Until OPEC is broken the U.S. will never be fair to all parties in the Middle East. Jews are just lucky because they have much influence in America, otherwise Isreal would have never come come into existence. Most countries act in their own self interest only. Isreal provides a means for America to apply moralistic touch-up paint for it’s polices. Armenians are not so lucky, the U.S. would sell them out just like the Kurds for an easier way to obtain oil.
There is hope though: OPEC will be broken by 2020 as strongly suggested by Ventnor, a leader of the Human Genome Project. Genetic engineering will finally a pound a wooden stake into the heart the Big Oil Lobby.  With the Cold War over and energy no longer a critical issue the U.S. will be a fair arbitrator and start acting as if “all men really are equal”. If having many of your people gassed and being an large ethnic minority qualifies you for a homeland than the Kurds have the same rights as Jews do. The Kurds will be sold out by the U.S. as part of their future policy even though they are the largest ethnic group in the World without a proper homeland.
The point is that Isreal does have a right to to exist, but many other ethnic groups also have a right and have suffered terribly. I resent the fact that they are shortchanged just as I resent the fact that my mother-in-law gave up on getting compensation for her husbands time as a slave laborer for the Nazis. I suppose he was lucky to live since he was non-Jewish. Anyway, I’m not a Christian fundamentalist nor a Jew so you don’t have to give a rat’s ass about my opinion. That is, for another decade.

Boy, the fallacies are flying hard and fast. Time to separate fact from fiction:

FACT: there has been a continuous Jewish presence in Israel for over 3,000 years.  They didn’t just arrive from Europe after WWII.

FACT: The overwhelming majority of Palestinians living in Israel today migrated to Israel in the 20th Century, and mostly AFTER Israel became a state.

FACT: Palestinians are no different than any other Arab—they have no distinct culture or history. There has never been a country called Palestine - it has always been Israel. The Romans renamed it Syria-Palestina after the second Jewish revolt in the 2nd Century.

FACT: ALL of the land in the Middle East was forcibly stolen from other cultures during a bloody, 1,400 year campaign of MUSLIM imperialism (which is still going on today throughout the world).

FACT: The British gave away 75% of the land meant to be a Jewish Homeland to the Hashemite   Kingdom of Jordan.  The British also gave away to Arabs the land that once belonged to India, namely Pakistan.

FACT: Palestinians and their fellow Arabs rejected every offer of peace given to them, including twice rejecting their own state, solely because they do not want any Jews in the Middle East.

FACT: Over 850,000 Jews were driven from their homes in other Arab countries and their property seized when Israel was attacked in 1948. Israel was able to absorb them. By contrast, Arab countries continue to refuse to accept any Palestinian refugees.

FACT: the “Palestinian refugee problem” is totally the fault of Arab countries who (1) mounted three unprovoked wars of extermination against israel, and (2) who use the refugees as political pawns to blame Israel.

FACT: Israel’s “army” was outnumbered 100 to 1 in the first war of extermination launched against it in 1948, and had no modern weapons as did the US and Russian supplied Arab countries.

FACT: The Palestinians have never done anything to make a real peace with Israel and never will, because they want Israel destroyed just as the Hamas government they elected does.

FACT: The Palestinian PR machine is without equal in transforming outright lies into believable truths. The 2000 intifadeh was planned months in advance of Sharon’s visit to the Temple Mount (supposedly the trigger), the killing of 12-year old Mohammed Dura (poster boy for the intifadeh) was totally staged to make it look like Israel’s defense forces did it. They still call the IDF action in Jenin a “massacre where hundreds of innocent were killed” even though it has been proven that about 12 Palestinians were killed, and they were all terrorists resisting arrest. The list of so-called “atrocities” committed by Isrealis would stretch from NY to Paris.

FACT: The only “occupation” in the Holy Land is by Muslims occupying Jewish and Christian lands, and not the reverse.

FACT: Jerusalem has always been the capital of Israel, and it is not a Muslim holy site since (1) Mohammed taught his followers to pray towards Mecca and away from Jerusalem, and (2) there is only one cursory mention of Jerusalem in the Koran, and the city was never considered by the Koran to be anything special. Meanwhile, Jerusalem is cited over 300 times in the Old and New Testaments.

FACT: The USS Liberty was involved in espionage against Israel during a time of war: it had been gathering top-secret, Israeli intelligence information that revealed Israel’s defense plans and was passing it along to Arab oil-supplying nations at war with Israel—information that would have allowed these nations to overrun and massacre Israeli troops and citizens.

FACT: in a similar instance of helping Arabs at war with Israel, Jonathan Polland “stole” intelligence information that the US was deliberately withholding from Israel—information that Israel had repeatedly sought to obtain through the proper channels, but was denied.

FACT: If we had been getting oil from Israel instead of from those “friendly” countries like Saudia Arabia (where 18 of the 19 terrorists of 9/11 originated), our policies in the Middle East would be totally different today.  Instead, the US has continually sold out Israel so as to keep the oil flowing.

FACT: At a very minimum, Israel has as much right to the land between the Jordan River and the Medeterranian as any Arab does, yet the truth is that Israel has a much more valid claim to it.

FACT: Muslims beleive that if there was anytime in the past that they had occupied a piece of land—no matter how that land was obtained nor for how long—then that land is claimed to be theirs.

FACT: most of the land of Israel was a total wasteland before the Jewish movement in the 19th Century to restore it. If Arabs had really loved the land as much as they say they do now, then they would never have let it become a desert nor be so willing to leave it during the first signs of hostilities between Arabs and Jews.

The bigger question, though, is this:

Why should Israel give away the land that was originally theirs, from which they had been forced to leave, and for which they legally purchased back from those who stole it from them?

Since Muslims want to destroy New York City so badly, why not just give it to them instead?  Better yet, let’s just capitulate the whole country to them. That is essentially what people are asking Israel to do.

It is really sickening just how Americans have forgotten who are our friends, and who are our enemies, and how much we are willing to hide our heads in the sand in exchange for a continued supply of gasoiline.

If Israel did not exist, Iran would have absolutely no hesitation whatsoever to build nuclear weapons and pass them along to terrorists.

If Israel did not exist, Saddam’s nuclear reactor would have been chunking out A-bombs for use in the Gulf War, and we would have been powerless to stop his invasion of Kuwait.

If Israel did not exist, we would have no one to teach us how to survive a major terrorist attack, how to deal with it, how to retaliate, and how to prevent further occurrences.

If Israel did not exist, the advances made in medicine would be set back 20 years.

I do not know about others, but I rest a lot easier at night that Israel does indeed exist.

By the way, a semite can be an Arab, Jewish, Assyrian or loosely any person of Middle Eastern origin.It is unbelivable that most people think that is hating only Jews that constitute anti-semitism. Hating any person whether Arab, Persian or Jewish is anti-semitism. This is not a privileged word for any particular group of race to use to intimidate any critic. Hating Arabs is also anti-semitism. AIPAC and its influence on U.S foreign policies in the Middle East must be brought to light for honest debate.  There is also the need to shed more light on the role of some apocalyptic evangelical christians and their warped theology about the Middle East.

RE:  Comment #8107 by s.ahmadi on 4/27 at 5:50 pm
Let’s keep this timeline updated:
1965
206 pounds of weapons grade uranium disappear from the Nuclear
Materials and Equipment Corporation plant in Pennsylvania. Plant president
is Zalmon Shapiro, a former sales agent for the Israel Defense Ministry.
C.I.A. Director Richard Helms later charges that Israel stole the uranium.
1967
June: Israel bombs, napalms and torpedoes the USS LIBERTY (including strafing of liferafts), killing 34 Americans, wounding 171 others, and nearly sinking the lightly armed intelligence ship. The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral
Thomas Moorer, charges that the attack “could not possibly have been a case
of mistaken identity.”

http://www.ussliberty.org

http://home.cfl.rr.com/gidusko/liberty/

June: Against U.S. wishes, Israel seizes and occupies Syria’s Golan
Heights.
1967
Zionists succeed in getting duel US+Israel citizenship.  (Formerly, you lost US citizenship for taking other citizenship or serving in non US armed forces or government.) 
1968
June: Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir rejects U.S. Secretary of
State William Rogers’ Peace Plan that would have required Israel to
withdraw from the occupied territories; she calls upon Jews everywhere to
denounce the plan.
1978
March: Israel invades Lebanon, illegally using U.S. cluster bombs and
other U.S. weapons given to Israel for defensive purposes only.

Thank you for your wonderful article - PRO-ISRAEL ‘NUTJOBS’ ON THE ATTACK.

My (5 greats) grandfather who fought in the Revolutionary War for our cherished FIRST AMENDMENT rights would be proud of you.

That ole “anti semitic” charge is old, tired, overused and misused.  Anyone too fragile for our cherished First Amendment right—freedom of speech—that my people and many courageous people who came to the Colonies in the 1600s fought, sacrificed and died for. should leave our country—bon voyage!

I recount the following to display America’s generosity to Israel:

Last year In the $82 billion supplemental bill to fund the war in Iraq, Congress prohibited the $200 million in aid to the Palestinians to go directly to the Palestinian Authority.  Out of the $200 million,  $50 million was earmarked for Israel for border crossings, $5 million to audit how the money is spent and $2 million for Hadassah Hospital in Jerusalem to pay for Palestinian health care.  Humiliating Palestinians is sport for Israel and many serving in Congress.  Extorting American tax dollars that should go to the Palestinians for Israel is shameful, reprehensible and un-America!

The fiscal 2006 Foreign Aid bill contains about $3 billion in military and economic assistance for Israel, traditionally the largest single recipient of American foreign aid. I believe Israel received another $2.2 billion to help finance Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s pull out of the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank.  The U.S. provided some $3 billion to compensate Israel for damage caused by Saddam Hussein’s missiles during the 1991 Persian Gulf War. 

In the 2003 $74.4 Billion 6-Month Supplemental Request, $28 billion was cut from Veterans’ benefits over the next 10 years and in the same Request gave $9 billion in economic and $1 billion dollars in military assistance to Israel.  Israel received a total of approximately $15 billion in 2003 while our veterans and our soldiers in Iraq were left vulnerable.

The poor country of Sri Lanka pledged $25,000 and Bangladesh pledged $1 million in aid for the victims of Katrina, while Israel begged for $2.2 billion to finance the pull out from the illegal occupation of the Gaza Strip which constitutes up to $1 million dollars per Israeli family as alleged by Pat Buchanan on the Don Imus show. Other reports say up to $250,000 per family.  Israel has no pride when it involves their addiction to American tax dollars!
That $2.2 billion could be used to rebuild homes for the victims of Katrina and Rita.  We need American tax dollars to help Americans.  Jerusalem Post journalist, Tom Rose asserted, on the Don Imus show, that the billions in economic assistance to Israel are used for welfare and are actually detrimental to Israel.
 
AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee) sizes up the members of congress with the professional eye of a quarterback scanning the defensive secondary and immediately selects the appropriate game plan that makes the final score a forgone conclusion before the 1st quarter had ended.  In the fourth quarter in the lopsided mismatch, AIPAC kicks a field goal—the American Israel Education Foundation invests several thousand dollars to finance trips to Israel for members of Congress
where they are wined, dined and propagandized and the return on that investment is the extortion of billions of American tax dollars for Israel by many members of congress who play the sport with AIPAC.

Of course, we will never forget nor forgive Israel for the terrorist attack on the USS LIBERTY in 1967, killing 34 sailors and wounding l71.  (ASSAULT ON THE LIBERTY—by James M. Ennes, Jr.).  Meeting a survivor of the terrorist attack on the Liberty some time ago was a profound experience.  As he recounted that horrible event and the valor of Captain William L. McGonagle and the crew in saving the LIBERTY, he wiped tears from his eyes several times.  He said he could remember it as clearly as if it had happened “yesterday” and America must also remember!

It is reported that Israel’s new PM Olmert is planning a trip to Washington to secure financial support for the pullout from the West Bank at an estimated cost of $10 billion.

A Rabbi asserted on Fox News sometime ago that America had been kinder to Jews than any country.  Unfortunately that kindness has been exploited.

Molly, you are my SHERO!

