White House Presser Live From Crawford
Posted on December 30th, 2008
by Kelley Vlahos |
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“Let’s be careful about how we are assessing the numbers coming out of Gaza” — White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe in response to press question regarding Palestinian civilian casualties in the Israeli bombardment.
The latest, widely reported numbers put the death toll at more than 375 — The U.N has reported at least 50 of those killed were civilians. More than 1,600 Palestinians have been wounded, according to reports.
Though the administration urges Israel to “avoid” civilian casualties, it would be irresponsible to take any reported civilian tolls at face value, says Johndroe.
Plus, the spokesman adds, “what about the three people I heard were killed in Israel today?”
Filed under: Uncategorized
Any complaints by you - or anyone in our government - about Gaza civilian casualties or Israeli “disproportionality” have zero intellectual or moral weight, given the hundreds of thousand civilian casualties caused by us in Afghanistan and Iraq. As a side issue, someone has never uttered a peep of complaint about attacks on Israel - and no one on this site ever has - should have the grace to shut up when that country responds. But my first point is the main one: when you have beaten your breast about the deaths caused by our government, then perhaps you can complain about the deaths caused by others.
Just another update to the Old Testament… which is in part a literal land deed, in part a pick and choose menu for morality (homosexuality bad, but no stoning adulterers any more etc.) and now is revised: 125 Palestinian eyes or teeth for a Jewish eye or tooth.
Greg:
I’m sorry that the Jewish body count is not more acceptable to you.
These “disproportionate” responses always give the radicals what they want: a wider conflict with innocent victims in whose names the radicals can claim to pursue their incurable obsession with waging war on the infidel. Murderers and nutcases are elevated to warriors and patriots.
Yes, as usual, the excessive response is also the product of political and strategic guile. No, we do not have the ability or consequently the responsibility to fix it all.
All of this aside, I have to wonder: what is a proportionate and reasonable response to random rockets falling in your neighborhood? Should kibbutzim start teaching summer campers how to build home-made rockets instead of how to clean chicken coops? Maybe if it was farmers versus farmers instead of government vs radical political movement the problem could be resolved. After all, neighbors usually figure it out even if they just decide to hate each other’s guts and never talk.
Bill, it is utterly wrong for even a single person to be murdered, of any ethnic origin. The problem is believing that one can end the cycle of atrocity by continuing and amplifying it.
Rooting for the overdog:
http://www.dixienet.org/rebellion/2008/12/rooting-for-overdog.html