the problem w/airdrops is that while they look good on TV and photos, are incredibly inefficient, incredibly deficient (2M+ need feeding), incredibly expensive, and unsafe, especially when you have miles long of aid waiting on the crossings . Not to mention that Gazans in the north who're the ones starving are as far as I know cutoff from the south and I'm unaware how far north in the coast these are dropping: Five children were killed in Gaza when a parachute malfunctioned during a humanitarian aid airdrop. The US and other countries have begun airdropping aid into the enclave amid severe food shortages. Israel has been criticized for limiting the delivery of aid to Gaza, which it has denied.
Of course, it's unsafe but the only emergency option that gets around the land checkpoints. Imagine a crowd of people standing below, these heavy containers coming down and suddenly you're below and not able to move in the crowd to get out of the way or you underestimate where the packages are going to land when suddenly... it's coming down on top of you...you and your child are not able to move fast enough out of the way. wrbtrader
you're imbibing too much of what GWB is drinking. No leverage has been used, the "deaths by stampede" claims are falling apart, and while Hamas are assholes who could confiscate aid, they were also the ruling authority providing services (IOW: the government) so I see no benefit in them willingly starving people en masse. I don't dispute isolated incidents can/will happen but you can't let the perfect be the enemy of the good when tens of thousands are on the brink.
Your imagination... I've served over there. He has not...I have personal experience there...he does not. On top of that, one of my closest friends and a roommate from college is from Palestine. The other from Israel...we got along very well. Also, I guarantee that if any U.S. soldier that sets foot in Gaza will have a similar background for being deployed there. Once again, the issue is to get as much aid as possible into the area to help the civilians without putting your soldiers in harm's way. Yet, if you must be on the ground for whatever reasons...you better know the area or know someone there who's a liaison while very familiar with the area. Armed Hamas will be on the top of the hills overlooking the crowded beach with civilians. Yet, if timing is perfect, they can get the supplies into the area before armed groups show up because they're in need of water/food/medical supplies too. Too many problems at land checkpoints in comparison to military airdrops. I'm a little surprised the aid trucks tried the land checkpoints first instead of the military airdrops because Israel is historically known to be problematic at those land checkpoints. In contrast, construction of a Trident Pier is necessary for large evacuation of wounded civilians especially of those that need surgery and/or hospitalization. It's a humanitarian crisis right now...that Trident Pier needs to be built and the U.S. will need the cooperation from both the Hamas and Israel to maintain a ceasefire agreement so that the pier construction can occur. It will not be built if there's no ceasefire. Reminder, do not underestimate these idiots wanting to kill each other and they don't care if you're caught in between them. wrbtrader
Here is a reminder for everyone -- Hamas has already vowed to destroy the port because the terrorists don't want food being delivered to Gaza civilians. This is coupled with the desperation of Palestinian civilians who are likely to overrun the port --- probably at the same time that Hamas starts launching munitions at it -- creating wholesale chaos & large-scale casualties. The U.S. inserting our troops into war zone with no ceasefire agreement and being in the middle of IDF and Hamas is foolish. We will likely get drawn into being involved as a military entity in Gaza on the ground for a long time if the U.S. sets up a port. It effectively becomes the next Lebanon. Tell me -- why is not a single Arab nation stepping up to create, manage, operate and provide security for a port in Gaza? The U.S. can provide the materials but let the Arab community manage the port. Do I need to remind everyone that the Arab community won't lift a finger to help the Palestinians in Gaza, nor do they want to provide temporary support to host Palestinian refugees -- much less help with a port. How the US military plans to construct a pier and get food into Gaza https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-68534370
That's what I thought was going to happen... The United States brings in the equipment and constructs it at sea. Next, an Arab country (e.g. Egypt) brings the Pier to the beach or the Arab country provides security on the beach while the U.S. tows the Pier to the beach. In contrast, a disaster will occur that could cost American lives if they allow Israel to provide the security to secure the beach. That would be the scenario I mentioned earlier...we do not want to get caught in between two idiots trying to kill each other. Hopefully, a stampede doesn't occur on the beach. A stampede is very dangerous because people can easily push down someone underneath the water... drowning the person. wrbtrader
Holy fuck you're full of shit. Why would the Arab world be dumb enough to come up w/such a braindead idea as a port, especially as you share a border w/Gaza?: