"During his campaign for the 2008 election, Mr. Obama promised to brand the mass killings genocide." That's how the left-wing BBC described one of Barack Obama's promises in his most successful election campaign of two springs ago. It seemed so easy then to satisfy every group of voters. Everyone, it seemed, was getting in step behind the pied piper.
Now, we see the fruits of that campaign. Or, as the Rev. Jeremiah Wright might say: The Mideast chickens are coming home to roost. Last March, when the Democratic-dominated House Foreign Affairs Committee voted 23-22 to brand the Turks' mass killings of Armenians a century ago a "genocide," the Turkish government of today reacted angrily. The Turkish people have been voting for an ever-more alarming mix of nationalists and Islamists.
So much for the politics of sentiment. So much for being -- as columnist David Broder recently called Barack Obama -- "the Empathizer in Chief." If you feel every group's pain, you're going to be in for some real pain of your own. Here it comes.
Turkey backed a blockade runner, a large ferry boat that could well have included in its capacious hold arms and munitions for the Hamas regime in Gaza. Israel last weekend attempted to enforce their blockade. They wanted only to inspect the ferry's cargo. The melee on the ferry deck showed "peace" activists attacking the Israeli commandos with sharpened iron bars. When the Israelis fired back, 10 of those on board the ferry were killed.
International condemnation of Israel has been swift. This has followed a UN Resolution over the weekend that called upon Israel to comply with the Non-Proliferation Treaty. Israel. Well, if you can't get any results from Iran, why not put some extra pressure on your ally, Israel? The Obama administration stood by impotently while this potent anti-Israel resolution passed.
Israel is in graver danger today than she has faced in recent memory. In 1948, when the State of Israel was proclaimed, she was invaded simultaneously by five Arab armies. But, and a most important but, the U.S. stood staunchly behind the infant Jewish State.
President Harry Truman defied his Secretary of State, George Marshall, the man he most admired in the world, to recognize Israel just eleven minutes after independence was declared. That timely demonstration of U.S. support helped avert disaster then.
Twenty-five years later, Israel was attacked in 1973 on Yom Kippur by Arab armies led by Egypt. The initial battles went badly -- disastrously so -- for Israel. But President Richard Nixon -- though increasingly surrounded by the congressional hounds pursuing Watergate convictions -- summarily ordered the U.S. military to re-supply the embattled Jewish State.
Many have since written that Nixon's spontaneous action may have saved Israel at its moment of maximum danger. Surely, the USSR was unwilling to risk a nuclear clash -- even with a politically wounded Richard Nixon -- over so important an ally as Israel.
In 1948 and 1973, Israelis could at least rely on American liberals to support their claims.
No more. No sooner had the clash on the high seas occurred than liberal blogger Peter Beinart joined the worldwide anti-Israel cabal by posting on "Israel's Indefensible Behavior."
We now face a real prospect of a new Mideast war, one in which Israel will be beset by Iran, by Iran's cats paws, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Even more menacingly, we could see Turkey -- long Israel's only Muslim ally -- join this unholy alliance.
Who is responsible for this serious downward spiral in the Mideast? Who else? When the Obama administration spends its first year "extending an open hand" to the murderous mullahs in Tehran, and when it fails to do anything meaningful to stop Iran's march to nuclear weapons, when the administration stiff-arms the Israelis, and treats Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu like a pariah for building apartments for Jews in the capital of the Jewish state, the wolves of jihad gather. They scent blood. Will this be one more chapter in the lamentable story of how weak and irresolute leadership leads us into war?
We must pray it doesn't happen.
Robert Scheer: Treat Palestinians Like Jews
It was an act of international terrorism, pure and simple. There can be no valid claims of self-defense on the part of Israeli commandos who attacked a ship of protesters in international waters. Trust me, I don't come to this viewpoint lightly.
If you think Obama's election was stolen, then I wonder why there was virtually no claim made to that effect?
Firing back usually means you were fired upon. Read the autopsy reports. The murdered activists were shot repeatedly. It doesn't take four shots to the head to stop a protester. They were murdered.
War with Iran, which is what the author is really pushing for, will be a disaster for the United States if it comes to pass. Iran is not interested in attacking the US with nuclear weapons or otherwise. That is totally counterproductive for them.
