Thread: AIPAC

It's that time of year again- the Annual Policy Conference of AIPAC- American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the central player in what is generally known as the Israel lobby, and the worlds most powerful lobby group. Of course, it is held in Washington DC, and more than 5000 pro-Israel activists descended for this years conference.

Tha AIPAC Conference makes the Oscars look amateur in terms of star pulling power. Condeleeza Rice was greeted by stony silence, when she made the following comment to the assembled AIPAC audience yesterday-
"Israelis have waited too long for the security they desire and deserve," she said, "and Palestinians have waited too long, amid daily humiliations, for the dignity of a Palestinian state." israelinsider: diplomacy: At AIPAC, Rice call for Palestinian state greeted with silence

From the Asia Times-

WASHINGTON - 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.

Republican presidential candidate McCain is opening this year's AIPAC jamboree; Clinton and Obama are closing it on Wednesday....

AIPAC has explicit Zionist roots. The founder, "Si" Kenen, was head of the American Zionist Council in 1951. The body was reorganized as a US lobby - the American Zionist Committee for Public Affairs - in 1953-4, and then renamed AIPAC in 1959. Under Tom Dine, in the 1970s, it was turned into a mass organization with more than 150 employees and a budget of up to US$60 million today. Dine was later ousted because he was considered not hawkish enough.

The top leadership - mostly former AIPAC presidents - is always more hawkish on the Middle East than most Jewish Americans. AIPAC only dropped its opposition to a Palestinian state - without endorsing it - when Ehud Barak became Israeli prime minister in 1999....

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".

Hillary Clinton has learned long ago she should not cross AIPAC. Clinton used to support a Palestinian state in 1998. She even embraced Suha Arafat, Yasser's wife, in 1999. After much scolding, she suddenly became a vigorous defender of Israel, and years later wholeheartedly supported the 2006 Israeli war against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Clinton may have gotten the bulk of Jewish American donations for her 2008 presidential campaign.

Rice also learned about facts on the ground. She tried to restart the eternally moribund "peace process" when visiting the Middle East in March 2007. Before the trip, she got an AIPAC letter signed by no less than 79 US senators telling her not to talk to the new Palestinian unity government until it "recognized Israel, renounced terror and agreed to abide by Palestinian-Israeli agreements".

The power of the lobby seems unassailable. In March 2007, the US Congress was trying to attach a provision to a Pentagon spending bill that would have required President George W Bush to get congressional approval before attacking Iran. AIPAC was strongly against it - because it viewed the legislation as taking the military option "off the table". The provision was killed. Congressman Dennis Kucinich said this was due to AIPAC.

Asia Times Online :: Middle East News, Iraq, Iran current affairs

AIPAC is really quite an extraordinary phenomenon. The other two most powerful Lobby groups in Washington are considered the NRA, and the AFL/CIO. But these Lobby groups speak for a lot more of the US population (gun owners and unionists) than AIPAC- 3% or so of the US population are Jewish, many of them however are not Zionist.

Lets take a look at AIPAC.

someone should bomb that conference, problem of the world solved in one shot

Mccain is considered a certainty to win the safe majority of the Jewish vote this election- his opponent is willing to actually talk to the President of iran, and his middle name is Husein. So he did not disappoint in his speech to AIPAC:-

WASHINGTON - In a major address on Middle East policy on Monday, Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican candidate for president, pledged to maintain the George W Bush administration's hard line against Iran and expressed strong skepticism about the ability of the current Palestinian leadership to reach a peace accord with Israel.

McCain, who was speaking at the opening session of the annual policy conference of the powerful American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), called for much tougher international sanctions against Iran, including a "severe limit on Iranian imports of gasoline" and a "worldwide divestment campaign" directed against companies doing business with the Islamic Republic, as a means of forcing it to freeze its alleged nuclear weapons program.

And he ridiculed his likely Democratic rival in the November elections, Senator Barack Obama, for proposing unconditional talks with the Iranian leadership on a range of issues, despite the fact that a new poll just released by the Gallup organization found that nearly six in 10 US voters, including nearly half of all Republican respondents, believe a US-Iranian summit would be a "good idea"....

After two and a half days of speeches, including by Obama and Senator Hillary Clinton, as well as the top leadership of both parties in Congress, as many as 7,000 members of the group from all over the country will trek to Capitol Hill to press their lawmakers to quickly approve pending bills in Congress that, if approved, would impose a new set of sweeping unilateral sanctions against Iran and companies that do business with it.

