Helen Thomas Retires

Wag the dog.

While the rest of the world is reporting on the Israeli navy commando attacks on the Aid Flotilla now that the activists have been released and are talking, the US mainstream media AND alternative media have been busy bashing Helen Thomas and driving her into retirement.

You can read all about it elsewhere, MSM or alternative, so I wouldn't comment except for my subtitle.

And this perhaps: that Helen Thomas is of Lebanese descent. Here's one angry blogger's words: "It’s not hard to imagine that anyone with a Lebanese heritage, especially when they are 89-years old, has a problem (or two) with the government of Israel."

(Racial discrimination and age discrimination all in one sentence.)

People around the world, not just of Lebanese descent, seem to be having a problem or two or three with the government of Israel, in case people here haven't noticed. Even they have a problem or two.

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Gaza Flotilla Raid: "What's the Big Deal?"

says Joe Biden, who, by the way, is a self-declared Zionist.

What's the big deal?

Here's what, from Karen Kwiatkowski over at Lewrockwell.com:

"The blockade of Gaza is in the world news, but thanks to a healthy, well-financed and deeply entrenched political fifth column for all things Likud, not so much here in the United States. I suspect that fewer than one person in 1 million in this country knows what Israel’s government has already shared: the Freedom Flotilla was unarmed beyond poles and kitchen knives; two former US ambassadors and a retired American Army colonel were on board and taken prisoner, the Israeli attack occurred 85 miles off shore in international waters on a clearly marked Turkish-flagged ship, and that a young American citizen was shot in the head four times at close range, with a fifth coup de grâce to the chest. Honestly, I don’t know the order of the five shots. The boy is dead, and he was one of ours. There has been more media coverage on the death of the Gore marriage, or the status of a Kuwaiti blogger this week than the Israeli murder on the high seas. I’m almost tempted to wonder if the Israelis have heard of tasers? But as the Gaza and West Bank situations have testified for decades, proportionality of response isn’t an Israeli forte. Kind of like living with an alcoholic parent, I guess." [Emphasis is mine.]

And the vice president of the United States asks "What's the big deal?"

Guess nothin' to you, Joe.

With extrajudicial killing of US citizens by the US government openly authorized by his boss, I guess it's no big deal. I guess we should be thanking Israeli commandos for doing our CIA's work. (Of course hardly anyone in MSM paid a bit of attention to the fact that Obama had authorized the assassination of US citizens, even though it was openly discussed in a Congressional hearing.)

For those who still care, you can read Karen Kwiatkowski's article "Gazan Survivalism" (6/5/2010 Lewrockwell.com). She is a retired USAF lieutenant colonel who writes about defense issues with a libertarian perspective.

And for more on "a healthy, well-financed and deeply entrenched political fifth column for all things Likud" that Dr. Kwiatkowski talks about, here's Glenn Greenwald's latest article on Salon.com.

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America Believes Israel's Account of the Attack on the Aid Convoy to Gaza

It's just a fantasy, it's not the real thing,
But sometimes a fantasy is all you need...

That's Billy Joel. It can be the stock market (particularly when it is going up on thin volume on no news, courtesy of the PPT and algo bots). It can be this:

'We're the only ones who believe them' (Ben Smith, 6/1/2010 Politico)

"A delicate diplomatic maneuver by President Barack Obama to smooth frayed relations with Israel without alienating America’s Arab allies may have been blown out of the water Monday morning by Israel’s botched attempt to enforce the Gaza blockade — and by the lack of condemnation from Washington that followed it.

"For while much about the incident remains unclear, a day of carefully parsed statements from the White House and State Department left at least one irrefutable aftershock: With much of the world expressing fury over the raid, the contrast with Washington’s muted response could not have been more striking.

"“The situation is that they’re so isolated right now that it’s not only that we’re the only ones who will stick up for them,” said an American official. “We’re the only ones who believe them — and what they’re saying is true.”

"The official was referring to Israeli protestations — backed by Israel Defense Forces video — that their solders were attacked by passengers on a ship headed for Gaza with humanitarian aid, when they boarded the ship in what the Israelis concede were international waters." [The article continues.]

And this, also from Politico:

Gingrich: There was ‘no humanitarian crisis’ in Gaza (Laura Rozen, 6/1/2010 Politico)

That's good to know, Newt.

In the meantime, 16 of the 679 activists who have been taken to Israel have refused to identify themselves and thus be deported.

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Weapons Seized by Israeli Navy Commandos

You can view the weapons found on the convoy ships at this site.

Knives, including what look like kitchen knives
Metal pipes
Sling shots
Hammers, wrenches
One Molotov Cocktail

The first two were apparently used by the activists to fight the Israeli troops.

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Israeli Troops Were 'Attached' by Knives and Metal Pipes

and by the gun that one of the civilians on the attacked ship grabbed from an Israeli soldier.

The attack, according to UK's Daily Mail Online, was in international waters.

News blackout has been imposed by the Israeli government.

For more, "Israeli commandos gun down 19 peace activists in raid on Gaza ships with 28 Britons on board" (5/31/2010 Daily Mail). It has pictures of the attack, and the video clearly shot from the Israeli helicopter hovering above.

The video opens with these indignant words: "Demonstrators Aboard the Mavi Marmara [Turkish ship] Use Violence Against Israeli Navy Soldiers"

(Chutzpah, anyone?)

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Israeli Navy Storms Gaza Aid Ship, Several Passengers Killed

Just heard on BBC News.

Israeli forces storm Gaza aid ship (5/31/2010 BBC)

"The Israeli navy has stormed at least one of a convoy of ships carrying humanitarian aid to the Gaza strip, amid reports of casualties on board.

"Some reports say two people have been killed and about 30 injured. Israel has declined to comment.

"The exact location of the interception is unclear. Israel had warned the ships not to enter its territorial waters.

"The ships are carrying 10,000 tonnes of aid to the Gaza Strip in an effort to break an Israeli blockade.

"Turkish TV pictures taken on board the Turkish ship leading the flotilla show Israeli soldiers fighting to control passengers.

"The footage showed a number of people, apparently injured, lying on the ground. The sound of gunshots could be heard. It is not clear whether the fighting is ongoing.

"Al-Jazeera TV reported from the same ship that Israeli navy forces had fired and boarded the vessel, wounding the captain.

"The Al-Jazeera broadcast ended with a voice shouting in Hebrew, "Everybody shut up!". " [The article continues.]

Turkish TV now confirms 10 people are dead, so does Israeli TV Haaretz, according to this site.

Haaretz also says more than 60 people wounded. Israel has seized the cargo (humanitarian aids to Gaza), and is building a detention center for the foreigners on the ships who would refuse deportation.

It's not clear whether the convoy was on international waters when the Israeli navy attacked.

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