The Israeli military attacks an aid ship in international waters and kills at least 10 people.
Naturally, Israel is the victim.
As usual, Glenn Greenwald has some of the best reporting and analysis here. Gideon Levy of Haaretz also has an excellent piece.
Mossad chief Meir Dagan admitted to a committee of the Knesset today that Israel “is progressively becoming a burden on the United States.”
But I doubt you’ll be hearing about his observation in American papers and television reports.
I expect the IDF attack will bring out the best both in American politicians and the American media.
What is the most sycophantic defense you have seen of the attack on the aid ship?
Most sycophantic defense? Possibly this one:
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/opinion/opedcolumnists/turkish_blood_bath_Jean7yjj5Salz75brRSsMJ
… although Mona Charen also had a pretty brazen one.
It may be, as writer Ralph Peters says, that the aid convoy was partly a Turkish ploy to provoke Israel into acting stupidly. But sending a military force to board aid ships in international waters??? And killing people? When the whole world already thinks your blockade of Gaza is inhumane? That’s beyond stupid.
Somebody else asked this question this morning: If Iran had done what Israel just did, what would we be hearing from the U.S. government right now?
So now we know what Ralph Peters does when he isn’t busy shilling for torturers.
I crossposted this at Antiwar.com and American Conservative.
Some lively comments –
http://www.amconmag.com/blog/2010/06/01/most-sycophantic-apology-for-israeli-attack/
and
http://www.antiwar.com/blog/2010/06/01/most-sycophantic-apology-for-israeli-attack/
Good post, Jim. Thanks for the links.
I was in my car a little while ago and caught a bit of Sean Hannity talking with David Horowitz about the flotilla of terror that threatened Israel’s existence. Horowitz was way over the top. I just checked the Hannity website and it looks like this madness may soon be posted to hear. I think the segment was in the 2nd hour. If anyone is interested in what it is like to exist in an alternate dimension, they might want to listen to this crazy shit.
http://www.hannity.com/show/2010/06/01
That reminds me of another ship incident, where people wanted to go to Palestine, just after terrorists bombed an hotel (named King David) with 95 civilians killed. They got a boat loaded with over 600 people trying to get there, but the British Royal navy seized the ship and deported all the passengers back to Europe (with no casualties). The ship was called Exodus and you can watch the 1960 movie starring Paul Newman…
Virtuous people do not reproduce the evil that they suffered. The alternative perpetuates evil.
Tom – Horowitz sets the gold standard on these things.
It is amazing to see the venues he appers in.
Jose – thanks for your thoughts. This is the same analogy that some of the Israeli activists have made in the last 2 days…
FAIR (Fairness & Accuracy in the Media) has an excellent wrapup of the press coverage by leading US papers.
http://www.fair.org/index.php?page=4081
FAIR:The Washington Post’s June 1 editorial page had one of the most appalling takes on the killings: “We have no sympathy for the motives of the participants in the flotilla–a motley collection that included European sympathizers with the Palestinian cause, Israeli Arab leaders and Turkish Islamic activists.”
Uh oh, Jim. It turns out that hooligans are behind this flotilla thing.
Interview on Israel TV Channel 1, Mabat News, 31 May 2010
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman: First of all, I want to express my admiration for the IDF soldiers, who showed responsibility, restraint, and great courage in impossible conditions, under the brutal attack of a bunch of anarchists, hooligans and terror-supporters.
http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/About+the+Ministry/Foreign_Minister/Speeches/FM_Liberman_flotilla_31_May_2010.htm
Liberman pours it on thick.
Anarchists??!!?? There were anarchists aboard those ships???!!???
Well, of course, then the IDF had no choice.