M. Delphia Block

In his 2003 state of the union speech George W Bush “Lied” when he said; Iraq had 25,000 liters of Anthrax, 38,000 liters of Botulinum Toxin, and 500 Tons of Sarin; also Mustard and VX nerve agents. (these quantaties were made up – no source was mentioned)  Bush also “Lied”  stating that Iraq had Weapons of Mass Destruction.
Vice President Cheney “Lied” when he said; Iraq has a Nuclear Weapons program that is making progress. Secretary of State Colin Powell “Lied” when he said; Iraq had “Biological Weapons Laboratories” on rails and Chemical Weapons Bunkers.  (an absolute falsehood) Secretary of defense Donald Rumsfeld lied when he stated that the Iraq War had nothing whatever to do with the “oil business.”
Ex deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz (now President of The World Bank)  “Lied” when he consistently drove home the point, that Saddam Hussein had Nuclear Weapons of Mass Destruction. He was the prime architect, designer of this WMD excuse for the War in Iraq. Paul Wolfowitz, represents Israel, more than our United States.
Therefore, the Iraq invasion is baseless and unjustified, Iraq was not threatening America, and we should bring our troops home as soon as possible. (600 Million dollars per/day)
Fact is; The Washington Liers Club (Bush administration) launched this illegal War in order to increase the US National debt to the non govt. Federal Reserve Board – so they could collect “The Prime Rate Interest” for fictitious Fiat paper money loans to the US Treasury. (the Iraq War is costing 600 Million dollars per/day plus prime rate interest)
It is hard to imagine what the gross economic effects will be, as a result of this hellacious Taxpayer’s expense. America is now in risk of a future economic collapse. The attack on The World Trade Center was by Osama Bin Laden not Saddam Hussein. (Iraq is not Al Qaeda) Iraq is not Pakistan, Iraq is not Saudi Arabia – 16 of the terrorists of 9/11 were from Saudi Arabia. It is understood, that we are fighting a mysterious unaproachable enemy. The Federal Reserve Board is a private non government institution!
As per our constitution; no one can authorize or create US Currency, only the US Congress – this authority cannot be delegated. Therefore; The Federal Reserve Board function is unconstitutional.
Here is how it is done;  When our government needs money – the congress asks the Federal Reserve Board – the “Fed” writes an “uncashable check” that authorizes the printing of “Fiat paper money” (there is no transfer of money or anything of value) . Then the money is printed (Federal Reserve Notes) to cover the check.
( Fiat paper money) (not backed by Silver or Gold)
US Taxpayers pay the “prime rate of interest” for the use of our own printed currency.
The Fed pays no taxes, anywhere, and they never invest any money of their own – they get the “prime rate interest” for nothing. Many states have moved to abolish The Federal Reserve Board on the basis that it is unconstitutional and many more will follow.
The move, does not progress because their Lobbyists (The American Israel political Action Committee) is busy stopping the move to abolish the Federal Reserve Board. End
John M Sandoval

Thank you Molly;
I agree thoroughly - with your point of view - I write about history, the bible, the Federal Reserve, and the Jewish coalition. But I am certainly not anti semitic.
I wrote #7982 and I have no inhibitions about some one saying I may be prejudist against any living person. I am very concerned about the conditions the present world is enduring - Therefore; I and we should all be concerned about preserving (our part) the United States of America.
John M Sandoval

I thought I was a liberal Democrat who supports a
Palestinian state besides Israel, but according to Molly Ivins, “I’am a pro-Israel nut job”.

I suggest Molly Ivins reads the article by Benny Morris in TNR. I don’t think even Molly Ivins could call Benny Morris a pro-Israel nut job.”

M & W may disagree with others as to what is in America’s best interest. However, once you accuse your opponents of disloyalty and
putting the interests of another nation before America’s interests, you are guilty of McCarthyism. When those people are Jews you are using classic antisemitic stereotypes of dual loyalty and Jewish conspriacies t prove your point. That is unacceptable.

Thank you Molly;
I agree thoroughly - with your point of view - I write about history, the bible, and the Jewish coalition. But I am certainly not anti semitic.
I wrote #7982 and I have no inhibitions about some one saying I may be prejudist against any living person. I am very concerned about the conditions the present world is enduring - Therefore; I and we should all be concerned about preserving (our part) the United States of America.
John M Sandoval

I agree that we cannot reason rationally about the American perspective on anything where Israel has a point of view - because politicians seem to feel pressured into that point of view.

#Comment #7903 by Isaiah520 on 4/26 at 5:47 am

The richest, most powerful people in the world today are the Arab sheiks. The money they have put in the hands of their proxy murderers have created a lobby that Goebbels would envy. The so-called Jewish lobby is so ineffective that Israel is shrinking and disappearing before our eyes. Islam is the Nazism of our time and you have pathetically played right into their hands. Go buy a Koran now before they cut your worthless head off. Truly, you are a mental midget.
————————————————————-
Interesting post…You draw a comparison between the radical islamists and the nazis.  Well my mental giant do you know what the aim of the Nazis were?  Did not the Nazis want a GERMAN state?  Through war the Nazis wanted Lebensraum “living space” for the GERMAN people.  Does that sound familiar to you?  For example, Israel declares to be a JEWISH state.  Through war Israel has acquired land and has occupied a people for the JEWISH people.  Has the oppressed become the oppressor?  Becareful with historical comparisons my mental giant, because a strong case can be made that Israel’s politics are frightfully similiar to Nazis’.

Why is Uncle Sam so steadfast in support of the Jewish settler-state Israel?  Because it’s in the interest of the powers that be to do so, since by backing Israel, our government inflames the Arab/Islamic world and, then, “Golly gee, a terrorist attack. That’ll scare the heck out of folks.  What a break for me!  They’ll do anything I say which makes for total law and order.” 

Plus there’s an added bonus for backing Israel.  Things go wrong and there’s always an out.  What’s that?  It’s the “Blame the Jew” escape clause, “Why those slippery cosmopolitans duped and conned us into supporting their racist state.  Let it be duly recorded that we hereby switch allegiances, Palestine for the Palestinian people.”
Could they get away with this diversionary tactic?  Would it sell?  Why wouldn’t it?  When it comes to scape-goating, anti-Semitism has a long and infamous track record.  And, lo and behold, the powers that be then will get off scott-free.  What irony, too.  Zionism, a late 19th century movement calling for the oppressed Jewish masses in the teeming ghettos of eastern Europe to immigrate to Palestine (the infamous “land without a people for a people without a land” swap, ends up a century later putting the safety and well-being of all Jews at risk, Jewish-Americans in particular.  A Zionist’s retort most likely would be something like, “You Jews in America must immigrate to israel as fast as they can.  Can’t you see it’s the only place that’ll welcome you?”  That’s what they’re telling French Jews anyway, in the hope of receiving a bonanza of Jewish immigrants in the wake of that country’s racial and ethnic problems.  So what’s the answer?  Justice for the Palestinian people which will bring peace to the Holy Land and goodwill to all who live there, that’s what.  And right now, because if we wait for the powers that be to do it, it’ll be too late and there’s no telling what’ll happen if the forementioned scapegoating gets
out of control because its precedents definitely are not encouraging in that regard.

Why is Uncle Sam so steadfast in support of the Jewish settler-state Israel?  Because it’s in the interest of the powers that be to do so, since by backing Israel, our government inflames the Arab/Islamic world and, then, “Golly gee, a terrorist attack. That’ll scare the heck out of folks.  What a break for me!  They’ll do anything I say which makes for total law and order.” 
Plus there’s an added bonus for backing Israel.  Things go horribly wrong and there’s always an out.  What’s that?  It’s the “Blame the Jew” escape clause, “Why those slippery cosmopolitans duped and conned us into supporting their racist state.  Let it be duly recorded that we hereby switch allegiances, Palestine for the Palestinian people.”
Could they get away with this diversionary tactic?  Would it sell?  Why wouldn’t it?  When it comes to scape-goating, anti-Semitism has a long and infamous track record.  And, lo and behold, the powers that be then will get off scott-free.  What irony, too.  Zionism, a late 19th century movement calling for the oppressed Jewish masses in the teeming ghettos of eastern Europe to immigrate to Palestine (the infamous “land without a people for a people without a land” slogan), ends up a century later putting all Jews at risk, Jewish-Americans in particular.  A Zionist’s response to such a situation most likely would be something like, “Jews in America should immigrate to Israel as fast as they can.  Can’t they see it’s the only place that’ll welcome them?”  That’s what they’re telling French Jews anyway, in the hope of receiving a bonanza of Jewish immigrants in the wake of that country’s racial and ethnic troubles.  So what’s the answer?  Justice for the Palestinian people which will bring peace to the Holy Land and goodwill to all who live there, that’s what.  And right away because if we wait much longer, it’ll be too late and there’s no telling what’ll happen if the powers that be wait until the last moment to switch sides, because once the forementioned scapegoating gets underway, who knows what’ll happen?

( Ecclesiastes chapter 7 verse 12 says; The excellence of knowledge is; that it gives more life, to those that have it!

  INTRODUCTION TO THE “JEWISH PROTOCOLS”

The documents most frequently mentioned by those who are interested in the theory of Jewish World Power rather than in the actual operation of that power in the world today, are those 24 documents known as “The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion.”

The Protocols have attracted much attention in Europe, having been the center of an important storm of opinion in England, but discussion of them in the United States has been limited.
( This information has been banned! And is apt, to disappear, into thin air )

  Who it was that first entitled these documents with the name of the “Elders of Zion” is not known. It would be possible without serious mutilation of the documents to remove all hint of Jewish authorship, and yet retain all the main points of the most comprehensive program for world subjugation that has ever come to public knowledge.

  Yet to eliminate all hint of Jewish authorship would be to bring out a number of contradictions which do not exist in the Protocols in their present form. The purpose of the plan revealed in the Protocols is to undermine all authority in order that a new authority in the form of an autocracy may be set up. Such a plan would not emanate from a ruling class which already possessed authority, although it might emanate from anarchists. But anarchists do not avow autocracy as the ultimate condition they seek. The authors might be conceived as a company of “French Subversives” such as existed at the time of the French Revolution and had the infamous Duc d’ Orleans as their leader, but this would involve a contradiction between the fact that those Subversives have passed away, and the fact that the program announced in these Protocols is being steadily carried out, not only in France, but throughout Europe, and very noticeably in the United States.

  In their present form which bears evidence of being their original form, there is no contradiction. The allegation of Jewish authorship seems essential to the consistency of the plan.

  If these documents were the forgeries which Jewish apologists claim them to be, the forgers would probably have taken pains to make Jewish authorship so clear that their anti-Semitic purpose could easily have been detected. But only twice is the term “Jew” used in them. After one has read further than the average reader usually cares to go into such matters, one comes upon the plans for the establishment of the World Autocrat, and only then is it made clear of what lineage he is to be.

  But all through the documents there is left no doubt as to the people against whom the plan is aimed. It is not aimed against aristocracy as such. It is not aimed against capital as such. Very definite provisions are made for the enlistment of aristocracy, capital and government for the execution of the plan. It is aimed against the people of the world who are called “Gentiles.” It is the frequent mention of “Gentiles” that really decides the purpose of the documents. Most of the destructive type of “liberal” plans aim at the enlistment of the people as helpers; this plan aims at the degeneration of the people in order that they may be reduced to confusion of mind and thus manipulated. Popular movements of a “liberal” kind are to be encouraged, all the disruptive philosophies in religion, economics, politics and domestic life are to be sown and watered, for the purpose of so disintegrating social solidarity and a definite plan, herein set forth, may be put through without notice, and the people then molded to it when the fallacy of these philosophies is shown.

  The formula of speech is not, “We Jews will do this,” but “The Gentiles will be made to think and do these things.” With the exception of a few instances in the closing Protocols, the only distinctive racial term used is “Gentiles.”
contribution by Jonathan
————————————————————————————————————————

Jews who believe that evangelicals are pro-Israel are the stupidest of the stupid.  Evangelicals are only interested in a Second Coming of their Fraudulent Saviour who will condemn non-believing Jews to hell for eternity.  But, there is no fool like a Jew who wants to believe Christians are in love with him.

“Show me your friends and I will tell you who you are”. Reading the majority of postings here, I now know who you are. Read Robert Brownings “The Lost Leader”.

“Having grasped the third rail of evangelical Christianity and its affect on US domestic policy, one might as well put the free hand on evangelical support of the state of Israel and its affects on both US domestic and international policy.”
With this introduction, an ongoing series of security articles proceeded to review AIPAC, the marriage of convenience between American Jews and the State of Israel with Evangelicals, and expanded back for perspective to the anti-Semitic work of the “Radio Priest” Father Coughlin.
All were generated by Mearsheimer and Walt’s “The Israel Lobby,” as I felt that I needed these grounding steps before directly addressing their article, the cost of conflict of US Middle East policy, and Lewis’ “The New Anti-Semitism.” That will come shortly but for readers wishing one former defense analyst’s views, I submit the following:

A note on sources to the forthcoming “No Nation Left Behind” program, Part 4
http://spaces.icgpartners.com/index2.asp?NGuid=9B9D770ECCF741C696B505A5A2EEC484

“No Nation Left Behind” program, Part 4, AIPAC 1
http://spaces.icgpartners.com/apps/discuss.asp?guid=430F69C2482C4B4BBC87E71506063113

“No Nation Left Behind” program, Part 5, AIPAC 2
http://spaces.icgpartners.com/apps/discuss.asp?guid=D7BE6CB409004567ABDCD9D58881118F

“No Nation Left Behind” program, Part 6, AIPAC 3
http://spaces.icgpartners.com/apps/discuss.asp?guid=5625F7D3F81240F38B8401F27A68EF20

Jewish American and Israeli perspectives on AIPAC and its marriage of convenience with Evangelicals
http://spaces.icgpartners.com/apps/discuss.asp?guid=C2282018895249CD9B9EA5D48E0D1BA1

Confluence of anti-Semitic, pro-Fascist sentiments of the “Radio Priest” and Nazi-tolerant sentiments of US business
http://spaces.icgpartners.com/apps/discuss.asp?guid=FC545A75D8814D7C9041D86A8AC687C1

If readers of all persuasions are discomfited by this series, I may just have succeeded.

