The Pentagon's $280 Million Gaza Pier Boondoggle w/ Stephen Semler

Parallax Views w/ J.G. Michael

On this edition of Parallax Views, Stephen Semler of the Security Reform Policy Institute joins us to discuss the Biden administration and the Pentagon's $280 million Gaza floating aid pier boondoggle that promised to get much needed humanitarian aid to Gazans who are now facing hunger/starvation during the Israeli bombardment. The pier became operational in May but was shut down this month, July, in what appears to have been a massive waste of time and resources that didn't even help the Palestinians of Gaza. Stephen, it turns out, was warning about the Gaza pier in Responsible Statecraft back in June when he wrote the article "Washington is not telling truth about the Gaza pier". Friend of the show and multi-time guest Kelley Vlahos also warned of the piers problems alongside others. There were logistical issues amongst much else that was criticized. We'll dive into what happened with the Gaza pier as well as discussing PR stunts and "Humanitarian Theater" being played out during the Gaza war, hunger/starvation in Gaza, the U.S. ignoring Human Rights Watch reports when it comes to the Gaza war but not the Russo-Ukraine war, Palestinian American congresswoman Rep. Rashida Tlaib, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Congress, potential Democratic Vice-Presidential candidate Gov. Josh Shapiro and his reaction to pro-Palestinian protests, free speech and crackdowns on protesters, Donald Trump and the American right-wing's hawkishness on China, thoughts on Kamala Harris as it relates to U.S. policy on Israel/Palestine, families of hostages being held by Hamas protesting Netanyahu's visit to Congress, Palestinians being held in Israeli administrative detention, and much, much more!