The left-wing blogosphere is full of useful idiots, who pretend that the flotilla which just was stopped by Israel was a humanitarian mission.
The flotilla was organized by the Islamist government in Turkey to aid Hamas with the goal of opening up shipping channels for Turkey’s new friend, Iran, to ship more and better weapons as it is doing to Hezbollah in Lebanon. Iran is busy turning Lebanon and Syria into one large missile launching pad against Israel, and a southern base in Gaza will complete the encirclement of Israel for the coming crisis over Iran’s nuclear program.
The Europeans on the ships were cover, and the placement of an 18-month old child on these ships was the utmost cynical use of a human shield.
If getting humanitarian supplies to Gaza really was the goal, this flotilla was not necessary. The supplies would have been off-loaded in Eqypt or Israel and then shipped in by land after being checked for hidden weapons.
And that is the rub, only sea-based shipping would provide Iran with the mechanism for almost unlimited armament of Hamas. There is a limit to the quantity and size of missiles and other armaments which can be smuggled through tunnels from Egypt. That is why the sea blockade must be broken for Iran to get what it wants.
But the useful idiots (no offense to idiots) in the left-wing blogosphere ignore this reality, and use the incident for their ultimate goal, which is the cut off of U.S. support for Israel.
Funny how the left-wing blogs always seem to take the side of Islamists against Israel, and pretend that Israeli self-defense takes place in a vacuum:
- Glenn Greenwald is today’s Most Useful Idiot, for not only condemning Israel in absurd terms, but trying to blame Israel for a host of domestic U.S. problems: “As Americans suffer extreme cuts in education for their own children and a further deterioration in basic economic security (including Social Security), will they continue to acquiesce to the transfer of billions of dollars every year to the Israelis, who — unlike Americans — enjoy full, universal health care coverage?”
- John Cole is not far behind Greenwald, not even trying to hide his goal of cutting off U.S. support for Israel, as if he needed this incident to make this argument: “BTW- can we have a Stupak amendment so I am no longer paying for this? That is how it works, right? All you have to do is cite your personal morals and you can get things you don’t like unfunded, right?”
- Think Progress (it really doesn’t matter which blogger, they are fungible) compares the flotilla to the civil rights marchers of the 1960s: “Like segregation in the American South, the siege of Gaza (and the entire Israeli occupation, for that matter) is a moral abomination that should be intolerable to anyone claiming progressive values. It’s sad that it should require the deaths of non-Palestinians to finally shake the international community from apathy and inaction, but, as with the tragic murders of Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner, if it contributes to ending the situation then that’s a positive outcome.”
This is just some quick low-hanging fruit. In comparison, Juan Cole — often the first to go off the Israel-bashing deep end — seems downright reasonable in his analysis that there may have been an overreaction by both sides.
What don’t these fools understand about the fact that they are being used, and using themselves, to support the Iranian backed Islamist movements which want only to destroy Israel.
Or maybe they do understand.
Updates:
John Hawkins has even more reaction from the blogosphere.
Doug Ross, exposes Gaza ‘Humanitarian’ Flotilla: a Ruse for a ‘Martyrdom Operation’
The New Ledger, Blood Libel Against Israel analyzes the video showing the peaceful “activists” trying to kill Israelis as they boarded the ship:
Meanwhile, Palestinian Media Watch has the video showing the peaceful intent and high-minded thoughts of those freedom-loving flotilla participants:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b3L7OV414Kk]
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Related Posts:
Gaza Human Shields and The Turkey Problem
Another Dangerous Moral Equivalency
Another Warning on Turkey’s Islamist Slide
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Comments
"Or maybe they do understand"
They understand.
gosh… can you hear your own words?????
In comparison, Juan Cole — often the first to go off the Israel-bashing deep end — seems downright reasonable…
That's the usefulness of the other idiots, to be so far off the deep end that they falsely cover hateful extremists like Juan Cole with a veil of pseudo-reasonableness.
If getting humanitarian supplies to Gaza really was the goal, this flotilla was not necessary. The supplies would have been off-loaded in Eqypt or Israel and then shipped in by land after being checked for hidden weapons.