Like the FBI has nothing better to do in “the war on terror” than hassle the dead.  I love this country!!

Response to Comment #8023 by John Locke on 4/26 at 6:55
————————
You either are ignorant or you are willfully blind to history.  Here is the true origin of the Palestinian Israeli conflict. 
1882
Baron Edmond de Rothschild of Paris begins financial backing of Jewish colonisation in Palestine. Beginning of the first wave of Zionist mass immigration to Palestine.
July: Ottoman government adopts policy: allows Jewish pilgrims and business-people to visit Palestine but not to settle.
1891
The first Palestinian protest against Zionist aims.
1896
Publication of “Der Judenstaat” by Austrian Zionist leader Theodor Herzl, advocating creation of Jewish state in Argentina or Palestine. Ottoman Sultan Abd-al Hamid II rejects Herzl’s proposal that Palestine be granted to the Jews: “I cannot give away any part of it (the Empire) ... I will not agree to vivisection.”
1904
Publication of “Le Reveil de la Nation Arabe”, by Najib Azoury, warning of Zionist political aims in Palestine
1914
Nov. 5:Chaim Weizmann writes “... as a British dependency we could have in 20 to 30 years a million Jews out there - perhaps more, they would ... form a very effective guard for the Suez Canal.”
1917
Aug.: Sir Edwin Montagu, the only Jewish member of the British Cabinet, writes in a secret memorandum: “Zionism has always seemed to me a mischievous political creed…it seems to be inconceivable… that Mr. Balfour should be authorised to say that Palestine was to be reconstituted as the national home for the Jewish people…I assume that it means that Mohammedans and Christians are to make way for the Jews, and that the Jews should be put in all positions of preference.”
Nov. 2: British Foreign Sec. Arthur James Balfour sends letter (the Balfour Declaration) to Baron de Rothschild pledging British support for establishment of Jewish national home in Palestine.
Dec. 9: Surrender of Ottoman forces in Jerusalem to Allied forces under General Sir Edmund Allenby.
1930
Oct. 21: The MacDonald government published the Passfield White Paper, which stated: Jewish immigration and land purchases should stop.
1935
Oct.: Irgun Zvai Leumi (National Military Organisation) founded by dissident members of Haganah; Jabotinsky named Commander-in-Chief.
1937
July 7: Publication of Royal (Peel) Commission’s Report recommending partition of Palestine into Jewish and Arab states.
1939
May: The “MacDonald White Paper” disclaims any intention to create a Jewish state, and places restrictions on Jewish immigration and land purchase and envisages an independent state in Palestine within 10 years.
Sept. 3: Outbreak of World War II.
1940
Nov. 25: British refuse illegal immigrant ship, the Patria, permission to dock in Palestine. Zionists sink the ship and 250 Jews drown.
1942
Jan.: Dr. Chaim Weizmann writes in “Foreign Affairs”, urging the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine after the war.
May: Zionist Biltmore Conference, held at Biltmore Hotel in New York, formulates new policy of creating “Jewish Commonwealth” in Palestine and organising Jewish army.
1944
Nov. 6: Stern Gang assassinates Lord Walter Moyne, British resident Min. of State in Cairo.
1946
July 22: Irgun and Stern Gang Zionist groups blow up King David Hotel, Jerusalem.
July 24: British issue special White Paper on Terrorism in Palestine accusing Jewish Agency of being involved in acts of terrorism with Irgun and Stern Gangs.
1947
Feb. 18: British Foreign Sec. Ernest Bevin announces British submission of Palestine problem to UN.
April 4: The Arab Ba’ath Socialist Party founded in Damascus.
May 15: UN Special Session ends with the appointment of an 11-member Special Committee on Palestine (UNSCOP), the 11th commission of inquiry appointed since 1919.
Sept. 8: Publication of UNSCOP report: the majority of members recommended partition, and a minority a federal solution.
Sept. 29: Arab Higher Committee for Palestine announces rejection of UN partition plan.
Oct. 2: Jewish Agency announces acceptance of UN partition plan.
Oct. 11: US endorses UN partition plan.
Oct. 13: Soviet Union endorses UN partition plan.
Nov. 29: UN Partition Res. 181 includes the recommendations that Jaffa be part of the proposed Palestinian state and that Jerusalem and Bethlehem be a corpus separatum under a special international regime administered by the Trusteeship Council on behalf of UN.
1948
April 8: Abd al-Qadir Husseini killed in counter-attack at Qastel, western suburb of Jerusalem, without any military reason or provocation of any kind.
April 9: Irgun and Stern Gangs lead by Menahem Begin and Yitzhaq Shamir massacre 245 Palestinians in the village of Deir Yassin, western suburb of Jerusalem.
April 11: Haganah destroy village of Kalonia near Qastel and occupy Deir Yassin.
April 30: All Palestinian quarters in West Jerusalem occupied by Haganah and Palestinians were driven out.
May 2: The Jewish Agency completes mobilisation of Jewish manpower.
May 13: UN appoints Count Folke Bernadotte as mediator to resolve conflict in Palestine.
May 14: State of Israel proclaimed in Tel-Aviv at 4:00 p.m.
May 15: British Mandate ends.
- The Arab States dispatch around 25,000 of their armed forces to Palestine.
- The Haganah, made up of 60,000 to 70,000 trained members become the backbone of the Israeli Army.
May 15-17: USA and USSR recognise Israel.
June 28: Bernadotte’s first peace plan: Jerusalem to be Arab.
July 5: Ben-Gurion, replying to Moshe Sharett, with regard to allowing the return of Arabs to Jaffa: “The Prime Minister opposes the return of Arab residents to their localities so long as the fighting continues and the enemy is at our gates. The PM is of the opinion that only the cabinet as a whole can decide to alter this policy.”
July 7: Mount Scopus area in Jerusalem divided into 3 sectors: a Jewish sector (incl. the Hadassah Hospital and Hebrew University, which were completely isolated from Israel); an Arab sector (the village of Issawiya); and a third sector incl. the Arab Augusta Victoria Hospital.
Sept. 1: Palestinian National Conference in Gaza. Formation of All-Palestine Government.
Sept. 17: UN Mediator Count Folke Bernadotte assassinated in Jerusalem.
Sept.: Ben-Gurion notifies Moshe Sharett that he was told by the commander of the central front that it would be necessary to destroy portions of 14 Arab villages lying east of Lod [Saffariyya, Haditha, Innaba, Daniel, Jimzu, Kafr Onno, Yahudiyya, Barfiliyya, Birya, Qubab, Beit Nabala, Deir Sherif, Tira, Qula], “because of the shortage of manpower to hold the area and to fortify it in depth it is urgently necessary to create defence bases ....”
Oct. 1: All-Palestine Government announces Palestinian independence.
Oct. 15: The recognition of the All-Palestine Government by Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Saudi Arabia.
Dec. 1: Jericho conference composed of notables and mayors indicates the West Bank’s approval of unity with Jordan.
Dec. 11: UN Gen. Assembly Res. 194 (III): the right of Palestinian refugees to return.
Dec. 20: Sheikh Hussam Addin Jarallah appointed Mufti of Jerusalem (replacing Haj Amin Husseini); Amin Abdul-Hadi appointed head of the Supreme Muslim Council in Jerusalem.
1949
May 12: Lausanne Protocol, signed by Israeli and Arab delegates.
May 29: Pres. Truman sends Israel a note blaming it and protesting against its failure to make concessions at the Lausanne conference on the refugee and boundary issues.
June 31: US grants de jure recognition of the unification of the two banks of Jordan.
Nov. 14: All restrictions on movement from west to east of the river Jordan lifted.
Dec. 13: The west part of the City of Jerusalem declared the capital of Israel.
Dec. 19: UN Gen. Assembly Res. 303: Internationalisation of Jerusalem.
1950
March 14: Absentee Property Law; whereby any person who on 29 Nov. 1947 was a citizen or resident of the Arab States or who was a Palestinian citizen who had left his/her place of residence even if to take refuge within Palestine, is classified as an “absentee”. Absentee property is vested in the custodian of absentee property who then “sells” it to the Development Authority authorised by the Knesset. The theft of the property of a million Arabs seized by Israel in
1948 is thus authorized.
July: “Law of Return” passed by Knesset whereby any Jew, from anywhere in the world, is entitled to full Israeli citizenship..

Wow, great article. And some great comments too.

But Israel is not the biggest recipient of US aid.  Not anymore, at least.  That would be IRAQ.  In the past few years, we’ve spent maybe 3 times as much on Iraq than we ever gave to Israel. 

Also, M&W’s paper argues that the Israel lobby has caused the US to act against its own interests, not that the US and Israel do not share common interests.  Everyone who is arguing the latter is wrong.  A negotiated peace resulting in a Palestinian state is in EVERYBODY’s interest.  That’s what US policy should push for, above all else.

Any lobbying in our country by foreign interests, governments, corporations and by association of persons, should be completely banned.  The only exception would be lobbying by US Citizens and living persons who are active on any voter-register.  This is because the root cause of our problems is the political mess at every level of Government be it at village, town, city, county, state or federal level.  At every level, it seems our policies and goals are subjected to unwanted intervention by foreigners / foreign countries and PACS meddling in our internal affairs.  The sad part is that every one in Congress / State / County level is led by these PACS ignoring our interests instead those dictated by lobbyists and foreign governments with money and media behind them to influence / shape public opinion.  The war in IRAQ is a classic example primed by Pro-Israel lobbyists and Neocons bent upon a military confrontation.  Their methods and ways of operations here of sneaking into our affairs and to speak on our behalf as if our interests and theirs as foreign country are the same is the biggest blunder.  This has led us to feel very in-secure and unprotected due ill conceived foreign policy of our Government.  It looks that while President Bush and those around him will have life long security guaranteed by their jobs even after retirement,  we will face the music for years to come.  Therefore, we must change course and ban those foreigners and countries from operating here in any form or shape.

I am just another pro-Israel nut-job. Although I often agree with Molly on domestic matters, I think that she is the “nut-job” when it comes to foreign affairs. The insistence that Israel is cruel to Palestinians in the attempt to defend themselves from terror is sheer hypocrisy. What other country in the world allows people who are dedicated to the destruction of the country to be members of parliament?

What I have a hard time understanding is what Israel provides for us as an “ally”?  Does Israel heed our wishes?  NO.  I cite the classic withdrawal now..soon…or nevermind episode as an example at how Israel humiliates us.  We have asked Israel to stop building settlements.  Has that happened..NO.  We have warned Israel not to sell our weapons technology to other countries, but of course Israel went ahead and sold our weapons to China.  I mean what has Israel done for us to warrant our billions and billions of our tax dollars.  WE EVEN PAID for Israel’s unilateral “withdrawal” from Gaza at tune of 2.2 BILLION DOLLARS for the relocation of the illegal Israeli settlers.

I don’t have any problems with supporting Israel,  but I have a hard time understanding how a country that we support unconditionally always seems to show ingratitude.  They have spied on us *traitor Pollard who passed our secrets to the soviets in exchange for Jewish immigrants*, and they seem to think we will continue subsidizing their economy. 

I am amazed when lawmakers speak of budget cuts that a relook at our foreign aid isn’t discussed.  I mean we need to trim the fat.  Israel will have our support, but if Israel decides to continue occupying the Palestinians…fine…we SHOULDN’T BE PAYING FOR IT. I am not going to argue that we need an even hand approach towards Israel…because it is never going to happen in my lifetime.  I just pray that our country will stay strong…because if our country collapses, there will be scapegoats and history tells us that scapegoats are often and unfairly the Jews.

In the 1960 John F. Kennedy was made to stand before a conclave of Southern Protestant ministers and explain that as a Catholic he would not be “bowing to the Dictator in Rome”.  You see, back then it was common, unexceptional KKK knowledge that Catholics were prone to be disloyal since they were working to advance the foreign Papal agenda.

Now, of course, 46 years later, we all recognize that episode as nothing more than gutter level, anti-Catholic bigotry.  And we likewise recognize those accusations as nothing more than bigotry.

