US remains silent over McKinney arrest

[ExpandMyMind]

Nearly a day after the detention of former US lawmaker Cynthia McKinney by Israeli forces, Washington has yet to make a reaction.

Israeli Navy detained former US congresswoman and Nobel Prize laureate Cynthia McKinney and twenty other human rights activists on board a relief boat outside Israel's territorial waters on Tuesday as they were heading to Gaza on a humanitarian mission.

Tel Aviv claims the boat was trying to break Israel's two-year siege on Gaza.

Read more...

[ExpandMyMind]

Campaigner tells of Israel arrest

Veteran Northern Ireland human rights campaigner Mairead Maguire has been speaking about her arrest by Israeli special forces.

Ms Maguire was detained on Tuesday with a group of campaigners, including ex-US congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, onboard a boat bringing aid to Gaza.

"Specially trained Israeli forces, complete with balaclavas and guns, came onboard our ship," she said.

"They took our ship from Gazan waters to Ashdod completely against our will."

The Nobel Laureate is expected to be deported in the coming days.

Israeli forces boarded the ship which was trying to carry aid and pro-Palestinian activists to the Gaza Strip in defiance of Israel's blockade of the territory.

Ms McKinney described it as "an outrageous violation of international law", as the boat was on a humanitarian mission and was not in Israeli waters.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/norther...and/8131851.stm

[InHuman]

How silent were you when they sunk one of your ships?

[Godsnmbr1]

How silent were you when they sunk one of your ships?

They as in....?

[Pseudo Intellectual]

Who the hell cares? She knew the risks, but her anti-Israelism led her to break the law, and now she's been arrested. Let her rot there for all eternity, I say.

Except Israel has announced they're going to send her back to the States in a couple of days. Too bad.

[Godsnmbr1]

Who the hell cares? She knew the risks, but her anti-Israelism led her to break the law, and now she's been arrested. Let her rot there for all eternity, I say.

Except Israel has announced they're going to send her back to the States in a couple of days. Too bad.

Oh good lord...

If only we could switch you with someone from Gaza, even for a day.

[+susieice]

Who the hell cares? She knew the risks, but her anti-Israelism led her to break the law, and now she's been arrested. Let her rot there for all eternity, I say.

Except Israel has announced they're going to send her back to the States in a couple of days. Too bad.

Yes, she knew there could be risks, but she was acting out of humanitarism and not Anti-Israelism. Food and medicines are necessities of life. She wasn't on a ship full of armaments.

[+susieice]

Who the hell cares? She knew the risks, but her anti-Israelism led her to break the law, and now she's been arrested. Let her rot there for all eternity, I say.

extract Except Israel has announced they're going to send her back to the States in a couple of days. Too bad.

Yes, she knew there could be risks, but she was acting out of humanitarism and not Anti-Israelism. Food and medicines are necessities of life. She wasn't on a ship full of armaments. extract

Edited July 5, 2009 by susieice

[The Silver Thong]

Yes, she knew there could be risks, but she was acting out of humanitarism and not Anti-Israelism. Food and medicines are necessities of life. She wasn't on a ship full of armaments.

Shhhhhhhh you'll destroy his fantasy world

[+susieice]

Shhhhhhhh you'll destroy his fantasy world

Sorry about double post. Don't know how to delete it. Maybe now, I won't try. LOL

[sam12six]

Who the hell cares? She knew the risks, but her anti-Israelism led her to break the law, and now she's been arrested. Let her rot there for all eternity, I say.

Except Israel has announced they're going to send her back to the States in a couple of days. Too bad.

The point is not that the people on that boat took a risk by being where they were, it is that nobody is talking about it. It's just another example of the hypocrisy that our western culture displays when dealing with Israel.

When Iran captures 15 British marines, there is an immediate uproar in the news and harsh demands for the "rogue nation" to surrender its prisoners.

When Israel captures a handful of non-military personnel, nothing. Let's ignore the fact that these hostages include a former US official who could have information important to the US's security, the mere fact that a foreign power has kidnapped citizens of the US in (arguably) international waters should have spawned immediate action from someone in DC.

But, that's what we're getting accustomed to when dealing with Israel.

