NolaMan
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What is the point of this? Is the President so concerned about world opinion that he will put it above everything else?
THE WEEKLY STANDARD has learned that senior Obama administration officials have been telling foreign governments that the administration intends to support an effort next week at the United Nations to set up an independent commission, under UN auspices, to investigate Israel's behavior in the Gaza flotilla incident. The White House has apparently shrugged off concerns from elsewhere in the U.S. government that a) this is an extraordinary singling out of Israel, since all kinds of much worse incidents happen around the world without spurring UN investigations; b) that the investigation will be one-sided, focusing entirely on Israeli behavior and not on Turkey or on Hamas; and c) that this sets a terrible precedent for outside investigations of incidents involving U.S. troops or intelligence operatives as we conduct our own war on terror.
While UN Ambassador Susan Rice is reported to have played an important role in pushing for U.S. support of a UN investigation, the decision is, one official stressed, of course the president's. The government of Israel has been consulting with the U.S. government on its own Israeli investigative panel, to be led by a retired supreme court justice, that would include respected international participants, including one from the U.S. But the Obama administration is reportedly saying that such a “kosher panel” is not good enough to satisfy the international community, or the Obama White House.
Frankly, I don't get what the big deal is. If Isreal boarded the ship in international waters, they were in the wrong. Sure the ship may have been carrying illegal good/material or even harboring suspected terrorist, but a sovereign nation still has no right to board a vessal outside their territorial waters - if that was, in fact, the case here.
Of course, what gets me is here it is we've stated we needed to stop being "big brother to the world" yet once again we're getting involved in another country's affairs. Granted, the White House/Obama Administration is getting alot of pressure to support Isreal, but how can you honestly support actions you suspect were illegal?
No matter who or what Isreal believed was aboard that ship, they still had no right to board it oustide their terrotorial waters.
good move, Obama
if we are to regain our credibility, internationally, we cannot continue to defend the indefensible
israel, by its own actions, has pushed our government to this limit
if israel has done nothing in this incident for which it should be ashamed, then this report will reveal that
it will also reveal whether israel has acted in a way which deserves to be criticized
and in the end, like the Goldstone Report, it will be filed away and israel will continue to do what it always does, oppress Palestinians
only with each UN report the world will become more aware of israel's egregious actions
I wish we would just stay the hell out of it. First, its none of our business, and second, neither Israel nor Palestine is innocent or in the right.
There already was an investigation being conducted... what was wrong with that one? This whole idea that we need to restore "credibility" internationally is such a sham. Who in your mind have we lost credibility with exactly that needs to be restored?
the kiss-your-sister internal investigation by the israelis of the israeli actions?
if there is another pending investigation, then please identify/reference it
The government of Israel has been consulting with the U.S. government on its own Israeli investigative panel, to be led by a retired supreme court justice, that would include respected international participants, including one from the U.S
From the original post:
I don't think that qualifies exactly as a "kiss your sister" investigation by only Israelis.
it's kiss-your-sister because the israelis control the investigation of their own actions
What is the point of this? Is the President so concerned about world opinion that he will put it above everything else?
What is the point of this? Is the President so concerned about world opinion that he will put it above everything else?
Supporting an investigation is not being "anti-Israel".
No, which is why we were already doing that outside on the UN. Supporting a UN sanctioned witch-hunt however is "anti-Israel."
With an international panel investigating though. What is the difference between that and the UN, outside of now you will bring the whole political issues between Israel and the Middle East into the whole mix, and most likely get even less of the truth?
If, in fact, this story is accurate, I believe it would be bad decision for the U.S. Israel has a strong, competent, and credible legal system. The U.S. should support transparency, but leave the investigation to Israel. Otherwise, the U.S. is establishing a bad precedent under which sovereign states are perceived to lack the ability to investigate issues that are internationally sensitive.
One could hardly envision the U.S., for example, supporting any UN resolution that would have called for an "independent commission under UN auspices" to, let's say, investigate the Abu Ghraib abuses, legal concerns related to the detentions at Guantanamo Bay, etc., much less complying with them. In general, if a country has a strong, competent, and credible legal system, the investigation should be left to the country. Extraordinary measures such as international investigations should be left strictly to the cases in which countries have deficient legal systems.
such a reasonable offer i will accept it
eliminate the israeli international panel and substitute the UN directed investigative panel
if israel actually has nothing to hide, why should it object?
The problem with this is that Israel has a bad reputation in the world, deserved or not. Any investigation done by Israel is going to be rejected out of hand by most. If the investigation is done by an organization outside of Israel, and concludes nothing wrong was done, then it has real meaning.
Sources: Obama Administration to Support Anti-Israel Resolution at UN Next Week | The Weekly Standard
More proof Israel has, at least until 2012, no friend in the USA. I hope they realize it's just a mistake, and don't hold our great mistake against us after Obama is removed from office.
assuming Obi has not forced a Nuclear War on the World.