Israel is still blocking most forms of aid and is only allowing small amounts of the barest necessities to enter.
Cement and water pipes for rebuilding ruined Gaza's infrastructure are still totally off limits, as are many things which cannot even be considered dual-use by any reasonable person.
Also, Hamas has not fired a single rocket since a month after Cast Lead.
i cannot tell that your blog contains objective information since your views are preoccupied by your personal beliefs. i can see that you teach. you dont seem to have what it takes to teach. you either are a jew or filo-jew. for israeli soldiers to board a vessel navigating in international waters is just simply illegal, surprised that you cant get the grasp of it. it is as if brazilian cost guard officers boarded a vessel for inspection in the us gulf. killing unarmed people is inhumain and wrong. this is not the first time i have seen israel killing inocent people and in same cases children..
Good God, I did not know about the child. What kind of parent puts his or her child in that situation? One, obviously, that should not be a parent.
As for the Islamofascists, and their apologists, nothing they do surprises me. I'd sooner expect a code of ethics and a level of decency from a starving bear.
oy vey!
Also, Hamas has not fired a single rocket since a month after Cast Lead.
wow, how nice of them!
This all makes me remember that convoy organized by former mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, that was later found to contain weapons and other arms that ultimately were smuggled in to Hamas. How the media can willingly ignore the facts is infuriating. They truly do not care about human rights, or the brutalities committed by what are terrorists. Nor did they care when Hamas was brutalizing their own last year.
extreme cuts in education??? did i miss those?
i bet, since you are an american, that you cant point out israel on a world map. even so having an opinion about it. leave the commenting to people that have more in depth knowlegde of the real facts.
Useful Idiots everywhere should be insulted that they are being lumped in with those guys.
"Hamas has not fired a single rocket since a month after Cast Lead."
Since December 2009, Hamas shot 45 missiles at Israel.
http://sem40.ru/lenta/news-dir/184684.html
War is war, comrade. You shoot missiles at us – we kill your friends.
The flotilla tried to run a military blockade. Any violence is ultimately their responsibility.
Navies have been boarding ships on the high seas since at least the 17th century.
Trying to equate Hamas supporters, armed and ready for violence, deliberately running a publicized naval blockade, with non-violent civil rights protesters in the 1960s is obscene.
The flotilla was spoiling for a fight. They got one. Boo freaking hoo for them.
The other thing that these leftist turncoats have missed is that Turkey, once an ally of the left, is now running interference on behalf of the Iranians. The purpose of this blockade breakage attempt was to get a shipping lane opened to the Gaza in order to facilitate shipments of heavy weaponry. The smuggling tunnels from the Sinai are too small to import Taepo-Dong missiles so a sea-lane is essential. If the flotilla could reach the Gaza port then a precedent would be established and more ships would be allowed to pass; some containing the longer range missiles.
Too bad the leftosphere is so infested with Islamophiles that they cannot see past Israel-hatred.
Funny, serinves, that you don't mention what those on the flotilla were chanting.
It was not about "humanitarian" aid to Gaza. It was about creating an incident with Israel. But I would suspect you know that. Nothing done by the followers of a religion like Islam is about people.
"[Remember] Khaibar, Khaibar, oh Jews! The army of Muhammad will return."
Perhaps, serinves, you would like to explain what that means? Or will the truth of the chant destroy your "humanitarian" excuse?
for israeli soldiers to board a vessel navigating in international waters is just simply illegal, surprised that you cant get the grasp of it.
On the other hand…
Where did you infer that Juan Cole thought that the protestors may have overreacted? He said they might have put up resistance.
It is hard to overreact when one's intent is to kill IDF forces landing on your ship.
funny if true:
"Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn, and top campaign bundler Jodie Evans from Code Pink are top activists with the Gaza flotilla group that attacked the IDF today."
http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2010/05/figures-obamas-pal-bill-ayers-top-bundler-jodie-evans-are-top-activists-in-gaza-flotilla-group/
leave the commenting to people that have more in depth knowlegde [sic] of the real facts.
