I don't think that's literally true. They apparently announced their intention to run the blockade, and they were headed in the right direction to do so. However, they were still far from the actual blockade. barfo
Um, okay. I would take the Turks and the Palestinians at their word if they say they're going to try to commit an act of malfeasance.
I don't see any reason to doubt they were going to try to run the blockade. But it seems like intent to do X and actually doing X are usually treated differently under our laws. Don't know anything about the laws which might or might not govern this case, though. barfo
When I moved up here 10 years ago, we moved to L.O. We left and moved to the SW after 2 years because, among other reasons, L.O. is about the most un-Jewish place you could find. Re the flotilla: It was a setup, designed to create this sort of world reaction.
Seriously, what was different about this time. I've yet to have seen this addressed. I see lots of posts defending Israel but my question is what was different about this time? Bad intelligence? Nobel prize winners on the way? Why not just guide the ships to port and search them like they have before?
I read some analysis guessing that Bibi Netanyahu was flipping off the world community since Obama has treated him like shit saying, "If you want to fuck with us, we'll fuck with you." It was a message that if they're not going to be supported by the US, they're going to advance their own interests without regard for world opinion. They've done it before.
That's the sort of message a 6 year old sends. "I hate you mommy! I hate you! You are so mean to me!" barfo
Wow, that makes sense. I'm not saying that you're wrong but if that is the reasoning behind what happened that sure blew up in Israels face. Egypt has now opened the border between them and Gaza for aid and relief supplies. I'm sure that wasn't Israel's intention.
It's completely rational. Israel is held back from reacting more forcefully knowing the US has their back and will protect their interests. If the US stops protecting Israeli interests, Israel has a responsibility to protect those interests themselves.
Sure, and it is completely rational for the 6 year old to whine if he doesn't get the candy bar. What does he have to lose? His parents probably aren't going to ditch him no matter how badly he behaves. The idea that the US has stopped protecting Israeli interests is ridiculous. barfo
If a 6 year old doesn't get a candy bar, he'll live. If Iran is allowed to supply Gaza with uninspected cargo, Israel could find its landscape turned into glass.
We gave them nukes back in the 60s. You're 100% right that Israel can defend itself. However, they have one arrow in the quiver if attacked by a numerically superior force. I don't think anyone wants them forced to make that choice. The Germans could have defended themselves too against the Soviets; South Korea could defend themselves against North Korea. We put them under our umbrella as a way of preventing a nuclear exchange.
So you allow the ships to dock and inspect the cargo. How hard is that? Apparently they've successfully done it before. barfo
One arrow? You are forgetting all the other military technology we've gifted them with over the past several decades. barfo
That's a mighty big jump there without any evidence to support it. It's funny the dividing lines in this thread. I guess I'm the only one who can be for the most part supportive of Israel but think what they did was fucked up. Israel has the right to inspect the cargo but they provoked a needless incident that caused people to be hurt and killed.
We didn't give them nukes, they developed them all on their own. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_nuclear_program
Israel is only 6MM people in a very small area. There are larger countries with sophisticated weapons surrounding them. If there's a risk of being overrun, the nuclear card may be the only one left to play.
Why the blockade? Why not say, you can send aid only but we're going to inspect it. Some of the people in Gaza are living under conditions similar to what the Jews experienced in the WWII work camps.