Odd then, that a double standard applies when it comes to making near identical accusations against Jews (or any supporter of Israel).

Odder still that so-called “Progressives” should jump on the bandwagon of that double standard.

I had no idea that “progress” meant going back 46 years in time.

Nice article!

Back in 2003, I did not take sides for or against the 2003 invasion of Iraq, and I vividly remember eliciting blank stares from many pacifists as I would tell them to forget about the French government and instead lobby the Israeli Prime Minister as the only individual who could veto the war. At long last, I know I am not alone.

Another interesting, and actually beneficial, impact of the Israeli lobby’s grip on U.S. politics is that perhaps for the first time in history, a powerful Christian fundamentalist movement, namely our religious right, has twisted its dogmas to tolerate Jews. By contrast, most European extreme right movements harbor the traditional combination of Christian fundamentalism and anti-semitism.

Comment #7969 by Bonaires on 4/26 at 11:10 am

Yep, name calling is a bad thing, and those that resort to it reveal either the weakness in their argument or their fear generally.

Always true. On the other hand, #7826 has a VERY valid point.

———————————————————-

Thank you #7969…There’s a well known saying of Jesus’; “Judge not others lest you yourself be judged”.

Apparently, Mearsheimer & Walt forgot that one. 

They could have simply presented a paper arguing for a different course in Middle East Policy.  But that wasn’t good enough.  Instead, from their lofty perch, they felt the need to judge the motives of millions of Americans they’ve never met - to slander them as somehow unpatriotic, “dual loyalists”, or un-American, merely for taking a different view as to the Middle East.

And so, after engaging in such a vicious smear campaign against others, they can hardly complain when their own motives come under analytical scrutiny.  And yet of course, that’s what they and their supporters do…endlessly.

http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/20060424_molly_ivins_pro_israel/#7931

DISCLAIMER: I do not support the current Israeli government, nor their policies.

That said, I suggest that you reread your encyclopedia.

The modern conflict began on November 29. 1947, when the UN voted overwhelmingly in favor of Resolution 181 - to partition Britain’s Palestine Mandate into two states, one for the Jews and one for the Arabs.  The Jews accepted this resolution, but outraged Arabs denounced it and rejected any idea of a two-state solution.  The day after the vote, groups of “fedayeen” all across Palestine began organized campaigns of murder and rape to intimidate the Jews into fleeing before they could establish their state.

They were backed by the Arab League, which promised them that, if the Jews accepted their state, the entire Arab world would invade the new country and slaughter all the Jews.  Then the Palestinian Arabs would have it all. The Palestinians made a tragic mistake then, selecting blood and violence and turning their backs on peace and co-existence in their own state. 

Six months later, within hours of the declaration of the State of Israel, five Arab armies invaded the country.  They called on all Palestinian Arabs to leave the nation as a sign that they were not accepting the Israeli offer of citizenship.  Approximately half of Israel’s Arab population fled to refugee camps set up just outside its borders to watch the slaughter and await the chance to return to an Arab Palestine.

Even in America, there was the almost certain expectation that the Arabs would make short work of the Jews, but, against all odds, the Jews were able to defeat the Arabs - but not before Trans-Jordan occupied the West Bank, Egypt the Gaza Strip, and Syria the Goal Heights.

For 19 years, Arab nations held all of what we now call the “occupied territories.”  Few seem to ask the question, “Why didn’t they make a Palestinian state when the Arabs held the land?”

During this time, in 1964, the fedayeen groups joined together to create the Palestine Liberation Organization, which includes in its charter a call for the total destruction of Israel.  This was three years BEFORE Israel occupied the West Bank and Gaza. 

In 1967, the Arabs were again massing on the borders of Israel and making bellicose threats of imminent annihilation.  At Egypts insistance, the UN pulled all its peacekeepers out.  Israel didn’t wait for the attack, but made a pre-emptive strike, pushing back the Arab armies and capturing the territory they were using to stage their invasion - the “occupied territories” as well as the Sinai Peninsula.

This is the only time in its history that Israel expanded its borders - and it did it only when defending itself from an open and explicit threat to invade it.

Subsequently, Israel and Egypt signed a peace agreement and Israel returned the Sinai, the largest piece of occupied territory, giving up the Sinai’s oil resources in the bargain.  This does not seem like the action of a land-grabbing country.

In 1973, Israel was again attacked without provocation by the Arabs, and again won, though this time they refrained from a pre-emptive strike and paid a far greater price in casualties.

The Palestinian Arabs and their supporters have used the Israeli occupation, the settlements, and now the wall to justify their ongoing terrorism, but the terrorism campaign predates the wall.  It predates the settlements.  It predates the occupation.  It even predates the founding of Israel.

To comment #7877 with all the supposed facts and figures on the so called approval rating of Isreal.  Sure you can use all the ZIONIST facts you want because these same zionists control all the media, newspapers, movies, book publishing houses too. Very convienient for facts when you serve the american sheeple junk zionist facts.

In response to #7926:

“Molly needs to get her facts straight. Or, better yet, try using some facts for a change. First of all , the Arab world and the Palestinians themselves are totally and fully responsible for the “highly exaggerated suffering” of Palestinians. That is a cold, hard fact.”

An interesting statement, but not quite in accord with history; sometimes “cold, hard facts” can be twisted, like statistics, to be offered as ‘proof’ of any old thing you care to argue.

In regard to bin Laden’s fatwa on America, he includes the Jews by reason of their occupation of Jerusalem:

“Third, if the Americans’ aims behind these wars are religious and economic, the aim is also to serve the Jews’ petty state and divert attention from its occupation of Jerusalem and murder of Muslims there. ” - 1998 statement called the “Declaration on Jihad Against Jews and Crusaders,” produced by Osama bin Laden and several other militant leaders who styled themselves the World Islamic Front.
Source: http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1058/is_5_119/ai_84054091/print

Bin Laden’s first reason is, of course, the presence of American forces on the Saudi peninsula, and the second, the invasion (Desert Storm) of Iraq.

[As bin Laden is not a qualified cleric under Shi’ia law, he is not technically qualified (or righteously allowed) to call for a fatwa, but seeing as he’s a nutjob, what can you do?]

Closely read, 7926’s comment can be understood to place blame for 9/11 on the Palestinians living in Jerusalem.

Of course, we’re not talking about anyone using logic here: this is an emotional issue, and nobody is about to let facts stand in the way.

Now who’s “responsible”?

It was inherently unfair to ‘give’ Palestine to the Jewish people in 1948.  The leader of Iran, no matter how crazy he may be was right in saying that it was Europe that abused/killed the Jewish people at least in Germany.  It will never be ‘right’ to take a foreign land and give it away.

Ed Maxwell

Prager uses the blessing bit to justify his hetting in bed with Christians who really back Israel because they believe that is where Jesus will return (ain’t going to happen)and that time good Jews (I guess that is fools like Prager) will convert to Christianity and those that don’t will meet a horrid fate.
Prager is like the guy who knows the price of everthing and the value of nothing.
He also gives Jews credit for ending slavery. He forget that Leviticus 25:444-46 says that it is okay for one person to own another and also to leave that slave as an inheritance to their children , like any other chattel.
He probably is too ignorant to know how many of his Christian friends who are Creationists use the story of Noah & his son Ham to explain both blacks and why they should be slaves. In the story , Noah curses Ham for uncovering him and said he and his children shall SERVE their brethen. If you check you will see Ham’s offspring are the black nations.
Prager shows that if you sound like you know what you are talking about you can fool a lot of people.

David James Vickery
You are correct in the way Jews feel; however perhaps if you lost most of your family and if you knew about the inquistion and the fact that Jews before Hitler in Germany were treated better then in Polans & Russian and the history of anti semitism, you might feel differently.
On the other hand it is also easy to see that Palestinians were made to pay for the guilt of the world. But that was due to the religious wrong that bought into the idea of the area being the land promised by God.
Then again I understand Americans who have screwed Indians and others want people to forget the crimes

Has anyone looked at the obvious…that being a Jew reflects a religion, and being an Israeli reflects a nationality? I know more than a few Israelis understand this.

Being pro or anti Israel has NOTHING to do with any religious bias.

Wonderful article, Mollie. I hope you have your rubber suit zipped up tight to ward off the spittle. lol

Re DrRJP’s post #7926:

I realize there’s no known cure for insanity but could you at least try better to control your symptoms? Write yourself a prescription for Thorazine fer crissakes - you’re a doctor!

The following excerpt from your post is especially illuminating:

“In Molly’s case, that agenda is clear when she opines, “Israel is the No. 1 recipient of American foreign aid (NOT TRUE), and it seems an easy case can be made that the United States has subjugated its own interests to those of Israel in the past.” (comments in caps are mine).

As a single country, and in terms of gross dollars, Israel does receive the largest amount of aid…” 

(Whaaaaaaaaa?)

You managed to contradict yourself in the very next paragraph! hehe

Tell me, what kind of a mind can operate like that and NOT self-destruct?

An illustration of how absurd things can get:  The well-respected Wiesenthal Center once put the Von Mises institute on their list of antisemitic organizations.

Apparently,  this was primarily because of their namesake Lugwig Von Mise’s rather Teutonic name and secondarily his support for libertarianism and free market economics.

People may reasonably differ on his professional views.  However, in reality,  Lugwig von Mises was not only Jewish,  but was a early and double refugee from the Nazi’s—First from Austria to Switzerland after the Anchluss and then from Switzerland to the US after WW2 started.  His wife recounts the story here:

“Our Escape From Europe”
by Margit von Mises

http://www.mises.org/story/2094

“THE INVISIBLE 500 POUND CANARY”
Or, Why We Must Be More Even Handed in the Middle East

I realize it must be a difficult or dangerous question since no politician in any party has been willing to even mention the subject.  BUT, why isn’t this country even considering an open and adult discussion about whether Israel should be asked to obey UN resolutions?

It seems kind of hypocritical since our leadership justified launching a peremptory invasion of Iraq on the grounds that it wasn’t obeying UN resolutions.  For decades, Israel has been holding conquered land outside the original borders that were granted it by UN vote.  It freely admits displacing locals and moving permanent new settlements inside another country despite UN repeated demands they be returned.  We didn’t let a Muslim country do that. 

Whatever is thought of the comparative violations of Iraq and Israel, whatever is Israel’s improved security position, however much we admire underdog Israel’s success against high odds, however much Israel is a useful base of operations, and even with the horrific memory of holocaust suffering, shouldn’t we be consistent regarding such military occupations?  Even if it was in self defense?  Shouldn’t we be debating it?

Unfortunately, evidence strongly suggests our failure to address such issues is what’s driving much of the animosity toward us in the Muslim and non-Muslim world alike.  The fact that Basque, Chechynian, South American, Irish, etc. terrorists are not attacking us speaks for itself. 

Although we’ve much to gain by Israel’s independence and need to honor our defense treaties, as all treaties should be.  At the same time, it seems like Israel’s goal of unilaterally expanding boundaries may be dragging us into unwanted, unneeded quagmires.  Besides, how can we expect the UN to be an effective peacekeeper if we won’t respect it ourselves?

Surely, we ought to at least consider asking Israel to either obey UN resolutions or look elsewhere in the future for largess if it refuses.  If it wants to keep the land forcibly taken, okay.  However, perhaps it should do it without our tacit approval and funds.

Of course, not everyone agrees the UN resolutions imposed on Israel should be obeyed.  And, I recognize that anyone who even thinks about being even handed in the Middle East is instantly branded as having religious prejudices.  Nevertheless, it is a fair question for our democracy to consider.  After all, the stakes are almost astronomically high.  Literally trillions of dollars, tens of thousands of lives, and our own nation’s way of life, not to mention the bill of rights which defines our society are all at risk from the consequences.

If Israel’s independent actions did not adversely affect us, it might be none of our business except general concern about everyone acting nice toward each other.  Quite obviously though, that isn’t the case here.  Therefore, aren’t there any politicians, pundits or press brave enough or that care sufficiently about unintended disastrous side effects on Americans and American interests to at least open an inquiry?  Perhaps we’ll decide to continue as is, but shouldn’t we be talking about it?

Big M (#7958 by Big M) writes:“The fact is, most of today’s Jews are descended from people whose roots are in Eastern Europe, and who never set foot in Palestine!”
  That is totally wrong. Most of today’s Jews are descendents from those who were exiled or left the area they call Eretz Israel (The Land of Israel) later called Palestine.They were able to preserve their historical memory over all of those centuries and kept a strong emotional connection to their place of origin. It is a known fact that conversion into Judaism was extremely rare during all that time.
    In the last decade genetic studies have clearly shown that different world Jewish communities from Yemen to Germany, from Russia to Iraq,  from Tunisia to Poland, are much closer to each other and to Syrians, Kurds and Palestinians, than they are to their non-Jewish neighbors. This means that they originated in the Middle East and NOT in Eastern Europe. This information is available in any medical library.
  One can sympathize with Big M and other like him. After all, no other people in recorded history was able to survive over 1900 years without a territorial base and then succeed to reestablish its independence in its place of origin. This irrefutable historic fact nake Big M and co very uncomfortable, but that is how life is.

