Here's why the Flotilla didn't submit to inspection.

[The Muslim Agorist]

Partial List of Items Prohibited into the Gaza Strip - May 2010

There's more behind the link, but that's also a partial list.

chocolate
fruit preserves
seeds
potato chips
dried fruit
fresh meat
plaster
wood for construction
cement
iron
plastic/glass/metal containers
tarpaulin sheets for huts
fabric (for clothing)
fishing rods
various fishing nets
nylon nets for greenhouses
spare parts for tractors
irrigation pipe systems
ropes to tie greenhouses
planters for saplings
size A4 paper
writing implements
notebooks
newspapers
toys
sewing machines
horses
donkeys
cattle

[anarchir]

Damn. So basically anything useful or necessary.

[ForumTroll]

> chocolate

wat

[The Muslim Agorist]

Well... there are some useful things on the permissible list too. But I think it's clear we're talking about more than weapons.

To me the obvious trend between the two lists was that anything which might foster self determination was prohibited, while anything which might foster utter dependence was permitted.

Examples:

Prohibited: seeds, greenhouse parts, tractor parts, planters
Permitted: fruit and vegetables

Prohibited: fabric and sewing machines
Permitted: clothes

Prohibited: irrigation pipe systems
Permitted: mineral water

But here's the one that really drives the point home:
Prohibited: fishing rods
Permitted: fish

[anarchir]

But here's the one that really drives the point home:
Prohibited: fishing rods
Permitted: fish

Yeah that one does sink in.

[Cognitive Dissident]

Well... there are some useful things on the permissible list too. But I think it's clear we're talking about more than weapons.

To me the obvious trend between the two lists was that anything which might foster self determination was prohibited, while anything which might foster utter dependence was permitted.

Examples:

Prohibited: seeds, greenhouse parts, tractor parts, planters
Permitted: fruit and vegetables

Prohibited: fabric and sewing machines
Permitted: clothes

Prohibited: irrigation pipe systems
Permitted: mineral water

But here's the one that really drives the point home:
Prohibited: fishing rods
Permitted: fish

There's a pattern there: dependency.  That sucks.  Thanks for opening our eyes to the one-sided police state they've got going over there.  I never knew it was so overt (yeah, I knew there were "security concerns," but...)

[avshae]

Well... there are some useful things on the permissible list too. But I think it's clear we're talking about more than weapons.

To me the obvious trend between the two lists was that anything which might foster self determination was prohibited, while anything which might foster utter dependence was permitted.

Examples:

Prohibited: seeds, greenhouse parts, tractor parts, planters
Permitted: fruit and vegetables

Prohibited: fabric and sewing machines
Permitted: clothes

Prohibited: irrigation pipe systems
Permitted: mineral water

But here's the one that really drives the point home:
Prohibited: fishing rods
Permitted: fish

Look, your basic flawed assumption is that you think the Israeli government owes the Gazan population jack shit. The Israeli gov is under no obligation whatsoever to cater to the needs of people in Gaza. In fact the only obligation of the Israeli gov is to prevent immediate humanitarian disaster, as required by intl law. (And this Israel clearly does; you can bet your prayer beads that if it were entirely up to Hamas bodies would be rolling in Gaza streets within days).

I'm curious to know what makes you think Israel is gonna supply Gaza with chocolate treats and fruit delicacies while Hamas is returning the favor with arbitrary rocket fire into civilian towns? Free trade is practiced between nations in a state of peace, not in places where there is armed conflict.

Does the Palestinian Joe need a tractor or a fishing rod for immediate humanitarian survival? No he doesn't - he needs water, baby formula, rice, vegetables, and canned meat, nothing else. If Gazans have a problem with that, they should take it up with Hamas, their government, whom they voted for. They should ask Hamas leaders why they chose to declare and implement hostility towards their economic lifeline - Israel. Did they do it because they are fucking stupid or because they just don't give a shit about Palestinian Joe's self-sufficiency. Maybe they can urge Hamas to unconditionally surrender to Israel, thus ending the armed conflict? Or if they have balls maybe they can rise and revolt against Hamas.