There are people who are all for attacking Iran because they are building a nuclear power program. Iran has signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. There is no evidence that they are trying to become able to manufacture weapons-grade nuclear material, but still, lots of people are all for bombing them "just in case" they are tricking the UN and are actually trying to build weapons.

Israel, on the other hand, has refused to become party to the non-proliferation treaty. They actually have nukes and nuclear power plants. For some reason though, you never hear people talking about how we should use "laser targeted" strikes to cripple their nuclear program until they sign and comply with the terms of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

Look at recent history (say 20 years). How many countries have attacked more than one other country in that time?

Definitely the US.

Israel (though most people have a problem with using the word "attack" where Israel is concerned. It's like the people who claim black people can't be racist.)

One could make an argument for Great Britain and Australia, maybe (though in fairness, they usually get dragged into the fights the US and Israel start, like some gang member having second thoughts who just feel like they're in too deep to get out now)

These are the only proven rogue nations. These are the nations the world should be trying to stop. It hasn't happened yet because, to this point, the US could pretty much stand against the world combined. Now we're bankrupt and still trying to expand our empire.

I don't think it's any coincidence that at this time, we're hearing sabre-rattling in Asia and that the other powers in the world are meeting looking for ways to separate the world's economy from that of the US. Should they succeed, the US in in for a world of hurt.

Our "brother" Great Britain will also suffer from association (Australia as well).

Our "little brother" Israel - you know, the one who runs around spitting in people's faces knowing the US is ready to send young Americans to die should a fight start - will suffer the worst because it's surrounded by countries who have spent the better part of a century biting their tongues and sitting on their hands because they didn't want to start a fight that the US would get involved in.

[Lord Umbarger]

Who the hell cares? She knew the risks, but her anti-Israelism led her to break the law, and now she's been arrested.

I agree totally! If she didn't know the risks, then she is a fool that no one should consider smart enough to pay any attention to. If she did know the risks then she is a fool for doing something as stupid as sticking her nose into another nations problems. The way she babbles in the States, you'd think that we were the worst folks on Earth> I guess now she thinks that the Jews are eveil too.

I have never once heard tale of her having anything good to say about the good guys in any conflict. You'll have to forgive me here but, after the little tramp demanded that white folks in America pay blacks for slavery, I lost any and all respect that I might have ever had for her. She is nothing more than a rabble rouser and a trouble maker. Since she thinks that America and whites in gneral suck so bad, let her live with the gazans and see how highly they think of her. Trust me, after a few hours of Islamic treatment, she'd be willing to come back to the U.S., even if the only was was on a slave ship.

I am so sick of hearing her mouth about how bad Israelis and whites are that I can't stand it. If I were to ooze the same dipbble that she does about blacks, I'd be run out of town as a racist. So, she's in an Israeli prison? Good riddance! As far as I'm concerned, the Israelis are saving us the time, money and aggravation of housing the witch.

[Lord Umbarger]

Yes, she knew there could be risks, but she was acting out of humanitarism and not Anti-Israelism. Food and medicines are necessities of life. She wasn't on a ship full of armaments.

So what? It's not an issue of what she was carrying. It's an issue of breaking a blockade. When you do things like that, you are taking your life into your own hands to start with. Getting captured in a blockade zone and whinning about it is as stupid as getting shot and blaming the bullet for not taking a detour.

That is the whole purpose of a blockade.... to keep everything out so that ou don't haev to spend valuable manpower searching teh cargo holds of every boat that comes floating by. Does anyone here remember the trouble the U.S. had trying to do that in VietNam? And the U.S. is a large, powerful and rich nation and they were still able to sneak weapons by us. Had we installed a blockade like the Israelis have done or like the North dd around the South in the Civil War, there wouldn't have been anywhere near the number of U.S. causalties in that war. Now, since we got our butt hairs singed in VietNam, their are vioces demanding that Israel suffer the same fate? B.S.! They are smarter than that!

[Pseudo Intellectual]

Yes, she knew there could be risks, but she was acting out of humanitarism and not Anti-Israelism. Food and medicines are necessities of life. She wasn't on a ship full of armaments.

You don't know who McKinney is, do you?

