Foreign Army Shoots US Peace Activist; US Does Nothing

[kpete]

Fighting for life: American peace activist shot by Israelis

Parents demand inquiry into how son was critically injured by tear gas canister

By Donald Macintyre in Jerusalem
Tuesday, 24 March 2009

The parents of an American peace activist publicly appealed yesterday for a full investigation into how their son was shot in the head with a high velocity tear gas canister by Israeli security forces.

Tristan Anderson, 38, remains in critical condition after three brain operations at Tel Hashomer hospital in Israel, as a result of the shooting which came at the end of a regular joint Arab-Jewish demonstration against the Israeli separation barrier in the West Bank village of Ni'lin.

Activists say the canister round – with a range of more than 400 metres – was fired directly at Mr Anderson from about 60 metres as he was standing with three or four other activists in the centre of the village. They say he was well away from the barrier where the main protest had taken place earlier on 13 March.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/fighting-for-life-american-peace-activist-shot-by-israelis-1652604.html

The American remains hospitalized in critical condition, reported The Independent Tuesday, describing him as "fighting for life" following three brain surgeries. He suffered a multiple fracture to his skull, severe injury to the frontal lobe of his brain, and a collapsed eye socket. Part of his right frontal lobe had to be removed.

His parents have called for a full investigation. But so far, judging from press reports, the United States government hasn't had anything to say about it. Why not?

I freely concede that I take this quite personally. I was an international peace volunteer once. When you are a US peace volunteer in an international conflict situation, you like to think that your blue passport gives you some measure of protection; foreign soldiers, you hope, are going to think twice before shooting an American, because the US government would have to make a fuss. And if the foreign army in question belongs to a government that has very friendly relations with Washington, and is highly dependent on substantial US military, economic, diplomatic and political aid from the United States, then you might think that foreign army would really go out of its way not to shoot Americans.

more at:
http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2009/3/25/712877/-Foreign-Army-Shoots-US-Peace-Activist;-US-Does-Nothing
http://www.abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=7156996&page=1

[tularetom]

1. This poor guy suffered a double whammy

First of all he was a peace activist, which means the US government wishes he'd just STFU.

Secondly he was injured in Israel which means we won't say anything about it unless and until Israel tells it's OK to do so.

[gratuitous]

7. That's pretty much it in a nutshell

If only he'd gone over there armed to the teeth with enough personal weaponry to defeat any army walking the globe prior to 1850, the U.S. would be all over this, demanding an investigation and trying to find out what happened. But because he went there without firearms, he's nothing to our government.

Don't let anyone tell you there is no national religion for the United States: We worship at the altar of the High Church of Redemptive Violence, and unarmed apostates who advocate for peace can expect roughly the same treatment that Jews got from the Inquisition.

[Blue_Tires]

24. +1

[Obamanaut]

2. Will there be condemnation posts re these soldiers as there normally

are re American troops?

[pnutbutr]

3. What is the US supposed to do?

The guy was protesting in Palestine, one of the most dangerous places in the world right now and got hit with a tear gas canister shot by a military trying to disperse the protesters. Not to mention that all but about 10 protesters had disbanded by the time the guy was hit with the canister which IMO shows a bit of stupidity on his part for not doing the same and instead choosing to be a thorn and continue to cause disruption.

Again, what is the US supposed to do?

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. If all but ten had dispersed, why was it necessary to shoot at him?

And if he took a canister to the head at 60 meters, it was definitely shot AT him. They could see which way the breeze was blowing when they fired, and with tear gas you would want to put the canister upwind of the targets, to envelop them in a cloud - not put it at their feet where they can take three steps to the left and be clear of it.

The US is supposed to PROTECT ITS CITIZENS - or at least speak in their behalf.

[Statistical]

5. Have you ever fired a gas canister?

Not the easiest thing to aim. You generally lob it into the area.
They don't make sniper scopes for those things.

Guy was unlucky to get hit by a gas grenade. They are not accurate enough to intentionally hit someone in the head @ 60m.

[Cid_B]

22. You beat me to it...

I want the guy who can ping someone on the head from 60m with a gas canister on my team. Seriously...

[pnutbutr]

6. maybe he was being a PITA

When shooting tear gas it does no good if it lands out of range of the target you have intended to shroud in it.

I'm all for the US protecting it's citizens when they have not willfully placed themselves in a scenario that is very dangerous to be in. Confronting a foreign military in a hostile nation would be one of those scenarios.

[Freddie Stubbs]

8. The US can't protect its citizens from their own stupidity, especially when they are in

foreign combat zones. If the troops tell you to disperse, it might be a good idea to disperse. If there is a bulldozer, don't stand in its way.

[Fireweed247]

10. and if your house and olive orchard is in the way of their wall

just let them bulldoze it. If they keep killing your friends and family...just let them.

Might makes right?

[mikelgb]

12. yes don't stand in its way, the evil robot bulldozer overlords

don't be a thorn
listen to the troops

stupid head

[RaleighNCDUer]

13. A protest is NOT a combat zone.

And he DID disperse - as the article says, he and three or four others were at the center of the village, well away from the barrier where the protest took place earlier.

So it was AFTER the protest. He had LEFT the site of the protest. And was deliberately targeted.

[pnutbutr]

14. 60m

is pretty close. If he was in the center of the village and still only 60m away from the barrier that is one small ass village.

[RaleighNCDUer]

15. Has anybody said it isn't?

http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article439

Please note, the map in the link shows how the dividing wall has cut off 1/3 of the village area. Also, at a couple places, the dividing wall DOES come withing shouting distance of the village center.

Did you assume the barrier was at the edge of town? That's not the way they do it.

Divide and conquer. Make the village uninhabitable as a viable community by dividing it, cutting it off from its farm lands and water sources. Eventually, the residents are forced to move.

It's slow-motion ethnic cleansing.

[Zywiec]

21. The US cannot protect its citizens

while at the same time allowing them to travel the world freely.

Should we have a foreign bodyguard service to escort all citizens who leave our shores?

:shrug:

[mikelgb]

11. ure sure are purdy inside and out

[JackRiddler]

16. Stop providing gas canisters to Israel...

or any other weapons or aid. Simple really.

[pnutbutr]

17. California company

That provided Israel with tear gas stopped exporting to them.

[JackRiddler]

25. Good for them...

Next, they should denounce the making of tear gas in the first place and pay reparations to the victims around the world. But hey, it's a start.

Got a link for that, by the way?

[Smith_3]

20. The same thing as if Israel had "accidentally" shot a rocket into a US military base. nt

[Fireweed247]

9. Just like Rachel Corrie

What are they doing in such a dangerous area? Well, Palestinians are being killed every day and are ignored. These brave activists are trying to bring awareness to the war crimes being committed, thinking that the fact they are American will make a difference, that the American people will actually care if they kill on of our own. The government will ignore this, but we have to raise as much awareness as we can on the internet. Thanks for posting!

[acmavm]

18. Damn peace protesters. Guy deserved what he got. He was supporting

the wrong side. Now, if only he was calling for the death of the Palestinians it would be all good.

:sarcasm:

[Smith_3]

19. What can the Isrealis do? Hamas used these protesters as human shields.

:sarcasm:

[Fumesucker]

23. What is this "foreign army" of which you speak?

Everyone knows Israel is the de facto fifty first state, just see how Congress treats them.