She claims to have seen firing from an Apache helicopter? Footage taken by whom? The Israelis blocked all transmissions from the activist flotilla. Why is it not available for all to see? Where is this footage? Unless of course the story is fabricated....

Bet she is a a typical lefty, anti-american, anti-israel,anti-'big' oil, pro global warming, anti-capitalist. 'feminist' collecting $150,000+ a year under a capitalist system, driving a truck to work and living in a large energy eating apartment and living of the fat of the land.

Formersnag: << I suppose these would be the same tired, old, hippie, boomer, peace protesters who have been proposing disarmament since the 1960's. >>

Atman: << Bet she is a a typical lefty, anti-american, anti-israel,anti-'big' oil, pro global warming, anti-capitalist. 'feminist' collecting $150,000+ a year under a capitalist system, driving a truck to work and living in a large energy eating apartment and living of the fat of the land. >>

Clearly Formersnag and Atman are incapable of addressing Katleen Barry's argument that the USA must bear some responsibility for this appalling massacre of civilians by Israel, via their financial support to the Israeli military. That's why they've resorted to predictable ad hominem attacks without even bothering to mount the semblance of a counter argument.

C J Morgan, they were not "peace Activists" they were Communist, Anarchist, Socialist Radicals who support terrorists.

They knew, or should have known, in advance that the Isreali military would act in exactly the way that they did. They are "Martyr's to the cause" just like "suicide bombers".

Good riddance to them.

The Isreali military showed great restraint, IMHO they should not have, i would have been tougher.

Thank God Formersnag you were not in charge!

Thankfully the Israel haters can't blame Mr Bush. What a dilemma for them. They can't blame their beloved Obama so now they have to redirect their hate. Hypocritical to say the least.

Should America take some of the responsibility?
Of Course it should. Despite the power of the
Zionist lobby, there are other factors that
also shape US support for Israel. They include:
the politics of oil; the arms industry and its
influence in Congress; the Christian Right's
messianic beliefs; racist attitudes to Arabs
and Muslims; and the failure of progressive
movements to challenge US policy on Israel
successfully.

As Antony Loewenstein tells us in his book,
"My Israel Question," "Socially and philosophically,
mainstream US culture identifies with the Zionist
ideal of Israel as a Western liberal democracy
blooming in the desert, constantly fighting for
its existence against irrational Arab forces.

Indeed, this ideal has much in common with the USA's
own foundational mythology. The sentiment shared by
many conservatives and liberals is partly admiration
for Israel's democratic norms and its social
institutions, such as the kibbutz, and partly
relief that an oppressed minority has finally found
sanctuary. Through a mixture of guilt regarding
Western anti-Semitism, personal friendships with
Jewish Americans who identify strongly with Israel, and
fear of inadvertently encouraging anti-Semitism by
criticising Israel... writer American historian
Stephen Zunes, ' there is enormous resistance to
acknowledge the seriousness of Israeli violations of
human rights and international law.'