How does one country take – or, at any rate, try to take – credit for what another country actually does?
Here\’s a tutorial on how it is done.
First we have the news that Israel has just captured a ship, loaded with advanced weapons, which was headed for Gaza. The source of those weapons is described in the following excerpt of Saad Abedine and Michael Schwartz\’s article for cnn.com (is it just me, or does that look like an unlikely journalistic pairing?):
TheIsrael Defense Forces said Wednesday it intercepted an Iranianshipment of “advanced” weapons bound for “terroristorganizations” operating in Gaza.
TheIsraeli navy stopped a Panamanian-flagged civilian cargo ship andboarded the vessel, the IDF said.
Theweapons found were identified as Syrian-manufacturedsurface-to-surface rockets, IDF spokesman Lt. Col. Peter Lerner said.
Itwas an Iranian shipment headed for Gaza, the IDF said, citingintelligence. Iran offered no immediate comment on the incident.
Well, done Israel!
But wait: should Israel really be taking credit for this capture?
Now read the following excerpt from Michael Wilner\’s article in the Jerusalem Post:
USState Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki confirmed on Wednesday that”the Israeli government interdicted a shipment of illicitIranian arms,” adding that the US was ready to act before Israelmade its move.
“TheWhite House directed the Department of Defense to monitor thevessel,” Psaki said, adding that the US prepared to take”unilateral steps” to stop the shipment. Israel volunteeredto handle the ship itself, she added.
Thetransfer of arms would amount to a violation of UN Security Councilresolutions, Psaki noted.
TheIsrael Navyintercepted an Iranian arms smuggling ship carrying dozens oflong-range rockets to Gaza near Port Sudan early on Wednesday.
See, according to the Obama administration, it was juu-u-u-u-u-uust about to capture the ship…but decided to be nice to Israel and let their people have the glory instead.
Do you believe that the USA, under Barack Obama, was going to do this?
Do you believe that Israel, which identified the ship through its own intelligence and did 100% of the work capturing it, was handed this victory as some kind of benign perk from Mr. Obama?
Tell you what: To paraphrase Mr. Obama, if you believe the USA deserves any credit for this, you can keep it.
And you know where.
