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3rd June 2010, 04:25 PM
#1
Piracy again
As serving or past Merchant Seamen should, I for one support our compatriots sailing under all flags. For me piracy in the Med is just as unacceptable as anywhere else. With even more deaths and injuries than usual.
Perhaps Countries with shipping in the eastern Med should provide escorts!!!
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4th June 2010, 06:14 AM
#2
From my undseratnding of the incident the Israeli troops boarded the ship in much the same manner as pirates have done just off the coast of Somalia. Was this an act of piracy? Were the crew of the ship just defending them selfs?Were the Palistinias carrying weapons or just going about their lawful duty? Sadly i doubt if the full truth will ever be known, but no country worth it's salt can condone such acts.


Happy daze John in Oz.
Life is too short to blend in.
John Strange R737787
World Traveller

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4th June 2010, 06:44 AM
#3
I would just remember 1967 , the Royal Navy blockaded Beira , to cut supplies to Rhodesia . They boarded ships in International waters to check on vessels . I don't remember them killing anyone , but I don't remember anyone resisting them either . i was quick to condemn , until the memory switched on . It is a parallel situation in law I believe .
I would add that whilst i never agree with terrorism , anyone's terrorism , I believe that the Israelis are punishing the innocent Palestinian majority for the acts of the minority . I think their persecution of the Arabs is wrong , but have a conscience over the boarding incident .
Rob Page R855150 - British & Commonwealth Shipping ( 1965 - 1973 ) Gulf Oil -( 1973 - 1975 ) Sealink ( 1975 - 1986 ) 

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4th June 2010, 05:14 PM
#4
Eastern Med incident.......
Yes,it was an incident that went too far,and got out of hand.In the heat of the moment the fracas suddenly erupted into a mini-massacre.. I believe the Israelis had,quite rightly,no way of knowing if the flotilla had such terrorists amongst them or not,and erred on the side of caution in replying to the initial resistance of the aid protesters.
The Palestinians are,as you say,being punished for the actions of the terrorists who 'hide' amongst them.,but how would the Israelis know whether or not there could be terrorists amongst the flotilla?
Rob,why is"Israeli persecution of the Arabs" wrong"?
Do you or the Palestinians have a conscience over the innocent Israeli civilians killed by Hamas rocket attacks launched from Palestinian enclaves?
One thing which does infuriate me is the fact that aid-protesters such as these ,use the protection of British or dual- nationality passports to get up to their provocative missions. They should,once having gained residence or asylum in this country,not be allowed dual -nationality .
It is up to all governments to interfere, and aid victims of any injustice in this world,and not for 'do-gooders' to take matters into their own hands.
Turkey,previously a mutual 'friend' of Israel supported this aid mission throughout,and is now showing crocodile-tears outrage calling Israel a terrorist nation.
They conveniently forget the genocide of up to one and a half million Armenians in 1915 by their ancestral Turks.........
Regards
Gulliver
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4th June 2010, 06:17 PM
#5
I personally don't care one fig if every terrorist gets strung up , either Arab , Somali , Red Brigade , Al kaida Irish , or any others you can think of
. I have friends with personal experiences of the area . ALL l Palestinians are being judged as terrorists and punished . The Israeli's clear their farms , bulldoze their houses . They are deprived of building materials , basic supplies , the things they need to have a half decent attempt at living . I don't agree with Hamas or their principles but by attacking civilians , women , children , you make more terrorists .
Treat the population fairly , and shoot the perpetrators , I have no problem with that . But isnt it time we tried to live with our neighbours instead of trying to trample them .
My original point was about the attacking of the ships though . If this is an Unlawful act , where do you draw the line . I used the Beira Patrol as an example . I wonder how many Zimbabweans would welcome back Ian Smith's successors instead of the corrupt despot that they now have . But it was the Grey Funnel Line that cut supplies to Ian Smiths Regime and helped bring it down . I dont think blockades work , ever. The innocent get punished harder than the guilty , because teh guilty own the guns .
Israel is aggressive , and I believe that aggression breeds an aggressive response . I don't have an answer , but I don't think Isreal has one either .
Consider the strong movement that is convinced that tearing down the Dome of the Rock will please God . It may do , my theology is weak on that point , but World War three would follow .
I have probably lived through a lot less wars than many on this site , but Korea , still bubbling away , Vietnam , the good guys lost , The Gulf 1& 2 , still burying British Servicemen , Afghanistan sends corpses home weekly . The servicemen who died in Ireland , to see terrorists released because their murders were political . I don't remember a period in my sixty years when a British Soldier hasn't been on a front line .
I just , in my humble uninformed , but honest opinion think that the Israeli's have got this one very wrong
Last edited by robpage; 4th June 2010 at 06:20 PM.
Rob Page R855150 - British & Commonwealth Shipping ( 1965 - 1973 ) Gulf Oil -( 1973 - 1975 ) Sealink ( 1975 - 1986 ) 

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5th June 2010, 06:30 AM
#6
Israel will not be content until they have destroyed what is now left of Palistine. They will in time take more land from who so ever they can. I cannot think of any other country that tries to take land from others in such a manner. I havenever agreed with their methods or ideaoligy


Happy daze John in Oz.
Life is too short to blend in.
John Strange R737787
World Traveller

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5th June 2010, 08:05 AM
#7
Support people who dance for joy in the streets at 911 and 7/7, support an overtly Hamas terrorist government, support provocative blockade busters, support the terrorist loving Turkish government , and you're a terrorist yourself.
The Israelis are undertaking a policing role to prevent arms reaching the Hamas terrorists as any state in the world has the right, nay, DUTY to do to keep their citizens from harm.
These ships could simply dock in Israel for an inspection. If it’s all clear the aid will be delivered, if there are arms or known terrorists on board, then the ship should be seized and the occupants put on trial as terrorists or their sympathisers.
Gulliver
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5th June 2010, 09:41 AM
#8
Now that terrorism has been mentioned:- Here are my observations.
1. Terrorism in one form or another State/NGO has been going on for Thousands of years.
2. Were the zionist Stern gang/Igun not terrorists when they were Bombing/shooting and hanging British soldiers?
3. A member of these terror groups (Begin) actually ended up as prime minister!
4. The resistance groups during WW2 were considered as terrrorists by the Axis powers.
5. I could go on and on but I have better things to do.
Finally:-
There is no comparison between the Beira blockaid and the recent one. The RN event was strictly legal and carried out in a civilized manner.
As usual, one mans resistance fighter is another mans terrorist. Palistine was a relatively peaceful place for Arabs and Jews before 1948.Fill your boot.
ps. At the time of the Beira blockaid I was a serving Royal marine.
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5th June 2010, 11:21 AM
#9
More fun and games to come. Just seen a report that on the next Aid convoy. The Turkish President will be aboard under a Naval Escort.
For propogander watch the mass American media.
For news watch France24/Aljezeera/Press TV/ BBC World. ect.ect
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5th June 2010, 06:23 PM
#10
Today our new Government has announced that it is giving £19,000,000 of our taxpayers money to the Hamas government in Ghaza
probably to pay Iran to buy arms, rockets etc
For a moment I thought the NuLabour government was still in power.
This country is bancrupt and they can do this.?
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