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 ‘Fresh Air’ Probes ‘The Israel Lobby’Posted on Sep 4, 2007
Terry Gross chats up Stephen Walt of Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, whose controversial new book, “The Israel Lobby,” challenges the basis of the United States’ staunch support of its biggest ally in the Middle East. Previous item: Charlie Chaplin on the Villainy of War Next item: Deporting Veterans Elsewhere: . CommentsAre you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig. Add Your Comment |
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A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
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Copyright © 2008 Truthdig, L.L.C. All rights reserved.
By John Hanks, Laramie, Wyoming, September 8, 2007 at 3:54 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Until the Zionists got into the act after World War I, the Palestine area was stable.
Now we have a plot by Zionist Neocons to get us to drop nukes on the middle east, which will surely bring nuclear retaliation back. The Neocons will finally get us to retaliate in turn against the Arab world so the oil crooks can steal, and so Israel can enjoy the illusion that it has a right to exist.
Genocide is not an old German monopoly.
Report thisBy John Hanks, Laramie, Wyoming, September 8, 2007 at 3:50 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Until the Zionists got into the act after World War I, the Palestine area coexisted.
Now we have a plot by Zionist Neocons to get us to drop nukes on the middle east, which will surely bring nuclear retaliation back. The Neocons will finally get us to destroy the Arab world so the oil crooks can steal, and so Israel can enjoy the illusion that it has a right to exist.
Genocide is not a Nazi monopoly.
Report thisBy driving bear, September 8, 2007 at 12:38 pm #
reference to #99272
The Jews in Hebron are simply reclaiming the city from the Arab/Palestinian invader. Just a reminder history did not start in 1948. Herbon was, is and always be a Jewish city. Attack on a foreign force” the palestinians” who are trying to occupy /steal your land is justified.
Report thisBy John Hanks, Laramie, Wyoming, September 8, 2007 at 11:32 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
I thought the ADL was moderate too. Who can disagree with an organizations that stands up to defamation? The problem is that their best defense is defaming everyone else. Look them up on Google.
Most Jews (in my experience) are like Southern whites. They know that the Zionist/Israel KKK stinks and that it even sets them up. But, they are too afraid to take them on in all their virulence and crookedness.
WASPS are stuck with the Republican Nazis.
Report thisBy JohnD, September 8, 2007 at 10:09 am #
I thought the ADL was a moderate group. Mr. Foxman compared Mearsheimer/Walt to Hitler and Stalin…
That is over the top.
I am disappointed that all serious presidential candidates (both parties) must outdo each other in swearing support for Israel (no qulifiers allowed). This seems vaguely unpatriotic.
Report thisBy John Hanks, Laramie, Wyoming, September 8, 2007 at 6:54 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Some of my best and worst friends are Jewish.
Report thisBy ilya brodsky, September 7, 2007 at 11:50 pm #
response to driving bear, comment #99204
I might be afraid sitting next to a Jew if i was a Palestinian living in Hebron. Because the Hebron Jewish settlers might not hijack planes, but they have carried out all sorts of terrorist attacks.
Report thisAnd as an American Jew i am afraid of the ignorance of my people, which allows a small group of fanatics to dictate the policy detrimental to the interests of my country and the greater world.
And as a modern educated man i am afraid of the idea that God, who made the Heavens and the Earth and all who inhabit it, would be so petty as to pick favorites, to offer one people permanent “Get out of Jail” card.
And as a human i am afraid of the people who think that the world policy can be determined by polling a sample of 5% of the world population.
And on the personal level i am afraid of Mr. Dershevitz and Mr. Foxman, as I am afraid of all religious extremists. Not to mention because they both sound fairly unhinged.
By ilya Brodsky, September 7, 2007 at 11:16 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
It’s our duty, as American Citizens and as rational human beings invested in our own welfare, to re-examine our Israeli policy.
Report thisAlan Dershevitz might be a Harvard professor, but his role on the world stage is that of a virulent windbag, the same elk as the spokesmen for Hammas and Hezbollah, or that hysterical Mr. Foxman for that matter. Their rhetoric, their emotional intimidation, their outer lack of integrity, are the clearest signs of their intent - which has nothing to do with the welfare of the American, Palestinian, Lebanese or Israeli people. Their only interest is furthering their own reactionary fanatical agendas and opposing them is not just the right thing to do - it’s an essential element in the hope for any kind of positive, progressive change in the world.