Perhaps John Bolton et al. could suit up and climb into the fighter jets that will doubtlessly be sent to attack the Iranians. At least that way they could put their money where their mouth is.
I believe the author is in the right direction but doesn't dare to go all the way. The real issue is why the government is intentionally oxygenating the fire in the middle east. Which is going to be their next move? That's what worries me. If the middle east weren't so profitable to corporate america, I bet you the Israelis and Palestinians would be living in peace side by side, working towards coexisting in harmony.
The public opinion needs to stop being gullible, and stand against the mind jobs they're being manipulated into. There's no real need to always have an enemy figure, be them jews or muslims or whomever. Let's start all working together and stop setting the conditions of the game board to private interest's advantage.
___________Both wars are a waste, and the second one is and was based on lies. So, they are bad comparisons to the blockade situation.
Totally ahistorical, too.
It's just so sad that people live lives with double standards, and worse, are so naive to project the situation in Palestine as the Israelis fault, and think that the U.S. government is actually trying to achieve peace there. Are we really going to support Hamas perpetuation in Palestine? The first step for peace is to dismantle that organization...the problem is that that would be bad business for the U.S. military industry.
every time i read an apology for israel's actions they all condense into one key point: that the commandos were beset by a bunch of armed thugs and they had no alternative but to live fire.
fine, i'll accept that: but what about the rights of those on board those ships...were they not also entitled to protect themselves...?
should they have been so in awe of israel's commandos that they should set the table for tea and crumpets...?? is israel ARROGANT enough to believe that just because they come knocking at the door that everyone is just supposed to roll out the welcome mat...???
the people on board the flotilla HAD EVERY RIGHT TO PROTECT themselves from an armed attack under the cover of darkness. the offensive action was initiated by israel when they decided to lay siege to the vessels. if they want to believe that they had to protect themselves then the same right has to be extended to those who were besieged. point blank...full stop...!!!
incidentally, i'm still waiting for someone to SHOW ME THE WEAPONS...???
When Israel says next time they will use "more force" they mean many more troops with stun devices to overcome resistance with non-lethal force.
Put they blame where it belongs, if you are stupid enough to not stop your vessel when a Navy ship orders you too, then resist the boarding party, people are going to die.
Naval blockades are acts of war, you join in on one side or the other, you accept the dangers of war.
Think of a peace march in the US. Most are just protesters, but some are violent anarkcests. The violent ones charge the police lines and grab the cop’s guns and start shooting, the cops will shoot back.
you DO NOT board a vessel for the purpose of inspecting the cargo hold by SENDING ARMED COMMANDOS UNDER THE COVER OF NIGHT...! this was a military action and they intend to use force to seize the vessels. that was the point of sending commandos in the first place. the fact that they were sent meant that there was an EXPECTATION of resistance because they were intending to attack a foreign vessel IN INTERNATIONAL WATERS.
furthermore, you still have yet to respond to my assertion that the PEOPLE ON BOARD THE FLOTILLA HAD JUST AS MUCH RIGHT TO PROTECT THEMSELVES FROM BEING ATTACKED...!!!
lastly, with respect to your analogy of the peace march. i'm sure you're clever enough to recognise the difference between someone charging an armed policeman and vice versa. the FACT is that the COMMANDOS STORMED THE FLOTILLA...!!! the occupants of the flotilla did not storm or attempt to board any israel naval vessels...!!! which means that your analogy is entirely irrelevant and not worthy of consideration...!
thanks for your post...!
WHERE ARE THE WEAPONS?!?
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/06/03/israeli-flotilla-raid-det_n_598699.html
Normal procedure to stop a ship attempting to break a blockade:
First, the ship is ordered to stop by signal or radio.
Then a warning shot is fired, that's where the "shot across the bow" comes from.
Targeting the bridge is the next step to minimize causalities, once the bridge is neutralized; the ship stops and innocents are not harmed. The people on the bridge are assumed to be responsible for the ship not stopping.
If it fails to stop, it can be sunk. Boarding parties are only used to protect life or property on the ship. Boarding parties can suffer causalities; it is much safer to just sink it from a distance.