RE: Jesus@#7908 - I very highly recommend your post and the link to the homepage in honor of the victims, the survivors and the survivors left behind by the victims of the Israeli attack on the USS Liberty. I studied, and study history, and I have never, never heard of this horror; yet, I was twelve years old when it occurred. I do remember the Six Day War! Those two facts sure say something about how well this story was pushed to the background and how quickly that happened, don’t they? I will do what I can in many small ways to get this account out and to help with the push for a true U.S. investigation by our Congress. Thank you for opening my eyes to this travesty.

What you people living in the USA do not appreciate is that anti-Americanism is due largely to the USA Israel relationship. We Europeans have a very different view of the middle east conflict because our press and television reporting is not as biased.  To Big M. Why the hell indeed should you worry about England? The next time you want to go to war, take another country with you, if you can find one, and leave us out of it. Good evening.

Subject; The Israel Lobby
Many of us freelancers have noticed that the Media’s News seems to be suppressed by special interest groups, such as; The World Bank and the non govt. Federal Reserve Board. Those who manage the World Bank, always promote the monster plan to control the world’s finances and proceed towards the establishment of “The New World Order”. The World’s General populations do not have the facts about who, creates World Wars or how World Wars are created. see http://www.protocols of the learned elders of Zion
The protocols are written in plain English and the protocols say; that The World Bank “will” (through the efforts of the enlightened brilliant elders of Zion) cause a World War, anytime the World Bank profit making machinery is lax or threatened. The Master Plan is also clear to say; that The “Gentiles” will be used to further their cause (World domination) and will cooperate militarily, when they are inflamed and encouraged by threats to their governments and their religions. World Wars are about Industry and Economy, and religions are used as catalysts for the creation of War. Indeed military personnel are often encouraged by religious leaders everywhere; and they preach that Exodus chapter 15 verse 3 says; “God” is a man of “War” the “Lord” is his name!
Numbers chapter 11 verse 24 says; that “Moses” gathered Seventy men of the elders, of the people to organize the gathering of “The Treasures of Zion.” (it is World domination, full control of the entire world’s Currencies) see; http://www.protocols of the learned elders of Zion
Deuteronomy chapter 15 verse 6 says; Thou shall Lend Money to all Nations and never borrow from them, thou shall reign over them, but they shall not reign, over you. (Israel)
The protocols also say that; the world’s populations, will be so engrossed, so financially dependent, on the “World Bank” that there will be no opposition to their plan, from the working class.
Therefore; Mr. Paul Wolfowitz rewarded (New President of the World Bank) designed and drove home the point, that Saddam Hussein had Weapons of Mass Destruction; knowing very well, that the inspectors reported there was no evidence to prove the existence of Weapons of Mass Destruction; 0r the existence of such a threat; Osama Bin Laden is not in Iraq.
George W Bush declared, he believes in “The New World Order” which is “Totalitarian Socialism” with One World Ruler, one government, one Religion, and one Currency – for the entire World !
Up to March 2006 - we have Lost 2,360 American Soldiers, (and deaths continue) only to satisfy the whims of George W Bush and Paul Wolfowitz, chief architect of the Iraqi War. (“The American Israel Political Action Committee” ) The World Bank and The non govt, Federal Reserve Board, are celebrating (the prime rate of interest). They pay large sums to have journalists twist and publish whatever they want twisted and published, to cover their tracks!
As the protocols say; we are so deeply engrossed in Iraq, that we can not retrieve; and The Federal Reserve Board is collecting the prime rate interest on $468 Billion dollars that the Iraq war and other expenses are expected to cost us. As the protocols say; “Gentiles” have no alternative, but to follow our plan; The Israel Lobby Rules - and that is “How and Why” “truth in news” is controlled, suppressed, and sometimes ignored.
John M Sandoval - freelance writer 185 Kona dr. Bastrop Texas 78602

26 April 2006
To whom it may concern                 (580 words)
Subject; The Israel Lobby
Many of us freelancers have noticed that the Media’s News seems to be suppressed by special interest groups, such as; The World Bank and the non govt. Federal Reserve Board. Those who manage the World Bank, always promote the monster plan to control the world’s finances and proceed towards the establishment of “The New World Order”. The World’s General populations do not have the facts about who, creates World Wars or how World Wars are created. see http://www.protocols of the learned elders of Zion
The protocols are written in plain English and the protocols say; that The World Bank “will” (through the efforts of the enlightened brilliant elders of Zion) cause a World War, anytime the World Bank profit making machinery is lax or threatened. The Master Plan is also clear to say; that The “Gentiles” will be used to further their cause (World domination) and will cooperate militarily, when they are inflamed and encouraged by threats to their governments and their religions. World Wars are about Industry and Economy, and religions are used as catalysts for the creation of War. Indeed military personnel are often encouraged by religious leaders everywhere; and they preach that Exodus chapter 15 verse 3 says; “God” is a man of “War” the “Lord” is his name!
Numbers chapter 11 verse 24 says; that “Moses” gathered Seventy men of the elders, of the people to organize the gathering of “The Treasures of Zion.” (it is World domination, full control of the entire world’s Currencies) see; http://www.protocols of the learned elders of Zion
Deuteronomy chapter 15 verse 6 says; Thou shall Lend Money to all Nations and never borrow from them, thou shall reign over them, but they shall not reign, over you. (Israel)
The protocols also say that; the world’s populations, will be so engrossed, so financially dependent, on the “World Bank” that there will be no opposition to their plan, from the working class.
Therefore; Mr. Paul Wolfowitz rewarded (New President of the World Bank) designed and drove home the point, that Saddam Hussein had Weapons of Mass Destruction; knowing very well, that the inspectors reported there was no evidence to prove the existence of Weapons of Mass Destruction; 0r the existence of such a threat; Osama Bin Laden is not in Iraq.
George W Bush declared, he believes in “The New World Order” which is “Totalitarian Socialism” with One World Ruler, one government, one Religion, and one Currency – for the entire World !
Up to March 2006 - we have Lost 2,360 American Soldiers, (and deaths continue) only to satisfy the whims of George W Bush and Paul Wolfowitz, chief architect of the Iraqi War. (“The American Israel Political Action Committee” ) The World Bank and The non govt, Federal Reserve Board, are celebrating (the prime rate of interest). They pay large sums to have journalists twist and publish whatever they want twisted and published, to cover their tracks!
As the protocols say; we are so deeply engrossed in Iraq, that we can not retrieve; and The Federal Reserve Board is collecting the prime rate interest on $468 Billion dollars that the Iraq war and other expenses are expected to cost us. As the protocols say; “Gentiles” have no alternative, but to follow our plan; The Israel Lobby Rules - and that is “How and Why” “truth in news” is controlled, suppressed, and sometimes ignored.
John M Sandoval - freelance writer 185 Kona dr. Bastrop Texas 78602

Only a moron would suggest that the true victim, Israel, is the victimizer. When the ‘Palastinians’ (a made up non-people) were offered a state during the partition, they said, “NO”. When they were offered a state during Oslo, they said, “NO”. Both times they answered with war, death, terrorism, and the like. To suggest that Israel has victimized the arabs is a perfect example of Orwelian logic. In addition, nobody who has criticized the ‘Israel Lobby’ paper is denying the Israel Lobby. The label of anti-Semitism is applied, correctly, when those two ‘scholars’ claimed that Israel has no moral or strategic basis for America’s support. Nobody is suggesting that Israel is perfect and cannot be criticized, but the actions all other countries (that receive US support) must also be criticized or judged with the same standards, otherwise you ARE an anti-Semite. As an example, the whole world was in an uproar when Israel began to build its security fence. Where is the outcry when Yemen built theirs? Or Saudi Arabia? Or the USA? The double standard applied to Israel is by definition, anti-Semitism. Why do you think David Duke loved that ‘paper’ so much?

Only a moron would suggest that the true victim, Israel, is the victimizer. When the ‘Palastinians’ (a made up non-people) were offered a state during the partition, they said, “NO”. When they were offered a state during Oslo, they said, “NO”. Both times they answered with war, death, terrorism, and the like. To suggest that Israel has victimized the arabs is a perfect example of Orwelian logic. In addition, nobody who has critisised the ‘Israel Lobby’ paper is denying the Israel Lobby. The label of anti-Semetism is applied, correctly, when those two ‘scholars’ claimed that Israel has no moral or strategic basis for America’s support. Nobody is suggesting that Isael is perfect and cannot be critisized, but the actions all other countries (that receive US support) must also be critisized or judged with the same standards, otherwise you ARE an anti-Semite. As an example, the whole world was in an uproar when Israel began to build it’s security fence. Where is the outcry when Yemen built theirs? Or Saudi Arabia? Or the USA? The double standard applied to Israel is by definition, anti-Semitism. Why do you think David Duke loved that ‘paper’ so much?

The Jews have been attacking Jesus and his followers since before the crucifixion.  So, why are people surprised to find they are aggressive and vengeful ?  Ignorance.  Pure ignorance.

Something I should have added earlier. What with commenters trotting out polls to say that most of America is the “Israel Lobby,” and that people are “pro-Israel,” etc., etc., without getting into a long, drawn-out dissertation, why in hell should people in this country be worrying about Israel, England, or any of these other countries?

The Bill of Rights is slowly sliding into the crapper, Bush defiantly defends illegal spying on Americans and vows to continue doing it, people’s jobs, as well as this country’s manufacturing base, are being shipped out of the country, your children and grand-children are being saddled with trillions of dollars in debt that they will NEVER be able to pay down, people’s life savings are being eroded by hyper-inflation, all three branches of the federal government are out of control as at no other time in the history of this country, the neocons are gearing us up for perpetual war a la 1984, etc., etc., ad nauseam, and all these blockheads can do is wring their hands over Israel? Other than Jews and/or Zionists, who in the hell in this country has any business worrying about Israel? Israel has plenty of nukes; let it take care of itself. Why in hell should taxpayers in this country be supporting Israel, Egypt, or any other country, given what’s going on here? Foreign aid is completely illegal and unconstitutional, to begin with. Are you all overdosing on Prozac or Thorazine? What in the hell is the matter with you people?

Yep, name calling is a bad thing, and those that resort to it reveal either the weakness in their argument or their fear generally. 

Always true. On the other hand, #7826 has a VERY valid point. 

I come away from this discussion with the understanding that we have an obligation to seek truth, and we hope to attempt to trust our leadership to do likewise. 

Lobbyists, foreign diplomats, think tankers and other political apparatchiks are or become advocates for their point of view or cause.  This is to be expected.

What is wrong with our country and its policy now is that we lack leadership consisting of intelligent, wise people interested in listening to all, and seeking out those whose voice might be too meek…  before leading. 

What is wrong with USA/Israel relations MAY be that pro-Israel lobbyists have too much sway over US policy and govt.
Rational leadership, to which I believe “America” will one day return, will necessarily keep this in mind and balance against other policy needs.

Our current administration is pretty obviously too driven by partisans and idealogues - and discussions too dominated by too few.

Molly, dear, consider yourself in the best of company. Those of us who dare to raise the rug and look under it for any speck of truth! I write, I blog and I do a radio talk show on what I learned living in Israel for 14 months among the very fanatic ultra religious…it wasn’t pretty…have I been called anti-semite, oh my yes, do I get hate mail, sure I do, but will I go on telling the truth even when it hurst…YOU BET!!! You go girl, rock that boat anytime you can!

God Blesses Nations That Bless Israel
Jewish talk show host and conservative thinker Dennis Prager has just written an article for Jewish World Review on the strong support that conservative Christians maintain for the state of Israel and for Jews.

He noted that Christian support for Israel is based upon Genesis 12:3, where the Lord says that He “will bless those who bless the Jews and curse whoever curses the Jews.”

Prager says he often thought this verse was more biblical poetry than verifiably true, but he is becoming increasingly convinced that it is true. As Prager observes, “No one can prove it is G-d who actively blesses those who bless the Jews and curses those who curse them. But, at the same time, the evidence historically and this very moment suggests that there is indeed a real connection between the state of a society and its treatment of the Jews.”
.....
As for me and MY HOUSE, we WILL serve the Lord.
And I BLESS ISREAL, and am behind her all the way.
(From a white USA born and bred CHRISTIAN)

When you consider the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, the truly nauseating part of it is the “right of return” granted to Israelis all over the globe. The fact is, most of today’s Jews are descended from people whose roots are in Eastern Europe, and who never set foot in Palestine!

