I offer the following in the spirit of hangman’s humor preceding what I hope will be a safe passage for all my friends on the various boats of the Gaza flotilla.
The IDF, like all military organizations gives names to every operation it executes. Its planned piracy on the high seas against the upcoming Gaza flotilla is probably no exception. I thought we’d tear a page from David Letterman’s book and suggest a list of Top Ten (actually it’s bar mitzvah 13, but who’s counting) suggested names for this high seas fiesta. Here’s your chance to devise some new ones. The winner will get to ride with the lead IDF zodiac intercepting the first flotilla ship:
Operation Bleeding Heart
Operation Don’t Menschen It
Operation Samaritan Smackdown
Operation Quick & the Dead
Operation Eternal Victim
Operation Let’s Get it Over With
Operation Finish the Job
Operation No Humanitarian Crisis
Operation Mavi Marmara-You’re So Over
Operation Let’s Talk Turkey
Operation IHH-I Hate Hamas
Operation Hot Lead
Operation Lead Balloon
And from Helena Cobban: Operation Ungrateful Dead (you’re showing your age, dear Helena).
Thanks to an anonymous reader for the concept.
There is nothing funny in any aspect of flotillas organized to draw attention to the illegality of the Israeli blockade of Gaza or of the brutal killing of nine peace activists on a vessel in international waters by heavily armed Israeli troops who attacked the vessel.
There will now be another attempt by an international peace flotilla to break the illegal blockade of Gaza.
The UN has already condemned the 4 year blockade against Gaza as a collective punishment of 1.6 million Palestinians and therefore illegal under the Geneva Conventions. If the Israeli government authorises further illegal killings in international waters, then the EU should immediately pass a resolution abrogating the EU-Israel Association Agreement that gives Israel, as a non-EU member, valuable trading access to the European market. In which case, the Israeli state would be economically bankrupt as it would lose its primary trading market. The EU should assert itself and instruct Israel to conform to international law and to respect internationally agreed conventions which include the prohibition of state-sponsored assassinations, forging of the passports of other states in order to commit illegal acts on foreign soil and the boarding of ships in international waters with the intention to kill. As America refuses to discipline the Israeli state, therefore it is up to the EU to take the appropriate action.
The leverage the EU has is extremely powerful, if it wishes to use it. It is the largest single trading block in the world consisting of 27 states with a combined market of over 500 million. Israel has negotiated a bilateral trading agreement with the EU although it is a non-member. However, it is in gross breach of the human rights provisions contained within that agreement and has been so for a long time. The EU can and should cancel the agreement due to non-compliance. In which case, Israel loses her main trading partner and access to the whole of Europe upon which its economy depends. No European market means a severely damaged Israeli economy which cannot be replaced by the US.
That is the leverage. Should it be used? The answer is ‘yes!’ This Israeli government treats the UN, the EU and even the US with contempt. The time has come to make Israel realise that a tiny state of less than 8 million people out of a global community of 7.5 billion is not and never will be a world power. It must conform to UNSC resolutions and to internationally agreed conventions on warfare and on crimes against humanity.
How about:
Flotilla the None
Or: (for Hebrew speakers)
Stall Brit-ania
Sorry for those who don’t like puns.
May I suggest:
– Operation David vs. Goliath
– Operation Lions of Judah
– Operation Rak Kach
– Operation Kahane Chai
– Operation Never Again
How about ‘Operation Never Again–Again’ [in memory of the Mavi Marmara “episode”]
Operation Pirates of the Mediterranean 2
Operation Stop the Exodus
P.S. Wishing the Freedom Flotilla 2 a safe and successful passage to Gaza. Stay Human!
“Operation Pirates of the Mediterranean 2”
You have my vote.
Operation Kobayashi Maru (trekkies only)
my sixth sense suggests “High Seas Dead People”
Operation Keep-Away
Operation Mr. Crabs
Operation Nuke the Whales
Operation Magnum Force
Operation Screwjob
Operation Hoth Invasion
Operation “You Rebel Scum”
Finally…
Operation Grand Admiral Doernitz’s Kriegsmarine Happy-Time Fun Hour, featuring ABBA and Dr. John
RE: “what I hope will be a safe passage for all my friends on the various boats of the Gaza flotilla.” – R.S.
MY COMMENT: As usual, I fear the worst.
FROM LAWRENCE DAVIDSON, 06/15/11:
SOURCE – http://www.counterpunch.org/davidson06152011.html
P.S. FROM RAY McGOVERN, 06/19/11:
SOURCE – http://www.commondreams.org/view/2011/06/19-2
Hey Rich
Thanks for the fantastic blog. After reading this post and your other stuff I almost fell off my chair in laughter. I think I shall write the school that gave you your PHD and tell them I think they made a wise choice in giving it to you. It exposes the farce they call education today. Your views, logic and stance on almost everything is wacked ! I say you go back and spend another 50k on a second PHD. Your such a hack.
Thanks for the laughs – its rare to find such a eloquent, eeducated idiot.
All the best
John
You’d think someone with your last name wouldn’t mock the names of others. You never know how people might try to bait you.
Go right ahead moron. If you bothered to read anything about me you’d know which degrees I received. But go ahead, knock yourself out. And do report back here w. yr findings. We await them with baited breath.