Intellectual snobbery is more impressive when you can spell.
Cement and water pipes for rebuilding ruined Gaza's infrastructure are still totally off limits, as are many things which cannot even be considered dual-use by any reasonable person.
Cement = bunker building material
pipes = tubes for unguided missiles
Besides, such materials are allowed. For approved construction. Oh, you did know that, right? no, I suppose not. They get enough materials to build the project, but not enough to siphon them off to…other…projects.
But in any case, the Palestinian people voted in Hamas to govern. Raising any Hamas aggression into a state-level act of war. They acted, they got a war, they got hammered, and they still want war.
Tell me, how can you talk to people like that?
Can we say that the reactioanry left is a colection of fascists yet?
It appears that the useful idiots have turned up here in these very comments – "AJB" and "serinves", take a bow.
Unfortunately for the two of you and the rest of your ilk, the IDF video of what happened makes your claims about the incident laughable.
But dream on, fools, dream on.
And by the way, as an American, not only can I point out Israel on a map of the world, I know how to use proper punctuation.
Nobody remembers the 500 tons of rockets, missiles, grenades, explosives and other weaspons the IDF intercepted late last year on "civillian" vessels en route from Iran to Syria/Lebanon to arm Hezbollah to the hilt? And isn't it a forefone conclusion that Hezbollah is already loaded with scuds capable of hitting every squre inch of Israeli territory?
Why is it so difficult to believe that Iran wants to accomplish the same arms buildup with Hamas? And once the arms are in place, order a strike against Israel from both sides to cripple her before she can strike Iran to cipple its nuclear capabilties?
To the American left, especially the American Jewish left, it seems that Israel's security is secondary. What matters to them is Israel pursuing idealistic, pie-in-the-sky, humanitarian policies towards an enemy at war with her and who wants wants to destroy her.
When I read the Think Progress piece earlier today, I was impressed that they could even imagine such a ridiculous comparison.
Egypt and Israel both established this blockade.
Joseph – When Kennedy was president and he Blockaded Cuba, didn't the US fleet interrcept the russians on the open sea?
Last week the leaders of Brazil, Iran and Turkey were in arm and arm about giving Iran more time to build Nuclear weapons. This week Turkey tries to attack Israel's interests by breaking there blockade.
The issue isn't this Group of ships which more than likely had no weapons on them. Its all the ones that would have come after this one that would have carried weapons.
If this group hadn't been stopped then Israel would have been hard pressed to stop others. From PR point of view. Even if they carried weapons people would have said well it was "checked" like the first one was so everything is good right…
Here in the US we let the Hard decisions go day after day. Knowing that it will cause trouble down the road I think its remarkable that Israel is willing to stand up for its future even when it knows its going to catch 5 different kinds of hell for doing so.
Peaceful, aren't them?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LulDJh4fWI
Looking like Obama and Rahm helped created this crisis.
"Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn, and top campaign bundler Jodie Evans from Code Pink are top activists with the Gaza flotilla group that attacked the IDF today."
This was a deliberate act to incite war. Barry Soetoro has his finger prints on this.
"Or maybe they do understand."
I've pondered that (in relation to their stances on the old USSR… and this) for over 25 years… and I still don't know.
AJB, what were you saying about no rockets lately?
You mean these?
Sorry, I couldn't hear you over the explosions…
If you are going to do the time you might as well commit the crime.
Israel should have waited until the ships crossed crossed the line and then sink them with all aboard. Then for good measure close it's border with Gaza and allow no one and nothing to cross until such time Hamas surrenders or dies.
Serinves the Arabs act as there are no innocent Israeli's or Jews. So fuck you and your communist/Islamacist bullshit.
Oren, if those are peace activists, what do militants do!?
Ohhhh. THAT peaceful intent and high-minded thoughts.
No one who watches those videos can say these people were humanitarians… oh, except for the media. Side note: It's fairly amusing though, how their plan was to fight guns with pipes. Especially against a race of people who require all citizens to be in the military for a year. FLOTILLA HINT OF THE DAY: Abort pipe vs. gun plan for future humanitarian/martyrdom barricade parties. That's a party that will always be invite only, and you just don't want to be THAT flotilla!
