Political Crossfire Forums

[jher]

Influencing Congress

A key pillar of the Lobby’s effectiveness is its influence in the U.S. Congress, where Israel is virtually immune from criticism. This is in itself a remarkable situation, because Congress almost never shies away from contentious issues. Whether the issue is abortion, affirmative action, health care, or welfare, there is certain to be a lively debate on Capitol Hill. Where Israel is concerned, however, potential critics fall silent and there is hardly any debate at all.


One reason for the Lobby’s success with Congress is that some key members are Christian Zionists like Dick Armey, who said in September 2002 that “My No. 1 priority in foreign policy is to protect Israel.” One would think that the number 1 priority for any congressman would be to “protect America,” but that is not what Armey said. There are also Jewish senators and congressmen who work to make U.S. foreign policy support Israel’s interests.


Pro‐Israel congressional staffers are another source of the Lobby’s power. As Morris Amitay, a former head of AIPAC, once admitted, “There are a lot of guys at the working level up here [on Capitol Hill] … who happen to be Jewish, who are willing … to look at certain issues in terms of their Jewishness …. These are all guys who are in a position to make the decision in these areas for those senators …. You can get an awful lot done just at the staff level.”70

It is AIPAC itself, however, that forms the core of the Lobby’s influence in Congress. AIPAC’s success is due to its ability to reward legislators and congressional candidates who support its agenda, and to punish those who challenge it. Money is critical to U.S. elections (as the recent scandal over lobbyist Jack Abramoff’s various shady dealings reminds us), and AIPAC makes sure that its friends get strong financial support from the myriad pro‐Israel political action committees. Those seen as hostile to Israel, on the other hand, can be sure that AIPAC will direct campaign contributions to their political opponents. AIPAC also organizes letter‐writing campaigns and encourages newspaper editors to endorse pro‐Israel candidates.


There is no doubt about the potency of these tactics. To take but one example, in 1984 AIPAC helped defeat Senator Charles Percy from Illinois, who, according to one prominent Lobby figure, had “displayed insensitivity and even hostility to our concerns.” Thomas Dine, the head of AIPAC at the time, explained what happened: “All the Jews in America, from coast to coast, gathered to oust Percy. And the American politicians ‐‐ those who hold public positions now, and those who aspire ‐‐ got the message.” AIPAC prizes its reputation as a formidable adversary, of course, because it discourages anyone from questioning its agenda.


AIPAC’s influence on Capitol Hill goes even further, however. According to Douglas Bloomfield, a former AIPAC staff member, “It is common for members of Congress and their staffs to turn to AIPAC first when they need information, before calling the Library of Congress, the Congressional Research Service, committee staff or administration experts.”72 More importantly, he notes that AIPAC is “often called upon to draft speeches, work on legislation, advise on tactics, perform research, collect co‐sponsors and marshal votes.”


The bottom line is that AIPAC, which is a de facto agent for a foreign government, has a stranglehold on the U.S. Congress.73 Open debate about U.S. policy towards Israel does not occur there, even though that policy has important consequences for the entire world. Thus, one of the three main branches of the U.S. government is firmly committed to supporting Israel. As former Senator Ernest Hollings (D‐SC) noted as he was leaving office, “You can’t have an Israeli policy other than what AIPAC gives you around here.”74 Small wonder that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon once told an American audience. “When people ask me how they can help Israel, I tell them—Help AIPAC.”

This has contributed to the wrong America policies in the Middle East. The Americans in general have also been brainwashed without knowing it.

[johnflesh]

If I wanted to rule the world, I'd do exactly the same thing.

[jher]

See how Israel Lobbyist influence American ME Policies : Some info about John Bolton : American UN ambassador
1. The situation is even more pronounced in the Bush Administration, whose ranks include fervently pro‐Israel individuals like Elliot Abrams, John Bolton, Douglas Feith, I. Lewis (“Scooter”) Libby, Richard Perle, Paul Wolfowitz, and David Wurmser. As we shall see, these officials consistently pushed for policies favored by Israel and backed by organizations in the Lobby.
http://www.lrb.co.uk/v28/n06/mear01_.html
2. Bolton is an outspoken hawk on U.S. policy in the Middle East, and has since the mid-1990s been closely associated with a number of neoconservative organizations and pressure groups that are close to the right-wing Likud party in Israel, including the Project for the New American Century, the American Enterprise Institute, the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA), and the Committee for Peace and Security in the Gulf (CPSG).
Along with a number of other Bush administration figures, Bolton served on the board of advisers of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs before joining the administration. JINSA promotes a “peace through strength” policy to support Israel and works to build “strategic ties” between the U.S. military and U.S. military contractors with Israel. Other administration figures associated with this militarist organization that aims to strengthen the military-industrial complexes in both Israel and the United States are Richard Cheney, Douglas Feith, and Paul Wolfowitz.
http://rightweb.irc-online.org/profile/972

[jher]

Anyone still thinks American is not control by Israel's zionists ?

[jher]

John Bolton's Dual Loyalties
Israel's Man at the UN
By TOM BARRY
http://www.counterpunch.org/barry07272006.html

During his first confirmation hearings, Bolton's record as undersecretary of state for arms control came under fire. According to news reports, including the highly respected Jewish magazine Forward, Bolton took part in unauthorized meetings with Israeli officials, including Israeli intelligence agents. He met with officials of the Mossad intelligence agency without first seeking "country clearance" from the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. In its May 6, 2005 article on Bolton's practice of manipulating intelligence and violating government protocol, Forward also noted that Bolton is "known as a strong supporter of Israel's position that Tehran is coming alarmingly close to being able to weaponize its nuclear material."

[BigOMG]

So who pays you to post this stuff? hezbollah or hamas? :P

[dmaw]

BigOMG wrote: So who pays you to post this stuff? hezbollah or hamas? :P :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[jher]

BigOMG wrote: So who pays you to post this stuff? hezbollah or hamas? :P
After seeing the picture of Israeli's UN ambassador consoling American UN ambassador I was wondering why. Now I finally found the answer so I am a bit excited.....