Congresswoman cuts off AIPAC

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"A congresswoman says the American Israel Public Affairs Committee is unwelcome in her office until it apologizes for an activist who allegedly called her a terrorist supporter.
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) alleged that the supporter told her chief of staff that “Congresswoman McCollum´s support for terrorists will not be tolerated."

McCollum is one of two members of the U.S. House of Representatives International Relations Committee who voted against a bill that AIPAC strongly endorses and that would cut off the Palestinian Authority.

AIPAC says the bill is necessary to isolate Hamas, the terrorist group now in control of the P.A. government. McCollum and some others in Congress back isolating Hamas, but say the bill goes too far, cutting off the Palestinian Authority no matter who is governing it and severely restricting humanitarian aid.

“For an AIPAC representative to say that I would ever vote to support Middle East terrorists over the interests of my country will never be tolerated by me or the families I serve,” McCollum wrote in a letter to Howard Kohr, AIPAC’s executive director that was republished in the New York Review of Books."

http://jta.org/page_view_breaking_story.asp?intid=2702

[Dr.Phool]

1. I think we need to isolate AIPAC as a terrorist organization.

How many times have they been accused of running intel operations against us.

She had better watch out. They'll try to take her out in November. They got Cynthia McKinney a couple of years ago.

[Coastie for Truth]

4. If you really want a list of terrorist organizations

read Hostile Takeover : How Big Money and Corruption Conquered Our Government--and How We Take It Back by David Sirota, and on the "right flank" of the terrorist organizations identified by Sirota is none other then the .

AIPAC is barely a pimple on a bosuns mate's left butt cheek. A diversionary scape goat to divert the naive from the real power playes - the ones who benefit from Bush's tax cuts and the ones who benefit from a private, for profit, gazzillion carrier health insurance mafia, and the ones who would benefit from piratization (not "privatization") of social security. And bankrolling the BFEE is none other then the oil mafia (you enjoy paying $3.39/gallon self serve regular?) --

As usual, I refer one and all to:

* F. William Engdahl, "A Century Of War : Anglo-American Oil Politics and the New World Order"

* Matthew Simmons, "Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy"

* Kenneth Deffeyes, "Beyond Oil : The View from Hubbert's Peak"

* Kenneth Deffeyes, "Hubbert's Peak : The Impending World Oil Shortage"

* Michael Klare, "Blood and Oil : The Dangers and Consequences of America's Growing Dependency on Imported Petroleum"

* Michael Klare, "Resource Wars: The New Landscape of Global Conflict"

* James Howard Kunstler, "The Long Emergency: Surviving the Converging Catastrophes of the Twenty-First Century"

* Anthony Evans, "An Introduction to Economic Geology and Its Environmental Impact"

and, oh yes

* Project for a New American Century,

and, but of course, my blog

[not systems]

9. good new F. William Engdahl article...

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/China/HE09Ad01.html


The US's geopolitical nightmare
By F William Engdahl

By drawing attention to Iraq and the obvious role oil plays in US policy today, the George W Bush-Dick Cheney administration has done just that: it has drawn the world's energy-deficit powers' attention firmly to the strategic battle over energy, and especially oil.

...

However, profoundly significant is the fact that this time leading mainstream media, including Richard Cohen in the Washington Post, have come to the defense of authors Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer. Even certain sections of the Israeli press have done so. The taboo of speaking publicly of the pro-Israel agenda of neo-conservatives has apparently been broken. That suggests that the old-guard foreign-policy establishment, types such as Zbigniew Brzezinski and Brent Scowcroft and their allies, are stepping up to retake foreign-policy leadership. The neo-cons have proved a colossal failure in their defense of America's strategic interests as the realists see it.

...
Authors Walt and Mearsheimer also note that Perle and Feith put their names to a 1996 policy blueprint for Benjamin Netanyahu's then incoming government in Israel, titled, "A Clean Break: A New Strategy for Securing the Realm" (Israel).

In that document, Perle and Feith advised Netanyahu that the rebuilding of Zionism must abandon any thought of trading land for peace with the Palestinians, ie, repeal the Oslo accords. Next, Saddam Hussein must be overthrown and democracy established in Iraq, which would then prove contagious in Israel's other Arab neighbors. That was in 1996, seven years before Bush launched a near-unilateral war for regime change in Iraq.

