I Fell into the State and I Hunched in Its Belly till My Wet Fur Froze

Attacking an opponent and claiming self-defense when the opponent fights back would be funny if only the person who said it didn't believe it to be true:

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu says commandos who raided a Gaza aid flotilla, killing nine and injuring dozens of others, were under attack and acting in self defense.

Obama (by proxy) has officially proclaimed the villain:

As I stated in the Chamber in December 2008, when we were confronted by a similar situation, mechanisms exist for the transfer of humanitarian assistance to Gaza by member states and groups that want to do so. These non-provocative and non-confrontational mechanisms should be the ones used for the benefit of all those in Gaza.  Direct delivery by sea is neither appropriate nor responsible, and certainly not effective, under the circumstances. . . . We will continue to engage the Israelis on a daily basis to expand the scope and type of goods allowed into Gaza to address the full range of the population’s humanitarian and recovery needs. Hamas’ interference with international assistance shipments and the work of nongovernmental organizations complicates efforts in Gaza. Its continued arms smuggling and commitment to terrorism undermines security and prosperity for Palestinians and Israelis alike....

which they believe, then adding:

The only viable solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is an agreement, negotiated between the parties, that ends the occupation that began in 1967 and fulfills the aspirations of both parties for independent homelands through two states for two peoples, Israel and an independent, contiguous, and viable state of Palestine, living side by side in peace and security.  We call again on our international partners – both inside and outside this Council – to promote an atmosphere of cooperation between the parties and throughout the entire region.

Heh, Obama made a funny.

Then there's this:

If Obama decides it is in America’s interest to make an example of Israel after the Gaza flotilla incident in order to win goodwill in Cairo, Beirut, Tehran, and Ankara, then he must also recognize that the leadership in Jerusalem is going to conclude that it cannot trust the United States to safeguard its security, and that therefore it must take matters into its own hands on any number of issues, not the least of which is Iran’s nuclear program. In effect, if the White House decides to come down hard on Israel now, it is the same as giving a green light for Israel to strike Iran. That is not advocacy; it is just the realism about which President Obama is so fond.

Hahahaha... fuck.

Israel is America's canary, America's goat. I'm sure it's a coincidence that the day after the Israeli raid the US announces it killed al-Q's #3 two weeks ago.

• Horribly booked week in every aspect of life. Links be sparser: I've less time to read. I'll add updates as I've time.
• Concentration camp.
• I hate Israel.
• UPDATE! The most cowardly kind of war.
• This is Israel winning.
• UPDATE! Self-destructive self-defense.
• Tuesdays with Marty.
• The wankiest generation.
• UPDATE! Who should the White House give a job to stop him from what he's doing? Vote!
• Lots of shit happens in the 800 block of Clopper Road.
• That'll work.
• The Girl with the Personal Pronoun, by Stig Larssen.
• This is just to say.
• Mrs Bronfman Jr's New Clothes.
• UPDATE! Wrath of Marcie.
• 10:1.
• UPDATE! I was thinking.
• 1995.
• UPDATE! Who can say?
• Hey Girl.
• UPDATE! Why the fuck is Band of Horses on my radio?
• New Film School coming July 20.
• New Grinderman coming September 13.
• I didn't post the poem below on Memorial Day like I intended because it didn't fit the post's theme (while it's bang for today's theme), which says something about my priorities.

THE DEATH OF THE BALL TURRET GUNNER

Randall Jarrell

From my mother's sleep I fell into the State
And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze.
Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life,
I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters.
When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.

Another one of dozens of my five favorite songs ever: