CODEPINK--They Make Clear What They're Against, But What Are They For?

Eric Trager writes in the Huffington Post about CODEPINK's cause selection in the Middle East:

Is CODEPINK for Hamas using the tunnels that run from Gaza into Egypt for stockpiling anti-aircraft missiles and longer-range rockets, rather than importing food and medicinal supplies? Are its activists for Hamas being strengthened once Israel opens the borders? If this yields renewed Hamas attacks against Israel, will the activists finally be for Israel's self-defense? Will these "Freedom" marchers declare that they are for Gazans' freedom from Hamas' imposition of strict Islamist codes; or for a Gazan government that develops its economy, rather than its arsenal; or for a Palestinian government that -- if nothing else -- holds its "democratic" elections on time?


Naturally, these questions are entirely beside the point. That's because CODEPINK's goals have nothing to do with actual Palestinian freedom. Indeed, whether CODEPINK is disrupting a Senate hearing or demonstrating in Cairo, its purpose is the same: to vilify American foreign policy and, in this case, one of America's most important allies in the Middle East. If CODEPINK really sought to promote peace, then it would have marched in solidarity with the traumatized residents of Sderot a long, long time ago. If the "Freedom" marchers truly cared about the future of Gaza, they would have donated the thousands of dollars that they spent on plane tickets towards one of the many reputable charities that assist Palestinians. And if they had any interest in seeing progress in ending this decades-old conflict, then they would have gathered in favor of something, rather than in opposition to everything.

But they didn't. So they're now wandering aimlessly around Cairo; complaining to their allies over e-mail; wearing pink; and looking ridiculous.

Read the whole thing.

But can you really blame CODEPINK? After all, if they did protest against Hamas firing rockets on Israeli civilians, they wouldn't get all that media coverage.

Technorati Tag: CODEPINK.