If you have a hard time understanding that Israel’s destruction of Gaza is genocide, perhaps this analogy will help:

Among many rural and suburban Iowans, there’s often palpable jealousy of Des Moines. Sometimes, like during annual legislative sessions, the jealousy feels more akin to dislike, even contempt.

If you’ll allow me a wave of macabre fantasy, imagine that the rest of Iowa has finally had enough of Des Moines and its population of 210,000 snooty residents. Military forces have been mobilized against the city in an all-out assault:

— Around 70% of all structures, including 92% of housing units, have been damaged or destroyed.

— Nearly one out of every ten residents have been killed or wounded. Continue Reading →