I wouldn't take that list at face value, since the document says it is based on accounts of "Palestinian merchants". But some things are not permitted for obvious reasons: cement and iron can in theory be used for housing, however in all likelihood Hamas will use them for constructing weapons and reinforced concrete bunkers. Most other things (paper, toys, etc) are not essential to keep Joe P. alive until Hamas is overthrown.

Regardless of how much your Imam pumps you up with how Evil the Zionists are, you have to accept that facts. There is a state of armed conflict between Israel and the Hamas regime in Gaza, and one which Israel did not initiate. War sucks, that's why most regimes want to end hostilities and live in peace. Unfortunately for Joe P. Hamas does not seem to want that.

[The Muslim Agorist]

Hey jerk what makes you think anyone wants jack shit from Israel. The problem isn't that Israel won't GIVE Palestinians fishing rods. It's that they shoot people in the face who try.

[avshae]

Watch Glenn Beck's commentary to learn the real reason why the flotilla didn't want to dock in Israel or Egypt and transfer the aid via regular channels:

part 1:
http://video.foxnews.com/v/4223912/inside-the-freedom-flotilla/?playlist_id=86917
part 2:
http://video.foxnews.com/v/4223984/glenn-beck-web-exclusive/?playlist_id=86917



Or see the full thing here:

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[The Muslim Agorist]

I'm enjoying this thread so much I decided it deserved a stand alone article

Flotilla refuses Israel's fishy inspection policy

[davann]

Look, your basic flawed assumption is that you think the Israeli government owes the Gazan population jack shit.

I believe they owe them some land from what I understand.

[TimeLady Victorious]

... or the real reason could be because they're idiot liberals who, like Rachel Corrie, wanted to pick a fight and then make it seem like they're the good guy.

The Unabomber knew what leftism is about.

The psychology of modern leftism

6. Almost everyone will agree that we live in a deeply troubled society. One of the most widespread manifestations of the craziness of our world is leftism, so a discussion of the psychology of leftism can serve as an introduction to the discussion of the problems of modern society in general.

7. But what is leftism? During the first half of the 20th century leftism could have been practically identified with socialism. Today the movement is fragmented and it is not clear who can properly be called a leftist. When we speak of leftists in this article we have in mind mainly socialists, collectivists, "politically correct" types, feminists, gay and disability activists, animal rights activists and the like. But not everyone who is associated with one of these movements is a leftist. What we are trying to get at in discussing leftism is not so much a movement or an ideology as a psychological type, or rather a collection of related types. Thus, what we mean by "leftism" will emerge more clearly in the course of our discussion of leftist psychology. (Also, see paragraphs 227-230.)

8. Even so, our conception of leftism will remain a good deal less clear than we would wish, but there doesn't seem to be any remedy for this. All we are trying to do is indicate in a rough and approximate way the two psychological tendencies that we believe are the main driving force of modern leftism. We by no means claim to be telling the whole truth about leftist psychology. Also, our discussion is meant to apply to modern leftism only. We leave open the question of the extent to which our discussion could be applied to the leftists of the 19th and early 20th century.

9. The two psychological tendencies that underlie modern leftism we call "feelings of inferiority" and "oversocialization." Feelings of inferiority are characteristic of modern leftism as a whole, while oversocialization is characteristic only of a certain segment of modern leftism; but this segment is highly influential.

[Bill Brasky]

Do you know the purpose of chocolate in a war zone?

[ForumTroll]

Do you know the purpose of chocolate in a war zone?

LOL, I was on the same line of thinking there.

[Bill Brasky]

Do you know the purpose of chocolate in a war zone?

LOL, I was on the same line of thinking there.

I'm glad when you get my restraint. 

I'm obviously not known for brevity, but I try it on once in a while.  You're better at it than I am.