When NBC-TV's Tim Russert on the widely watched Meet the Press asked Perle about his geopolitical laundry list for Israel's benefit, Perle replied, "What's wrong with that?"

...

[TomClash]

12. The two groups - AIPAC and the BFEE - are not mutually exlcusive

eom

[Coastie for Truth]

13. One could say the same thing about API and the BFEE

Compare and contrast and http://www.newamericancentury.org/RebuildingAmericasDefenses.pdf|Project for a New American Century - Rebuilding America's Defenses>

[TomClash]

24. I agree

AIPAC is not responsible for the Iraq War - oil and contracts are.

But AIPAC may very well be responsible if we strike Iran - such a strike is high on hte Israeli agenda.

[Tom Joad]

25. I pretty much agree....

Mixed reasons for US elites decision for the illegal war in Iraq. AIPAC certainly made its contribution (it actually has a significant number of grassroots members, unlike oil interests,a and they made their views known). So I put them in the same category as i would the Christian Right, who also provided vocal support for Bush and his war. But i think the main reason for the war was to enlarge US empire, and the elites would have supported that even without AIPAC's influence.

I don't understand, however, why AIPAC should not be criticized. Its representatives are calling a reasonable Democrat like Betty McCollum, who only slightly disagrees with AIPAC policy positions, and calling her a "terror supporter". Even such a small disagreement leads to such a great and false accusations? Such nonesense.

I can relate to Ms. McCollum's prediciment. It happens here, too.

[Coastie for Truth]

27. A prophet without honor

But i think the main reason for the war was to enlarge US empire, and the elites would have supported that even without AIPAC's influence.

Compared to the "elite's" - the opinion of the so-called "AIPAC grassroots" was de minimus.

Heck, the real "elites" in the BFEE universe of "elites" don't even hire so-called "AIPAC grassroots" untermenchen. See . We know that and we untermenchen know our place in the BFEE universe. And we know that the BFEE consigliere, James A. "Jim" Baker III has been a staunch defender of that discriminatory caste system of "Jim Crow" and "dhimmi."

Look at the election results - 77% for Kerry. You tell me why.

How long has this been my meme?

[Poll_Blind]

31. If this is a tangent from your conversation with Tom, I apologize...

...to interrupt it for a moment with two questions which hopes to be a clarification. Two questions:

1. When you state your belief that AIPAC's involvement in GW II was trifling, would it be correct or incorrect to assume that you would also consider the Israeli government's involvement equally insignificant?

2. Would you consider AIPAC's involvement in any Iranian action as insignificant as in Iraq? The same question goes for the Israeli government, if you view them as unequal in their involvement.

Thanks,

PB

onedit: for grammar

[Tom Joad]

32. I think how they help is that they organize some grassroots support for

bush's insane, illegal wars. That is *not* to say that AIPACers are the only supporters. as dismissive as the bush regime is of the popular will, any govt, except perhaps the most tyrannical, must have some popular support, or at least acquiescence. And even now bush and his policies have some popular support, and he had much popular support in the beginning.
So AIPAC is part (and only part) of that support for military intervention. And well organized. Groups like the Christian right also play a part in this. There are other groups. What is wrong with being critical of any these groups?

As for the issue specifically with supporting and supplying Israel with massive military aid. I would say this is very much the key lobby. AIPAC would say they are the key lobby in making that happen, and they say it with pride. So i just don't know why that is a matter of debate. It would make more sense to just debate if that military support for Israel is desirable or not.

[4freethinking]

33. Good point PB

The GOI's involvement with the OSP in making the case for the Iraq war is a can of worms our politicians don't want to investigate because it involves Israel.

[pelsar]

2. so....

according to all the past posts here about how powerful AIPAC is, can we conclude that she will now be:

run out of office

lose in the next election

be assassinated?

[bemildred]

3. Hard to say.

I would guess in this case that she will get an "apology".
It's a bit late to mount a primary challenge.

Things have changed too, I think, one can argue that AIPAC has been weakened by recent events, hence the stridency of "activists" that don't get their way.

