Rubio's war remarks blow open MAGA's Israel divide

rooster's Avatar
MAGA will support this. Christian Nationalists are foundational to MAGA and many buy into Trump being chosen by God. They are staunchly pro-Israel and the attacks on Iran fit right into the prophecy/end of world/Armageddon narrative. Originally Posted by Turner2099
THIS is really important. Remember that Mike Huckabee is the U.S. Ambassador to Israel. He is an ordained Southern Baptist minister and is a strongly committed Zionist. He has made many statements like "“Everything that I embrace as a Christian is rooted in the promises that God gave to the Jewish people.”

That "promise" includes taking the West Bank, which he has very much supported.

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MAGA will support this. Christian Nationalists are foundational to MAGA and many buy into Trump being chosen by God. They are staunchly pro-Israel and the attacks on Iran fit right into the prophecy/end of world/Armageddon narrative. Originally Posted by Turner2099
THIS is really important. Remember that Mike Huckabee is the U.S. Ambassador to Israel. He is an ordained Southern Baptist minister and is a strongly committed Zionist. He has made many statements like "“Everything that I embrace as a Christian is rooted in the promises that God gave to the Jewish people.”

That "promise" includes taking the West Bank, which he has very much supported.

. Originally Posted by rooster
Those are both intriguing points. The religious aspect probably does play some role for part of the coalition. Christian Zionism has been part of American politics for a long time, and people like Huckabee clearly talk about Israel in theological terms.

At the same time, U.S. support for Israel has traditionally rested on several different pillars — religious support, strategic alignment, domestic political coalitions, and lobbying influence.

What I find interesting about the current moment is that at least one part of the MAGA coalition — the America First / anti-intervention wing — may be less comfortable with military involvement abroad than traditional Republican foreign policy has been.

On the point about MAGA ultimately supporting this, I’m curious what you mean exactly. Do you mean they’ll ideologically support it, or that they’ll eventually fall in line politically because Trump backed it? Those seem like slightly different things, and I’m interested in which you think is more likely.
rooster's Avatar
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On the point about MAGA ultimately supporting this, I’m curious what you mean exactly. Do you mean they’ll ideologically support it, or that they’ll eventually fall in line politically because Trump backed it? Those seem like slightly different things, and I’m interested in which you think is more likely. Originally Posted by fd-guy
You make me think about that, and I think....BOTH. They are different. But overlap by a lot.

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On the point about MAGA ultimately supporting this, I’m curious what you mean exactly. Do you mean they’ll ideologically support it, or that they’ll eventually fall in line politically because Trump backed it? Those seem like slightly different things, and I’m interested in which you think is more likely. Originally Posted by fd-guy
You make me think about that, and I think....BOTH. They are different. But overlap by a lot. Originally Posted by rooster
Like a perpetual motion machine. They ideologically support it and they see Trump continuing to support them, so they double-down on supporting Trump.

To see an interesting interview about Christian Nationalism with Michael Emerson, Ph.D, who serves as the Baker Institute’s Chavanne Fellow in Religion and Public Policy at Rice University, watch starting at 1:29:26. They touch on the fear of "other".

https://www.youtube.com/live/FJyGhm2...nM6xfGeipDR7ya
Like a perpetual motion machine. They ideologically support it and they see Trump continuing to support them, so they double-down on supporting Trump.

To see an interesting interview about Christian Nationalism with Michael Emerson, Ph.D, who serves as the Baker Institute’s Chavanne Fellow in Religion and Public Policy at Rice University, watch starting at 1:29:26. They touch on the fear of "other".

https://www.youtube.com/live/FJyGhm2...nM6xfGeipDR7ya Originally Posted by Turner2099
Thank you for your thoughtful reply. That's the kind of talk I wanted to see in this thread. The idea of a "perpetual motion machine" is a good way to explain how ideology and leadership signals can work together.

I'll check out the Emerson interview you talked about. A lot of research on nationalism and political identity talks about the idea of "fear of the other."

What I still find interesting is how stable that dynamic really is. The America First side has always been against foreign interventions, so if a conflict goes on for a long time or costs a lot of money, it could put some stress on that group.
Precious_b's Avatar
If I were an Israeli citizen I’d be critical of Netanyahu’s response to Oct 7 as being way too soft. Imagine if something like that happened here in the states. Originally Posted by Jacuzzme
Leveling Gaza and wanting to turn it into a parking lot was too soft?!?!

Bibi is pulling the strings here. Trump is just a useful idiot.

Both of them need to be out. Originally Posted by Yssup Rider
Clear. Concise. Precise.

This perfectly sums things up.

THIS is really important. Remember that Mike Huckabee is the U.S. Ambassador to Israel. He is an ordained Southern Baptist minister and is a strongly committed Zionist. He has made many statements like "“Everything that I embrace as a Christian is rooted in the promises that God gave to the Jewish people.”

That "promise" includes taking the West Bank, which he has very much supported.

. Originally Posted by rooster
Sounds like extremist talk to me.

And i've always said ANY extermist is dangerous.