Greg Mitchell's Blog, page 65

The U.S. Role in Gaza Tragedy

From a lengthy and vital backgrounder by the venerable American Friends Service Committee.

The United States is complicit in the current situation, playing a key role in sustaining both Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territory and the Gaza blockade. Both the current and past administrations have given Israel a green light to carry out attacks on Gaza and have asserted an Israeli right to self defense while failing to recognize an equal right to self defense for Palestinians.  The U.S. also continues to support the isolation of Hamas and the Israeli imposed blockade on Gaza, which it views as a legitimate tool for undermining Hamas, regardless of the blockades’ impact on the general Gaza population.  The U.S.’s refusal to engage with Hamas has also led it to actively oppose reconciliation between Hamas and the PA through a threatened cut in all assistance to the PA if it reconciles with Hamas.  This policy has helped entrench political divisions within the Palestinian polity.

Further, the United States provides more than $3 billion in military assistance to Israel each year.  This unconditional U.S. military assistance subsidizes and allows Israel to maintain its occupation in Gaza.  More specifically, weaponry purchased by Israel from the U.S. using U.S. military assistance, including missiles and white phosphorus shells,[xvii] are used by Israel during its attacks on Gaza.  This policy brings nothing but harm to Gaza and also undermines the long-term security interests of both Israelis and Palestinians.

Cohen on Creativity in the Tower of Song

Terrific interview, from 1992, with he's-my-man, Leonard Cohen, on the process of songwriting and poetry writing--the "hard work" involved and his total dedication to this hard work, the need to the fully "cut the gem" to see if it's worth saving. 

My immediate realm of thought is bureaucratic and like a traffic jam. My ordinary state of mind is very much like the waiting room at the DMV… So to penetrate this chattering and this meaningless debate that is occupying most of my attention, I have to come up with something that really speaks to my deepest interests. Otherwise I nod off in one way or another. So to find that song, that urgent song, takes a lot of versions and a lot of work and a lot of sweat.

But why shouldn’t my work be hard? Almost everybody’s work is hard. One is distracted by this notion that there is such a thing as inspiration, that it comes fast and easy. And some people are graced by that style. I’m not. So I have to work as hard as any stiff, to come up with my payload.

Israel Using Anti-Personel Daggers and Other Sunday Updates

What's being described as "the massacre in  Shujayeh" neighborhood in Gaza, in heaviewt bombardment of war, with at least 60 dead today from Israeli shelling.  “Bodies were on the street, body parts everywhere. We couldn’t help them, we had to leave.”  Photo of mother who lost child.  More from The Guardian.   NYT on its home page: "Casualties growing on both sides."  That is, two more Israeli soldiers and more than 140 Gazans. Wash Post headline on front page: "2 Israeli Soldiers Killed in Gaza."   Netanyahu on CNN just now: "If you look at our response it's actually very measured."

I noted the claim, and ran photo, a few days back back but now seems confirmed, as this Guardian story this morning attests.  "The Israeli military is using flechette shells, which spray out thousands of tiny and potentially lethal metal darts, in its military operation in Gaza.  Six flechette shells were fired towards the village of Khuzaa, east of Khan Younis, on 17 July, according to the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights. Nahla Khalil Najjar, 37, suffered injuries to her chest, it said. PCHR provided a picture of flechettes taken by a fieldworker last week. The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) did not deny using the shells in the conflict."

Sharif Kouddous of Democracy Now! tweets:  "At Shifa hospital two children, 9 & 7 years old, lie dead. Arguments about IDing boy b/c his head is blown off. 'Is it Hamza or "Khalil?'"  Anne Barnard of NYT tweets:  "In ER, girl, 9?, lies still, staring. No relative w/her. Docs gently check pulse, again & again, until it's time. A white sheet & she's gone."

Photo below of video journalist Khaled Hamad killed last night in Gaza.  Note shirt.  His father at his funeral.

Cooperstown and Chicago

My man, Jeff Katz, mayor of Cooperstown, gets major tribute in his hometown rag, the Chicago Ttibune.  He recently hosted me there and wrote a piece on Obama tribute to Cooperstown for my blog.

Death Toll Passes 300 and More Saturday Updates

UPDATE:  Israel announces tonight it is expanding ground invasion, perhaps lashing out after Hamas fighters went through tunnels and killed a couple of soldiers.   