It is in our national interest that our next president is someone willing and forced to hold the Israeli government to the passed UN resolutions, their own promises, the standards of civilized behavior and the good old common sense.
By weather, September 7, 2007 at 4:34 pm #
Please free us from the remarkable arrogance and manipulating deceit that is Israel - this isn’t a relationship at all, its extortion very carefully gift wrapped and all at our immense expense.
Report thisBy John Hanks, Laramie, Wyoming, September 7, 2007 at 4:00 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
I think that “Driving Bear” makes my point. He has bought the propaganda lies. Israel kills civilians on a daily basis. It funds subversive organizations all over the world, especially in the U.S. And there is some reason to believe that Israel played a role in 9/11 (Mossad agents were arrested on the scene). It is also one of those many triumphal nations that assume they have an intimate relationship to a God.
I don’t fly at all. I remember when it was a pleasant experience.
Report thisBy driving bear, September 7, 2007 at 2:16 pm #
In reference to John Hanks post #99096
Could it be that Americans know the truth about the Middle east conflict. Israel does not conduct attacks against civilians , the Arabs do. Jews do not hijack airlines , the Arabs do. The Jews do not carry out terrorist attacks , the Arabs do.
Report thisIf a Jew is sitting next to you on a plane, would you be afraid , No, if an Arab is sitting next to you on the same plane you might be afraid
By dick, September 7, 2007 at 1:53 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
It started with Truman and has gradually taken us into the quicksand of Palestine, deeper every year. Israel now has control of us in matters of interest to them. One being the destruction of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. Syria is now being targeted
Report thisBy John Hanks, Laramie, Wyoming, September 7, 2007 at 6:04 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Reference to “driving bear”
Of course the American public supports Israel because they are exposed to almost nothing but pro-Israel news stories and propaganda. I suspect Americans supported South Africa for the same reasons for many years. It is all about public relations and the laziest cowards on earth who will fall for anything.
Report thisBy driving bear, September 7, 2007 at 3:13 am #
In reference to Tex comment # 98825
CNN was targeted because of that report by Ms Amipore(sp)
Report thisGoogle a group called CAMERA
CAMERA targeted CNN advertisers and several pulled ads from CNN
By driving bear, September 7, 2007 at 1:25 am #
I think the fact that US elected leaders support Israel is due to that fact the US public supports Israel instead of the efforts of AIPAC. The last public opinion polls revealed that 60% support Israel , 15 % support the Palestinian people /government and the remaining 25 % don’t support either one or simply don’t care.
So elected officials when faced with a choice to anger 60%( the pro Israel Americans ) or anger 15( anti Israel Americans ) that choice is a no brainer
Also a new Pro Israel lobbing group is on the scene CUFI ( Christians united for Israel ) and quite frankly according to some reports more powerful than AIPAC
Also there is a new factor involved . In the media you might have heard of the “wigger” fad where white people try to emulate african Americans , now in some protestant/ evangelical christian circles there is a similar movement where Christians want to be “jews”. In fact one popular protestant evangelical preacher John Macarthur said he wishes he was Jewish
Report thisBy reyme, September 6, 2007 at 12:24 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
Those attempting to stiffle criticism of Israel’s policies know the critics are not anti-semitics ; who wants to change the status quo when big bucks are to be made if we turn a blind eye to Israel’s policies? According to Forbes magazine, August 07, “The United States offered Israel on Thursday an unprecedented $30 billion military aid package, bolstering its closest Mideast ally.”
Report thisBy John Hanks, Laramie, Wyoming, September 6, 2007 at 11:20 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
You have to watch NPR like a hawk. They are an intelligentsia radio network that reaches out to those people who think they matter because they made it through college. It is a fact that NPR is run by Jews and some Zionists. So things get slanted pro-Israel.
You would think they were manned by retired military as well, since they are very pro-pentagon. A friend of mine calls them “National Pentagon Radio”. More important than the active bias is the stories they don’t cover in favor of trendy human interest stuff.
