memeorandum: Raid Complicates U.S. Ties and Push for Peace (New York Times)

9:25 AM ET, June 1, 2010

Top Items:

Jonathan Schanzer / Weekly Standard:

The Terror Finance Flotilla — The Turkish organizers of the Gaza Strip-bound flotilla that was boarded this morning by Israeli commandos knew well in advance that their vessels would never reach Israeli waters. That's because the organizers belong to a nonprofit that was banned …

Ian Welsh:

Holy Sweet Lord, Turkey has announced they will send another flotilla to Gaza—escorted by the Turkish Navy! — If they actually do this, it is the very definition of throwing down. — Wow. — Does Israel want a war with Turkey? They can't win it, short of using nukes …

Discussion: Haaretz, Guardian, Newshoggers.com, Jay Currie, Israel Defense Force …, The Agonist, YID With LID and Firedoglake

New York Times:

U.N. Security Council Condemns ‘Acts’ in Israeli Raid — UNITED NATIONS — After hours of negotiations, the United Nations Security Council early on Tuesday condemned “acts” resulting in the deaths of nine civilians in Israel's attack on an aid flotilla trying to breach the Gaza blockade.

Discussion: Think Progress, Politics Daily, Guardian, Bloomberg, United Nations, Haaretz, FP Passport, Washington Post, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS and Israellycool

George Friedman / STRATFOR:

Flotillas and the Wars of Public Opinion — On Sunday, Israeli naval forces intercepted the ships of a Turkish nongovernmental organization (NGO) delivering humanitarian supplies to Gaza. Israel had demanded that the vessels not go directly to Gaza but instead dock in Israeli ports …

Discussion: Abu Muqawama, The Daily Dish, Chicago Boyz, FrumForum and RealClearPolitics Video Log

Jeffrey Goldberg / The Atlantic Online:

On the Disappearance of Jewish Wisdom, Far Out at Sea — I had breakfast this very unhappy morning in Jerusalem with Daniel Gordis, the author of many wise books, including one I just began reading, “Saving Israel: How the Jewish People Can Win a War That May Never End.”

Discussion: Israel Matzav, Arabist.net and Lawyers, Guns & Money

New York Times:

Raid Complicates U.S. Ties and Push for Peace — WASHINGTON — Israel's deadly commando raid on Monday on a flotilla trying to break a blockade of Gaza complicated President Obama's efforts to move ahead on Middle East peace negotiations and introduced a new strain into an already tense relationship between …

Discussion: Haaretz, RealClearWorld, Brookings Institute, FrumForum, Mediaite, Swampland, Alan Colmes' Liberaland and Le·gal In·sur·rec· tion

Haaretz:
The price of flawed policy

Discussion: Newshoggers.com and Unqualified Offerings

ibnlive.in.com:
Turkey threatens action; Israel on alert

Discussion: Bloomberg, Ibishblog, Israel Matzav, Sense of Events, Arabist.net, The Majlis, Daily Kos, Telegraph, THE ASTUTE BLOGGERS, Newshoggers.com, Balloon Juice, Informed Comment, Al Jazeera Blogs, Obsidian Wings, The Volokh Conspiracy and Aljazeera

Daniel W. Drezner:
Israel's increasingly untenable situation

Discussion: The Lede, Haaretz, Raw Story, Yourish.com, Gideon Rachman's Blog and Unqualified Offerings

Glenn Kessler / Washington Post:
Analysis: Condemnation of Israeli assault complicates relations with U.S.

Discussion: Political Punch, New York Times, The Daily Dish and Sic Semper Tyrannis

Spectator:
‘Peace convoy’? This was an Islamist terror ambush

Discussion: Jerusalem Post, Betsy's Page, Just Journalism Research …, Commentary, Israel Matzav, Mediaite, The Lobbiest, Arutz Sheva, Wall Street Journal, Weasel Zippers, The Huffington Post, FrumForum, Guardian, CNN, Doug Ross, The Corner on National …, Power Line and Bookworm Room

IDF Spokesperson's / Israel Defense Force Spokesperson:
Close-Up Footage of Mavi Marmara Passengers Attacking IDF Soldiers, 31 May 2010

Discussion: The Strata-Sphere, The Confluence, Haaretz, American Power, Commentary, Israel Matzav, DEBKAFile, Associated Press, Mere Rhetoric, Riehl World View, Liberty Pundits Blog, Gateway Pundit, Cassy Fiano and dover.idf.il

Bradley Burston / Haaretz:
A Special Place in Hell / The Second Gaza War: Israel lost at sea

