Leaders Vacation While Gaza Burns - Headlines 12/30/08

[Caro]

Politics and Media Headlines 12/30/08

Bush Refuses To Interrupt His Final Vacation As Middle East Crisis Escalates (Think Progress)
In an effort to “prevent Palestinians from attacking towns in southern Israel with missiles,” Israel (Monday) undertook its third day of offensive military airstrikes in the Palestinian territory of Gaza, raising the death toll to more than 300… Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak called the situation “all out war.” While Bush has been briefed on the situation by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley, he has opted not to interrupt his final vacation as president to make a public statement on the crisis.
Um, need I say that Obama ALSO refused to interrupt his vacation for the Middle East crisis? Or that he, too, has been briefed by Rice? Or that he, too, has not made a public statement on the crisis?—Caro

Huffington Post

MY vote for president went to someone who has convictions, and who lives them:
McKinney relief boat rammed by Israeli navy (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
A boat carrying international peace activists, including former Georgia congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, and medical supplies to the embattled Gaza Strip sailed back into a Lebanese port on Tuesday after being turned back and damaged by the Israeli navy, organizers of the trip said. The crowds on the docks in the Lebanese port city of Tyre were jubilant and cheering as they welcomed the vessel.

How You Can Help (by Susie at Suburban Guerrilla)
Medical supplies badly needed in Gaza. If you want to help, click here for details. “As the situation stands, Palestinian doctors are performing surgeries without surgical gloves, local or general anesthetics, gauze, sterilized equipment or sufficient oxygen for patients…” Because Americans who send supplies may be convicted of a federal crime, our only options are to donate to organizations in other countries, including Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, who is making a Gaza Emergency Appeal.

David Gregory shows why he's the perfect replacement for Tim Russert (by Glenn Greenwald at Unclaimed Territory, Salon)
To see what Cheney aide Cathie Martin meant when she explained that Cheney knew he could go on Meet the Press and "control the message" -- and to see in action David Gregory's model of sycophantic, unchallenging "journalism" -- one could do no better than to examine Gregory's embarrassingly deferential "interview" yesterday with Israel's Foreign Minister, Tzipi Livni. It's a perfect template for how our American press corps (with some rare exceptions) functions.

Whatever one's views are on Israel's attack on Gaza -- pro, con or otherwise -- there's no denying that it's an extremely controversial matter -- at least it is in the world that exists outside of mainstream American political discourse. Even within Israel, there are scathing criticisms of what the Israeli Government is doing -- on both strategic and moral grounds. Yet none of those objections made their way into David Gregory's interview of Livni. He didn't present her with a single argument against the Israeli attack. He didn't challenge a single word she uttered. He was even more sycophantic with her than the average American journalist is with the average American political leader.
Click through to read a transcript of the interview.—Caro

Zbigniew Brzezinski on Gaza conflict (video)
Dec. 30: 'Morning Joe' host Joe Scarborough discusses the escalating conflict in the Mideast with former National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski.
Watch Zbig tell Joe “You know, you have such a stunningly superficial knowledge of what went on that it's almost embarrassing to listen to you.” Zbig’s daughter Mika, as you may know, is the foil/co-host of the program.—Caro

The Third Rail (by Susie at Suburban Guerrilla)
Some signs of change in the blogosphere in the discussion over Israel and the Gaza war. In addition to the fine work of Glenn Greenwald, Jane Hamsher notes the pushback from Time’s Joe Klein; Open Left is home to some of the most thoughtful discussions around; and Greg Mitchell, editor of Editor & Publisher, is pushing the media to do their jobs… I don’t know what the solution is for the Middle East. But we won’t find it unless people are able to have a free and open discussion without being painted with the antisemitism brush. And while I don’t have any answers, I do know inhumanity when I see it.
Gee, do you think we might finally have a free and open discussion about an important issue, without resorting to calling each other names? Can we disagree without being disagreeable?—Caro

Click here for more politics and media news headlines.

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

[hlthe2b]

1. Umm, need I say that Obama is not the President?

You say, "Um, need I say that Obama ALSO refused to interrupt his vacation for the Middle East crisis? Or that he, too, has been briefed by Rice? Or that he, too, has not made a public statement on the crisis?"


What do you expect him to do--launch a coup d'etat?

Anything he does right now has to be through the current administration and behind the scenes. That's the reality.

[Elidor]

4. I expect him to condemn the slaughter

But I'm not holding my breath.

Here comes Bill Clinton's 3rd term.

[anigbrowl]

6. Then your expectations are unrealistic

incoming presidents do not involve themselves in day-today business before taking office...just like former presidents don't.

[Caro]

13. Actually, it will be more like Bush's ...

... third term. Maybe better managed, but policy-wise not much different.

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

[EFerrari]

11. Right. Like the bailout. n/t

[cali]

2. sigh. dog, I hate teh stupid.