Edited July 6, 2009 by Pseudo Intellectual

[acidhead]

I agree totally! If she didn't know the risks, then she is a fool that no one should consider smart enough to pay any attention to. If she did know the risks then she is a fool for doing something as stupid as sticking her nose into another nations problems. The way she babbles in the States, you'd think that we were the worst folks on Earth> I guess now she thinks that the Jews are eveil too.

I have never once heard tale of her having anything good to say about the good guys in any conflict. You'll have to forgive me here but, after the little tramp demanded that white folks in America pay blacks for slavery, I lost any and all respect that I might have ever had for her. She is nothing more than a rabble rouser and a trouble maker. Since she thinks that America and whites in gneral suck so bad, let her live with the gazans and see how highly they think of her. Trust me, after a few hours of Islamic treatment, she'd be willing to come back to the U.S., even if the only was was on a slave ship.

I am so sick of hearing her mouth about how bad Israelis and whites are that I can't stand it. If I were to ooze the same dipbble that she does about blacks, I'd be run out of town as a racist. So, she's in an Israeli prison? Good riddance! As far as I'm concerned, the Israelis are saving us the time, money and aggravation of housing the witch.

...some people have got a lot of issues that a message board cannot solve... anger and self confidence issues... poor.. poor american boy..

[+susieice]

You don't know who McKinney is, do you?

She's not on Bush's list of top ten favorites and she questioned the prior intelligence that the US may have had before the 9/11 attacks that could have been a warning. What kind of information vital to National Security do you think she may have that the Isreali Government would be interested in. Even the US allows the Red Cross to bring in food and medical supplies. What she had on that ship means everything. If she was in fact carrying weapons, she has a problem. Then she would be acting in a hostile manner. There's no evidence of that as of now. Maybe Washington is just waiting for the facts before responding to her detainment.

[Denisius]

If she have had actually wanted to do something good for the world and not simply try to provoke an incident, she would have instead directed those supplies to Africa where they are direly needed.

Edited July 6, 2009 by Denisius

[Godsnmbr1]

Our "little brother" Israel - you know, the one who runs around spitting in people's faces knowing the US is ready to send young Americans to die should a fight start - will suffer the worst because it's surrounded by countries who have spent the better part of a century biting their tongues and sitting on their hands because they didn't want to start a fight that the US would get involved in.

But like you already pointed out, it's a known fact that Israel has nukes and I think we all know that they'd be willing to use them. If the time came where they were ever standing alone against nonnuclear nations? I don't think they would hesitate for a second to press that big red button. And like you said, the United States is bankrupt, so will we go to war to defend our empire? We are in for some interesting times I think...

Right now everything appears to be working, sure, but if anything goes wrong whatsoever--anything large enough to affect global trade--we will be SoL.

And just look at the players. You know Putin wants to rumble, you ever seen the way he walks? The man's straight looking for a fight. The Chinese? Shiiiiiiiiiit. I don't think Americans give the Chinese nearly enough respect and I'd bet money that one day they show us how stupid that is. Mark my words...

When it comes down to it, all we really have are the British and a handful of other basically useless countries on our side. They could have practically the entire world to choose from, plus almost the entirety of real reserve currency. If this were to happen Taiwan would = China. That's a given. Same with South Korea. They just couldn't stand against a force like that pouring through the border, so all of their wealth and their resources now belong to that side. No one can argue against that. South Korea and Taiwan would not last a day. Germany? Ha! I mean seriously, that's just funny. Honk Kong, Singapore, ....Switzerland?! Again, it's just funny. In case you're wondering what I'm doing right now, I'm just going down the list of countries ranked by their foreign reserves. I think we can admit that so far it's been pretty one-sided, if the point ever did come where the world were to be once again divided into two opposing sides.