AIPAC includes a wide range of national Jewish groups, such as Americans for Peace Now and Israel Policy forum, that favor engagement by the US - directly or indirectly - with a number of Israel's regional foes, including the Palestinian Hamas, Lebanon's Hezbollah, Syria, and even Iran itself.

However, its neo-conservative leadership remains, for the most part, strongly opposed to such a strategy - in defiance of the current Israeli government, which has itself become increasingly involved in recent weeks in indirect talks with Hamas, Hezbollah and Damascus.

Full Article- Asia Times Online :: Middle East News, Iraq, Iran current affairs

Now if you have read the above, it is pretty obvious that the leadership of AIPAC is considerably more hawkish on ME Issues than:-
The US public
Many of the Jewish organisations that are a part of AIPAC
The Israeli government
The Israeli people (who are less hawkish than the Israeli government)

What is going on here then? The leadership of the worlds most powerful lobby group have apparently hijacked it's rather broad charter, to concentrate on their own Zionist, neo-Conservative viewpoints. I am curious to know actually why there is not more publicity about this- Jewish interest groups would not typically remain silent if another minority faction was steamrolling their own interests.

The "campus-watch"website might be helpful to include in research...apparently the AIPAC "organization" (I know, I said organ ) operates on quite a few fronts, looks like any attention to this subject is met with thorough criticism.

Unfortunately, I have too few posts to include a link to their website.

Here is an abbreviated version:

campus-watch dot ORG (sorry, there it is again).

I look forward to the discussion.

I'll add more tomorrow.

But this conference just show the power and influence that AIPAC has over the US and its foreign policy.

More link will be posted tomorrow afternoon.

Don't enjoy.

Yeah, I saw Obama's speech and it was very creepy. Fuck the Palestinians, we love you Israel, rah rah rah.

I prefer Desmond's analysis, even if his surname is Tutu:

Tutu condemns Israeli 'apartheid'

Tutu said 'oppression' would not bring security


South African Archbishop Desmond Tutu has accused Israel of practising apartheid in its policies towards the Palestinians. The Nobel peace laureate said he was "very deeply distressed" by a visit to the Holy Land, adding that "it reminded me so much of what happened to us black people in South Africa".

The Jewish lobby is powerful - very powerful. Well, so what?

Archbishop Desmond Tutu
In a speech in the United States, carried in the UK's Guardian newspaper, Archbishop Tutu said he saw "the humiliation of the Palestinians at checkpoints and roadblocks, suffering like us when young white police officers prevented us from moving about".
The archbishop, who was a leading opponent of apartheid in South Africa, said Israel would "never get true security and safety through oppressing another people".
Archbishop Tutu said his criticism of the Israeli Government did not mean he was anti-Semitic.
"I am not even anti-white, despite the madness of that group," he said.
Jewish lobby
The archbishop attacked the political power of Jewish groups in the United States, saying: "People are scared in this country, to say wrong is wrong because the Jewish lobby is powerful - very powerful. Well, so what?
"The apartheid government was very powerful, but today it no longer exists.
Tutu said Israeli checkpoints were humiliating Palestinians



"Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Pinochet, Milosevic, and Idi Amin were all powerful, but in the end they bit the dust," he said.
Speaking at a conference called Ending the Oppression in Boston, Archbishop Tutu told delegates Jewish people had been at the forefront of the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.
He asked: "Have our Jewish sisters and brothers forgotten their humiliation? Have they forgotten the collective punishment, the home demolitions, in their own history so soon?
"Have they turned their backs on their profound and noble religious traditions?"
The archbishop said that while he condemned suicide bombings by Palestinian militants against Israel, Israeli military action would not bring security to the Jewish state.
Israel must "strive for peace based on justice, based on withdrawal from all the occupied territories, and the establishment of a viable Palestinian state on those territories side by side with Israel, both with secure borders," he said.

Originally Posted by benbaaa

Yeah, I saw Obama's speech and it was very creepy. Fuck the Palestinians, we love you Israel, rah rah rah.

I suppose Obama is playing politics now, and trying to get the Jewish vote in Florida, which is a very important, and lately, a very tight state in Presidential elections.

didn't Clinton used the same strategy ? hopefully once elected, he could depart from that silly commitment,

Originally Posted by Butterfly

didn't Clinton used the same strategy ? hopefully once elected, he could depart from that silly commitment,

Yea then the candidate for change would be exposed as just another politician. Say what ever you need to say to get elected then do what ever the hell you want until re-election time approaches. Some change.

What is this some sort of joke or what?

WASHINGTON, June 4: Senator Barack Obama faces immense pressure from groups within his Democratic Party to pick Hillary Clinton as his running mate after he won enough delegates to clinch his party’s nomination for the 2008 presidential election.