The simple fact is that the unresolved condition of the Palastinian people is a giant festering sore in the Middle East. It continues to cause serious security problems for the U.S.A. and it will continue to do so until the problem is resolved. The U.S. Government should be looking out for the interests of the U.S.A. first. Israel is powerful enough to look out for itself. Finally drop the stupid “anti semitism” charge. And don’t call me an anti-semite because to be a true anti-semite you would have to hate Arabs too. Calling for respect for Palastinian rights would hardly be expected from an anti-semite. Recent DNA research has confirmed that Jews and Arabs are very closely related. That drives the Zionists so crazy they have tried to bury it. Israel, take down that wall! Thanks for a great article Molly.

I’ll grant you full, open debate on Israel if you will admit to the following uncomfortable realities:

1) The tradition of Left-wing anti-semitism—especially among African-Americans (as inspired by Farrakhan and Jesse Jackson).

2) That the Palestinian Arabs are rigidly sexist and intolerant of all religious traditions except for conservative branches of Islam. And they don’t have the first notion of—nor desire for—a democratic society.

Let’s have a full-throated debate about how you can possibly be a true progressive, liberal, or whatever, and not acknowledge these two things, and frame your policy toward Israel accordingly. I won’t hold my breath, esp. on number 1).

Enough with tenured faux-lefty academics already. They’re not helping anyone but themselves. And Molly, you’re their dupe. 

Idiotic identity politics: the Republicans’ best weapon against progressives. And the best thing of all: We betray all our best principles and become jackasses to the world all by ourselves.

Lobbying by foreign countries, profit corporations, industry groups, should simply be forbidden!  Why do you think we pay $4 at the pump, astronomical prescription drug prices, high “required” insurance premiums and everything is made in China?

If your product, or cllient, or country is down in popularity, figure out why, and then do something about it.

If debating M&W’s is to have any progress, can the anti-Semitic issue be avoided? The no-big-deal non-news of M&W—that the Israel lobby has too much input in US middle eastern policy—can’t be factually denied but it’s still open to an interpretation that rings of Jewish conspiracy, the likes of the Elders of Zion. By putting the Israel lobby in the driver’s seat of US Mideast policy, M&W underplay other factors which are homegrown. Of course oil comes immediately to mind; 9/11 too.  This causal construction that links the Israel Lobby with the war in Iraq while not acknowledging other factors and weighing their significance, well, such causality makes comparison with the Elders of Zion unavoidable.

“It seems to me the root of the difficulty has been Israel’s inability first to admit the Palestinians have been treated unfairly and, second, to figure out what to do about it. Now here goes a big fat generalization, but I think many Jews are so accustomed (by reality) to thinking of themselves as victims, it is especially difficult for them to admit they have victimized others.”
THANK YOU FOR POINTING THAT OUT SO ELOQUENTLY!!!

After reading all the reactions to the article by Molly Ivins, I have some thoughts of my own to contribute.  Jews can’t let go of what happened during wWII and the Holocaust has risen to mythical proportions.  No other people have ever suffered like the Jews.  Forget the Armenians.  Jewish children are beaten over the head with images of what happened in the concentration camps, which even their parents did not experience. Of course it should never be forgotten, and must never be allowed to happen ever again.  But never again to ANYBODY!

Jews’ obsession with their PREVIOUS victimhood has become a sickness, and there are those who profit from it.  The indigenous Arab population both inside the state of Israel and in the occupied territories have been victimized and they know it, and they will defend themselves.  It was Germany who perpetrated the Holocaust, not the arabs of Palestine.

A couple of years ago before I had a computer, I read some newsprint information about the plight of Palestinians in refugee camps.  I thought, “this is strange, because their plight so reminds me of the suffering of the Jews in Europe under the Nazis”. 
So, I went to my 1991 encyclopedia to see what more I could learn. What I found astounded me.  The article on the wars between 1948 and 1991 showed that several of those wars were begun by Israelis. But after each and every conflict, the Israelis claimed more and more of the territory of the Palestinian people, especially in the more attractive West Bank. 
My conclusion was that without continuing conflict, Israel would have had no justification for taking and keeping more land.  This appears to be a vicious circle in which violence begats stealing territory begats violence begats stealing territory….and on and on. 
I began to believe that Sharon, et al and the suicide bombers needed each other to justify their own actions…..sort of a dance of evil on both sides.  Now I see our government doing something similar.  We now justify preemptive striking because of ‘terrorism’ which begets more US aggression in the world which beget more terrorism and on and on.
So, it is good to ask, “Who profits?” and the answer is, “It is never the less powerful.”

Molly needs to get her facts straight. Or, better yet, try using some facts for a change. First of all , the Arab world and the Palestinians themselves are totally and fully responsible for the “highly exaggerated suffering” of Palestinians. That is a cold, hard fact. Maybe, Molly also thinks that Bin Laden had a legitimate reason for blowing up the WTC and killing ove 3,000 innocent civilians. Maybe she thinks it is America’s fault for supporting Israel.

Again, that would be a flat-out lie, since Bin Laden atrtacked Aemrica for basing troops in Saudia Arabia during Gulf War I where we rescued Kuwait.  9/11 had absolutely nothing to do with Israel, our support for Israel, or any Israel lobby.

The problem Molly seems to miss is that nowhere can anyone find positive and truthful things being said about the real Israel lobby. Nearly every business or interest group has a lobby in Washington. Every country in the world has a lobby in Washington, but only the Israeli lobby is accused on a daily basis of trying to take over the world. Only the Israeli lobby is blamed for terrorist attacks commited by Muslim terrorists. Only the Israeli lobby is accused of forcing America to go to war with Muslim countries.

Bascially, the way that the world refers to the Israeli lobby in Washington is every bit the same as the “Protocols.”

Consequently, when someone says that they want to have a “serious, objective discourse” on the Israeli lobby, who is going to believe them? Also, the bigger question is, “Why?” 

The pro-Islamist lobbies in Washington, like CAIR, are the real threat to America and the rest of the world, so why would this “...matter need to be discussed calmly and fairly?” Why single them out?

History has shown that “calm and fair” discussions about the Israel lobby have been neither fair nor calm, and there has always, always been a hidden agenda.

In Molly’s case, that agenda is clear when she opines, “Israel is the No. 1 recipient of American foreign aid (NOT TRUE), and it seems an easy case can be made that the United States has subjugated its own interests to those of Israel in the past.” (comments in caps are mine).

As a single country, and in terms of gross dollars, Israel does receive the largest amount of aid, but that aid is mostly to produce products for the US, and to ensure its stability as THE ONLY TRUE ALLY IN THE MIDDLE EAST and the ONLY TRUE DEMOCRACY IN THE MIDDLE EAST.

What return on the dollar do we get by giving $billions in aid to terrorist-supporting nations like Saudia Arabia, Yemen, Qatar, Syria, Lebanon, and the Palestinan Authority? We get nothing in return. Not only do we not get any thanks or respect, we have our lives and interests here and around the world threatened.

We give a whole lot more money to the Middle Eastern countries who supply us with oil, and only a fraction of that oil money actually goes into the cost of the product.

Israel’s interests and the United States interests are interdependent. Both countries are in a war against Muslim terrorism, and myopic leftist writers like Molly Ivins who root for our enemies and against our friends cannot see that that Palestinian homicide bombers are no different from the 9/11 hijackers who blew up the WTC.

Molly’s cricisms ring hollow when she makes intimations like, “The Israel lobby was overwhelmingly in favor of starting the war with Iraq and is now among the leading hawks on Iran.”

So what? Every Big Oil lobbyist and nearly every Republican was overwhelmingly in favor of the Iraq War. With a terrorist nation like Iran now blackmailing the world with nuclear weapons in the works, only a bleeding-heart liberal with her head in the sand would take a dove’s approach to this growing threat.

YEt, by making this reference, Molly is clearly blaming the Israel lobby for our involvement in Iraq, and also our attitudes towards Iran.

We have heard this all before, on so many other issues like putting “Intelligent Design (ID)” into the public school science curriculum . Advocates say, “Let’s have an honest discussion about both evolution and ID,” when their real agenda is to replace evolution with ID.

The same is true for “calm and fair” discussions about the Israel lobby—what the people who say this really want is to eliminate either the influence of the Iarael lobby, or the lobby itself.

If it quacks like a duck….

Miershiemer and Walt did a very good report. It was truthful and factual. 
Too bad Americans wouldn’t wake up and smell the roses that Israel is a drain on American resources that could be better spent on the American people who really could use the money for housing and medicare among other things.
Israel is a terrorist country making war on the Palestinian people and doing its best to make sure that life is as miserable as they can make it. One of the things I have found is that to say or write anything about Israel is to be labeled ‘anti-semitic’ which is just another way to silence people from being afraid to speak out against the fact that billions of dollars of American money goes to Israel….a country that has planes, guns, tanks and an army by which it can totally terrorize the Palestinians.  The U.N gave Israel a place in Palestine and I can’t believe that they did not know that this would lead to killing and bloodshed for I’m sure they knew exactly what they were doing. Palestine belongs to the Palestinians not to Israel.
Israel lives in the past and counts on everyone to remember the Holocaust and to feel ‘guilty’ about the part played by Europe in it. Why the West should have to partake of this guilt is beyond me.

I’ve come to believe that America is definitely ‘under seige’ with AIPAC, JINSA and other very pro-Israel lobbies and far too many of those in Washington and the White House have done a great propaganda job on Americans and the world. 

Well, no doubt America and the Religious Right ar quite happy - after all, how far away can Armaggeddon be eh and all those ‘happy souls’ can fly off to be with Jesus.

Molly Ivins I love you. I’m a very big fan. 

That said, I have pointed out this particular article of yours to a number of friends and family.  I happen to have read the 83 page Mearsheimer and Walt paper all the way through, as have at least a couple of my friends and family.

In pointing out your article I have said:

“I think Molly Ivins erred in not mentioning Mearsheimer and Walt’s suggestion that the neocons’ depraved rich-get-richer-poor-get-poorer-by both-economic-and-military-force U.S. foreign policies may have been to the ultimate detriment of the people of Israel as well as the people of the U.S.  But otherwise what she says about their paper seems to me to be accurate.

“My hope is that many of the ordinary members of AIPAC and the other related organizations will be led to focus hard on what the top leaders of those organizations are doing with their time these days and on whether or not their arguments happen to lead to significant increases in those leaders’ personal net worth to the detriment of everyone’s children including their own.”

love to all,

Larry

Much of the same can be said about “My Name is Rachel Corrie.” The vehemence of the reaction proved the point about AIPAC. It really woke me up. I knew the Israel lobby was very active (a lobby should be hard-working) but I hadn’t really thought of it as extreme, until their reaction to this play. “My Name is…” is not so different from many other message plays, just that is concerns Israel and Palestinians.

That reaction to “My Name is Rachel Corrie” also shows how badly AIPAC really represents Israel. It has become a hate group disguised as its opposite and that reflects on Israel. Worse, it helps to create a condition which can really boomerang on Israel.

On a lighter side post #7811’s suggestion about using Florida for the new Israel makes me wonder whether AIPAC would have convinced us to fight global warming in order to prevent the seas from swamping Florida/“new Israel” had the Jewish homeland been placed in that low-lying state.

For the millionth time, ultra-liberals like Ivins reveal the double standard and deep hypocrisy of the liberal view. She sure doesn’t like anyone being called anti-Semitic who opposes anything about Israel. But the left screams like banshees: when someone wants the immigration laws of the US enforced, they’re called racist by the left; when someone calls into question the state-sponsored racism called affirmative action, they’re called racist by the left. Principle is something liberals don’t understand. They re-invent the entire world with every new decision.

Great article that goes directly to the United States primary problem with the rest of the world, especially the Arab world. That being the United State’s inexcusable blind support of Israel no matter how outrageous Israel’s aggression against the Palestinians people. Perhaps if the U.S. would give the Palestinians F-16 fighter jets, helecopter gun ships, and tanks to defend themselves against the aggression of the Zionists, there would be no need for “terrorists” suicide bombers.
The hypocrites here in the United States on one hand defend the Israeli’s who are occupying the Palestinians land and murdering the Palestinian people with advanced weapon systems that we give them and on the other hand condemn the Palestinians who fight back with the only means at their disposal.

Remember the U.S.S. Liberty, and the shoddy coverup.

http://www.veteransforpeace.org/Does_Liberty_matter_110703.htm

Molly, I could not agree more. I was raised in the deep south by a mother who was profoundly affected by the Holocaust. She would not hear criticism of Jews in general, even from her own parents. She had a profound effect on me. I would not stand for anti-semitism either and would readily get in someone’s face about it in a New York minute.

But, I honestly can’t say that I am pro-Israel anymore, not since I saw what was happening in Jenin. The Palestinians ghettos are a disgrace.

What right did England have to give land they were occupying to people it did not belong to?

