In April, Jon Stewart used one of his initial monologues upon returning to “The Daily Show” to express his candid views on the conflict in the Middle East. Now, five months later, with the situation escalating, he has provided an update.
Stewart begins by presenting what he describes as “the golden soundbite” to illustrate the complexity of the issue: a CNN clip featuring journalist Barak Ravid discussing the Israeli government’s policy of “de-escalation through escalation.”
“Or, as that is sometimes called: War,” Stewart remarks, showing his exasperation. He questions whether those involved recognize the contradiction in their statements. The host then mentions he believes he has encountered the phrase “de-escalation through escalation” before, as he picks up a copy of George Orwell’s dystopian novel “1984” and skims through it.
Stewart continues by expressing his frustration, “I mean my God, there have to be other ways of achieving de-escalation without this exchange of missiles.” He highlights the historical pattern that typically follows such conflicts, marked by prolonged periods of sorrow and bloodshed.
