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Qassam Rockets

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Fri, 01/02/2009 - 02:20 — McJ

Over the past few days, I've done a lot of reading on the ongoing massacre in Gaza. I was heartened to read a number of articles that were highly critical of the Israeli actions. (A commenter at Empire Burlesque highlighted a few of them at his blog, Disquiet Reservations.) I haven't been able to bring myself to watch or read any of the mainstream news coverage but after reading hundreds of comments I think I have managed to glean the major talking points. sad It really appears evident there is a small army of propagandists working this story. What I have read over and over (and over and over and over) from the pro Israel crowd is how Hamas has been lobbing rockets at some of the Israeli border towns that are situated near the Gaza strip and that they broke the ceasefire (which isn't true). They never mention these are towns that were built on land that was forcefully and brutally stolen from the Palestinians who are now imprisoned in that embattled hell hole. This is the 'supposed' justification for the Israeli actions. I am aware that everyone that reads this blog knows that is total bullshit however I found myself wondering about these rockets. As I know next to nothing about weapons, and there was so much talk about how Iran or Hezbollah or any other number of 'bad guys' are allegedly supplying Hamas with the material to make these things, I imagined they were a somewhat sophisticated weapon. I don't know what exactly I had in mind but I was astonished when I saw some of the pictures of these things. I read a comment by some Israeli official who admitted the rockets were more of a 'symbolic threat' than anything else and after seeing them I'm inclined to think that may be an understatement. They look like some kind of large fire cracker made out of stovepipes and scrap metal. I realize they have managed to kill or injure a few people with these things but it was interesting for me to note how effective the propaganda is in convincing people they are a major threat that must be countered by this horrific bombardment (using the latest and greatest US weaponry) of the people of Gaza. I imagine when most people hear the meme about the Hamas rocket 'barrages' they picture something much larger and more deadly than this.






More of these pictures are juxtaposed against the damage caused by the firepower of the IDF here. It is a very effective display and I was thinking someone could put this to music and post it on youtube. The public needs to see this because as one commenter noted "they tell the truth better than words".
(Warning: Some pictures are very disturbing.)

On a different note, I watched the documentary Occupation 101 last night. I recommend taking the time to watch it. It does a good job of explaining some of the history of the occupation as well as showing what it has been like for the Palestinians to live under this brutal occupation.
You can watch it on Google Video here or in the comment below.

HMMM...
I embedded the video in the comments because it doesn't like my code for the pictures when I embed the video in this post using Full HTML.

Update:
The Maan News Agency a news agency from Palestine is reporting that thousands of leaflets have been dropped on the Gaza strip by Israeli airplanes asking the Palestinians to inform them of the whereabouts of rocket launchers in return for aid and assistance. I am a little dubious about the content (which I have pasted below) that they are reporting. I don't know anything about this news agency, however AP did report it was a major independent news agency in a 2007 article at Haaretz.com regarding the arrest of one of it's executives. Heres a link to the Wiki entry on it.

The leaflet reads:

Dear people of the Gaza Strip,
Bear the responsibility for your fate!

The projectile launchers and the terrorist elements pose a threat on you and your families.

If you wish to provide help and assistance to your people in the sector, call the number below to provide us with the needed information.

The future of the massacre is in your hands
Don’t hesitate!

We will be glad to receive any information you have and it is not necessary to give us your personal information.

We will keep it as a secret.
Call us at the following number:
02-5839749
Or e-mail us at:
helpgaza2008@gmail.com

To provide us with any information on the terrorist factions.

Note: To protect your safety we ask you to be secretive when you call us.

Head of the Israeli defense forces

Comments

Fri, 01/02/2009 - 05:08 — McJ
McJ's picture

Occupation 101


Fri, 01/02/2009 - 09:23 — littlehorn

Excellent post

I'm trying to send this post by Palestinian Mothers to as many people as I can. Those rockets look like toys.

Fri, 01/02/2009 - 14:44 — McJ
McJ's picture

pictures of rockets

I wished she would have linked to the sources of the pictures in that post. I'm going to do some checking to see if I can find some confirmation the pictures are authentic. I have no doubt they are but then it never matters what we think we know only what we can prove. I found this picture on the Ma-an News Agency which is an independent news agency from Palestine.

