Final resting place of 200 WWII sailors found in Indian Ocean – National & International News – TUE 12Nov2024

Final resting place of 200 WWII sailors found in Indian Ocean.

Biden admin backs down on yet another Gaza “red line”.

Final resting place of 200 WWII sailors found in Indian Ocean 

On Veterans Day, the US Navy announced the discovery of the wreckage of the 314-ft naval destroyer USS Edsall at the bottom of the Indian Ocean. The Edsall, a Clemson class destroyer, was commissioned in 1920 and took part in numerous escort convoys during World War II. An Australian Navy ship discovered the wreckage last summer under 18,000 ft of water about 200 miles east of Christmas Island.

“The dancing mouse”

On March 1, 1942, the USS Pecos, an oiler, came under attack from a Japanese attack force south of Java. During the prolonged attack, Pecos sent out a distress signal to any Allied ships in the area. Unfortunately, she was sunk before help could arrive. Pecos was carrying about 700 people, many of them survivors from other damaged ships. About 232 survivors were later picked up by the USS Whipple, another Clemson class destroyer.

Shortly after sinking the Pecos, the Japanese attack force detected the Edsall, which was apparently coming to assist the Pecos. The Japanese then turned their attention to the Edsall, firing everything that they had at her. For hours, the Edsall’s crew skillfully dodged these attacks. The Japanese dubbed her “the dancing mouse” in admiration. 

However, the Japanese attack force then called in airstrikes from dive bomber crews. One of these managed to hit the Edsall, sinking her. She went down with 185 Navy personnel and 31 Air Force pilots aboard. There were some survivors, some of whom were picked up by the Japanese. These survivors were later beheaded in a prison camp. A mass grave containing their remains was opened after the war and their remains were returned to the US.

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Biden admin backs down on yet another Gaza “red line”

Just over a month ago, Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin sent a letter to their Israeli counterparts. In the letter, which was released by Israeli officials, Blinken and Austin gave Israel 30 days to begin allowing more aid trucks into Gaza, and particularly Northern Gaza, which has been under total siege since October 1. The US officials warned that if aid targets were not met, US weapons transfers would be restricted in accordance with US law. 

The deadline is today, November 12. Not only have those targets not been met, in the intervening period, Israel has banned the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), the primary aid organization delivering humanitarian assistance to Gaza. Israel’s ban of UNRWA was done over US objections. 

In what has become a familiar motif, a State Department spokesman announced today that there will be no change in policy on American arms transfers to Israel, despite acknowledging that Israel had not met the conditions. According to Brown University’s Cost of War Project, the Biden administration has spent nearly $18 billion dollars supporting Israel’s military campaign since October 7th of last year. 

Promises not kept

If anything, the humanitarian situation in Gaza has become even more dire since the State Department’s October memo. Israel’s own figures show that aid to Gaza is at an 11-month low. According to UNRWA Chief Philippe Lazzarini, an average of 30 trucks a day are being let into Gaza, “just over 6% of the daily needs”. Before Israel began its assault on Gaza in October of last year, 500 trucks a day were entering the strip. Additionally, despite Israel’s assertions to the contrary, nearly none of these trucks are making it into Northern Gaza.

Even Germany, possibly the only country more slavishly supportive of Israel than the US, has issued a stark criticism of Israel’s conduct in Gaza. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said, “At no time in the last 12 months has so little help reached the Gaza Strip as is the case at the moment”. Baerbock continued, “Israel’s right to self defense is limited by international humanitarian law, which includes the stipulation that humanitarian access must be guaranteed at all times and must never be used as a method of warfare. Time and again, promises have been made and not kept”.

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