The United States and the UK are ranked #20 and #21, respectively (as of May 2009, I'm sure it's probably quite a bit different even by now). Before even getting to us, you first have to go through Iran, Libya, Malaysia, Thailand, and Algeria. Even Mexico is ranked higher. You have to look at the situation for what they would want it to be and more importantly what they could actually make it be. A collapse of the dollar = a worldwide economic meltdown, again that's a given, but this would naturally result in some sort of emergent coalition to again establish order. An entirely new system would have to be created and the only way to do it would be to use foreign exchange reserves, am I wrong? It's the one thing that can't be just created out of thin air. Everyone knows exactly how much everyone else has. And in this new system, China would be up 2 trillion, while the US would end up so negative it wouldn't even be a question of payment anymore. Japan, not to mention Europe, could simply be bought off (Japan=1 trillion, Europe=.5) Do you honestly think they'd risk their necks for us? And this isn't an impossible scenario. In fact, looking at it makes me ask myself--why wouldn't they do it? Collapse the dollar and you have to work with whatever's left, IF everyone agrees to just treat US obligations (ie treasuries) like toilet paper. China, Japan, Russia, India.... If there's any validity to karma whatsoever, the US and the UK are in for one hell of a retribution I think.

In closing, I leave you with this...

[Pseudo Intellectual]

Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israel has allowed a former U.S. congresswoman, Cynthia McKinney, to return home days after detaining her and other activists on board a ship carrying relief supplies for Gaza, a pro-Palestinian group said on Monday.

Israeli authorities intercepted the vessel, which had 21 activists on board, on June 30 and said it would not be permitted to enter Gaza's coastal waters because of security risks in the area and an existing naval blockade.

McKinney has been released, a statement by the American Muslims for Palestine said.

[Lord Umbarger]

...some people have got a lot of issues that a message board cannot solve... anger and self confidence issues... poor.. poor american boy..

LOL! Good one! LOL! Seriously though, she gave a speech a few years back demanding that blacks be given "Reperations Pay". No joke. I actually watched a good bit of it on some channel that showed it live. I mean, with all that is wrong in the world and with all the stuff that many Americans right here at home need, this was the best cause that she could find to back. What a loser.

What bugs me even more about her is that she was a junior congressperson from Georgia for a time too. Before she got thrown out of office. Why am I so disturbed by that? I LIVE IN GEORGIA! She was at one time supposed to be representing me and all she did was make Georgia look more backwards than Smokey and the Bandit did back in 1977!

In my honest opinion of her, she is childish, whiney and below average intelligence. On those three things, yeah, I could be mistaken or your opinion may differ. But, she is also an attention whore and no one can deny that. She'd sell her front teeth if she could use it to make the whites look bad or if she thought that it would hurt the U.S. in some way. She could be outwitted in a debate by someone picking their nose and flicking a booger at her. She just doesn't talk sense. She is proof that you don't have to be smart or surrounded by smart people to acquire a prominant position in the United States.

[Godsnmbr1]

^^^ Can anyone else just feel the latent racism?

[Michelle]

^^^ Can anyone else just feel the latent racism?

Yup...almost everything I've heard from McKinney makes me think she's a racist.

[sam12six]

LOL! Good one! LOL! Seriously though, she gave a speech a few years back demanding that blacks be given "Reperations Pay". No joke. I actually watched a good bit of it on some channel that showed it live. I mean, with all that is wrong in the world and with all the stuff that many Americans right here at home need, this was the best cause that she could find to back. What a loser.

What bugs me even more about her is that she was a junior congressperson from Georgia for a time too. Before she got thrown out of office. Why am I so disturbed by that? I LIVE IN GEORGIA! She was at one time supposed to be representing me and all she did was make Georgia look more backwards than Smokey and the Bandit did back in 1977!

In my honest opinion of her, she is childish, whiney and below average intelligence. On those three things, yeah, I could be mistaken or your opinion may differ. But, she is also an attention whore and no one can deny that. She'd sell her front teeth if she could use it to make the whites look bad or if she thought that it would hurt the U.S. in some way. She could be outwitted in a debate by someone picking their nose and flicking a booger at her. She just doesn't talk sense. She is proof that you don't have to be smart or surrounded by smart people to acquire a prominant position in the United States.

I actually agree with you that she's scum of the highest order. I was also embarrassed by the fact that enough people in my state considered this slime bucket to be good enough to represent the people of Georgia on the national stage.

Thing is, that's not the point. When a foreign government kidnaps a US citizen, the traditional response would be an immediate, public demand that the country either present it's lawful charges against that US citizen or let that person go. If it had been any other country but Israel, that's precisely what would have happened.

Since it WAS Israel, when asked what they're going to do about the situation, the responses were pretty much all, "You should ask Israel what they are planning".