And Cynthia Mckinney is a grandstanding politician with delusions of grandeur.

There's zero point in taking her seriously.

[malaise]

3. Obama is not the leader

until January 20th.

[EFerrari]

12. I never agree with Caro but do on this one.

Obama is the President Elect. He has an office and seal and everything. There is even a name for this period in American government, we call it the transition.

There is no reason in the world why he couldn't show some leadership right now. He's been fine with weighing in on other matters.

[chimpymustgo]

16. He's talking about his economic plan now, why not foreign policy. At least try to stop the killing.

[bunnies]

5. Obama is not the fucking President yet.

Why the hell is this so hard for people to comprehend?! He cant do a damn thing about anything right now.

[Caro]

14. Let's see ...

During the primary we couldn't criticize him because we would be racists.

During the general election we couldn't criticize him because we HAD to have a Democratic president, and even the slightest criticism would blow that chance to smithereens.

Now that he's been elected, we can't criticize him because he's not the president yet.

I wonder what the excuse will be after he's sworn in.

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

[uppityperson]

17. Make sure you are critcizing him for something he could do, but isn't.

He can't fly to the moon unaided either.

When he becomes President, then criticize him for what he could do as President but isn't.

[chimpymustgo]

24. He needs to speak out as the soon to be leader of the free world. Like he talks about fixing the

economy.

[billyoc]

7. Obama's not on vacation. He's unemployed.

[stray cat]

8. Obama isn't employed

[madrchsod]

9. obama is in between jobs..so am i!

[lamp_shade]

10. LeaderS... ers... plural of Leader? We have more than one?

[Caro]

15. Are not all of our elected officials leaders?

If not, SHOULD they be?

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

[gratuitous]

18. What do you propose that Obama should do?

Put on a Superman cape and fly to the rescue? Issue a strongly-worded statement? Order American troops into the area? Call the various political and military leaders involved and inform them that in a little more than three weeks he'll have the authority to do something about the situation?

I'm really missing the point of this mindless Obama bashing. I have yet to see the first sensible syllable from the Doom Chorus of any concrete action Obama could take, given that he's no longer a U.S. Senator, and is not yet the U.S. President.

[Caro]

20. Call for a cease fire.

At least.

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

[gratuitous]

23. Besides making you feel good

What would that accomplish? Nobody involved would feel obliged to listen to such a call. As a private citizen (he currently doesn't hold any elective office), Obama could be charged with a violation of the Logan Act for interfering in American foreign policy. At least, that's what a significant portion of the Wingnut Echo Chamber would yammer on about. I don't think it's worth handing them such potent ammunition to make a meaningless statement.

Any other concrete proposals? It's frustrating, to be sure, but Obama is in no position whatsoever to do a damn thing about this situation.

[SoCalDem]

19. Neither Bush, nor Obama is president of Gaza or Israel

Obama is president of NOWHERE until Jan 20. and Bush hasn't "been" president for some time now.

For 60 years( and more), the USA has been Nanny-Designate for a mess created by Britain...going all the way back to 1917 & Lord Balfour.

Drawing arbitrary lines on maps have long-range consequences, and when one looks at all the places where failing empires took a parting shot by "making" new countries as they exited, it's very relevant to the safety of many more people than the people stuck in places they don't "belong".

Israel gambled that once they settled in, everyone would be okay with their model of democracy, and that everyone would get along, as they had before the land-grab, BUT the soon saw that democracy meant that the non-jewish inhabitants of Israel would soon demand voting rights, and since they traditionally had much larger families, it would not be long before they would be in a position to "take over". This thinking is not far afield from the right winger's crushing fear that "the Mexicans" will take over the US..

Even in a "two-state solution", a quick glance at the map shows the "problem"..Israel will be bisected, and the high birthrate of the Palestinians, pretty much demands that they will need a larger swath of land as each generation matures, so it's never-ending.

Both sides seem unable to reach accomodation, and having the US supply advanced weaponry to ONE side, seems unfair on its face.

The right-of-return is something that the Palestinians expect, and it's something that Israel cannot ever agree to...even though there are lawyers all over the world who are still finding and returning property lost to survivors of the Holocaust, so they fully understand the concept of "right of return" when it's their property being returned to them.

The shape of the Middle East, and all its problems is proof-positive that map-making is not a job done well by politicians and idealogues.

[Caro]

21. Nor are the other world leaders.

But many of them have expressed an opinion and called for cessation of fighting.

Carolyn Kay
MakeThemAccountable.com

[SoCalDem]

22. "Calling for" is one thing, but no one can "end" the violence

as long as we are sending support for the stronger participant. Our official policy has chosen, no matter what any individual says..

We have decided to hand the baseball bat to the 14 yr old who is wailing on the 7 yr old...and once the whacking starts, feeble protestations to stop, are not sincere or valued.