Earlier:  The death toll in Gaza has now topped 340, at least one-quarter kids, NYT story on family of nine, including four children.  Much of coverage still on Hamas rockets and tunnels--when most of the civilian dead have been nowhere near either.

NYT editorial today gives equal weight to Israel and Gaza civilian suffering and largely blames Hamas.  Makes call for peace talks, and says Israel complicit in causing crisis,  but demands no end to disproportionate attacks on Gaza civilians.

Prime Minister Netanyahu says he feels regret "for every mistaken strike on civilians."  That would be more than 200 so far, and counting.  No word of anyone being punished for such mistakes. 

A second Israeli soldier has been killed--the first not from friendly fire. 

If you missed: After much protest, an embarrassed  NBC says Ayman Mohyeldin returning to Gaza this weekend, after suddenly pulling him out.   He just thanks folks for "support" via Twitter, and claimed NBC is indeed interested in the Palestine side of the story (which many had questioned).

Major protests in many cities here and abroad, with as many as 50,000 marching in London (below), for example.

Countdown to Hiroshima: X-Minus 18 Days

As I noted yesteday: Every year at this time, I trace the final days leading up to the first (and so far only) use of the atomic bomb against cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in August 1945.   In this way the fateful, and in my view, very tragic, decisions made by President Truman and his advisers, and the actions of scientists in Los Alamos, and others, can be judged more clearly in "real time."  As many know, this is a subject that I have studied and written about in hundreds of articles and two books (including the recent Atomic Cover-Up) since the early 1980s--along the way I've spent a month in the two atomic cities and weeks at the Truman Library--with a special emphasis on the aftermath of the bombings, and the government and media suppression in the decades after.

For background, here are three of my postings already this month:  the first, on Leo Szilard's petition  to the President signed by dozens of fellow atomic scientists urging that the U.S. not use the new weapon against Japanese cities or at least stage a demonstration first;  the second, on the first test of The Bomb at Trinity on July 16, 1945; the third, on why this still matters today.

Now, today's entry, going back to July 18-19, 1945.  Read yesterday's entry for more on Truman's view of how Russia's entry in war would mean "fini Japs."

*

At Potsdam, Truman wrote in his diary today:

"P.M. [Churchil] & I ate alone. Discussed Manhattan (it is a success). Decided to tell Stalin about it. Stalin had told P.M. of telegram from Jap Emperor asking for peace. Stalin also read his answer to me. It was satisfactory. Believe the Japs will fold up before Russia comes in. I am sure they will when Manhattan [reference to Manhattan Project] appears over their homeland. I shall inform about it at an opportune time."

So there is a "telegram from Jap Emperor asking for peace."  Of course, we'll never know if peace could have been worked out shortly. One alleged hang-up was that the U.S. was demanding "conditional surrender" while the Japanese wanted to be able to keep their emperor as a figurehead.  Of course, after we dropped the bomb, we allowed this condition.  This, and Truman's view that the Soviet entry into the war, set for around August 8, would provoke a surrender made it vital for him--in the view of some historians--to use the new weapon as soon as possible.

Truman also wrote a letter to his wife Bess, affirming his belief that the Soviet declaration of war--even without the Bomb--would cause an end to the war well before the planned U.S. invasion.

I've gotten what I came for - Stalin goes to war August 15 with no strings on it... I'll say that we'll end the war a year sooner now, and think of the kids who won't be killed! That is the important thing. 

 Truman would use the new weapon anyway, killing at least 50,000 Japanese "kids." 

The CNN Word--and Gaza Updates

Update #3  After much protest, an embarrassed  NBC says Ayman Mohyeldin returning to Gaza this weekend, after suddenly pulling him out.   He just thanks folks for "support" via Twitter, and claimed NBC is indeed interested in the Palestine side of the story (which many had questioned).   

Update #2   Final casualty count for day--296 dead in Gaza, including at least 71 children.  CNN's Jake Tapper tweets: "IDF spokesman on civilian casualties: There will be mistakes http://bit.ly/1jZ8ODH."

While the NYT and most other U.S. media outlets continue to focus on Hamas rockets aimed at Israel (but which almost never cause damage), not a single Israeli has yet been killed by one.   The one Israeli settler killed was hit by a mortar.  The one soldier who died was likely hit by--friendly fire. (Israel is probing that and in those cases it almost alway turns out to be the case.  Latest from IDF spokesman: He was probably killed by tank fire from his own unit by mistake.)   Gaza death toll hits 274 today, and 2200 injured.  Wait, update that:  four kids, youngest age 2, killed just now, AFP reports.    Writing this, I will no doubt be attacked by David Frum and others claiming that I want "more dead Jews."  