Compare and contrast with Air America.
Report thisBy RickinSF, September 6, 2007 at 8:02 am #
After the Walt interview, Terri Gross gives Abe Foxman almost 20 minutes to counter Walt’s statements withouth rebuttal AND to flog his own book.
I guess this is what is called “balance” at NPR.
Report thisBy John Hanks, Laramie, Wyoming, September 6, 2007 at 7:48 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Force and fraud. Liars and bullies. No one has a monopoly on the crook arts. The only difference between Jews and Arabs is a matter of degree in specific situations. However, a difference in degree can be so great that it becomes a difference in kind.
Right now, if looks like the Zionist crooks have been finally caught with their hands in the cookie jar.
Underneith any subversion is the power of money - the greatest instrument of treason and subversion every invented. Saudies, Zionists, Republicans, Democrats are all about the love of money and the power it can buy.
Report thisBy ender, September 6, 2007 at 7:47 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
I’m sorry Mr. Wheeler, but I live down here in the Bibble Belt, and the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville Fl handpicks the City Council, owns 60 percent of the paid Parking lots Downtown, tax free of course, and has over 30,000 members. I just looked for churches in Jax at yellow pages...1972 churches.
You can hardly throw out a line without hookin’ a Jeebus Fish. There are at least 20 otherwise intelligent humans in my family from only 1st cousins to immediate that believe the jewish carpenter (who could believe in a Jewish Carpenter?) will come again in the next ten years.
You must live in one of those big cities.
Report thisBy ChasD, September 5, 2007 at 11:40 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
After listening to both the Mearsheimer/Walt and Foxman interviews, I must say that Mearsheimer and Walt sounded quite well-reasoned as opposed to a foaming-at-the-mouth Foxman.
While I have yet to read the original Harvard paper--though I’ve downloaded it and Alan Dershowitz’s response--and only have Terry Gross’s fine interview to go by, neither Mearsheimer nor Walt said a word against the broader American Jewish community.
Their focus was purely on disproportionately powerful, disproportionately neo-con Israeli Lobby and its effects on U.S. policy; a lobby, as both gentlemen clearly point out, that doesn’t reflect the broader Jewish American opinion.
How sad that Foxman feels the need to lambast these two fine scholars. I guess we should just throw Mearsheimer and Walt onto the same pyre that Jimmy Carter and countless others were thrown for having the audacity to say that Isreal, with an army only bested in size and power by the chip on it’s shoulder, is the party with the responsibility to bring peace to their own country.
Report thisBy THE YOUNG ARE HERE, September 5, 2007 at 9:39 pm #
OUTRAGED YOU KICK AS-
Report thisNO YOU REALY DO
By Outraged, September 5, 2007 at 8:47 pm #
RE: #98727 by C Quil on 9/05
Your Noam Chomsky quote:
Israel’s extreme right-wing government as imperial branch plant in the Middle East.
Most Israelis don’t want the neverending war either, but who’s listening to them?
---------------------------------------
Good points. Who wants this right wing government anywhere? It doesn’t belong in a democracy. So who supports this right wing agenda? Well, I agree with the author when he speaks of the many varying views supporting AIPAC. I don’t think Isreal could ever get the support they seek without USING the members of these groups to their advantage.
So then, who in Israel is using them and why? And also who else does that benefit? It definitely benefits the neocons. Who is in charge of the neocons? Are they just a small far flung group with “wacky” ideas? How did they rise to power?
Their power comes from MONEY and that money comes from individuals in charge of or owners of large corporations and fortunes. It stands to reason that the members of congress who have “sold out” to big business are really just the toy boys and girls of someone else. Since they are “stoolies” for the larger evil they are most compliant and can’t say “no”. Vote carefully.
END PRIVITAZATION.
Report thisBy John Hanks, Laramie, Wyoming, September 5, 2007 at 6:34 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
I’m not just anti-semitic, and anti-Republican, etc. I can honestly say that I hate everybody.
Report thisBy Tex, September 5, 2007 at 6:29 pm #
All one has to do is speak the truth about Israel, the Jews or AIPAC and in true form, ADL, labels that person and anti-Semite.
