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Israel/Zionism
See other Israel/Zionism Articles

Title: The Truth About AIPAC Slips Into Daily Kos
Source: Daily Kos
URL Source: [None]
Published: Sep 20, 2007
Author: wmtriallawyer
Post Date: 2007-09-20 14:44:41 by ghostdogtxn
Keywords: None
Views: 10587
Comments: 13

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Begin Trace Mode for Comment # 5.

#2. To: ghostdogtxn (#0)

Over and over, we began to hear about how we needed to tap into the "Jewish vote." Odd, I thought, because in my naivete I never considered the "Jewish vote" to be some sort of voting bloc. Then, however, the talk of the "Jewish vote" began to morph into the chase for "Jewish money."

In a nutshell, why we are still in Iraq, why we will stay in Iraq, and why we will go to war with Iran, despite the opposition of an overwhelming majority of American citizens. When Wesley Clark remarked several months ago that the "New York money people" wanted a war with Iran, and to hell with public opinion and the consequences to the nation and the world, this is obviously what he was referring to.

Peetie Wheatstraw  posted on  2007-09-20   15:27:06 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

But, in a country where almost all House seats are gerrymandered, why are virtually all politicians so desperately seeking campaign contributions all the time?

aristeides  posted on  2007-09-20   15:34:44 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

But, in a country where almost all House seats are gerrymandered, why are virtually all politicians so desperately seeking campaign contributions all the time?

Good question, but look at Cynthia McKinney's fate. IIRC, after indulging in a little prohibited activity, like 9/11 Truth and criticism of Israel, she suddenly had a very well funded black female challenger in the Democratic primary, whom she lost to (although she later regained her seat, again IIRC). IIRC something similar happened to long-time Illinois Senator Charles H. Percy. My point is that even in a safe seat, you have to make sure that no one else gets the Lobby's money.

Peetie Wheatstraw  posted on  2007-09-20   17:32:27 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

#11. To: Peetie Wheatstraw (#5)

Good question, but look at Cynthia McKinney's fate. IIRC, after indulging in a little prohibited activity, like 9/11 Truth and criticism of Israel, she suddenly had a very well funded black female challenger in the Democratic primary, whom she lost to (although she later regained her seat, again IIRC). IIRC something similar happened to long-time Illinois Senator Charles H. Percy. My point is that even in a safe seat, you have to make sure that no one else gets the Lobby's money.

Thanks for the reminder. I lived in CT at the time, and remember Percy as a good guy, but I didn't follow politics all that carefully at that time. So I found a refresher. Here are some links and a long excerpt to refresh others' memories. I seriously did not know that AIPAC had that kind of influence 25 years ago.

http://www.swans.com/library/art8/herman05.html

http://www.theleftcoaster.com/archives/002227.php

Reinforcing Israel's own haunting fears over security is a compulsive preoccupation with the same fixed idea by America's impassioned Israel Lobby. In an America relatively free of anti-Semitism, any criticism of the state of Israel is equated by the Lobby with anti-Semitism. Politicians who oppose even once the wishes of Israel are marked for political extinction. Witness Senator Charles Percy who voted for the sale of AWACS (a flying radar system) to Saudi Arabia. Israel claimed, against all objective evidence, that the AWACS threatened it. On fact, the Saudis have used the AWACS in combat only once, to repel an air attack on shipping in Saudi territorial waters by Khomeini's Iran, an implacable enemy of Israel.)

The Lobby swung into line with millions for Percy's opponent, slanderously accusing the high-minded former Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee of being Israel's enemy. Percy was defeated. The Israel Lobby boasts of its clout, and politicians literally fear to cross Israel. The result is that America, founded by Christians deeply committed to reconciliation, now supports confrontational politics in the Middle East.

What was it that Senator Percy said that made them so angry at him, besides his AWACS vote?

Senator Charles Percy Talks to Al-Hewar Center About Middle East Issues

The Middle East, of all the regions of the world, has the greatest potential for disaster. Even in times of relative calm, the clouds of war can be seen. Old antagonisms, and more recent ones, are destabilizing. Angry propaganda, surprise raids, random rocketing, massing of weaponry, vindictive UN resolutions, fears and anxiety contribute to an atmosphere of expectancy of ultimate disaster.