Gaza is under naval blockade, and Israel can stop ships in international waters under suspicion of attempting to break that blockade. Which this group PUBLICLY said they were going to do. National Navies ARE the ones who patrol international waters, that’s their job.
They were ordered to stop by a Naval patrol and did not, then fought the boarding party on one ship, the other ships did not resist and none had casualties. The troops have to increase force until resistance stops. They started with stun grenades and paintballs. They were attacked, you can see it on the video, with metal bars and knives, Israel says it was fired upon and has wounded soldiers to prove it.
Morally, everyone understands that the illegal Israeli siege of Gaza is designed to strangle it while it increases its annexation and expropriation of the West Bank. Eventually, what Israel is expecting is that this rump Palestinian state will fail - and be split up among Israel (80%) and Jordan (20%) or thereabouts. Gaza itself will be continue to be occupied until Gazans die or move on elsewhere.
How do you think those Somali pirates were arrested a 1000 miles offshore?
___________And they keep on saying it, too. This is what bugs me about the phrase "humanitarian aid" being trotted out, when IHH and Free Gaza say right on their sites their intent is to break the blockade. The more they talk the more "humanitarian aid" just looks like a major red herring.
Hint: Food, medical supplies, building materials and other goods that are VERY SCARCE OR TOTALLY UNAVAILABLE in Gaza thanks to Israel's ILLEGAL blockade. It's all the BASIC things PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS need to be able to live with some degree of dignity BUT THEY CAN"T GET because Israel is determined in depriving them and pushing them to the brink of a humanitarian crisis just for having elected Hamas. [Source: IRC]
FYI: The sewer system in Gaza is failing because Israel is not allowing pipes to reach Gaza. The running water is contaminated for the same reason and children are dying from dysentery and dehyadration. The hospitals have VERY LIMITED supplies.
NOW EXPLAIN TO ME WHY ISRAEL HAS THE RIGHT TO SUBJECT PALESTINIANS TO THAT ABUSE AND ON TOP OF ALL COMPLAIN ABOUT BEING CRITCIZED BY THE WHOLE WORLD?
Palestinians have brought all the troubles they have upon themselves. Before the blockade they launched 1000's of rockets into Israel. They elected Hamas, a terrorist organization, into power. You reap what you sow.
The Germans elected Hitler, and their people suffered horrible because of it. Populations are responsible for their actions. If the Palestinians really want to live in peace, they need to start acting like it.
Palestinians have been offered many generous deals from Camp David on, and blown every opportunity. They must pay for their lack of judgment if they are ever going to learn anything.
What bias can there be?!? It was also unarmed, as were the people massacred. A few pipes is not reason to shoot indiscriminately. Why even send an armed troop of COMMANDOS. It's crazy! All they needed to do was kill the engines and bring in the boats to dock. period.
The ships were ordered to do just that, all the other ships did so and suffered no casualities.
Without aremed troops, how do you deal with people who refuse to "kill the engines and bring in the boats to dock"?
National Navies stop and arrest smugglers, drug runners and pirates in International waters everyday. National Navies ARE the ones who patrol international waters, that’s their job. Pirates or smugglers or drug runners are not "free" from arrest just because they are in International waters.
Gaza is under naval blockade, and Israel can stop ships in international waters under suspicion of attempting to break that blockade. Which this group PUBLICLY said they were going to do.
They were ordered to stop by a Naval patrol and did not, then fought the boarding party on one ship, the other ships did not resist and none had casualties. The troops have to increase force until resistance stops. They started with stun grenades and paintballs. They were attacked, you can see it on the video, with metal bars and knives, Israel says it was fired upon and has wounded soldiers to prove it.
What would we have done if a “humanitarian group” tried to break our Naval Blockade of Japan in WWII?
Where does it lay ANY blame on Israel's doorstep? Where does it say that people didn't have to be shot? In fact it openly justifies the killings, without any apology.
Blind Israel Support is not unbiased -- it is uncritical, and a lack of journalist integrity
There was no two sides to this article just a general PRO-Israel BIAS
Israel went in and used non lethal means but the violance was clearly the fault of the passengers who fought.
You seem to forget the boarding party suffered injuries BEFORE lethal force was used!
According to...? crazyoldhag?
Oh, never mind...