There is no caption with the picture saying where it is from or when the picture was taken. It looks like a bit of bravado or show of force to me, I can't imagine these would last out in the open like that. What I have read repeatedly is that the Palestinians make these rockets in their homes from supplies they have smuggled in through the numerous tunnels they dug into Egypt. This is one of the reasons the Israeli's are giving for targeting apartment buildings and individual homes. They are also making what appear to be random terrorizing phone calls to ordinary Palestinians telling them their homes will be targeted if they have any weapons or rocket making materials in them. The IDF just dropped thousands of leaflets over Gaza asking them to inform the Israeli's of the whereabouts of projectile launchers in return for aid and assistance. I will add the content as an update to the main post. It really is quite disgusting.
"I set it down,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain..." -- Shakespeare, Hamlet, I, v

Fri, 01/02/2009 - 11:41 — cryptic

anything goes

The mainstream media's take on the war has made us fall deeper into the abyss. Press releases from AP and the like no longer just take liberties with facts but accept a whole fabrication as a story. Yesterday, we reached new Orwellian heights with the "Israel shows its determination" headline from a supposedly factual, dispassionate source (a local newswire I stumbled upon by accident). When cruelty and mass murder become "determination", I'm inclined to act as you do McJ, and I don't feel the stomach to witness this incessant verbal murder. Words no longer carry any remnant of truth under those skies. And beneath this huge blob of nothingness sinister intents and purposes are taking place, and the gap between them and the surface is public relations (good intentions, a victim's stance) and the benefit of the doubt ("they wouldn't do this"). Maybe propaganda isn't so much about making people believe reasons for wars but about keeping them from realizing that in the warm, fuzzy hearts of the GWOT's leaders, even genocide is considered fair game. Kinda like the gap between "they let 9-11 happen" and "they engineered it".

Sat, 01/03/2009 - 03:31 — McJ
McJ's picture

"Israel shows its determination"

I've seen numerous headlines along those lines such as "Israel Vows to Fight On to the Bitter End" or "Israeli Minister Vows War to the Bitter End or"Israel Presses on with The Gaza Offensive". "Incessant verbal murder" is a good way to describe it. I can't read them any longer, they anger me so much and I am not by nature an angry person. I can't imagine what it must be like to be a Palestinian living in the occupied territories, I can't even figure out what to do with the anger I feel just reading about it! The media outlets keep describing it as war between competing forces, endlessly analyzing Israeli tactics and their possible repercussions, talking about offensives etc. etc. This is a David and Goliath situation. Israel with their US made F-16s, drones, tanks, gunboats and other assorted WMD's pounding the life out of the Gaza Strip and the Palestinians throwing stones at tanks and lobbing little rockets over the border.
Today I read that the Israeli's are allowing foreign nationals to leave. I fear this is shaping up to become a much worst slaughter.

"I set it down,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain..." -- Shakespeare, Hamlet, I, v

Sat, 01/03/2009 - 01:47 — SMDQR (not verified)

Their now getting calls..

"The Israel Defense Forces has unveiled a new tactic meant to reduce civilian casualties, calling houses before they are to be targeted in order to give inhabitants time to flee the attack. "

here's the link
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1052260.html

Do they honestly think they will win over the people's sympathies with this type of tactic? War has never been funnier, and more tragic, at the same time.

And thanks for mentioning my blog. I hope people in this community can visit it once a week.

Sat, 01/03/2009 - 04:01 — McJ
McJ's picture

It's a terror tactic

It's a terror tactic plain and simple. I have read some of the online diaries of ordinary Palestinian citizens who are getting these phone calls - they don't know what to do - it just terrifies them. The IDF cares nothing about the civilian population, that much is evident from their actions.

Glad to mention your blog! I see you hail from TO. There are a few of us Cannucks here. smiling Feel free to join us and get an account. We are a small crowd, active in discovering the truth of what goes on around us and I believe we are all fans of Chris Floyd!