Discussion: Boing Boing, The Nation, The Daily Beast, Financial Times, Talking Points Memo, CNN, FP Passport, The Reality-Based Community, NO QUARTER, Liberal Values, TPMCafe, The Talking Dog and Sister Toldjah

Noah Pollak / Commentary:
Nice Guys Finish Last

Discussion: Left Coast Rebel, The Corner on National …, Newshoggers.com, Michael J. Totten, CNN, Israel Matzav, The Volokh Conspiracy, Hot Air, New York Times, Power Line, The Page, Balloon Juice, Atlas Shrugs, The Majlis and Politics Daily

Barak Ravid / Haaretz:
Netanyahu: I regret Gaza flotilla deaths, but Israeli troops …

Discussion: Jerusalem Post, Front Page Magazine, Gawker, Weasel Zippers, Ynetnews, Free Gaza Movement, Telegraph, Associated Press and Israellycool

Andrew Sullivan / The Daily Dish:
“Inhumane State Terror”

Discussion: International Solidarity …, Questions and Observations, The Nation, BBC, Newsweek, Suburban Guerrilla and The Moderate Voice

Political Punch:

Officials: Al Qaeda No. 3 Killed — US officials tell ABC News that al Qaeda's No. 3 — Mustafa Ahmed Muhammad Uthman Abu al-Yazid, known as Shaikh Sa'id al-Masri and Mustafa Abu al-Yazid - has been killed. Al Qaeda released a eulogy of Shaikh Sa'id tonight, officials said.

Discussion: Outside the Beltway, Gawker, his vorpal sword and Weasel Zippers

Washington Post:

Al-Qaeda No. 3 Yazid reported killed by U.S. drone — Al-Qaeda's third-ranking operative, an Egyptian who was a founding member of the terrorist network and a key conduit to Osama bin Laden, has been killed in Pakistan, according to a statement Monday from al-Qaeda that U.S. intelligence officials believe is accurate.

Discussion: Politics Daily, Hot Air and Newsbroke

Eric Schmitt / New York Times:
Al Qaeda Leader Reported Killed in Missile Strike

Discussion: Washington Monthly, Cubachi and HotAirPundit

The Long War Journal:
Top al Qaeda leader Mustafa Abu Yazid confirmed killed in airstrike …

Discussion: The Jawa Report

David Streitfeld / New York Times:

Owners Stop Paying Mortgages, and Stop Fretting — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — For Alex Pemberton and Susan Reboyras, foreclosure is becoming a way of life — something they did not want but are in no hurry to get out of. — Foreclosure has allowed them to stabilize the family business.

Discussion: JammieWearingFool and The Big Picture

Washington Post:

Obama administration moves to distance itself from BP on oil spill response — Struggling to convey command of the worsening Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the Obama administration is taking steps to distance itself from BP and is dispatching Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. to the Gulf Coast to meet with federal and state prosecutors.

Discussion: The Caucus, Questions and Observations, Prairie Weather and The Page

CNN:
Obama to meet Tuesday with heads of oil spill commission

Discussion: The Politico

Breaking News from the Press-Register:
Gulf Coast: Get ready for the summer of oil; 'It's the end …

Discussion: Guardian and Think Progress

Little Miss Attila:

Robert Leslie Hymers, III, Sort-Of “Reports” Me to the FBI — For your fisking/snarking pleasure. First, the attorney's cover note: … Well, okay. Are they true believers, or whores? Just curious. — Young Robert Leslie Hymers apparently faxed this to his attorney …

Discussion: The Other McCain, Moe Lane and POWIP

Claire Sibonney / Reuters:

Soaring costs force Canada to reassess health model — TORONTO (Reuters) - Pressured by an aging population and the need to rein in budget deficits, Canada's provinces are taking tough measures to curb healthcare costs, a trend that could erode the principles of the popular state-funded system.

Discussion: LewRockwell.com Blog

Mike Allen / The Politico:

SQUEEZING BP: Obama moves toward more visible dominance — U.S. drone kills Al-Qaida #3 — 7th huge score for U.S. in 10 months — Netanyahu cancels — Koppel's son dies — 6/8 = Strasday — DRIVING THE DAY: After 40 days and 40 nights, the administration puts the bit in BP's mouth.

Discussion: New York Magazine and Mediaite

New York Post:

Koppel son dies after a bender — The son of legendary TV newsman Ted Koppel was found dead in a Washington Heights apartment under mysterious circumstances yesterday morning after a daylong drinking binge with a man he had just met in a Midtown bar, law-enforcement sources said.

Discussion: Mediaite