Scorpjazz
Well-Known Member
Funny you mention North Korea. Many are comparing our relationship with Israel to China's relationship with North Korea.
Who, exactly? China?
Funny you mention North Korea. Many are comparing our relationship with Israel to China's relationship with North Korea.
You have missed the point. It isn't a question of what is morally or ethically correct.
If there was no blockage the Palestinians would have rifles, missile launchers and tanks.
Who, exactly? China?
So you're saying decisions should be made without morals and ethics?
Reuters has a pretty decent write up on why the blockade is legal.
https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65133D20100602
Very true. But it's innocent people that are being affected most by the blockade. Yes, it's keeping Hamas unarmed for the most part, but it's the people who are suffering. The people of Palestine are being killed and starved by U.S./Israeli policy in Gaza. The U.S. and Israel are nuclear superpowers, while Palestine is on the periphery. How can the systematic starving of a country be justified here?
Wow, you're doing a great job arguing your point and changing my mind on Israeli aggression. I'm in no way supporting Palestinian attacks on Israel, no way.
You're saying that Israel is somehow going to be overthrown by the Palestinians? Laughable. Rebels with rocks, knives, and a missle or two is in no way threatening Israel. If you were hungry and your family was starving and tanks and soldiers were keeping you from eating, what would you do?
The argument goes both ways, it's not so black and white.
I don't think anyone is arguing whether or not it was legal. I have no idea whether it was legal, and I don't care either way. The question is should they. Cutting off Hamas at the expense of innocent lives is not justified IMO.
I don't think anyone is arguing whether or not it was legal. I have no idea whether it was legal, and I don't care either way. The question is should they. Cutting off Hamas at the expense of innocent lives is not justified IMO.
Blockades are extremely effective.
Examples:
The Royal Navy's blockade of Imperial Germany during the first world war.
The Union blockade of the Confederacy.
German unrestricted submarine warfare against the British Isles in both world wars.
American unrestricted submarine warfare against the Japanese in the second world war.
Whether it is noble, or kind is irrelevant so long as you win the conflict then you can paint history anyway you like. A good example of that is that the Germans were charged with war crimes relating to unrestricted submarine warfare at Nuremberg while the Americans were praised post-war for their implementation of the same strategy.
I think you're making my point. In all of your examples blockades were used as a component of a larger active war. Lately things like economic sanctions, embargoes and blockades have been being used SHORT of going to war as a sort of diplomatic method of fighting battles. The U.N. in particular prefers such things to sending in troops. The primary victims of those actions when they are not part of a larger effort to defeat the enemy are women and children.
It is not that black and white.
Innocent people are getting hurt on both sides and neither side is particularly virtuous. However to paint this as a case of the evil Israeli's versus innocent Palestinians is myopic.
Blah. I already stated above that I wasn't condoning Palestinian aggression towards Israel. I'm painting this case as two core countries, Israel and the U.S., starving an entire population in an attempt to stop Hamas. This is the reality and hardly myopic. Yes, the situation is sticky and both sides carry some of the blame. But to justify the starving of thousands, and the 10 fold killing of innocent civilians.......I can't go there.
You stated that blockades were one of the least effective strategies in war. I just illustrated that this was not true.
Everything else you have said is pretty much outside the scope of this thread right?
Getting back on topic.
Israel's blockade is legal, the response to the blockade runners was legal. Will be interesting to see what happens with this Irish ship.
kill em all let god sort em out