A MUST READ from Gates of Vienna: "Dueling Caliphates"
http://gatesofvienna.blogspot.com/2010/05/dueling-caliphates.html
"Yes, many of the dead and injured are undoubtedly Turks, because the Free Gaza Flotilla was a thinly-disguised Turkish military operation."
Turkey is the real power and brains behind the new global Islamic fundamentalism because they stand to emerge as the Islamic WORLD power?
Perhaps, those vessels should have been sent to the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea? Israel's Navy does posses vessels sufficiently armed, with those 57 and 76 mm guns. Naval Guns that can do a lot of damage. That would have played into the left's and the arab's hands for political and race card purposes.
As for myself, the ten to fourteen fatalities were as a direct result of a choice. Not a wise choice but a choice none the less. They were warned to not proceed and to heave to. They ignored the warning and were boarded. The vessel in question disregarded not only the Israeli Navy but the lives of all on board.
Commence Fire. Fire for effect.
The leftist arguments write themselves: "Israelis Overreact, Attack Innocents in Next Week's Protest."
Every propagandist tries to make his side's riots look like parades and the other side's parades look like riots. That doesn't mean we show believe them. On all the objections the anti-Israel crowd raises, it helps to turn the question around: "Ah, so if it hadn't been in international waters you would approve of it then?" And to whatever technicality comes up next, "If not that, then you would support the Israeli decision?" You eventually come down to the base objection: they don't approve of the blockade under any circumstances, no matter how many Iranian arms have been shipped in via the coast.
THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS! I wish the State Run Media had the guts to run it!
Steve
Common Cents
http://www.commoncts.blogspot.com
Maybe they do understand the goal is the destruction of Israel, and I often wonder if they also understand that we're next.
They got Martyrdom – by Paintball Gun.
"Israel is still blocking most forms of aid and is only allowing small amounts of the barest necessities to enter."
Hey AJB, why let the facts get in the way of you abject biases?
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/HumanitarianAid/Palestinians/Increased_humanitarian_aid_Gaza_after_IDF_operation_Jan_2009.htm
Point 1 every one should stay calm and remember that once arafat is gone then everything will improve and "real" dialogue can begin with the elected representatives of the people of gaza Point 2 why would you listen to any one who ever emphasized point 1
The terrorist backers, the IHH, are chaired by the Cartoon-i-fada's Sheikh Yusuf Qaradawi, and crewed by Barack Obama’s close family friends, terrorists Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn, and top campaign bundler Jodie Evans from Code Pink are top activists with the Gaza flotilla group that attacked the IDF today. Bill Ayers named his children for Jew-Murdering Palestinian terrorists and dedicated one of his books to Bobby Kennedy's Palestinian assassin, Sirhan Sirhan. Bill Ayers fire-bombed the home and children of a judge in a Black Panther's trial… years after the end of the Vietnam war that he claimed motivated his violence.
Also, Hamas has not fired a single rocket since a month after Cast Lead.
reading The Nation again, I see. Well, Gaza has been firing rockets and mortars ever since Cast Lead. As recently as last March Netanyahu had to order incursions into Gaza and attacks on mortars & rockets.
Pretty typical Pali apologist.
The IDF knows this kabuki play through and through. Unfortunately, it seems they have accepted their part in it. Maybe Bibi should channel a little more Putin and deal with the problem directly.
One out of five ships refused to stop for inspections. Next time, instead of losing brave soldiers trying to reason with these animals–and recognizing that any action will be painted as racism/colonialism/whatever–Israel should recognize that and disable the recalcitrant ship. Then board safely (clear the area with gunships, then land troops).
Did you take you medicine today. You realize you sound delusional.Now that I read alot of the responses, I'd suggest medication all around, on the house if you will.
This is really paranoid delusional stuff.The Europeans on the ship were a cover for what? There is apparently a disassociation between you hearing canal and your making sense of what is said.
