Spoiler

It is unclear whether Israel will be involved in constructing the pier.

President Biden will announce in his State of the Union on Thursday that he is ordering the U.S. military to build a floating pier off Gaza, in what the White House called an “emergency mission” that would allow hundreds of truckloads of additional aid to be delivered by sea to Gazans who are on the brink of starvation.

The project will take several weeks, involving hundreds or thousands of U.S. troops on ships just off shore, in keeping with Mr. Biden’s mandate that no American soldiers be on the ground inside Gaza as the conflict rages. Briefing reporters, administration officials said that the port would be constructed in cooperation with other countries in the region, but it was unclear whether Israel would be joining the effort.

The new facility, if opened as scheduled, could provide another way to get truckloads of aid into the region. But it would not solve the central problem that the trucks have been unable to deliver their goods while Israeli bombing remains fierce in the South. Nor would it address the chaos that accompanied the deliveries.

A convoy of aid trucks last week was overrun by Gazans desperate for food and water, leading to more than 100 deaths when Israeli soldiers opened fire and many people were trampled in the chaos.

The announcement came just hours before Mr. Biden was scheduled to deliver the State of the Union address, which family members of some of the hostages being held by Hamas since the Oct. 7 terrorist attack in Israel are expected to attend. The new project gives Mr. Biden a concrete project to point to at a time that he is under sharp criticism for not reining in Israel’s attacks, and moving too slowly to address the humanitarian catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.

It is unclear where the new floating port or pier will be built, though the Army Corps of Engineers has long experience in the rapid construction of floating facilities to accommodate U.S. military operations. Based on the description provided by White House and military officials, this one would be built from U.S. ships, and then moved close to shore, attached to some kind of temporary causeway.

The new seaport, when completed, would be an additional route for humanitarian aid, which is currently limited to two land crossings into the southern part of Gaza. Officials said Thursday that a third land crossing, into the northern part of Gaza, could open to limited deliveries within a week.

Mr. Biden also recently ordered the U.S. military to drop aid into Gaza by air. American pilots dropped their fourth load into the territory on Thursday.

  • nat_turner_overdrive [he/him]
    ·
    8 months ago

    And I'm sure it will be completely un-planned when the pier is developed in parallel with the expansion of the Tamar oil field production, and hey since there's this pier here why don't we put some refineries where all these apartments were. And hey, look at this, maybe we can also start using it as a port - sure we'll have to completely demolish more Gazan homes to do it, but where else should a new port go? Be reasonable.

  • InevitableSwing [none/use name]
    hexagon
    ·
    8 months ago

    r/politics thread

    Example comments

    This is extremely badass and ambitious. Way to think outside the box and get aid to people in need. I'm glad to have Joe Biden as my president

    The man doesn't always make flawless speeches, but his decisions rarely disappoint. He knows what he's doing

    His experience and ability to work around things is quite remarkable at times honestly.

      • SpiderFarmer [he/him]
        ·
        8 months ago

        I keep asking Zionists what their mental exchange rate is on races, given how they support killing 2 million people based on 100 white hostages (dead or alive).

  • InevitableSwing [none/use name]
    hexagon
    ·
    edit-2
    8 months ago

    r/neoliberal thread

    Example comment

    It's crazy that this is considered more feasible than getting Netanyahu to just dial his blockade back enough to let the U.S. and other allies get some aid in.

    I decided not to comment in there because they'll ban me or pat me on the head. In fact - they'd probably do both.

    ---

    Edit

    Cesspool sub

    Good, though I wonder who’s going to guard the port and prevent another stampede from happening.

      • Gosplan14_the_Third [none/use name]
        ·
        8 months ago

        You think? The subreddit was founded by a think tank. Even if they're not feds, they certainly are organized and possibly paid.

    • soiejo [he/him,any]
      ·
      8 months ago

      one of the worst subs imo, I can handle pits of fash calling me slurs for being brown, but neolibs brand of smug "I know what's best for you" racism makes my blood boil.

      Good, though I wonder who’s going to guard the port and prevent another stampede from happening.

      Holy FUCK

  • InevitableSwing [none/use name]
    hexagon
    ·
    8 months ago

    The president holds out his hand: "Here Mohammad, jack."

    "That's a band-aid."

    "Yeah. And I'm helping you. This is US aid!"

    "I'm starving. My family is starving. My youngest daughter has a big gaping wound and I can't get her medical treatment because Israel destroyed our healthcare system. Destroyed all the hospitals. Killed doctors. Killed nurses. Killed paramedics. Attacked ambulances. And—"

    "Are ya gonna take the band-aid or not? You people make it hard for me to help you and for me to get reelected..."

  • sovietknuckles [they/them]
    ·
    edit-2
    8 months ago

    It is unclear whether Israel will be involved in constructing the pier.

    US selects Israel as willing volunteer to construct the pier

  • DanComrd [comrade/them]
    ·
    8 months ago

    So let me get this straight before I lose my sanity.

    Instead of asking isntrael to stop firing at civilians and let the aid trucks in, Genocide Joe is gonna build a shipping port so Gazans can get aid by sea.

    What the actual fuck?

  • InternetLefty [he/him]
    ·
    8 months ago

    The US could open the Egyptian border tomorrow, they could do 100 diplomatic things of various magnitudes to stop the IDF and get aid trucks in. A landing zone for American aid, guarded by the US military? Just wait for a Gulf of Tonkin to happen immediately warranting an American invasion. It's fucked lol

    • DyingOfDeBordom [none/use name]
      ·
      8 months ago

      And isn't there like an israeli blockade anyway like does Gaza need a new fucking port when they could just turn off the blockade

    • NewAcctWhoDis [any]
      ·
      edit-2
      8 months ago

      Don't worry, it's up to 358 now :). And while it's not the stupidest or the most evil, I think this is my favorite comment:

      Giving weapons and selling weapons are not always the same.

      • The_Jewish_Cuban [he/him]
        ·
        8 months ago

        Me benefitting from the process allows me to abstract my moral culpability away from the issue bean

  • SacredExcrement [any, comrade/them]
    ·
    edit-2
    8 months ago

    What a fucking bitch boy poser

    Acting like one of the most powerful nations on earth that has been BY FAR the most aggressive of the last 75 years is just a passive observer to one of it's most significant beneficiaries

    Can't wait for liberals to jack each other off about how great and benevolent and wise he is

  • Awoo [she/her]
    ·
    8 months ago

    This means US troops officially deployed to that location.

    They will never ever leave.