'm not saying that didn't happen, just that it's a bit weird. That and more here:
Israel's Strike on Qatar: What Actually Happened?
On September 9, 2025, Israel struck a residential compound in Doha, Qatar, killing six people.
open.substack.com
someforeignfield.bsky.social
Yeah absolutely, their human rights abuses are not because they're scary mohammetans but because they're filthy rich oil capitalists.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
Also it's extremely normal to lease or otherwise provide parts of existing military bases to countries that have close military relationships to us, like Qatar (or the UAE, or Singapore, or...) this is honestly not a weird or unusual thing. The problem is being allied with Qatar, broadly speaking.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
Lmao they just got $30 million of USAID funding like a month ago
someforeignfield.bsky.social
Also the Biden ambassador to Israel and a Biden USAID appointee conspired to kill the Famine Early Warning Systems Network report that confirmed famine conditions in the north. Oops!
someforeignfield.bsky.social
Noteworthy that the North has been cut off via the Netzarim Corridor for most of the last two years. There were no GHF distribution sites in the North, and famine conditions have been confirmed in North Gaza since at least October/November of 2024 (who was President then 🤔🤔🤔)
maks23.bsky.social
🇵🇸🇮🇱 Gaza residents are returning to north after the partial Israeli withdrawal.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
Former USAID personnel watching every other agency rehire all their staff
someforeignfield.bsky.social
Noteworthy that the North has been cut off via the Netzarim Corridor for most of the last two years. There were no GHF distribution sites in the North, and famine conditions have been confirmed in North Gaza since at least October/November of 2024 (who was President then 🤔🤔🤔)
maks23.bsky.social
🇵🇸🇮🇱 Gaza residents are returning to north after the partial Israeli withdrawal.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
For context, several thousand US military personnel have rotated through Israel during this genocide. Whether THAAD battery personnel or working on the JLOTS (the "pier") or helping build out Israeli Air Force bases, our boys have been involved in the day to day operation of the genocide machine
someforeignfield.bsky.social
To think that Biden could not achieve a ceasefire with behind the scenes pressure on Israel is to show complete ignorance of the relationship between the US and Israel. The war would have ended in November 2023 if the US stopped sending aerial bombs. Even threatening to do this ends the war.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
It's clear that when the US wants a ceasefire deal, one miraculously occurs. Makes the "working tirelessly for a ceasefire" stuff from last year even more disgusting.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
I'd almost prefer a genuine liar.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
To be clear, the problem is AOC and co were either lying or so fundamentally ignorant of the nature of the relationship between the United States and Israel that they have no business being in a position of such influence. Given the "defensive weapons" nonsense, I think it's the latter.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
It's clear that when the US wants a ceasefire deal, one miraculously occurs. Makes the "working tirelessly for a ceasefire" stuff from last year even more disgusting.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
It's extremely normal for the most violent part of a conflict to be the hours leading up to the ceasefire. Some of the worst bombing and missile strikes between Iran and Israel were after the ceasefire was agreed upon.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
And even if Netanyahu "preferred" Trump, that doesn't absolve Biden from never using even a little bit of pressure or even threatening behind the scenes to potentially use pressure. The Biden policy was to help Israel do whatever they wanted, full stop.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
Hilarious that the continued failure to deliver on the Block 4 F-35 update is singlehandedly degrading huge chunks of NATO's theoretical airpower. Is Lockheed Martin a Russian asset???
alxluck.bsky.social
Add to this the discussed issue of F-35B lacking stand off capability in British service, notionally well into 2030s, and it puts the touted carrier strike capability somewhat into perspective.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
Me saying "I'm hungry" every day in Turkish class ended up with me getting married, so I heartily endorse this message.
Reposted by Travis
kragdar.bsky.social
آمریکایی ها واقعا خنده دارند
zeitkitty.bsky.social
Maybe read up on the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979, and their release in 1981 because of the deal Iran made with the Reagan campaign and come on back here and tell us about it.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
Please point out precisely where I said he will enforce this one
someforeignfield.bsky.social
Biden could have pulled the plug on the Israeli military at any point with no way for Congress or lobbyists or Israel to stop him. Simply order the State Dept to follow and enforce existing law and *poof* the IDF cannot meaningfully operate at scale.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
It's clear that when the US wants a ceasefire deal, one miraculously occurs. Makes the "working tirelessly for a ceasefire" stuff from last year even more disgusting.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
Idk the details of this plan, but I know the day before the January ceasefire, something like 6 aid trucks entered Gaza. Day one of that ceasefire, over 900 trucks entered Gaza. If nothing else, any easing of the aid restrictions will save lives, even if I'm not hopeful this is permanent.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
Yeah definitely. These particular ones probably aren't but most photos of militants in the West Bank show them with Israeli pattern AR-15 rifles and Israeli optics.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
For reference none of the weapons pictured are likely to have been manufactured in Iran. Belgian-pattern FALs, Russian-pattern AKMs (not the Type 56-pattern KL-762s that Iran makes), various Russian single-use launchers, a single G3 (not Iranian pattern either). These are likely sourced from Syria.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
If I'm ever president I'm banning tactical gear for the military. Bringing back basically 'Nam era gear. Multicam is fascist. EOTechs are fascist. Opscor helmets are fascist. Rails are fascist. MOLLE is fascist. Sorry to spoil your "operator aesthetic"
bradduplessis.bsky.social
Pete is out here playing Operator. We do not have a SECDEF.
someforeignfield.bsky.social
I have it on good authority that this family is not even good dinner party guests/hosts
someforeignfield.bsky.social
Morphing back into a World War 2 dad reading this shit. Don't start talking about the M4A3E8, don't mention Panther transmissions, don't bring up proximity fuses...