The Whole World Still Is Watching
For those of you who weren't around during the Kent State Massacre, and who haven't read on it since then, 'The Whole World Is Watching' dates to that event, when Ohio State National Guardsmen shot rock throwing students to death during protests against the Vietnam War.
At Davos, Switzerland, the Prime Minister of Turkey left in a protest against Israel's war on Palestinian civilians in the Gaza massacre, later stating that the wholesale slaughter of civilians isn't acceptable, and won't be overlooked, by the international community. He is receiving a lot of appreciation for his stance, and his choice of an international forum with world press on hand, to make his protest.
The stance of the U.S. has supported Israel for the slaughter, on the grounds that continued rocket firing into Israel by Hamas has to be shut down by wholesale massacre. There has been use of bunker busting bombs and white phosphorous, with more than a thousand civilian deaths and uncounted numbers of injuries.
The number of deaths in Israel due to the Hamas-fired Qassam rockets from Gaza had reached 16 in June of 2008, according to the Israel Project, a nongovernmental group.
At Davos, Switzerland, the Prime Minister of Turkey left in a protest against Israel's war on Palestinian civilians in the Gaza massacre, later stating that the wholesale slaughter of civilians isn't acceptable, and won't be overlooked, by the international community. He is receiving a lot of appreciation for his stance, and his choice of an international forum with world press on hand, to make his protest.
Turkey's PM has received a hero's welcome on his return to Istanbul after he stormed out of a debate about Gaza at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
Recep Tayyip Erdogan had reacted angrily when he was refused the chance to respond to Israeli President Shimon Peres' defence of the operation
Thousands of people turned out in the city to greet Mr Erdogan's plane.
He told them Mr Peres' language and tone had been unacceptable, so he acted to stand up for Turkish honour.
"I only know that I have to protect the honour of Turkey and Turkish people," said Mr Erdogan.
"I am not a chief of a tribe. I am the prime minister of Turkey. I have to do what I have to do."
The BBC's Sarah Rainsford in Istanbul said there had been huge anger in Turkey at Israel's operation in Gaza and there now appears to be widespread support for Mr Erdogan's actions in Davos.
(snip)
He then accused the moderator of not allowing him to speak and said he did not think he would return to Davos.
The stance of the U.S. has supported Israel for the slaughter, on the grounds that continued rocket firing into Israel by Hamas has to be shut down by wholesale massacre. There has been use of bunker busting bombs and white phosphorous, with more than a thousand civilian deaths and uncounted numbers of injuries.
The number of deaths in Israel due to the Hamas-fired Qassam rockets from Gaza had reached 16 in June of 2008, according to the Israel Project, a nongovernmental group.
Labels: Foreign Policy, Middle East
posted by Ruth at 9:00 AM
3 Comments:
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I vividly remember the Kent State murders, during demonstrations against Nixon's invasion of Cambodia a couple of days prior, at the end of April 1970; and the murders at the Jackson State demo's against the earlier killings. I remember it so well because I got expelled from school for helping to organize a walk-out and a peaceful demonstration the day after Kent State.
I also vividly remember the chants of "The whole world is watching," at the end of August 1968, in response to the brutality of the Chicago police inside and outside of the Democratic Convention hall. Those scenes on TV, and the assassinations of JFK, RFK, King & Malcolm X radicalized me for life.
Some people theorize that the chant was taken from a line in a Bob Dylan song. I dunno. Ironically, I could find no video online of this emblematic chant. I don't need the reminder; I'll never forget it.
The only audio I could find is from the beginning of the song, "Prologue, August 29, 1968" (scroll down) off the first Chicago Transit Authority album.
P.S. Important post. Thanks. Turkey used to be the most pro-Western country in the Muslim world, in which they were once regarded as not the most devout. Dubya's various war-crimes have turned constitutionally secular Turkey toward Islamism. They happen to have the largest land army in NATO, after us, and have always been a bulwark against the Russians. Here's another thing we have to thank the Israeli's for: Alienating our second-best ally in the region, and possibly helping to de-stabilize them. I hope Obama makes a trip to Ankara soon.
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Thanks, it makes me sick to see the U.S. on the side of atrocities, and thanks for the history, I never heard "The Whole World Is Watching" before Kent State, but then I was in the working world and only demonstrated in the evenings.
James Michener wrote a book about the Kent State murders.
Interestingly, the female victim was further victimized by malicious gossip that she was found to be syphilitic. As if that condition justified her murder.
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