Update:  Diana Magnay out.  CNN now removes her from coverage. She stresses that the "scum" were those who threatened to attack her vehicle. Many in media have misreported who she was referring to.  This comes on heels of NBC recalling one of its correspondents who had reported on killing for the four Gaza kids on the beach.

Earlier: A CNN correspondent, Diana Magnay, apparently had second thoughts about an angry tweet that followed he witnessing Israeli crowd on hill cheering air strikes on Gaza--and threatening to attack her car if she uttered a single "wrong word."   She called them "scum." Then deleted it, but not before many saw it and started responding.  L.A. Times covers here.

Dozens of  protests all over the world today and this weekend.  Turks have allegedly seized the Israeli embassy, and so on.

NYT op-ed by Nathan Thrall points finger at Israel and the West for recent actions causing this tragedy. 

Meanwhile, U.S. Senate, no shock, passes unanimous resolution fully backing Israel missile attacks as invasion begins, with Dems and liberals on board.  "Isolationist" Rand Paul calls for "more teeth."  Lindsay Graham puts it clearly: "The Senate is in Israel's camp."  No kidding.

Countdown to Hiroshima: X-Minus 19 Days

As I noted yesteday: Every year at this time, I trace the final days leading up to the first (and so far only) use of the atomic bomb against cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in August 1945.   In this way the fateful, and in my view, very tragic, decisions made by President Truman and his advisers, and the actions of scientists in Los Alamos, and others, can be judged more clearly in "real time."  As many know, this is a subject that I have studied and written about in hundreds of articles and two books (including the recent Atomic Cover-Up) since the early 1980s--along the way I've spent a month in the two atomic cities and weeks at the Truman Library--with a special emphasis on the aftermath of the bombings, and the government and media suppression in the decades after.

For background, here are three of my postings already this month:  the first, on Leo Szilard's petition  to the President signed by dozens of fellow atomic scientists urging that the U.S. not use the new weapon against Japanese cities or at least stage a demonstration first;  the second, on the first test of The Bomb at Trinity on July 16, 1945; the third, on why this still matters today.

Now, today's entry, going back to July 18, 1945.  Read yesterday's entry for more on Truman's view of how Russia's entry in war would mean "fini Japs."

*

At Potsdam, Truman wrote in his diary today:

"P.M. [Churchil] & I ate alone. Discussed Manhattan (it is a success). Decided to tell Stalin about it. Stalin had told P.M. of telegram from Jap Emperor asking for peace. Stalin also read his answer to me. It was satisfactory. Believe the Japs will fold up before Russia comes in. I am sure they will when Manhattan [reference to Manhattan Project] appears over their homeland. I shall inform about it at an opportune time."

So there is a "telegram from Jap Emperor asking for peace."  Of course, we'll never know if peace could have been worked out shortly. One alleged hang-up was that the U.S. was demanding "conditional surrender" while the Japanese wanted to be able to keep their emperor as a figurehead.  Of course, after we dropped the bomb, we allowed this condition.  This, and Truman's view that the Soviet entry into the war, set for around August 8, would provoke a surrender made it vital for him--in the view of some historians--to use the new weapon as soon as possible.

4 More Dead Kids in Gaza Today--As Israel Invades.

UPDATE  Israel announces it has launched a ground assault.   "Palestinians and journalists in Gaza reported heavy artillery fire from ground troops in the north and Israeli gunboats stationed near Gaza’s port as well as a continuing air assault. The strikes were aimed at a rehabilitation hospital and, earlier killed four young children as they played on a roof." In fact, Israelis destroy only rehab hospital in Gaza, then it burns to ground....And now battles in the West Bank.  Palestine News Network tweets:  "Clashes have erupted between the Palestinian youth and the IOF in East Jerusalem, Ramallah, Abu Dis, Nilin and Nablus."

Usual Jodi Rudoren pro-Israel stenography at NYT.  Israel, you see, is merely targeting "tunnels."  Oh, they may have killed four more kids but, hey, rockets are "streaming" into numerous Isrsaeli "cities" (note, no account of any damage whatsoever).  Love the line that all the Gaze residents have to do to avoid trouble is avoid "infrastructure" and being anywhere near Hamas.   And on and on.

