What is most disconcerting about the Israeli raid on the Gaza-bound aid flotilla is the fact that it is eminently unclear what transpired and why. The BBC and most other Western news outlets (along with the UN, of course) immediately condemned Israel. Other sources contend that the ship was filled with terrorists determined to force the confrontation knowing world sentiment would be with the Palestinians. Fausta’s Blog cites several views of how this would play out.
World Net Daily, and others, contend the incident was orchestrated by the American left socialist Free Gaza movement (who counts among their illustrious members none other than Bill Ayers and Bernadette Dohrn, unrepentant terrorists and friends of Obama – or at least “a guy in the neighborhood.”)
Since there was violence, and it involved Israel and “humanitarian aid” workers seeking to provide aid to Palestinians, the world press has already written the copy and convicted Israel as the instigator, brute and bully in this fight. This seems to fit conveniently into the contention that it was a set up to produce just such a world reaction.
I don’t profess to be privy to enough data to know who did what to whom and in what sequence. What does seem clear so far is that there were many people with terrorist ties onboard the flotilla. We also know that Israel is committed to keeping terrorists out of the Gaza strip because they have a history of shooting missiles into Israel, killing innocent people. But the way the operation played out demonstrates political maneuvering and gamesmanship on both sides. That Israel bungled the intelligence and/or execution of this blockade infraction is beyond question. No matter what the circumstances, you don’t rappel commandoes unto a ship armed with paint guns. What kind of a commander would order such a plan?
The aftermath demonstrates that the Western world no longer has the benefit of the wise, reasoned, responsible leadership required to handle this type of powder keg. We live in a Cold War world which could go hot in an instant by the tripping of a livewire. And the West - including Israel – is now saddled with weak leadership that thinks we can resolve ancient hatreds by meting out politically correct solutions that satisfy no one and accomplish nothing. The other side doesn’t hamper itself with such constraints.
Unless the West abandons this suicidal kabuki play it’s not going to be hard to project the winner.