I watched a few hours of AIPAC’s policy conference on streaming video today– they wouldn’t let me attend the conference, said there was no room at the inn–and had a few impressions.
AIPAC is more out of touch than ever. It’s glaring/weird. Look, even The New Yorker is giving props to J Street, which termed Obama’s response to Netanyahu "appropriate;" but AIPAC is in complete denial about the settlements and the Gaza war. The tenor of the first day was almost purely defensive, all about what a technological miracle Israel is, making a barren country bloom, with the occasional spiteful comment about Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinians being responsible for their serfdom. At the end they brought out Alan Dershowitz to denounce what is (truly) the greatest threat to Israel, the recent reports that Biden and Petraeus look on the special relationship as endangering American lives. Dershowitz said this was a lie, that it’s Islamic extremists who endanger American lives because they hate our freedom. That line felt like a time warp. He invoked the names Walt and Mearsheimer a half dozen times, along with Goldstone, Joe Klein, and Roger Cohen. The five horsemen of delegitimization. Dershowitz did not fail to be vicious towards Goldstone, calling him the U.N.’s "token court Jew," who when the report was challenged, issued the "ad hominem" argument, But I’m a Jew, my daughter lived in Israel. That is horse manure. I’ve never heard Goldstone say such a thing as an answer to factual/legal criticisms of his report.
Overall thrust of the conference is, let us put this ridiculous meaningless spat between the countries behind us so that we can get on to the joyous task of imposing "crippling" sanctions on Iran before we bomb them into submission. "Allies should work out their differences privately," reminded Lee Rosenberg, Obama friend and incoming AIPAC president.
Neocon Robert Kagan said all the Arab countries neighboring Iran want us to bomb Iran now. Neocon Robert Satloff said that the best thing Obama could do now is to declare that he’s a Zionist. "You don’t have to be Jewish to be a Zionist… It would pack an enormously powerful punch for President Barack Obama to say in capitals around the world, that I am a Zionist."
Thanks Bob, that will be on the president’s desk in the morning.
The strongest criticism of Israel came from Tal Becker. He acknowledged Israel’s crisis obliquely, spoke of a closing window, suggested some curb on colonization. But then Becker’s an Israeli. The lobby doesn’t live there, and it gets to be more Catholic than the Pope.
I found it humorous how many times the AIPAC leadership warned the members not to boo their guests– preparing them for clips of Obama during Rosenberg’s introduction, and for Hillary coming tomorrow morning. AIPAC showed a video of kids throwing pillows at a television and urged the conference-goers to be grownups with their guests. "We’re here to build relationships and make new friends. Be cordial.. to all our speakers..They’re guests in our house." Also: we’re not a protest group, we’re here to cultivate people.
Conference is bigger than ever, at 7000+, but the urging to those minions to spend more money on congressional campaigns so that we build relationships and Congress stays in love with Israel is more explicit/desperate than ever too.
Late classical period of the lobby, spilling into decadence.
I found it humorous how many times the AIPAC leadership warned the members not to boo their guests– preparing them for clips of Obama during Rosenberg’s introduction, and for Hillary coming tomorrow morning. AIPAC showed a video of kids throwing pillows at a television and urged the conference-goers to be grownups with their guests. “We’re here to build relationships and make new friends. Be cordial.. to all our speakers..They’re guests in our house.” Also: we’re not a protest group, we’re here to cultivate people.
Fascinating that they had to do that.
Shows a lot.
They have the example of the Republicans to worry them.
They’re guests in our house.
This explains the Israeli-American relationship. Americans are guests in their own country as AIPAC own it and own them.
I would imagine that, after the recent Supreme Court decision on corporate campaign spending limits, AIPAC is not equipped to compete against the donors that are forming a queue to engage in petrodollar warfare.
how discomfiting for the AIPAC crowd, to have to appear to be civil when they are so clearly seething and frothing at the mouth that their hidden hand has been so nakedly exposed to the masses at last, and that they are in decline and soon off to irrelevancy … facts on the ground as they say
they wouldn’t let me attend the conference, said there was no room at the inn …
A bit over the top, but cute. I found myself smiling.
