Obviously our incoming president is going to lie a lot. All presidents do. But…we can at least count on him to make up some new lies, right?
U.S. Sending 3,000 Tons of Weaponry to Israel
U.S. seeks ship to move arms to Israel
LONDON (Reuters) – The U.S. is seeking to hire a merchant ship to deliver hundreds of tons of arms to Israel from Greece later this month, tender documents seen by Reuters show.
The U.S. Navy’s Military Sealift Command (MSC) said the ship was to carry 325 standard 20-foot containers of what is listed as “ammunition” on two separate journeys from the Greek port of Astakos to the Israeli port of Ashdod in mid-to-late January.
A “hazardous material” designation on the manifest mentions explosive substances and detonators, but no other details were given.
“Shipping 3,000-odd tons of ammunition in one go is a lot,” one broker said, on condition of anonymity.
Via KitKat’s Critique, which points out Ashdod is less than 20 miles from Gaza.
For my part, I think Hamas should refuse to discuss any ceasefire that doesn’t include a complete, UN-verified blockade of weaponry shipments to Israel.
Tom Geoghegan for Congress
Tom Geoghegan, labor lawyer and author of quite a few fantastic books about democracy and economic justice, has announced his candidacy for Congress on DailyKos. He’s running in the special election to replace Rahm Emmanuel in Illinois’s 5th congressional district. His campaign website is here, and you can donate money via ActBlue.
Progressives couldn’t ask for a better candidate or opportunity. Certainly I’ll be sending him money and doing whatever else I can for his campaign. I strongly urge you to do the same.
Helping Gaza in 2008
Who created this email address?
The predictably horrifying answer, along with one of history’s greatest prank phone calls, can be found here.
PREVIOUS HELP: Don’t Make Me Come Over There and Be Generous to You
More Fine Journamalism from America’s Finest Journamalists
Today in the New York Times:
Israel’s stated goal for its military operation is to halt the rocket fire from Gaza and to create a new security equation in southern Israel, where three civilians and a soldier have been killed in rocket attacks in the last six days.
It has not declared its intention of toppling Hamas…
Tuesday in Slate, which is owned by the Washington Post:
Asked if Israel was out to topple Gaza’s Hamas rulers, [Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni] said, “Not now.” If reinstating the status quo ante is the test of proportionality, then Israel passes with flying colors. All it wants to do—as Prime Minister Ehud Olmert explained—is “to improve the security reality of southern residents in a thorough manner.” A modest goal…Olmert never promised Israelis that he would dismantle Hamas’ rule in Gaza.
The Times of London, quoting something said on Monday—ie, well before either of the above articles were published:
“The goal of the operation is to topple Hamas,” Haim Ramon, the deputy to Ehud Olmert, the Prime Minister, said.
It was the first time since it launched its blistering offensive that Israel has openly stated that regime change is its ultimate goal. “We will stop firing immediately if someone takes the responsibility of this government, anyone but Hamas,” Mr Ramon said.