Try a dentist, first.
Dr Jim, Glad to be of service. Be careful what you say, tsk, tsk, they are listening. Shhhh!
Too bad the facts have to get in the way for the easily mentally manipulated. Sure spoils the Big Bias Rant Party.
San Remo Manual on International Law Applicable to Armed Conflicts at Sea, 12 June 1994
SECTION V : NEUTRAL MERCHANT VESSELS AND CIVIL AIRCRAFT
Neutral merchant vessels
67. Merchant vessels flying the flag of neutral States may not be attacked unless they:
(a) are believed on reasonable grounds to be carrying contraband or breaching a blockade, and after prior warning they intentionally and clearly refuse to stop, or intentionally and clearly resist visit, search or capture;
(b) engage in belligerent acts on behalf of the enemy;
(c) act as auxiliaries to the enemy s armed forces;
(d) are incorporated into or assist the enemy s intelligence system;
(e) sail under convoy of enemy warships or military aircraft; or
(f) otherwise make an effective contribution to the enemy s military action, e.g., by carrying military materials, and it is not feasible for the attacking forces to first place passengers and crew in a place of safety. Unless circumstances do not permit, they are to be given a warning, so that they can re-route, off-load, or take other precautions.
http://www.icrc.org/ihl.nsf/385ec082b509e76c41256739003e636d/7694fe2016f347e1c125641f002d49ce
to all my dear brainwashed bloggers i wish to clarify that i am not a nazionalist, a jew,american,german,arab,turkish or whatever you might think could affect my objective critisism. my passport says religion : christian. Check out this old incident involving an American citizen killed by jews (thats is the only reason that this came on to the suface). http://www.rachelcorrie.org/
spotting a legitimate comment in this blog is impossible. kids go back and do your homework and let grownups write here please.
check out these beautiful photos :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25113985@N05/3176493261/in/photostream/
poor, deluded, USA-hating Rachel Corrie. Played tag with an Israeli bulldozer in order to protect arms smuggling tunnels and got herself killed. The real criminals were her leftist parents, the radical professors at Evergreen University, and the ISM. They all used this little nitwit in her life and in her death. And that final staged photo over her body was pure Paliwood.
This "peace flotilla" comes from the same minds that exploited Corrie. The plan is typical: arrange for a number of useful idiot human shields as cover, then attempt to break the arms blockade. The IDF and the useful idiots didn't quite cooperate this time–five of the six ships went to Israel and the supplies are being delivered right now (and probably being stolen by Hamas, but that is another ignored story). The sixth decided to bluff it out and got a number of people killed doing it. Fortunately, no IDF personnel were killed.
I'm getting so fed up with the Gaza sympathizers. EGYPT IS BLOCKADING AS WELL! Can't you understand what that means? It means that Israel isn't the "aggressor" or an "apartheid" state or any other such claptrap. You want to claim that Israel is wrong for protecting itself? Go talk to Egypt and ask why they reinforced their walls to shut down the tunnels. No one but leftist idiots want Hamas armed. Leftist loonatics and sicko Islamo-fascists.
As serinves so helpfully demonstrates several times, above: some idiots don't even bother with all of that bothersome "useful" business before commenting.
whatever guys,!!wishing you happy new year easter and christmas!! oh i forgot, and fuck off to you all too. c u
Troublemakers always get what they are looking for because the media will lap it up for them. Let the condemnation come. I'm cheering Israel to do it again if they have to. No need to give in like all these whimp ass countries do to the growing sympathy for the intolerance of Islam like Great Britian.
And watch out Israel, some Australians were injured on board. I'm sure they 'll take you to the International Court of Justice for that. These days people are not responsible for their own actions and need their government to act on their behalf. I'd love to see Australia make a fool of itself once again.
Serinves, you moron – the "dead" guy on the photo is a bum and not a dead/shot person. The same B/S as always from PALLYWOOD
"whatever guys,!!wishing you happy new year easter and christmas!! oh i forgot, and fuck off to you all too. c u "
Useful liberal idiot? Doubtful. Just a useless liberal idiot.