"I set it down,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain..." -- Shakespeare, Hamlet, I, v

Sat, 01/03/2009 - 03:25 — admin
admin's picture

great post mcJ

It's amazing to me how many relatively intelligent people seem to fall so fully for the propaganda and believe Israel is justified in this activity.

Sat, 01/03/2009 - 03:38 — McJ
McJ's picture

Thanks

Glad to see you around!

I have been reading comments over at GG's and others and it does appear there are more people willing to speak out on this. Let's hope it is a trend that will move more people to see through the propaganda.

I read our fearless leader will not be around for some weeks. I guess some of us will have to take up the slack around here. wink

"I set it down,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain..." -- Shakespeare, Hamlet, I, v

Sat, 01/03/2009 - 11:58 — admin
admin's picture

some comments

thanks for taking up the slack mcJ!
Pardon my ignorance, but what is GGs?
Here are some comments I stumbled upon in my travels:
http://www.topix.net/forum/source/los-angeles-daily-news/TIRKJKTS276PQ6M...

We've got a long row to hoe and a blurry line to toe. Gotta keep on keepin on. Good to know I'm not alone and good to see the voices of justice speaking up, if only here and there!
-NJT

Sat, 01/03/2009 - 14:29 — McJ
McJ's picture

GG's

GG = Glenn Greenwald smiling

"I set it down,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain..." -- Shakespeare, Hamlet, I, v

Sat, 01/03/2009 - 14:39 — McJ
McJ's picture

White Phophorous??

Gaza White Phosphorous
© Bernat Armangue/AP
http://www.sott.net/articles/show/172089-White-Phosphorous-Israel-fires-...
"A shell fired by the Israeli military explodes in the northern Gaza Strip.
Israel unleashed an artillery bombardment on Gaza today for the first time in its week-long offensive, prompting increased speculation that a ground invasion is about to begin."

"I set it down,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain..." -- Shakespeare, Hamlet, I, v

Sat, 01/03/2009 - 17:37 — Debbieanne

they've done it

I just heard on Sky News Australia, that Israel has sent tanks and ground forces into Gaza. And so it continues, the slaughter and the lies!

Sat, 01/03/2009 - 18:29 — SMDQR
SMDQR's picture

They call it 'entering' Gaza

Did Hitler and the Nazis enter Poland?
Did Saddam's Iraq enter Kuwait?

Sat, 01/03/2009 - 21:46 — Pat

Disgusting

http://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2009/01/04/what-israel-dont-want-you-to-see/
my hate is officially complete
sons of bitches. every damn one of them. and to think we paid for this shit is beyond my scope of understanding. i hope the money changers get plowed back into the sea.

Sat, 01/10/2009 - 03:48 — McJ
McJ's picture

Tom and Tipsy checkin out Qassam rockets

aka Flying Pipes
AFP/Getty)
Tom Lantos, Chairman of the US Senate Foreign relations Committee, with Israeli Foreign Minister Tsipi Livni, during 2006 trip to Israel
http://www.imemc.org/article/58379

"I set it down,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villain..." -- Shakespeare, Hamlet, I, v

Tue, 03/17/2009 - 12:17 — Frank Brown (not verified)

I would agree that these

I would agree that these rockets pose an insignificant threat to the Israeli population compared to the advanced arsenal the IDF possesses. The only way to solve this conflict is to equally disperse the land amongst the two actors. The original U.N. partition plan attempted to do exactly this, and those parameters should have been upheld. It is not fair for the Palestinians to have no homeland...especially after they were promised it for their help against the Ottoman Empire in WWI. Israel will never let this happen...it will be interesting to see what will happen in the next 10 years.

--
Frank
Personal injury lawyer

Tue, 03/31/2009 - 16:35 — McJ
McJ's picture

Thanks FB for your comment.

Thanks FB for your comment. I just noticed it smiling.
I think the time has long since passed where the two state solution is viable. In any case, Israel has no interest in it. I believe that a one state solution is the only option now and that will take lots of pressure from the outside. Although that seems highly unlikely there are some hopeful signs of late. We have collected quite a number of books and articles in our Middle East Forum here if you are interested in doing some reading on the subject.

"The most unpleasant truth in the long run is a far safer travelling companion than the most agreeable falsehood." Emerson

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