The two had their first encounter at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in Washington on Wednesday, praised each other, but did not say a word about who will be the vice presidential candidate.

On Tuesday evening, Ms Clinton hinted that she was “open to” being Mr Obama’s running mate, but has not conceded her defeat yet.

Members of the Congressional Black Caucus, however, are pushing Mr Obama to accept Ms Clinton as his vice presidential nominee. But an influential Democrat — former president and Nobel laureate Jimmy Carter — urged Mr Obama not to do so.

At the AIPAC meeting, Mr Obama made sure to praise Ms Clinton, calling her an “extraordinary candidate, an extraordinary public servant,” and “a true friend of Israel”.

“I’m very proud to have competed against her,” he said.

Senator Clinton got a standing ovation before she started her speech. She has a longer, stronger relationship with the powerful committee than Mr Obama and she used it to vouch for Mr Obama as a strong supporter of Israel.

“And let me be very clear. I know that Senator Obama will be a good friend to Israel,” she said.

On Tuesday evening, Mr Obama indicated that Ms Clinton will have a role in his administration, if he is elected.

“You can rest assured that when we finally win the battle for universal healthcare in this country — and we will win that fight — she will be central to that victory,” he declared.

Mr Obama and Ms Clinton talked early on Wednesday on phone. He congratulated her and renewed his offer to “sit down when it makes sense for you”, said his spokesman Robert Gibbs. Ms Clinton responded positively, Mr Gibbs said, but there were no immediate plans to meet on Wednesday.

So it's all about Israel, not America?

Originally Posted by machangezi

So it's all about Israel, not America?

AIPAC certainly is. There is something quite humiliating about the AIPAC conference- even senior US Politicians who quite publicly espouse the cause of justice for the Palestinians effectively stand in line to prostrate themselves before this Lobby group.

Why doesn't someone with balls just stand up there and say 'We will continue to be the worlds biggest donor for you, we will continue to guarantee your existence, as long as you vacate the occupied territories".

Considering the Israeli government itself has verbally accepted this position, whats anathemic to standing up and saying the Truth? The US is quite willing to stand up to the UN and anyone else, and put things on the line- why not tiny Israel, the beneficiary of so much of your taxpayers money?

Originally Posted by machangezi

So it's all about Israel, not America?

I say, F*** Israel.

Who cares.

Be a friend of Americans who pay for the taxes that go to Israel.


Cut off all aid; cut off all ties.



Problem solved.


Here's to you: Israelis.

Originally Posted by Milkman

Here's to you: Israelis.

What. All of them?

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Originally Posted by Milkman

Here's to you: Israelis.

What. All of them?

No, not all. Just the Zionists. I don't like to over-generalize.

Originally Posted by Bugs

Yea then the candidate for change would be exposed as just another politician. Say what ever you need to say to get elected then do what ever the hell you want until re-election time approaches. Some change.

That's exactly what I was thinking. Depressing thought, but shame on us for ever thinking it would be different, I guess.

^
it was a difficult political decision that will reap two rewards for obama....one, he'll get more votes in florida---and yesterday hamas withdrew its 'endorsement'.

in the end, a sound political decision.

^ But does he believe what he said? That still counts for something, doesn't it? If he doesn't believe it but still said it for political gain, how is he the change candidate?

Originally Posted by raycarey

^
it was a difficult political decision that will reap two rewards for obama....one, he'll get more votes in florida---and yesterday hamas withdrew its 'endorsement'.

in the end, a sound political decision.

I agree. It's was a political decision.

And...he doesn't have to follow up on it, if and when he gets elected.

Florida is an important state. Sad but true, politics.

As far as i'm concerned, Obama should just write off the majority of the Jewish vote. He ain't gonna get it.

The ones he will get will do so because of his policy platforms, and they will not be Zionist anyway. By being just another political flimflam man, he's likely to lose their vote, whilst still not gaining the majority Jewish vote.

Originally Posted by benbaaa

But does he believe what he said?

i don't know. there are always many shades of gray....and even more so in the mind of a politician in an election year.

Originally Posted by benbaaa

That still counts for something, doesn't it?

it does to me, but i realize that this is politics.

Originally Posted by benbaaa

If he doesn't believe it but still said it for political gain, how is he the change candidate?

obama is not the messiah, he is a politician. you don't become a US senator and then the nominee for president, without making tough political decisions.
and of course he can still claim to be the 'change' candidate even though he made this speech to aipac....it was a good move....he got some jewish votes, goodwill in the media, and silenced the GOP talking point about the being the candidate supported by hamas.....and i doubt if he lost more than a handful of supporters because of what he said.

