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France Re. Gaza "Humanitarian Aid" Flotilla: Use of force 'disproportionate'
Disproportionate? I thought Sarkozy was supposed to be conservative. Israel should have gone in there with five-inch guns in their face. That would have been appropriately disproportionate enough that force would not have been necessary.PARIS - FRANCE'S President Nicolas Sarkozy on Monday accused Israel of a 'disproportionate use of force' in its deadly raid on a Gaza-bound aid flotilla. Sarkozy and for that matter the rest of the world don't know $hit, yet they are already making pronouncements about how Israel was in the wrong. I always expect it, but it never fails to amaze me how world leaders react even more cluelessly than the time before. Sit down and shut up until a couple of facts roll across your desk. Get on the internet and check out the videos that the Israelis and the embedded Al-Jizz reporters have posted. And stop saying things that you are going to end up having to eat along with a generous portion of crow in a few days because people figure it out. Mr Sarkozy 'condemns the disproportionate use of force and sends his condolences to the families of the victims,' the Elysee presidential palace said in a statement. 'All light must be shed on the circumstances of this tragedy which underlines how urgent it is to relaunch the peace process.' Here's all the light you need: The flotilla was in Israeli waters when it was told to either go home or direct itself to Ashdod or risk confrontation. The flotilla chose the latter and got what they asked for. Done. These are Israeli waters, and the convoy could have been hauling weapons like last time. What's so hard? Is there some sovereignty issue that I don't understand here? Had they been sincere, they would have directed their convoy to Ashdod where the Israelis indicated they would forward all allowed humanitarian aid directly to Gaza under the activists' supervision. Israeli naval forces stormed six ships bound for besieged Gaza with thousands of tonnes of aid and hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists aboard. Up to 19 of the passengers were killed, according to Israeli media. Yeah, many of them were supposedly sleeping. On the upper deck. In the middle of a melee. Where the principal weapon of the combatant passengers were not feather pillows. France's Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said he was 'deeply shocked' by the Israeli raid on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla and insisted 'nothing can justify the use of such violence.' 'We do not understand the still provisional human toll of such an operation against a humanitarian initiative that had been known about for several days,' he said. I am even more deeply shocked that these a-holes think they are above the law. Can I go invade any foreign country I choose by simply plastering a banner that says "Get out of my way because I am a humanitarian aid flotilla" on the front of my boat? An association of Jewish groups in France, CRIF, said it 'deeply deplored' the killings and warned that they threatened the prospects for a resumption of Middle East peace talks. 'It happened at a moment when there were hopes for peace between Palestinians and Israelis. It is not good news for peace,' one of the leaders of CRIF, Haim Musicant, told AFP. Middle East peace talks are a fantasy. Mr Kouchner reiterated his stance that the Israeli blockade of Gaza should be lifted. According to this article, that blockade doesn't exist or is unenforceable. So why do we even have a word for it? 'The current situation in Gaza is not tenable,' he said in his statement. 'We will take all necessary measures to prevent this tragedy from leading to a new escalation in violence.' Looks like everyone imaginable is trying make it seem like blockades are illegal. I sure hope they never try to throw a blockade on anyone in the future ever again. -- AFP Posted by: gorb 2010-06-01 |
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