Seems Iran's Bark, Is Almost As Lame As Its Bite.

[twyacht]

Once again, little man of Iran, talks the talk, but seems to cave when confronted with a REAL threat of consequence.

Which we, tragically have joined the U.N. in the laughable category....But not Israel.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100626/ap_on_re_mi_ea/gaza_blockade_2

 Sat Jun 26, 11:42 am ET
Iran cancels plan to send ship to Gaza
TEHRAN, Iran – Iran will not be sending a blockade-busting ship to Gaza in defiance of Israeli warnings, an Iranian lawmaker said Saturday, citing Israeli "restrictions."

Mahmoud Ahmadi Bighash told the semiofficial ISNA news agency that instead of sending a ship, an Iranian delegation of lawmakers would travel to Lebanon and sail on one of the aid ships expected to head to Gaza from there.

The Iranian ship called "Infants of Gaza" had been expected to sail Sunday for Gaza carrying 1,100 tons of relief supplies and 10 pro-Palestinian activists but plans were canceled "due to restrictions imposed by the occupying Zionist regime," Bighash said.

Iran made the announcement Tuesday prompting Israel to warn its archenemy to drop the plan.

Israel considers Iran a threat because of its suspect nuclear program, its long-range missiles and its support for Lebanese and Gaza militants.

Israeli security officials said the prospect of an Iranian boat headed for Gaza had Israel deeply worried, and that naval commandos were training for the possibility of taking on a vessel with a suicide bomber on board.

After an international outcry over the killing of nine Turkish activists in a May 31 raid on another aid ship, Israel eased its land blockade of Gaza but insisted on maintaining a naval blockade it says is necessary to keep weapons shipments out of the hands of Gaza's Hamas rulers.

Israel imposed the blockade after Hamas overran the Palestinian territory in June 2007.

In Lebanon, organizers of the ship, "Julia," said they plan to sail in the next few days but said they had nothing to with Iran. A second ship will only be transporting women, while a third ship will include parliamentarians from the Middle East and Europe. It is not clear when that ship will sail.

Just like the "bully" on the playground, get em' one good time, (as Israel did years ago), and gee, they think twice.....

Wish our politicians could say the same, N. Korea, included.

[fightingquaker13]

I have never been Israel's number one fan when it comes to the occupied territories. IMHO, they should have stopped at the outskirts of Jeruselem and the Golan, and handed the rest of the mess back to Jordan. Still, in this case I support them. They left Gaza thirty years too late, but they left. What is their thanks? Mortars and rockets. Enough. They should simply make it clear that they will do everything up to and including sinking these ships. If they are filled with would be martyrs? Well, they better be prepared to follow through. They were warned. Israel isn't to blame for the consequences. Somehow, I think this would thin out the passenger list. I am tired of having our values of respect for human rights used cynically against us by those who think this concept is a joke. Ghandi and King offered themselves up as martyrs because they really did believe what they were preaching. The jihadi's? They don't even pretend to. They just use these peace activists as useful idiots. The muslims have a saying we would do well to adopt. "You will not use the Faith against the Faithful". They won't lose a war to follow Koranic restrictions. Why should we lose one out of our own unwillingness to make our values of respect for life and liberty conditional upon reciprocity? I believe in liberalism and the enlightenment. It is not, however, a suicide pact. The Muslims get this. We damn well better get clued in.
FQ13

[CJS3]

You don't think it could be because of this, do you?

http://doubletapper.blogspot.com/2010/06/israel-launched-new-ofek-9-spy.html

If you can launch a satellite, you can put a "payload" anywhere you want.


Like Tehran......

[Solus]

I have never been Israel's number one fan when it comes to the occupied territories. IMHO, they should have stopped at the outskirts of Jeruselem and the Golan, and handed the rest of the mess back to Jordan. Still, in this case I support them. They left Gaza thirty years too late, but they left. What is their thanks? Mortars and rockets. Enough. They should simply make it clear that they will do everything up to and including sinking these ships. If they are filled with would be martyrs? Well, they better be prepared to follow through. They were warned. Israel isn't to blame for the consequences. Somehow, I think this would thin out the passenger list. I am tired of having our values of respect for human rights used cynically against us by those who think this concept is a joke. Ghandi and King offered themselves up as martyrs because they really did believe what they were preaching. The jihadi's? They don't even pretend to. They just use these peace activists as useful idiots. The muslims have a saying we would do well to adopt. "You will not use the Faith against the Faithful". They won't lose a war to follow Koranic restrictions. Why should we lose one out of our own unwillingness to make our values of respect for life and liberty conditional upon reciprocity? I believe in liberalism and the enlightenment. It is not, however, a suicide pact. The Muslims get this. We damn well better get clued in.
FQ13

Your post brings up a couple of questions for me.

One is that maybe the Israelis knew for 30 years that leaving Gaza would bring mortars and  rockets.  I seem to recall them learning this lesson a few times.

The next question was brought to mind by your Boat Full of Martyrs line.  It is a Theological question.

Are the 72 Virgins a Martyr receives created brand new for that Martyr?  Or do they Factory Refurbish the used ones with an As New Warranty?