[Coastie for Truth]

5. Minnesota's 4th is a "Bluer Then Blue" District

Very large, very politically progressive, old time liberal Jewish community. Not the kind of community that can be "delivered" by a lobby or that is at all "knee jerk." This is the metro area of Hubert Humphrey. I don't think McCollum is in danger.

[bemildred]

6. Thanks, don't really know a lot about it.

Although I do know those states have a long progressive history.
Some of my begetters were from up around there, and they were commie-pinkos to the core.

[Coastie for Truth]

7. Distict includes St. Louis Park MN

home of Al Franken.

[Tom Joad]

8. This woman is a profile in courage.

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

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[Coastie for Truth]

11. All Jews are NOT members of Likud or even AIPAC

and the "Twin Cities" Jewish Community is pretty far to the left. Congresswoman McCollum is representing her District.

Don't forget - that's Hubert Humphrey Country - and DFLP Country.

[Poll_Blind]

14. Who here claimed they were? Did I miss something?

PB

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

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[Tom Joad]

17. What group was libeled? AIPAC?

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

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[Tom Joad]

28. About alleged "Group Libel". I find this offensive.

Regarding the allegation that i committed a "group libel", i want to make very clear that i find this very offensive, and without merit. It is a personal attack.

It is clearly a tactic to divert attention to the issues at hand.

I would appreciate it if the statement were retracted.

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

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[Tom Joad]

30. I have no interest in a meeting. eom

[Tom Joad]

16. I certainly agree, Coastie. All Jews are not members of AIPAC.

I have said this time and time again.
AIPAC represents a very right-wing point of view (and even often to the right of the Israeli govt).
AIPAC gatherings are one of the few places on earth, outside maybe a Halliburton stockholders meeting, where cheney would be given thunderous applause. (See more on that Here ) That is certainly not representative of the Jewish community or any except a very small minority of all US citizens, as Cheney is popular with less than 20% by many polls.

edited to add "All Jews are not members of AIPAC" so it is clear what i am responding to.

[Name removed]

18. Deleted message

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[Tom Joad]

19. I can't disagree with the ADL or the JCRC?

And somehow that has to do with your family history and volunteer work, which we have heard so much about? I am really confused there.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted message

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[Tom Joad]

22. I disagree with specific policies of the JCRC and ADL.

Not the ones you mention.
Is that so difficult to understand?

I may agree with specific things the ADL says, and still disagree with others.
It is a complex world. Enjoy it.

[Coastie for Truth]

23. It's like I agree with some ISM positions and disagree with others

and I agree with Prince Talal that Gaza and the WB need an entrepreuerial infrastructure. I just disagree with some other policies.

Like I agree more with the Labor Party and then I agree with Kadima.

[Tom Joad]

26. It should be noted that the bill McCollum opposes and AIPAC supports

is considered too extreme by Israeli leaders (as well as the Bush administration).
http://www.forward.com/articles/7466

[Phx_Dem]

34. The rest of the story

....

Rotenberg wrote back to McCollum, saying that the account of her conversation with the chief of staff was "seriously distorted" and that she "was not accusing anyone of anything." In a separate letter, AIPAC director Howard Kohr proposed to meet with the congresswoman to discuss the issue.

His letter, sent a month ago, was not answered. The anti-Hamas bill, known as the Palestinian Anti-Terror Act of 2006, is scheduled for a vote on the floor of House of Representatives on Monday and is expected to be approved.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1145961381715&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

The director of AIPAC tried to set up a meeting but I guess Mcullum is not interested.

[Poll_Blind]

35. UPDATE: "agreed to disagree regarding...H.R. 4681"

From ArabNews, emphasis mine:

After a month of tense exchanges, and realizing AIPAC had begun to garner very bad press, Rep. Gary Ackerman, D-N.Y., close to both AIPAC and McCollum, brokered a meeting last Wednesday. In a statement following the meeting, McCollum described it as “a polite conversation in which we agreed to disagree regarding the policy implications of H.R. 4681.” She “appreciated” Kohr’s acknowledgement of her pro-Israel record. “I expressed my resolve to continue to work with all pro-Israel groups who are committed to working respectfully and constructively for security, peace and human dignity in the Middle East,” McCollum said.

PB