And the winner is ... the Israel lobby

[ensho]

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Middle_East/JF03Ak01.html


They're all here - and they're all ready to party. The three United States presidential candidates - John McCain, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Madam House speaker Nancy Pelosi. Most US senators and virtually half of the US Congress. Vice President Dick Cheney's wife, Lynne. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Embattled Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert. And a host of Jewish and non-Jewish political and academic heavy-hitters among the 7,000 participants.

Such star power wattage, a Washington version of the Oscars, is the stock in trade of AIPAC - the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the crucial player in what is generally known as the Israel lobby and which holds its annual Policy Conference this week in Washington at which most of the heavyweights will deliver lectures.

-snip-

All the candidates in the House say yeah
Republican presidential candidate McCain is opening this year's AIPAC jamboree; Clinton and Obama are closing it on Wednesday. Walt and Mearsheimer's verdict on the dangerous liaisons between presidential candidates and AIPAC remains unimpeachable: "None of the candidates is likely to criticize Israel in any significant way or suggest that the US ought to pursue a more evenhanded policy in the region. And those who do will probably fall by the wayside."

-snip-

The house that AIPAC built
AIPAC in the US Congress is a rough beast indeed. Former president Bill Clinton defined it as "stunningly effective". Former speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich called it "the most effective general-interest group across the entire planet". The New York Times as "the most important organization affecting America's relationship with Israel". Embattled Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, before his involvement in a corruption scandal, said. "Thank God we have AIPAC, the greatest supporter and friend we have in the whole world."

AIPAC maintains a virtual stranglehold over the US Congress. Critics of the Israel lobby other than Walt and Mearsheimer also contend that AIPAC essentially prevents any possibility of open debate on US policy towards Israel. Compare it with a 2004 report by the Pentagon's Defense Science Board, according to which "Muslims do not hate our freedom, but rather they hate our policies".

-snip-

Every member of the US Congress receives AIPAC's bi-weekly newsletter, the Near East Report. Walt and Mearsheimer stress that Congressmen and their staff "usually turn to AIPAC when they need info; AIPAC is called upon to draft speeches, work on legislation, advise on tactics, research, collect co-sponsors and marshal votes".
-long snip-
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if we sent congress a bi-weekly newsletter, think they would read it?


MODS - I wasn't sure what forum to put this in. if this isn't the right one I'm sorry. there was a choice of 3 forums.

[Fredda Weinberg]

1. So you have no leaders left? Something might be wrong w/your analysis

Just suggesting ...

[ensho]

2. huh? what do you mean?

nt

[wuushew]

3. Link to their newsletter

http://www.aipac.org/Publications/4226_1140.asp

Same old propaganda. AIPAC needs to think of how many trees they are killing by publishing the same old crap on a bi-weekly basis.

[Freddie Stubbs]

4. A lot of American voters support Israel

That is what makes the so-called 'Israel lobby' so effective

[Indenturedebtor]

5. What I find amusing is that in the article

It is assumed that there could be no reason for supporting Israel's counter attack on Lebanon. That just throws the whole thing in the garbage for me.

[magellan]

6. AIPAC has the ear of our government

Which is very nice if you happen to agree with their agenda. That's a matter of convenience however; our government doesn't listen to the people. It listens to AIPAC and the like.

Elections aren't enough. We, the American people, need our own high-powered lobbying group.

[leftchick]

7. excellent piece!

K&R!