Yep, McKinney is a scumbag. Would you be saying, "Good for them! It's her own fault!", if Iran or Afghanistan captured an American scumbag?

[Pseudo Intellectual]

^^^ Can anyone else just feel the latent racism?

What racism? He didn't say anything about blacks. All he said was that Cynthia McKinney -- someone who happens to be black -- was a racist, and not because of her skin color.

[acidhead]

Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:42:53 GMT

The following is the transcript of Press TV's phone interview with former US congresswoman Cynthia McKinney, who is currently held in an Israeli jail for trying to take humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Q - You are currently in Israeli custody, on what grounds have you been detained?

A - Well that's a very interesting question, because we have violated no laws. And its interesting that the twenty-one of us, who were onboard the Spirit of Humanity had our boat commandeered, we were hijacked, we were then taken to Israel which was not our intended destination. And we became the Free Gaza 21. I became Ramleh prisoner number 88794 and I am in right now Ramleh Prison.

Q - How is the situation over there? How do you feel? Is there any sort of pressure against you? Violence whatsoever, as you can see violations?

A - Well it's clear that there is a unique justice system here in Israel. Starting with our abduction, and as some have said who were part our group 'our kidnapping', with respect to our intended destination we were taking -- I personally had collected -- crayons, coloring books, number 2 pencils, pencil shapers, water colors and paint brushes to take to the children of Gaza. And now I find my self being deported from a country I had no intention to visiting.

We were given literature legal documents that were in Hebrew, and of course I speak no Hebrew. And this all started because I wanted to do something that neither President (Barack) Obama nor his special envoy has done and that is to visit Gaza in the aftermath of Israel's Operation Cast Lead. Unfortunately Operation Cast Lead was made possible by US taxpayers' gift to the Israeli war machine, in the form of F-16s, helicopter gunships, white phosphorus, depleted uranium, cluster bombs and anything that kills, the United States seems to be willing and able to hand over to the Israelis, who are more than happy -- it seems -- to use them against Palestinian people.

Q - Are you in easy contact with your lawyer to speak to your lawyer?

A - Well now that's very interesting question as well as to the extent of communication that we've had with our lawyers. In fact while we were being detained at Bignorian airport the lawyer was inside the building trying to find us but the Israeli authorities would not give any information as to where we were or, you know were just in the same building and we had a brief interview with someone representing the Ministry of Interior, and it was at that point that I told that gentleman that we knew that the lawyers were looking for us inside the building it was after that point that we were given a very short 10-minute opportunity to speak with our lawyers, which was absolutely insufficient and now I'm learning as I sit next to Mairead Maguire Nobel Laureate from Ireland, and I sit next to Teresa McDermott from Scotland, and not everyone even got their ten minutes.

Q - What is the position of the US administration right now in regards to what is happening to you?

A - It's interesting that we have had a call from the Foreign Ministry of Ireland for the release of their nationals. There are two people from Ireland who are among our 21. We also learned just today that the king of Bahrain sent a private jet to pick up five members of our group who were from Bahrain, and they have been received extremely warmly, as you can imagine, by the people of Bahrain and of course by the king himself.

We, as of now, have not heard anything that our administration has said about our particular plight but that well said it might be is not surprising as you might recall president-elect Obama allowed the 22 or so days of Operation Cast Lead to go without even him mentioning a word.

Q - What is your message to the international community? What do you want to say about what happened to you?

A - First of all we are very thankful for the outpouring of support that we have learned has taken place all over the world, from Atlanta to New York to Los Angeles, San Francisco. We just leaned today that there was a demonstration in support of us in Haiti. We've had demonstrations all throughout Europe in support of our position so we thank the people of the world who are paying attention to what we were trying to accomplish and who have responded so supportively.

I have, on several occasions, called for the congress of the United Stated and our president to not sign into law any legislation that carries one dime or one weapon for the Israeli military. And I renew that call, in addition to the call for President Obama and his special envoy to visit Gaza. I have also called repeatedly that the president and the congress acknowledge the elected representatives of the people of Palestine, and that also carries with it the responsibility to engage Hamas.

I remember that it was one Israeli leader who said, "You can't make peace with your friends you have to engage you enemies," and if there is going to be peace in the region everyone had to be engaged.