By Bruce Kesler
ENCINITAS, California–Better appreciation of the facts about the Gaza flotilla (a flatuated term for that motley group of ships) are emerging, after the jumping to jaundiced judgment to jeer Israel. The key one: Turkey hid behind its radical IHH front to instigate violence and got what it wanted.
Why? The obvious answer is to delegitimize Israel.
True, but there are fathoms below that to delve for some bigger truths.
I’ve been stressing diving for one “big truth.” (here and here) The Obama administration was deep into pressuring Israel, likely contributing to the outcomes favorable to Israel’s enemies. Washington and Jerusalem should have known better.
The Obama administration, as the US State Department spokesman admitted, “through multiple channels many times” before the interdiction urged Israel to “restrain” itself. Israel acted with restraint, to the point of ineptitude. Similarly, the Obama administration at Turkey’s demand urged Israel to immediately release all aboard the Gaza blockade running ships, even though about forty were not identified or their links to Turkey and instructions were not discovered, and Israel promptly complied, allowing Turkey to cover up a key part of its nefarious role.
Credible journalists should be investigating these and probably more instances of the Obama administration’s culpabilities in harming Israel and strengthening US and Israeli foes. For those journalists who have forgotten how, here’s the basics of their craft when competently practiced: Who? What? Where? When? Why?
Some may find this exercise in truth finding not worthwhile because “everyone already knows the Obama administration is comprised of useful tools of US foes”, as one bluntly put it. But, not everyone knows, just those not of the Left paying attention. Most liberals are still in denial. This key truth needs to be prominently driven home for all to face and know. Such a high-profile event as this is the perfect vehicle to verifying what “everyone already knows,” or should know.
There’s a second “big truth” to be brought to the surface.
Since 2002, when Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan came to power in Turkey, he has been inching and jumping to move Turkey away from its past of Western orientation that Kemal Attaturk set it on after WWI, instead toward an Eastern (i.e., Islamist) view. Erdogan has played his cards well, and the stale Kemalists not. September 12 Turkey is to hold a referendum, supported avidly by Erdogan and his party, though by none else, that would cripple separation of powers by placing the judiciary under tighter control by his executive.
In the usual way of rulers who seek more power, Erdogan purposely picked the perfect “us-them” to rouse the 99%+ of Turks who are Muslim, “them” being Israel.
Erdogon and Turkey’s fingerprints on the Gaza instigation needs to be brought to the surface for all to see, including for those Turks who will be repulsed by Erdogan’s dirty deals with radicals for his own self-aggrandizement. The future of Turkey and of its impact on the West is at stake.
There’s a third “big truth” that needs to be brought to the light of day. That is the utter dangerous inanity of the Obama et. al. world view. They have repeatedly demonstrated that their view is useless and counter-productive to Western interests. Former allies and foes are not fools. They see the weakness, incompetence and ineptness of the Obama administration. They are, thus, encouraged to be bolder in pursuing policies and actions inimical to the US and to regional or world peace. Consistent with the Obama world view that is indifferent to or hostile toward the West is the casting out of Israel as an ally and measures that weaken its survival.
Surfacing the first “big truth” above is key to taking the blinders off for all to starkly see the others, and get more energized in sending those who have shucked American strength and integrity, and the survival of allies, to the bottom.
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Kesler is a freelance writer based in Encinitas. This article appeared previously on the Maggie’s Farm website.