AIPAC Congratulates Itself on the Slaughter in Lebanon (John Walsh)

[laststeamtrain]

AIPAC Congratulates Itself on the Slaughter in Lebanon

By JOHN WALSH

"My fellow American," Howard Friedman, President of AIPAC, begins his letter of July 30 to friends and supporters of AIPAC, "Look what you've done"! After warning that "Israel is fighting a pivotal war for its life," by which he means Israel's wanton slaughter and all-out destruction in Lebanon, Freiedman condemns "the expected chorus of international condemnation of Israel's actions" and Europe's call for "a cease-fire immediately." Then he exults: "only ONE nation in the world came out and flatly declared: Let Israel finish the job. . That nation is the United States of America--and the reason it had such a clear, unambiguous view of the situation is YOU and the rest of America Jewry." (All emphases in the original here and below.) Here I must take issue with President Friedman since I bet that most Jewish Americans, in contrast to the AIPAC crowd, were horrified by the slaughter in Lebanon. In fact if anyone other than President Friedman wrote this, he would be accused of fabricating a Jewish plot and labeled a nutty conspiracy theorist and scurrilous anti-semite.)

<snip>

President Friedman closes with the exhortation: "Now is the time for us, American Jews, to stand up and tell our elected officials that they must demand Iran halt its pursuit of atomic arms." In other words, next stop Iran if AIPAC can swing it. And in that lies a great danger. The Bush administration is losing ever more of its base and only the neocon establishment and AIPAC remain securely in its camp. (Even some of the born-agains are deserting.) With the November elections coming, Rove and Bush desperately need AIPAC support, and so they may be even more susceptible than usual to its demands for going after Iran. Indeed this is a dangerous time.

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http://www.counterpunch.org/walsh08162006.html

[peacetalksforall]

1. Before I reply, can anyone tell me if Counterpunch is on the list of

no-no websites? I'm not going to write again just to lose what I wrote because the thread has been closed when I post the message.

[Lefty-Taylor]

2. The work that Alex Cockburn and Jeff St. Claire have done on c-punch is

consistent, fair and, yes, sometimes too brutally honest for some moderate-liberals. I've talked to both men regarding the work I've done in enviro-journalism and can attest to their honesty.

[acmejack]

3. I no longer know. I post and the thread is gone.

Sites that were good, suddenly aren't, but then are later. It seems to be fluid depending upon content, poster, moderator and perhaps, most importantly if anyone notices and/or alerts on it.

[papau]

4. Links to RW Fair and News Max and doesn't link to Media Matters -but hates

Israel, Clinton, and is not big on religion.

But it calls itself progressive and has Alexander Cockburn as editor and is anti-war.

close call - good luck

:-)

[peacetalksforall]

5. CP links to News Max, but not Media Matters? Doesn't sit well with me.

There are so many nuances and subtleties, that it turns me off, but I guess I'm a nuanced perso, so I'll try to tolerate it all. UGHHH.

[papau]

11. links to RW sites turns me off also-but some economic stuff is interesting

I just skip over the occasional anti-religion articles, the massive amount of Israel is the devil and has no right to exist and those that defend Israel are also devils articles, and the Ralph Nader thoughts(they seem to promote Ralph as a way to get Democrats to lose via third party registration) articles, and read only the economic articles.

Even in the econ articles they are not pro-union or pro worker - they seem anti-"Global" - but not well defined as to the "correct" policy, and very "green" but with no plug in electric car push. Indeed there is an anti-Democrat slant in some articles.

The only "left" item is an honest appearing/sounding - and therefore I take as real, anti-war slant.

The best of the lot IMHO is Robert Fisk of the Independent (who is no friend of Israel, and indeed is strongly biased against Israel and against the Lebanese Christians, and who can never see anything wrong with any Palestinian act or policy desire- but who loves to detail the Palestinian view of every Israeli Act since 48 as the work of the devil).

But I do not read him as dishonest - the way Hitchens or George Galloway have no problem with being when bashing Israel. I read his antiwar feelings as both well expressed and very real and honest, and rather objective despite his relatively obvious feelings.

[bemildred]

7. You can't go by the site.

I post CounterPunch all the time. There are sites you can't post at all. ALL the other sites, including CounterPunch, you have to evaluate the piece before you post it. If it is emotional drivel, intended to inflame rather than inform, to incite rather than to persuade, then it's a good bet you should consider not posting it.

[papau]

12. Well said - I agree so your thought must be right ! :-)

:-)

[peacetalksforall]

6. I think older US citizens like myself have blindly supported Israel. Not

to the point where I don't support their neighbors. In the years past, especially after Arafat died, I started observing it all with increasing fervor because it was obvious that the Palestinian problem was key to most of the problems and nothing was getting doen and it was getting worse.

I have never been able to tolerate the tit for tat policies of Israel and their neighbors. It disgusts me. It fills me with feelings of watching dumb, know-no-better juveniles There is no excuse for the policy on either side.

I am in 100% favor of Palestine being given what is theirs. I'm in 100% favor of Palestinians living in dignity with a better chance at peace and prosperity. I am in 100% favor of the children of all in the ME being able to be children.

The comments of this AIPAC spokesperson has sickened me. My patience is ending. My admiration has sunk. I am giving up. I feel I'm turning against all the Jews who support this kind of policy.

I know there are many who don't. I admire all Jews who are involved in peace efforts and programs that cross over.

I cannot support Israel until they find humans to run it and support it. Somehow, the hate and contempt for people displayed in this report is exactly in sync with Cheney and the rest of PNAC.

I am sickened about Lebanon. I am throwing up sick about what I read above.

Thumbs down on AIPAC and everyone who goes along with this hateful stuff. I wish I was a more generous and tolerant person. I've been tossed aside by Israel if this person speaks for it.

(This in no way says or implies anti-Semitism - I won't start my rant about distinctions. This in no way says or implies support for Hezbollah.?

I shudder at at the implications for Iran.

I will not accept an invasion of Iran or Syria.

Enough is enough.

Lebanon - I'm sorry for what was done to you by Israel and the U.S.

[laststeamtrain]

8. Thank you for posting. I think you speak for a lot of people.

There's too much hate, too little justice & peace.
I'm hoping for more candidates unbeholden to the forces of hatred. They'd have my vote & my loyalty in a heartbeat.

[IntiRaymi]

9. And don't forget:

Iraq,
Vietnam,
Phillipines,
....
etc.

[peacetalksforall]

10. And Chile, El Salvador, Guatemala Nicaragua

etc depending on how far back we go

[Marrak]

13. But, in a nutshell, why does Israel hate the U.S.?

'Cause they can!

[gula]

14. Touché, thanks nt