On his Twitter feed, Glenn Greenwald commends Rep. Barney Frank for these recent comments:
In an interview with the Boston Herald, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) said that that “‘as a Jew,’ Israeli treatment of Arabs around some of the West Bank settlements ‘makes me ashamed that there would be Jews that would engage in that kind of victimization of a minority.'”
I, too, thank Rep. Frank for his candor and his willingness to rise above tribalism. (Though I also agree with Jeremy that individuals have no reason to apologize for or feel ashamed of acts they oppose simply because those acts are committed under the auspices of a collective, whether legal, religious, or ethnic, that they “belong” to. As an official of the U.S. government, Rep. Frank has plenty to feel ashamed about; as a Jew, nothing.) Sadly, though, Frank turned right around the next moment with this:
In defense of Israel, Frank added there are people “howling for Israel to pay a price [for the Gaza aid ship attack] that don’t seem disturbed that North Koreans killed 46 South Koreans by torpedoing a South Korean boat. I think we have a right to ask for some consistency.”
Now lest it be said that my vicious, throbbing anti-Semitism has blinded me to the greater sins of Kim Jong-Il (and it will be said anyway), let me go on record as condemning the attack by a government that my tax dollars do not subsidize on a military vessel during what is technically still an ongoing war. Yes, Rep. Frank, it does appear to me that one of the two attacks is worse than the other, but I’ll let you guess which one.
"In defense of Israel, Frank added there are people “howling for Israel to pay a price [for the Gaza aid ship attack] that don’t seem disturbed that North Koreans killed 46 South Koreans by torpedoing a South Korean boat. I think we have a right to ask for some consistency.”
With a German torpedo?
U.S. blocks Security Council criticism of Israeli raid
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_15200395
North Koreans are alleged to have killed – surely, unless guilty until proven innocent applies. Some reports suggest a mine exploding below the vessel was responsibly.
A recently laid US mine actually. Presumably the Russians will do thorough metallurgical and fracture analalysis, if they are given any real exhibits to do it on.
In defense of Israel, Frank added there are people “howling for Israel to pay a price [for the Gaza aid ship attack] that don’t seem disturbed that North Koreans killed 46 South Koreans by torpedoing a South Korean boat. I think we have a right to ask for some consistency.”
An apples and organs comparison, Barnyard, and a nice example of creating a straw man argument for taking the "cheap grace" route. The North Korean attack on the South Korean naval vessel involved armed military forces in mutual engagement. The Israeli attack on the Gaza aid ship was a clear violation of international rules of war in that an armed military force committed an aggressive attack in international waters against unarmed non-combatants.
Nic
Yeah, how did North Korea get a German torpedo? North Korea has submarines? That work? North Korean submarines that fire German torpedos? Ummm, is Israel at "war" with Gaza's humanitarians? Shoot, I must have missed that memo. Whom on the Marmara fired "missiles" at Tel Aviv and Jerusalem? Bibi says that's exactly what would have happened. You know, if'n those icky humanitarians had made it through to Gaza. Ummm, is Bibi barking mad or just barking at straw dogs? "…vicious, throbbing anti-Semitism has blinded me …"? Wow and go figure, I always thought it was 'raving anti-Semite'. Cause that's what Spencer Ackerman called me.
The most curious aspect of the whole affair is that the North Koreans are so adamant that they did not do it.
Usually they are not5 shy about claiming credit for such events.
North Korea is still formally at war with the US and in effect South Korea–even with states of the UN who joined in the the Korean "war".
All there is in place is an Armistice, which in fact defines a state of war by marking a temporary cessation.
Calling the whole thing a "Police Action"as the US did is strictly PR.
Hmmm. Kim Jong Il has a new talking point: Why is it that are there some people howling for North Korea to pay a price for the South Korea ship atttack who don’t seem disturbed that Israel killed 19 (or is it 9?) humanitarian activists on the high seas?
remember gulf of Tonkin!
North Korea does not claim to be act morally superior to any one else unlike the other country.
nk sinking the cheonan…is that a fact now, coz an "international panel" comprising the us [sic], sk , uk [the lapdog], australia [the deputy] and canada [one of the boys] say so ? http://tinyurl.com/2e7e2xy
We have a right to ask for some consistency – South Koreans might be able to say that, not Barney Frank. But since the point of the Gaza adventure was opening up Gaza for trade, I have no problem demanding free access for international shipping to South Korea.
By libertarian standards, only if Barney Frank has personally done anything shameful as a congressman should he feel ashamed to be part of the government. Otherwise the peculiar and wrongheaded notion that we are should feel no shame or regret at what our families, cities, or countries do dies from a double-standard stabbing.
Yes, I would say Frank has done plenty to be ashamed of as a congressman. Start here: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB12458078445294509…
But aside from that, being an elected official in the US government is a heckuva lot more volitional than simply being a member of an ethnic group or being born in a certain place.
Latest News:
Sub attack was near US-SKorea drill
The question that should be asked why just now we are told about this.
" On the night a torpedo-armed North Korean submarine allegedly sank a South Korean patrol ship, the U.S. and South Korea were engaged in joint anti-submarine warfare exercises just 75 miles away, military officials told The Associated Press."
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