I wonder how in face of the unfolding witness proof and video, anyone can defend what happened on the Mavi Marmara.
This is video of how Furkan Dogan died:
This 19 year old boy was down, kicked, and then shot 5 times at close range while on the deck.
This was not "defense" against an equally armed enemy. This is an execution of an American Humanitarian Aid Volunteer.
How is this any less subhuman behavior than beheadings by Al Queda? Less grisly, perhaps, but equally barbaric.
I want to understand. I do.
I want to believe that young over-testosterone'd men, whipped into a frenzy just panicked. I want to believe people only act this way in self-defense. I want to believe Peace can happen.'
It seems history is against me. It seems evidence is against me. Not that deep down, I did not know better. Seeing it? Seeing kevlar clad men kicking a boy, then shooting him once beaten and prostrate, shooting him with nothing short of an array of close range bullets seems to be nothing but viciousness.
How do I even try to hear those here who defend Israel's actions, in light on things like Israel's own words? This was not self-defense but pre-emptiove economic warfare. Warfare against any country's citizens who would aid the starving.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/...
However, in response to a lawsuit by Gisha, an Israeli human rights group, the Israeli government explained the blockade as an exercise of the right of economic warfare.
"A country has the right to decide that it chooses not to engage in economic relations or to give economic assistance to the other party to the conflict, or that it wishes to operate using 'economic warfare,'" the government said.
(this author's bold)
How do I make sense of those who decry Obama sending 400m million to aid those in Gaza, while the US sends 3 BILLION a year to Israel - country not under economic strain?
http://libertypundits.net/...
You see, I want very much for the sane among the Israelis and the Palestinians to remember their brotherhood, and create a Peace in which they defend and support one another in Unity.
My faith is tested daily by the clannishness that created the kind of hate that allows executions of unarmed peace activists, children - and allows so-called Democrats to defend it. My faith is tested by the fact the United States not coming to the defense of one of its own, rather deferring to the claims of "security" of another Nation, and giving this event a wink-nudge-murmur of disappointment pass.
It is well past time to demand that ALL inhumanity, ALL crimes be prosecuted and denounced, by any and all groups that perpetrate them.
I offer, had a Muslim done this act, the International and US outrage would be huge, and sanctions and recompense already raining down via drone attacks.
So tell me?
Why do I hear nothing, weeks after this attack? Nothing about whether or not one aid shipment made it. Nothing about the US demanding action against the perpetrators of this crime on its citizen? Nothing about any of it past the two-day MSM coverage.
This story seems, sadly, as dead as this poor martyr, as dead as Rachel Corrie herself.