Originally Posted by sabang

Obama should just write off the majority of the Jewish vote. He ain't gonna get it.

i disagree. jews overwhelmingly vote for democrats in presidential elections.

Jewish Vote In Presidential Elections

granted he's black, but i don't think this will put him below 50%....not even close.

The Jewish vote is extremely important, he could have ignored it but the stupid Republican NeoCon fascists (and jewish) are making it a central issue these days, impossible to ignore

Originally Posted by Butterfly

The Jewish vote is extremely important, he could have ignored it but the stupid Republican NeoCon fascists (and jewish) are making it a central issue these days, impossible to ignore

Unfortunately, I believe this is true.

Especially with the money and influence over the media that AIPAC has.

The Zionist/pro-Israel issue can only be ignored after the election.

And again, Florida will possibly prove as pivital to the election as it was in 2000 and 2004.

"Since the October War in 1973, Washington has provided Israel with a level of support dwarfing that given to any other state. It has been the largest annual recipient of direct economic and military assistance since 1976, and is the largest recipient in total since World War Two, to the tune of well over $140 billion (in 2004 dollars). Israel receives about $3 billion in direct assistance each year, roughly one-fifth of the foreign aid budget, and worth about $500 a year for every Israeli. This largesse is especially striking since Israel is now a wealthy industrial state with a per capita income roughly equal to that of South Korea or Spain.

Other recipients get their money in quarterly installments, but Israel receives its entire appropriation at the beginning of each fiscal year and can thus earn interest on it. Most recipients of aid given for military purposes are required to spend all of it in the US, but Israel is allowed to use roughly 25 per cent of its allocation to subsidise its own defence industry. It is the only recipient that does not have to account for how the aid is spent, which makes it virtually impossible to prevent the money from being used for purposes the US opposes, such as building settlements on the West Bank. Moreover, the US has provided Israel with nearly $3 billion to develop weapons systems, and given it access to such top-drawer weaponry as Blackhawk helicopters and F-16 jets. Finally, the US gives Israel access to intelligence it denies to its Nato allies and has turned a blind eye to Israel’s acquisition of nuclear weapons."

LRB · John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt: The Israel Lobby

Tha above comes from an article (linked above), and subsequent book published by John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt called the Israel Lobby. It is critical of the power of the Lobby, of which AIPAC is at the core, and argues that the net result is often contrary to the interests of US foreign policy. Unsurprisingly, the book has attracted a fair bit of controversy.

AIPAC is at the very core of the US political administration, the article will leave you in no doubt about that, and the 'neo-cons' are not just pro-Zionist as I am wont to say- they Are Zionist.

An interesting snippet-

We also traced the lobby’s impact on recent U.S. policies, including the March 2003 invasion of Iraq. Neoconservatives inside and outside the Bush administration, as well as leaders of a number of prominent pro-Israel organizations, played key roles in making the case for war. We believe the United States would not have attacked Iraq without their efforts. That said, these groups and individuals did not operate in a vacuum, and they did not lead the country to war by themselves. For instance, the war would probably not have occurred absent the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, which helped convince President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney to support it.

John Mearsheimer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

In a letter published in the London Review of Books in response to criticism of their book, I reckon Walt and Mearsheimer pretty much sum it up with this statement-

"We agree that there is strong public support for Israel in America, in part because it is seen as compatible with America's Judaeo-Christian culture. But we believe this popularity is substantially due to the lobby's success at portraying Israel in a favourable light and effectively limiting public awareness and discussion of Israel's less savoury actions. Diplomats and military officers are also affected by this distorted public discourse, but many of them can see through the rhetoric. They keep silent, however, because they fear that groups like AIPAC will damage their careers if they speak out. The fact is that if there were no AIPAC, Americans would have a more critical view of Israel and US policy in the Middle East would look different."

John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt: Storm Over "the Israel Lobby"

The title of the article is-
Is It Possible to Have a Civilized Discussion About the Role of Israel in American Foreign Policy?
The Storm over "the Israel Lobby"


Damn good question.

You'll likely know this thread if you're an Issues veteran, but heres a good example of why people in the US are downright scared of the Israel Lobby. Even the supposedly objective Academic establishment cowers before it:-

https://teakdoor.com/us-domestic-issu...ein-story.html

Personally, I found this an astonishing story- and it continued to progress as the Thread was in progress. In destroying a career however, the Lobby created a Dissident- and a brave one at that.



The latest news- Norman Finkelstein, a Jew and the son of Holocaust victims, was arrested on entering Israel and questioned by Shin Bet.

This man is one of my Hero's- a very, very brave man.