It is true that victims often become victimizers, but that is no excuse.

How many Jews will have to die in Palestine before they figure out that it is not a very safe place to be? It never was. Taking people’s land is not a very good way of winning friends.

I will always be horrified by what happened to the Jews all over Europe during the Hilter nightmare, and Russia wasn’t much better. But I am also horrified by Jenin and Abu Ghraib.

People can call me anti-semitic all they want. I know better. Criticizing the government of Israel doesn’t make me anti-semitic anymore than criticizing Bush and company makes me anti-American.

American minds are changing, from what I am hearing. Bush and Sharon certainly did their part to make that happen. More Americans are now questioning the wisdom of creating the state of Israel to begin with, thanks to those two.

The final straw for me was certain Israeli government officials getting in bed with the Christian Right. Now, there are some true nutjobs and I don’t trust anyone with whom they are involved.

The richest, most powerful people in the world today are the Arab sheiks. The money they have put in the hands of their proxy murderers have created a lobby that Goebbels would envy. The so-called Jewish lobby is so ineffective that Israel is shrinking and disappearing before our eyes. Islam is the Nazism of our time and you have pathetically played right into their hands. Go buy a Koran now before they cut your worthless head off. Truly, you are a mental midget.

#7826: “But the fact is, there is no valid reason why a Wolfowitz supporting Israel should be viewed any differently than a Reagan supporting England or an Eisenhower supporting Germany; and yet the double standard exists.

And until Mearsheimer and Walt deign to explain it away, the very legitimate criticism of anti-semitic skewing will hang over their ‘work’.”

But Eisenhower was the commander of allied forces that smashed Germany.  And Reagan has Irish ancestors, who were likely not at all fond of Britain.  And German and Japanese American were indeed persecuted even if they didn’t support Germany and Japan.  Muslim Americans who raise funds for Muslim causes are routinely harassed. So stop feeling so special.

Thanks Molly!
Your reasonable analysis of the reactions from the “Lobby” to M&W’s study, were to be expected, this the usual MO of the Lobby, as well as some of the comments.
For the record, in the US we have two Lobbies of political influence on our foreign policies: The Jewish and Cuban!
They both are dangerous to the health of this country!

Thank you, Molly, for helping to open needed discussion of the issues imbedded in our special relationship with the modern state of Israel, especially how our tremendous support for Israel affects our own national interest. 

With our country as the chief sponsor, the new Israel was conceived clumsily by the infant UN almost 60 years ago, since neither Jewish refugees from Hitler’ horror nor the surprised indigenous Palestinian people were at all happy with their allotted portions and promptly went to war.  When Palestinian refugees fleeing the better organized Jewish forces flooded into neighboring Arab lands, the world was presented with a monster that grows ever more dangerous.  As its primary “parent”, with little debate we have lavished extra-ordinary economic, military and political support on the new Israel apparently without necessarily considering our own interests or the Palestinians’ legitimate rights in a balanced way, as I read the Mearsheimer-Walt report.

With the challenge laid down by the recent election of a Hamas majority in the Palestinian government, it’s now especially important to get our thinking cap on straight. For instance, it doesn’t look like a smart idea to categorically refuse to talk to any Hamas representatives and to cut off all economic aid in order to foment a revolution that would toss out the results of the democratically elected Palestinian government.  It makes us look like a hypocritical bully—and do we really want to drive the Palestinians to beg from and be dependent on the likes of Iran, Russia and China?  Or maybe North Korea?  A bill on the House floor right now would even bar all humanitarian aid.  These kinds of mean-spirited ideas end up breeding terrorists;  no wonder there’s no end in sight in the “war on terror”.

Before our country can have an informed debate, our general media needs to shake free of the semi-censorship of balanced news the over-zealous Israel Lobby, and our fear of being called anti-semitic any time criticism of Israel is voiced, has imposed for too long.  As Mearsheimer and Walt say, American and Israeli Jews do not all support the Israeli government’s policies anymore than we all support our government’s policies.  Check out the websites for the American organizations Tikkun and Jewish Voice for Peace and the Israeli one, Gush Shalom.  For some large gaps in U.S. general media coverage, check the site for If Americans Knew.

Strong support of Israel is not due only to AIPAC but also to the fact that Israel is the only strong military power in the Middle East that will support us. So there is some mutual interest.  However, I agree with critics that it goes too far when Human Rights are ignored.  Foreign policy should have a moral component as well as pure self-interest. Unfortunately the only president that subscribed to that was Jimmy Carter.  And much current rhetoric, even by Democrat Nancy Pelosi, just panders to the right-wing of the lobby to get votes.
Larry

Here in Miami, Florida, the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) has been employing the same intimidation tactics for decades.  Anyone simply suggesting U.S. policies against the Castro regime are ill-considered is immediately branded a racist, a communist or, if the speaker is Cuban, a self-hating Castro sympathizer.  While not officially part of CANF, the more extreme anti-Castro groups intimidate through the use of car bombs, blowing up airliners and other such methods. 

Naturally, CANF, and the other more radical groups representing rabid anti-Castro Cuban Americans, have funneled millions in campaign contributions to the GOP over the years.  Predictably, all these tactics have been tolerated and even encouraged by the U.S., even though many of these acts are nothing more than terrorism. 

The results have been disastrous. Few here in the mainstream print and electronic media dare to speak up for fear of losing advertisers, being accused of disloyalty or even being killed.  All dissenting voices have been quieted for nearly fifty years.  All the while the failure of the official U.S. Cuban Policy is evident for all to see.

Any of this sound familiar?

Sergio Ortega
Miami, Florida
(just another self-hating, commie-sympathizer Cuban American).

Few in the media mention the dual role of mining parakeet and dynamite fuse that some kinds of Americans have in mind for the Jewish people and Israel in their ecstasy of Christian Armageddon.

Ms. Molly Ivins, I do not subscribe to those who overuse the “Anti-Semitic” accusation (and unfortunately there are too many between us who do). However, both your article and the Harvard/Chicago study are flawed and if you read the study more carefully (which it does not seem that you did), you will see that it has an agenda and it is emotionally bias (in other words, it is not intellectually rigorous).

Of course there is an Israeli-American Lobby which supports Israel. This, as you said,is not news. AIPAC is well known throughout and it is not trying at all to work in secret. Indicating their existance, as the study did, is not unreasonble. However, they went much further than that. Repeating the excellent comment by “Comment #7826 by APS on 4/25 at 11:57 am”, WHY SINGLE THEM OUT? This is the big question! Please read his entire comment very carefully if you want to learn rather than just find justification to your position.

I will only add to this excellent comment that the study is simplistic and superficial in not even considering the possibility that USA and Israel policy interests happened to coincide on most issues, not because of the Israeli Lobby, but because they are both more democratic and fair and less cynical than most countrie in the world, including most of Europe, China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, Syria, etc. etc. (all in good company). The ADMITTED fact that the Palestinians are suffering is not because of USA or even Israel, but mostly because of their corrupt leadership, including the leadership of the Arab neighbours and of course most of their Mullas. In addition, believe it or not, the majority of the American people, who are on the average wiser than some American professors [:-)], recognize it, just as do the majority of the Americam foreign policy makers.

The countries that are in a pact to deprive all people of basic freedoms are USA, Israel, UK and Australia.  All the countries that , until recently, have been the clarions for freedom , justice and fairness.  I know that none of us lived up to the ideals , but the ideals were there.  You can see it across the board in those four countries. What a sad thing .

Dear Ms. Ivins: As a lifelong progressive and great admirer of yours , i was very saddened by many aspects of your article calling critics of the walt/mearsheimer article “nutjobs.”  Many Jews, myself included, who have alway supported a palestinian state, were nonetheless very concerned about the shoddy scholarship and conspiratorial tone in this article, and we are not “nutjobs.”  Interestingly, many defenses of this article point out its academic shoddiness - its lack of original research, its lumping together of all supporters of Israel in one big club, ignoring the profound differences among them, and its absurd suggestion that the US went to war to defend the theoretical interests of that tiny country, rather that to control Irag’s oil, when oil has been the engine of US foreign policy, at least since Bush took over - but somehow end up saying all of this second-rate work is bad only because it undermines the acceptance of the author’s position.  Maybe if the work is so bad - and it is - their position is also open to criticism.
In addition, the charge of antisemitism is not foolish or the product of “nutjobs” but based on a historical understanding of antisemitism, which is an ideology not based on disliking individual jews, but on creating a mythology of jewish unity, disloyalty and, in fact, power to manipulate their gentile hosts into acting on jew’s behalf and against their own.  While the Walt article does not quite say that, it is closer to that position than to a bland observation that there is a pro-israel lobby in the united states .It is in fact typical of antisemitic mythology to attribute a country’s failures in war to the nefarious influence of the jews rather than to its own failures; for example, to adopt the shallow and ahistorical argument that the pro-Israel lobby is to blame for the invasion of Iraq rather than   The administration’s desire to gain control of the natural resources of the Middle East.
It is necessary for progressive jews to point this out because much of the left, including some of your correspondents, have become at best extremely insensitive to this issue.  As a result, whatever their personal intentions, they are increasingly adopting positions which objectively support and build quite traditional antisemitic beliefs.
Again, while you may continue to disagree with me, i hope you will come to understand how serious this issue is to many progressive jews such as myself who must begin to ask ourselves whether we can even continue to participate in the left, without dishonor or dishonesty to ourselves.  In that spirit,  I hope that you will at least retract your “nutjob” characterization of those of us with serious concerns concerning this very painful and difficult matter.

I am always taken aback when I hear Jews call someone anti-semitic.  My reply to such is that I find some arabs to be O.K.  That tends to stop the conversation.  It shows quite clearly that those using the term do it unthinkingly. The sole intent is to intimidate anyone who may make a less than glowing reference to Jews and Israel.  For a group that has historically been subjected to derogatory name calling even to the establishment of the anti-Jewish Defamation League to combat it, seeing them use the same name calling tactics doesn’t speak well of them.  They need to clean up their act.

It is obvious that Ms.Ivins did not read the article in question. The authors did not “reveal” that there is an “Israeli Lobby” (pay attention to the capital “L”). They wrote that this Lobby is causing the US government to adopt policies which are against the interests of the US. They also write that the Lobby is “jeopardizing not only US security but that of much of the world.” Which means that the “all powerful” Israel lobby is responsible for the lack of security all over the world. One wonders if Ms. Ivins agrees that the Lobby has anything ro do with Sudan-Darfour, or Kashmir, or Nepal, or Chechnia, etc, etc…
  The authors write that citizenship in Israel is “based on the principle of blood kinship”. This, in a country with 1.3 million non-Jewish citizens. They also make numerous mistakes related to Israel’s founding.
    All that does not indicate that thay are anti-Semitic, but it clerly shows that they have a strong anti-Israeli bias. Academic researchers are suppopsed to be objective, unless of course, they write against Israel…

Just some hard cold facts to cool down the anti-semitic frothing:

Gallup and other polls show

68% of Americans view Israel favorably;

78 % view Palestinians UNfavorably.  (Owwch!)

- In the Israel/Palestine conflict

60% of Americans sympathize with Israel

only 15% sympathize with Palestinians.

46% of Americans have negative views of Islam (up 7 percent in the last few years).

Americans view Israel as their Third staunchest ally right after England and Canada.

Americans view Iran as America’s top enemy.

So, we hardly need a conspiracy theory to explain America’s position.  Politicians are simply responding to the opinions of the majority of Americans (yes, politicians do follow polls).  And that is why “the Lobby” is effective - because they generally reflect the views of average Americans.

This is also why anti-semites always lose in America; because they waste their time screaming shrilly about a minority (the Jews), when in truth they need to ask themselves why their arguments can’t sway the majority.  Until they can do that, just calling 2/3rds of Americans traitors for supporting Israel isn’t really going to cut it.

Excellent piece, Molly!  And excellent discussion, too.  For those of us who are not so well-educated on the subject, could someone post a nice, compact description of the distinction between Israel, the government, and Israel, the focal point of Judaism? 

Every time the news contains reports of Israeli OR Palestinanian civilians being killed by terrorist or retaliatory attacks, my heart hurts for the people on both sides.  Forgive me for stating the obvious: Violence begets violence.  Retaliation against civilians for what would be defined as criminal behavior in most civilized countries is counter-productive. 

Rational discussion must be encouraged if the human race is ever to find a way to make it stop.

Comment #7817 by sharon rutman on 4/25 at 10:19 am

“You are a disgusting anti-semite! Any respect I had for you is completely gone.  Lots of groups and pacs try to influence American policy—why single out the AIPAC?”

Why not discuss AIPAC?!  The right wing christian groups have been discussed. Why not discuss right wing jewish groups too?

