Alex MacDonald
@alexjaymac.bsky.social
Middle East Eye, reporter/commentator. Mainly talk about Iraq, Iran, Israel-Palestine, UK and Turkey. Folk musician. He/him. DM any story tips!
The US is also in Nato.
January 17, 2026 at 11:10 PM
The US is also in Nato.
...are you insane?
January 17, 2026 at 11:08 PM
...are you insane?
"It’s now a third world country"
What? What does that even mean here?
What? What does that even mean here?
January 17, 2026 at 6:36 PM
"It’s now a third world country"
What? What does that even mean here?
What? What does that even mean here?
Superb. No wonder Labour's doing so well in the polls.
January 17, 2026 at 6:20 PM
Superb. No wonder Labour's doing so well in the polls.
You can easily, easily change my mind if you can reason out what you're saying rather than just going with "gut feeling"
January 17, 2026 at 6:18 PM
You can easily, easily change my mind if you can reason out what you're saying rather than just going with "gut feeling"
What. I have literally just asked you why you think what you do. Is that not ok?
January 17, 2026 at 6:17 PM
What. I have literally just asked you why you think what you do. Is that not ok?
Can you explain why you have that faith.
January 17, 2026 at 6:14 PM
Can you explain why you have that faith.
Well I'm judging based on the last 70 years or so of history and everything Starmer has done in office. What are you judging based on?
January 17, 2026 at 6:10 PM
Well I'm judging based on the last 70 years or so of history and everything Starmer has done in office. What are you judging based on?
He's already finished. He won't be PM by May at the latest anyway. What does he have to gain by upsetting Trump in the meantime.
January 17, 2026 at 6:09 PM
He's already finished. He won't be PM by May at the latest anyway. What does he have to gain by upsetting Trump in the meantime.
Right...what are you basing that on? Because there's not a shred of evidence for that based on the UK's choices post-WW2 and that's not counting that the UK is no longer part of the bloc that Denmark is part of.
January 17, 2026 at 6:00 PM
Right...what are you basing that on? Because there's not a shred of evidence for that based on the UK's choices post-WW2 and that's not counting that the UK is no longer part of the bloc that Denmark is part of.
The US is also a Nato ally.
January 17, 2026 at 5:57 PM
The US is also a Nato ally.
Why are you "very confident" in that? Are you suggesting the UK values its relationship with Denmark more than its relationship with the US?
January 17, 2026 at 5:56 PM
Why are you "very confident" in that? Are you suggesting the UK values its relationship with Denmark more than its relationship with the US?
I mean, JFK, Nixon and Lyndon Johnson were responsible for millions of deaths in southeast Asia. GWB was responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths in the Middle East.
Just off the top of my head. Trump has not done anything comparable yet.
Just off the top of my head. Trump has not done anything comparable yet.
January 17, 2026 at 5:54 PM
I mean, JFK, Nixon and Lyndon Johnson were responsible for millions of deaths in southeast Asia. GWB was responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths in the Middle East.
Just off the top of my head. Trump has not done anything comparable yet.
Just off the top of my head. Trump has not done anything comparable yet.
On another note, though, it is amusing the US is putting tariffs on the UK despite them sending *one* person as part of the military delegation to Greenland.
January 17, 2026 at 5:43 PM
On another note, though, it is amusing the US is putting tariffs on the UK despite them sending *one* person as part of the military delegation to Greenland.
If the UK backs the US over Denmark and its allies in Europe, it would not be unreasonable for them to break off relations with the UK.
Expect your holidays in Spain and France to become a *lot* harder as a result of every major political party in England swearing fealty to the US.
Expect your holidays in Spain and France to become a *lot* harder as a result of every major political party in England swearing fealty to the US.
January 17, 2026 at 5:39 PM
If the UK backs the US over Denmark and its allies in Europe, it would not be unreasonable for them to break off relations with the UK.
Expect your holidays in Spain and France to become a *lot* harder as a result of every major political party in England swearing fealty to the US.
Expect your holidays in Spain and France to become a *lot* harder as a result of every major political party in England swearing fealty to the US.
I sort of assumed it would be Mike Tapp, but yeah could be Glasman.
January 17, 2026 at 11:57 AM
I sort of assumed it would be Mike Tapp, but yeah could be Glasman.
Though somehow I doubt anything I've written here features much in the mind of Trump or Netanyahu, whose primary concern is ending Iran's ability to undermine US-Israeli interests in the region, regardless of the consequences otherwise.
January 14, 2026 at 8:36 AM
Though somehow I doubt anything I've written here features much in the mind of Trump or Netanyahu, whose primary concern is ending Iran's ability to undermine US-Israeli interests in the region, regardless of the consequences otherwise.
Even less point pretending there's an obvious candidate to takeover if somehow the IR were to end. Reza Pahlavi's support is, at best, limited and contentious even among pro-interventionist members of the diaspora. As son of the Shah he'd also be an ideal figure for pro-IR people to unite against.
January 14, 2026 at 8:34 AM
Even less point pretending there's an obvious candidate to takeover if somehow the IR were to end. Reza Pahlavi's support is, at best, limited and contentious even among pro-interventionist members of the diaspora. As son of the Shah he'd also be an ideal figure for pro-IR people to unite against.