Earlier: No, this is not just catching up with yesterday's horror--it's today in just first hours after ceasefire.  This NYT story--which naturally focuses on rockets to Israel--mentions three but Tyler Hicks of the paper, ace photog, just tweeted it's four.  Photo of the four....Meanwhile, NBC has pulled from Gaza its correspondent (who hails from Egypt) who memorably reported on the deaths of yesterday's four slain kids....Banned shrapnel like arrows allegedly used by Israelis now...Confirmed dead:  237 of  which 52 are children and 33 are women, 1706 injured 450 are children and 360 are women...

There may be even more child deaths today.  Follow local journalist @Mogaza for live updates from scene.  Latest:  "Terrifying scenes. Child now arrives to Shifa hospital without head..."

Countdown to Hiroshima: X-Minus 20 Days

Every year at this time, I trace the final days leading up to the first (and so far only) use of the atomic bomb against cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in August 1945.   In this way the fateful, and in my view, very tragic, decisions made by President Truman and his advisers, and the actions of scientists in Los Alamos, and others, can be judged more clearly in "real time."  As many know, this is a subject that I have studied and written about in hundreds of articles and two books (including the recent Atomic Cover-Up) since the early 1980s--along the way I've spent a month in the two atomic cities and weeks at the Truman Library--with a special emphasis on the aftermath of the bombings, and the government and media suppression in the decades after.

For background, here are three of my postings already this month:  the first, on Leo Szilard's petition  to the President signed by dozens of fellow atomic scientists urging that the U.S. not use the new weapon against Japanese cities or at least stage a demonstration first;  the second, on the first test of The Bomb at Trinity on July 16, 1945; the third, on why this still matters today.

Now, today's entry, going back to July 17, 1945.
*
Even at this late date, Americans would be surprised to learn that President Harry Truman, just three weeks before ordering use of the new atomic bomb against Hiroshima, wrote in his diary, after meeting Joseph Stalin in Germany, that the Russians’ promised entry into the war against Japan would end the conflict—“Fini Japs”—even without the Bomb. It happened on this date in 1945.

As it happened, the Russians did enter the war—on schedule—within two days of the bombing of Hiroshima, and some historians believe that this shock, as much as the two A-bombs (the second against Nagasaki on August 9), provoked the speedy Japanese surrender a few days later. The question remains: Would this have happened without the Bomb? It’s a close argument, but the fact remains: most citizens of the only country to use the dreadful weapon (killing 200,000 civilians) are not even aware of it.

Now here, verbatim, is a famous (to some) passage from Truman’s diary on July 17, 1945. Also note Truman’s assessment of Stalin as “honest.”

Just spent a couple of hours with Stalin. Joe Davies called on Maisky and made the date last night for noon today. Promptly at a few minutes before twelve I looked up from my desk and there stood Stalin in the doorway. I got to my feet and advanced to meet him. He put out his hand and smiled. I did the same, we shook, I greeted Molotov and the interpreter and we sat down.

After the usual polite remarks we got down to business. I told Stalin that I am no diplomat but usually said yes and no to questions after hearing all the arguments. It pleased him. I asked him if he had the agenda for the meeting. He said he had and that he had some more questions to present. I told him to fire away. He did and it is dynamite—but I have some dynamite too, which I am not exploding now. He wants to fire Franco, to which I wouldn’t object and divide up the Italian colonies and other mandates, some no doubt that the British have. Then he got on the Chinese situation told us what agreements had been reached and what was in abeyance. Most of the big points are settled. He’ll be in the Jap war on August 15. Fini Japs when that comes about.
We had lunch, talked socially, put on a real show, drinking toasts to everyone. Then had pictures made in the backyard.

I can deal with Stalin. He is honest, but smart as hell.

Most American when asked about the Soviets entering the war at that late day seem to believe they were just   “getting in on the spoils.”  In fact, we had demanded that the Soviets do this and we knew it was coming, bomb or no bomb. This has led to theories – which I have never embraced – that the main reason we dropped the bombs, knowing Japan was already defeated, was to keep the Soviets out of Japan, and intimidate them in the postwar era.   I’d call this a reason, not the reason.  

Be that as it may, there is no question that the Soviet declaration would have had a huge impact on the Japanese.  That's why Truman, in his diary, declared that the Russian attack alone meant "fini" for "the Japs." 

The key point is:  We didn’t wait around to find out if the Japanese would have surrendered to us shortly (especially after we let them keep the emperor) to prevent the Russians from invading, or if a strong nudge via use of our bomb would have been required.