Your over reaction feeds views that there is a jewish lobby that will bully anyone who questions it (see Comment #7829 by sahmadi on 4/25 at 12:10 pm)

I also read your review of Gibson’s book and I think you over reacted there too. (“Liberals, Gibson’s favorite scapegoat, is really a code word for Jews.”)

Take a hint from my posting name.

Molly Ivins is not an anti-semite. You are irrational.

Hmm, criticize Israel and you’re called anit-semitic.  Sounds like the same thing as if you criticize Mexicans for breaking our law and sneaking in our country to take jobs away from Americans, you’re called a racist.  Hmm, a pro-Israel lobby in the U. S. that influences our foreign policy.  Just like, there’s a pro-Cuban “nationalist” lobby in Miami that influences our foreign policy.  Sounds like America should stop pandering to other countries and take care of our own.

I notice that several times in this piece Ivins refers or alludes to herself as ‘pro-Israel.’ That convinces me to give her writings a wide berth in future. It also helps me understand why Ivins is increasingly being recognized as a leftwing gatekeeper, particularly among those in the 9-11 truth movement (on account of her refusal to touch 9-11).

Glad to hear you speak up on this issue. I am not a particularly religious person so I do not believe the Jewish claim to Israel. And though Jesus sounds like a nice guy,  I do not believe he died for my sins or that Mohammed is the last prophet. So looking at Israel I see a foreign country with way too much influence on America’s foreign policy. Israel is the biggest recipient of US aid yet they spy on us and sell our technology to China. What gives?

Israel’s ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians is turning off moderate and progressive Americans both Jewish and not.
Soon the only US supporters of Israel will be the PNAC war-mongers and Christian End of the Worlders. The latter also bent on the destruction of Israel.

let’s change the title of the two professors’paper to “US
foreign policy and israel lobby”.  NOW, may we, americans, discuss OUR foreign policy without being called a name (i’m sick and tired of being so sensitive that in trying not to be an antisemite i become a self-hating american)

let’s turn our full attention to a vital national policy position: should we have or not to have special relationship with the state of israel. does such a policy benefit AMERICANS?  please read general Marshall (the one american i believe we can all trust)‘s position on this issue before any one here comments on our top political scientists’ views in such condescending ways, molley included. a majority of our international relation experts hold the same view.

do any legislators in Congress have dual citizenship? Is it permissible to pledge alligence to a foreigncountry?

Narrele…, bist klig?

It is indeed a powerful lobby that can bury a truth that few today want to face, but Jewish intellectuals readily gave voice to. As an example,  David Ben Gurion (the first Israeli Prime Minister): ” If I were an Arab leader, I would never sign an agreement with Israel. It is normal; we have taken their country. It is true God promised it to us, but how could that interest them? Our God is not theirs.  There has been Anti-Semitism, the Nazis, Hitler, Auschwitz, but was that their fault? They see but one thing: we have come and we have stolen their country. Why would they accept that?”  Quoted by Nahum Goldmann in Le Paraddoxe Juif (The Jewish Paradox), pp. 121-122.

Yes, the Jews were vicimized by the holocaust…60 long years ago. What kind of insanity tells us that the rational response to that was to give them a piece of Arab land as compensation. That is the original sin that has brought down on us much of the terrorism and warfare we see now. Hiding behind the wailing wall of the holocaust, they have perpetrated their own version of oppression on an innocent people…one of the great acts of hypocrisy in world history. AS this FINALLY becomes fair game for debate you can expect the mendacious defensive cries from that quarter to increase in the characteristic shrillness of the unjust.

Molly, In a previous comment, I expressed my disagreement with part of your column “Enough of the D.C. Dems,” where you made some criticism of former Virginia Governor Mark Warner. Recently Mark Warner made these comments regarding Iraq: “I’m not one that believes we can set an arbitrary deadline. But I think if we don’t see the Iraqis themselves come together in weeks, not months, in terms of forming this unity government and then if we don’t see measurable progress in months, not years, after this government is formed, then I think we have to look at a way to get out. We don’t need American troops simply playing referee inside a civil war in Iraq.” So, while he wouldn’t say that he’s for an “arbitrary deadline,” the fact that Warner said that if there’s “no measurable progresss in weeks or months not years,” is very signigicant. Of course, nothing will get better in Iraq during the next few weeks or months. I think that I’m correct in my interpetration that Warner is for the withdrawal of the troops in weeks or months from now. All of this is not to say that everyone should endorse Warner as the Demcratic nominee for President, but he is progressive enough and is also someone who can reach people who aren’t as liberal as many of us.

Walter Ballin
Chico, CA

Molly, As a Jew I agree with you. Now when you said “And, in my case, being pro-Israel” I assume that you meant to say that you’re also pro-palestinian and pro-peace.

Walter Ballin
Chico, CA

Comment #7826 by APS on 4/25 at 11:57 am

“For over 50 years we defended Western Europe against the Soviets at great cost…. Was it the European Lobby? .....”

Are you for real?...We defended Western Europe, because it was in AMERICA’S INTERESTS.  Period.

“No, just America siding with a democratic ally, as we’ve done with Israel.”

Israel is NOT a democratic country…it proudly declares to be JEWISH state, and has racial laws.

“But the fact is, there is no valid reason why a Wolfowitz supporting Israel should be viewed any differently than a Reagan supporting England or an Eisenhower supporting Germany; and yet the double standard exists.”

Valid reason.  How about this war with Iraq?  Was it in our interest to invade a neutered Iraq?  Did not Wolfowitz sign his name along with his fellow neocons *Israel loyalists* to a document that demanded regime change during Clinton’s term.  Did he not state that WMDs was just a propogandic rational for the invasion of Iraq?  Israel’s desire to rid of Saddam and weaken Iraq was not a secret, and these neocon clowns made it happen for Israel. 

“Actually, anti-semitism IS the taboo.”

What is taboo is honest debate! Yes you could be thrown in prison if you carry the Palestinian flag in the occupied territories, but in America you can speak and express your opinions freely.  We should continuing supporting Israel, but with conditions.  Stop the settlements.  Stop selling technology to the Chinese.  Stop targeted assasinations.  If Israel decides to ignore these conditions then let Israel pay for occupying the Palestinians.  My tax money should not be going to finance Israel’s continuing occupation of the palestinians.

I believe it’s as disgraceful to charge someone with antisemitism as it is to be antisemitic.Diverting discussion with false charges is as Un-American as McCarthyism. Most of us would not want to bring back that era.
What if today we had a loyality oath that makes all Neocons declare a primary allegiance to the US. Eleanor Roosevelt once said that persons who—-seemed to owe their first allegiance to another country, ... it would probably be to Americas benifit if we should allow these people to go to that country….THE FIRST LADY made a lot of sense. WE no longer produce that caliber.

—Comment #7826 by APS on 4/25 at 11:57 am
—“But the fact is, there is no valid reason why a
—Wolfowitz supporting Israel should be viewed any
—differently than a Reagan supporting England or
—an Eisenhower supporting Germany; and yet the
—double standard exists.”

you miss the whole point its NOT about supporting england, germany, or isreal. The problem comes if Wolfowitz is supporting Isreal’s interests over US interests. 

What are the costs, and benefits, of any policy. When the costs are the highest in terms of supporting a nation, the benefits need to be evaluated first.
Your position that a majority of americans support Isreal, if true, doesn’t mean they support Isreal’s interests over America’s. 

Where’s the American benefit?

Great Article.

What would be wrong with sending U.N. or maybe U.S. soldiers into the West Bank and East Jerusalem, removing all the settlers, relocating them behind the green line (better Known as Isreal’s internationally recognized borders) tearing down the wall on any place that it extends over the green line, and then guarding the borders to keep the settlers and the IDF out until a stabel Palestinian nation emerges. As Bill Clinton said during a Charlie Rose interview, a fair and peaceful solution to occupation and settlements issue would “destroy the philosophical underpinnings of terrorist recruitment in the middle east. (Jimmy Cater, Colin Powell, Pat Buchannon, and a great many others agree as well)

This would be the first real step to ending the war on terrorism, because this is what really set it off in the first place. Isreal would be safer, the United States would be safer, and Osama bin Laden would end up being a much lonlier guy. It would also simply be the morally correct thing to do.

J

Molly Ivins is dead right,  although some might think that the influence of zionists on US policy is exaggerated. Wasn’t it Mr. Kissinger who said that the US has no friends, only interests?  There is, however, a problem with our press. Last week the [London] Guardian reported that the UDF had lobbed over 300 artillery shells into Gaza in one day, over 100 on several days. It was not reported here (in Canada). But the suicide bombing made the front pages.

Of the many good points made by the author, one of the most interesting is to note the amazing lack of debate about Israel in the US. Only here is it blasphemy to deviate a millimeter from the AIPAC line, which ironically, is right of center in Israel itself.

This is why when votes go down at the UN, it’s frequently 170-4 (or something like that) with Israel, the US and our tiny Pacific semi-colonies (Marshall Islands, etc.) in the “pro-Israel” column. No one on the planet buys into Israeli mythology the way we do.

Last election, Kerry and Bush’s positions on Israel were indistinguishable, despite their many differences on virtually everything else.  AIPAC brainwashing has been very effective in Washington, although it does not reflect the vast number of Jews who ARE critical of Israel. I think this is partly because the pols are plugged into institutional Judaism (synagogues, large federations, etc.), while many progressive Jews are unaffiliated. 

The idea that to be “pro-Israel” is to be in lockstep with serial human rights violaters like Ariel Sharon and his successor Olmert is absurd, but such is the propaganda.

As a result of AIPAC successes in the US, Israel is under no pressure to redress any Palestinian grievances, much less arrive at a peaceful and just resolution of the conflict.

Having said all that, Bush is still worse than anyone else. Gore or Kerry would have been unlikely to roll over and sign on to keeping some of the illegal Settlements (which Bush did for the first time), and I can’t really imagine either of them being stupid enough to call Sharon “a man of peace” as GWB did.

I actually used to work with the Israel lobby, particularly AIPAC, through their campus advocacy programs. Mearshiemer and Walt were factually incorrect about a number of things which I would venture to say speaks to rather poor research on their parts. For example they suggest that the movement is dominated by right wing orthodox Jews. In point of fact, I would estimate that at least half of the orthodox community in the USA is actually antizionist, and many of the zionist orthodox consider the mainstream pro Israel movement too “soft” for their tastes. Israel being a multiparty system there is a secular right and a relious right as two distinct entities. It is towards the secular right that the US pro Israel movement tends to skew.

But they are also right about a number of things, which was largely what lead to my disillusionment from the movement. I was actually tempted to send Mearsheimer and Walt an email telling them not all of us feel they are antisemitic. I feel I have particular credibility in this matter with a hebrew university of Jerusalem email address, but I decided they probably wouldnt read it anyway. But the point is that most of their inaccuracies come more from the problematic aspects of the broad, top-down international relations theory than any sort of antisemitism.

And, for the record, Molly Ivins is correct. The views of your average Israeli regarding these issues is far more in line with hers than with most of the american pro-israel movement, as is evidenced by Likud’s resounding defeat at the polls nearly 1 month ago. I happen to agree with those views, and find the views of the mainstream pro israel people in the USA to be largely uninformed and tiresome.

I applaud your article, not because it is overtly incisive, but because it states some things that for face value at least seem quite reasonable. This PR war that is being fought on both sides over Israel and Palestine won’t be won when all of American society will be galvanized and polarized…it will be won when regular people will take a second and say to themselves: “...wait, does this make sense?

Have I heard of a Palestinian Lobby in Washigton?
How many people are being killed on both sides?
What is the reason that people are fighting on both sides?
Is there a people over there living under occupation?
What can the US or other countries do to alleviate suffering on both sides?

As long as you and those like you are in the minority of people who take a second to look around and ask questions, and are targetted in response with bigoted vitriol, I shall continue to applaud you and wish you all the luck that can be spared.

Don’t let ‘em hold you down, Ms. Ivins.
- Marc Nakleh

No doubt, the past treatment of the Jews was unjust and unforgivable.  No doubt, the present treatment of Jews is all too frequently unjust and unforgivable.  But we need to be more constructive here.  It is hard and thankless to be better to others than they are to you, but somebody has to do it or the world never gets any better.  We owe it to our children to be more constructive.  This applies to this situation and so many others that challenge us these days. 

It’s never been easy to be strong yet gentle, but it’s worth the learning to do so for the sake of the future.

Comment #7817 by sharon rutman
You are a disgusting anti-semite! Any respect I had for you is completely gone.  Lots of groups and pacs try to influence American policy—why single out the AIPAC?
————————————————————
Amazing post.  I mean when are Americans going to realize our gov has been hijacked by a foreign power.  Iraq war was perpetrated by Israeli loyalists.  Few recall the immediate pressure exerted on Syria only a month into the Iraq war. Now Iran…come on people wake up.  How much more American blood will be shed for Israel’s desire for absolute regional supremacy.