Understanding the Israeli flotilla raid… through cartoons

Image via Abu Muquwama

The most succinct explanation of the Israeli flotilla debacle — and of where the Israelis went wrong in attempting to board the blockade-running Mavi Marmara — is a cartoon. This drawing is the creation of Abu Muqawama, who blogs on insurgency and counter-insurgency over at the Center for New American Security (h/t to the Los Angeles Times for reprinting it.

In other flotilla news, an Israeli military investigation into the bungled raid found that the IDF was justified in opening fire on the ship’s deck, while mistakes were made in planning “at quite a senior level.” No punishments were recommended for the officers and high-level staff — including former Israeli PM Ehud Barak — who were involved in planning the raid.

The Turkish government, whose relations with Israel reached a new low after the raid, is accepting the Israeli report relatively well. Although government officials and Turkish public intellectuals are appearing in the local press to decry the report, no plans have been announced to sever diplomatic ties with the Jewish state.

But Israel may have new trouble on the horizon: That bastion of human rights and justice, Libya, is sending a blockade-busting ship to Gaza loaded with food and medicine. It’s always good to see that Gadaffi cares.