So, that means either we can’t speak the truth about Israel, the Jews or just accept what a minority in the Jewish community want and just let them drag the US down with them.
I wonder if the hatemongers among the Jews trashed Christiane Amanpour for 6 hour CNN program about the religious zealots of the Jews, Christian and Muslims?
The US is going down the toilet with this Jewish lobby and the christian Zionists who are wound up in thier ‘end times’ crap.
Report thisBy dr wu--the last of the big time thinkers, September 5, 2007 at 2:34 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)
..the only good Indian is a dead one, the only good Arab is a ... on and on we go. Something there is about world rulers and their poodles that hate darkish people
Report thisBy Allan Wheeler, September 5, 2007 at 1:41 pm #
60% of Americans believing in the end times is like Hillary being ahead in the polls: IT JUST AIN’T SO! Talk to people. Find more than one or two who either believe or support HRC.
Report thisI DARE YOU!
By boggs, September 5, 2007 at 12:35 pm #
JackR,
Report thisI think you have wrong impressions about the two authors being antisemite.
I believe they are pro-american and they like most of us can’t figure why the hell our public servants (Congressmen)are so loyal and insist on such allegiance to the state of Israel.
It has become almost like a fettish to jump to the defense of anything Israel does. What is our Congress getting out of all this?
I don’t think it has anything to do with religion. I doubt that you could find more then half a dozen real christians in the whole of our Washington gov’t. Lots of fakers indeed!
By John Hanks, Laramie, Wyoming, September 5, 2007 at 10:55 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
Blackmail, extortion, murder and the power of money.
Report thisBy C Quil, September 5, 2007 at 10:43 am #
Noam Chomsky, “Failed States”, Chap. 5 - Supporting Evidence: The Middle East.
Israel’s extreme right-wing government as imperial branch plant in the Middle East.
Most Israelis don’t want the neverending war either, but who’s listening to them?
I get the feeling that democracies are in crisis everywhere - U.S., Canada, Britain, Australia, Germany, the Netherlands. The majority of citizens are sick of endless aggressive war. The leaders of these countries can’t get enough of it.
Report thisBy ender, September 5, 2007 at 9:55 am #
It’s from a Pew Poll, also religioustolerance had one that was about the same, quoted frequently by Sam Harris and Hitchen. I’ve looked up the poll myself but can’t find the link right now. While looking just then, 25% think jeebus IS COMING THIS YEAR!
Report thisBy lodipete, September 5, 2007 at 9:12 am #
Where did the number 60% of Americans believing in this “end of days” business come from? I have the misfortune of knowing exactly 1 “born again christian” and that’s it. I just can’t believe that there are that many blathering idiots in this country.
Report thisBy ender, September 5, 2007 at 8:44 am #
If one is a rational human being, it might seem far fetched to think that our international policy could be decided on something as unpredictable as religion, but, at least in this administration, it seems there is a real concern that if Israel doesn’t excersize full blown and hostile zionism, take the other half of Jeruselem and rebuild the temple, the xtians won’t get their second coming and get the chance to laugh at us infidels.
It seems like just in case their god has forgotten, they are determined to create their own scenario where at least the temple gets built.
It sounds impossible until you see the statistic that 60% of Americans believe the End of Days and Second Coming of Jeebus will happen in their lifetime.
Then it just sounds.....scary.
Report thisBy JackR, September 5, 2007 at 8:23 am #
(Unregistered commenter)
It is interesting to note that even Amy Goodman could not interview Steven Walt on the book without immediately following up with an interview with the notorius Abraham Foxman of ADL who, true to form, labeled the authors as anti-semites and referred to criticism of the lobby as the new antisemitism.
Report thisBy tomack, September 5, 2007 at 7:09 am #
Dear Nefertiti,
Why is that? The fear I mean.
Report thisBy nefertiti, September 5, 2007 at 2:06 am #
It is a no , no zone and anyone planning a long political Career in the US stays away from investigating the Lobby , notice Jimmy carter started criticizing Israel only AFTER he quit Politics ? Most do . they dont have the guts to do it while in Office , because they know they have no hope in hell to remain in office if they open their mouth or question the generosity of the US tax payer.
Report this