Monthly Archives: September 2011

Gates: Israel an ‘Ungrateful Ally’

open quoteIn comments at the National Security Council Principals Committee, former Secretary Gates termed the Israeli government an “ungrateful ally,” insisting they had offered “nothing in return” for massive amounts of US aid and high level intel sharing.

The context of the comments is equally telling, coming amid reports of an FBI whistleblower’s attempts to reveal the details of spying on the Israeli embassy. Though the attempted leak failed to go public, it is now revealed that it detailed “Israeli officials trying unlawfully to influence US policy and edging toward military action against Iran.”close quote (Read more from news.antiwar.com)

Postal Service Is Nearing Default as Losses Mount

open quoteThe United States Postal Service has long lived on the financial edge, but it has never been as close to the precipice as it is today: the agency is so low on cash that it will not be able to make a $5.5 billion payment due this month and may have to shut down entirely this winter unless Congress takes emergency action to stabilize its finances. close quote (Read more from nytimes.com)

See Also:

Post Office sues Cub Scouts to maintain monopoly

Palestinians vandalize, set fire to a Jewish Temple

Just kidding, here’s the actual heading: ‘Settlers vandalize, set fire to West Bank mosque’

open quotePalestinians, Rabbis for Human Rights report mosque near Nablus vandalized in apparent “price tag” attack following Migron demolitions.

Settlers set fire to a mosque south of Nablus early Monday morning, in an apparent “price tag” attack following the earlier demolition of three homes in the Migron outpost, the Ma’an news agency quoted Palestinian sources as saying.

Ma’an quoted the sources as saying the settlers stormed the mosque in the West Bank village of Qusara, smashing glass and setting fire to a number of tires within the mosque.

Rabbis for Human Rights corroborated the report, saying that the building was also vandalized with graffiti and the fire damaged the first floor of the structure in which the mosque is housed, but did not destroy it.

The organization also speculated that the arson incident was a “price tag” attack in retribution for the demolition at Migron. “Price tag” is a phrase right-wing settlers have adopted to signal retribution for any Israeli moves against settlement-outposts built without government authorization.close quote (Read more from jpost.com)