These items reflect largely Israeli tactics used against Palestinians and other Arabs even today, and Percy said these words back in the 1980s!

It was against this background that I returned to the Middle East on a study trip during the Senate recess. I visited leaders of 14 nations including Israel and two thirds of the Arab states, comprising 75 percent of the population of the Arab world.

The fact that he dared to speak to these Arab leaders - in contravention of official Israeli wishes - would alone have been enough to make him a target of AIPAC. But here's where Percy cuts his political throat:

I chose to devote so much time and effort to this region because I believe that American foreign policy will face some of its most serious challenges and be offered some of its greatest opportunities in this area during the 1980s and beyond....

Despite all that binds us together, recent years have been marked by a growing number of serious differences between the United States and Israel. At times - and I view this as very unfortunate - our disagreements have tended to diminish all that holds us together....

Many Israeli acts seriously harm our relations with Israel's Arab neighbors, yet a strong American position throughout the Middle East is in Israel's interest as well.

Israel cannot expect the United States to continue isolating itself from the world community to defend questionable or objectionable actions and policies. The Israelis must stop "surprising" the international community and the United States with preemptive acts that are viewed by the community of nations as violations of international norms, harmful to U.S. interests and damaging to the peace process that must now proceed in the Middle East.

Does this not sound a whole lot like Dumbya's actions against Iraq? And these things were happening twenty years ago! Speaking out about them cost Senator Percy, a True Conservative and a very respectable man, his career as US Senator. But he didn't stop here.

Success in the peace process depends on achieving tangible benefits on all sides. Prospects for progress look bleak at present, particularly because Arab leaders may conclude that Israel's actions and interpretation of the current negotiating framework constitute a serious threat to their own interests.

And that was the act that brought about his political execution.

He wasn't the only one, nor was it much of a secret to those AIPAC targeted:

Anti-Zionist's Candidacy Was Helped By Jewish Contributors in California [June 24, 1987 Wall Street Journal p1 c6] By JOHN J. FIALKA Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

Edward B. Vallens, a 67-year-old retired contractor, is an avowed anti-Zionist. Just how he wound up with $120,000 - much of it from Jewish contributors - to stage a television blitz in the final hours of the 1986 California Senate race still bothers him.

A key figure in the story appears to be Michael Goland, a Los Angeles developer who is one of the largest donors to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and who has been active in opposing candidates he views as being unfriendly to Israel.

He recently agreed to pay a $5,000 fine for his role in running television commercials attacking former GOP Sen. Charles Percy of Illinois in Mr. Percy's losing 1984 race; the commercials were illegal because the source of the financing wasn't disclosed.

Mr. Goland, who couldn't be reached for comment, surfaced in the California race at a May 1986 reception for Mr. [Ed] Zschau held by Jewish supporters in Los Angeles's San Fernando Valley. According to the accounts of both Mr. Zschau and campaign manager Ron Smith, he confronted the candidate and, in Mr. Smith's words, said, 'I'm going to get you just like I got Percy.'

The commercials ran at least 60 times on Los Angeles and San Diego stations in the final hours before the election. Mr. Vallens, hitherto a political unknown, got 109,856 votes. Mr. Smith claims the ads siphoned off Zschau votes and depressed voter turnout in heavily Republican Orange County. Mr. Zschau lost the election by 116,000 votes.

The Los Angeles Times found two of the donors worked for companies controlled by Mr. Goland and another who lived in a house that is owned by Mr. Goland. One $4,000 check came from Mr. and Mrs. Michael Altman. Mr. Altman says he is a close friend of Mr. Goland's and that he is treasurer of Young Americans Political Action Committee, a pro-Israel PAC of which Mr. Goland is assistant treasurer.

Sen. Percy and would-be Sen. Ed. Zschau have some august conservative company!

Much, MUCH more at the link.

Mekons4  posted on  2007-09-21 17:27:58 ET  Reply   Untrace   Trace   Private Reply  

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