| Submit your comments on this article |
| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| France Re. Gaza "Humanitarian Aid" Flotilla: Use of force 'disproportionate' |
| 2010-06-01 |
| 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 |
| #12 Thanks badanov. It has been a few years since I was in that class and I have no idea where my books are. I figured someone here would know. I still think that I recall some cases that claimed differently, but I am not sure of the names anymore. |
| Posted by: sjb 2010-06-01 23:52 |
| #11 Question - the map I saw here on BBC shows the interception taking place outside of the Israeli territorial waters. If I recall my International Law correctly, they can only control what happens in the 22km from the country. The exclusive economic zone goes out further. So do any of you have a different map? Because I'm fairly sure that I recall that a State did not have that type of control in the economic zone. If that isn't correct, please let me know. FAIL International Law 101: You don't have to wait inside your zone to interdict a hostile force or to enforce a blockade. You also have the right to self defense on the high seas, even if you are presumably better armed than your opponents. Disproportionate response is only possible if one side is disarmed. Neither side was. Disproportionate is the liberal term for FAIL. It's Israel for the win. |
| Posted by: badanov 2010-06-01 23:41 |
| #10 Question - the map I saw here on BBC shows the interception taking place outside of the Israeli territorial waters. If I recall my International Law correctly, they can only control what happens in the 22km from the country. The exclusive economic zone goes out further. So do any of you have a different map? Because I'm fairly sure that I recall that a State did not have that type of control in the economic zone. If that isn't correct, please let me know. |
| Posted by: sjb 2010-06-01 23:30 |
| #9 I think they're definitely saving one for Mecca, Hellfish. And I'll bet they've let the Saudis know it, too. :-D |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2010-06-01 21:11 |
| #8 If they save one for Brussels maybe they can save on for mecca too. |
| Posted by: Hellfish 2010-06-01 19:56 |
| #7 When the next regional war starts, Israel needs to hold back one nuclear weapon to be used on Brussels, the home of most of the enticement for radical muslims. Israel has the delivery capability - they use their own equipment to launch the satellites they have in orbit. It would be wise for Europe to remember that they're not the only ones with nukes AND THE MEANS TO DELIVER THEM. It would be very wise for Europe to make friends with Israel, in light of the progress the Mad Mullahs are making toward their own nuclear capabilities. |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2010-06-01 18:38 |
| #6 Tellin me, ya'd have a tough sell getting me to zip into the middle of an angry mob for a chat, even with a firearm. Oh, not what he meant... |
| Posted by: swksvolFF 2010-06-01 12:51 |
| #5 No Nicolas, giving nukes to Kurds will be disproportional. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2010-06-01 12:04 |
| #4 It was proportionate. The 'humanitarians' used iron pipes to attack the Israelis and the Israelis responded with their own iron pipes of generally similar size. They didn't use their much bigger (5" ID) iron pipes. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2010-06-01 08:09 |
| #3 If I were sarcozy I would stop making statement about somthing he does not have a clue about and instead start worrying about the end of the Republic which will happen when the Islamic fifth colum destroys France from within and Iran completes the job by nuking Paris with bombs manufactured with equipment sold to them by French Hi Tech companies. Just my 2 cents |
| Posted by: Elder of Zion 2010-06-01 07:24 |
| #2 I sure hope they never try to throw a blockade on anyone in the future ever again. They won't. They throw boycotts. |
| Posted by: Nimble Spemble 2010-06-01 07:05 |
| #1 France would have blown the ships up in the Harbour. |
| Posted by: Bright Pebbles 2010-06-01 06:39 |