On that part about making the desert bloom, Lawrence of Cyberia put up this post lately that provides some information and some very interesting photos.
Not so fast, last night the dynamic between Obama and Netanyahu changed dramatically. If the HCR bill had been lost, then Obama would have been dramatically weakened but now that it is out of the way, he has less need to keep Congress happy for the moment so it would not surprise me if he “laid down the law” to AIPAC.
Given AIPAC’s opposition to Obama, I am surprised that they didn’t quietly lobby against HCR to fatally damage Obama. If they had thought about it, they would have done it as they seem to care little for America, which leads me to believe that AIPAC are not as omniscient as they would have us believe (i.e., they fucked up).
PS apologies for the double use of dramatically.
Netanyahu could really screw up bigtime – if through hubris he turns up in Washington thinking he “owns” Obama………..
Very true. And apparently US Jews overwhelmingly approved the healthcare “reform” vote.
The politicians who threatened to take it out on the healthcare bill if Obama didn’t cave on Israel are now in the seat of discomfort.
Why they ask Obama to declare himself as a Zionist when he is acting like one?
“Allies should work out their differences privately,” reminded Lee Rosenberg, Obama friend and incoming AIPAC president.
Israeli officials from fascist political parties were responsible for making the spat public, and they are lecturing America on “working out [our] differences privately.” How are Americans supposed to interpret this attitude?
Neocon Robert Satloff said that the best thing Obama could do now is to declare that he’s a Zionist.
For whom exactly would this be “the best thing Obama could do?”
It would pack an enormously powerful punch for President Barack Obama to say in capitals around the world, that I am a Zionist.”
Yes, it’s not like the first black president of the world’s only superpower has anything better to do than to act as the Hasbara ambassador for Israel around the world.
No, Israelis from fascist parties were merely “doing what Israelis do” (just as most Americans keep running air-conditioners and driving cars despite global warming, because people in general always continue to “do what people do”). Bibi was not “making the spat public” because there was no “spat” until Biden/Clinton made it into one.
Glad they did. The choreography was fairly well done, costumes OK, performance not too bad, but Biden seemed a bit uncomfortable doing his “volte face”, a step not usual among old-time US political dancers.
When (or if) Obama mentions “international law” or otherwise announces the end of new settlements or (better) the rollback of old settlements, that will be a performance to watch, and the dancing of the corps de ballet will be funny, so much sea-change as to make the viewers and especially the dancers sea sick.
It would be a risky move. The next questions would be, “what kind of Zionist? The religious kind (God gave Palestine to the Jews as the chosen people)? The secular Herzlian/Indian Reservation kind (Every nation has a right to its own homeland where it can be a perpetual majority)? The Nazi reparations kind (Jews get this special because of the Nazis and the ’2000 year old hate’)?
His statement would conjure up more issues than it would put to rest Depending on which answer he gave, Jews currently residing in America might find “next year in Jerusalem” coming a bit sooner than anticipated.
Perhaps he could say, “I am a Zionist. Now shut up. I don’t want to talk about it.”
I’m sure Obama could get lot’s of good advice on the subject from Richard Witty. But we can’t, it seems.
So now we know the secret- Zionists will give up after a couple of thousand words are expended.
On CSPAN at 9:30 AM EST today:
AIPAC continues it conference with a morning address by Hillary. This will be her first policy address on the U.S.-Israel relationship. A preliminary CSPAN blurb minutes ago says her speech will includes asserting that US relations with Israel are “rock-solid.”
Tonight, Israeli P.M. Netanyahu will address the group at their evening gala. This will also be carried live on CSPAN.
I hear the faint sounds of a sinking ship.
One last Granfalloon Ball for the Titanic
and all their loyal patrons!
The specter of Monica Lewinsky and her Israel tie comes to mind when an angry Hilary will address AIPAC
link to tinyurl.com
I wonder if she’ll think of all the times she’s been wrong by AIPAC and its minions during the speech. Recall when she kissed Arafat’s wife on the cheek. Man, did she get a thrashing thereafter.
Lucianne Goldberg is probably in edge!
Israel Is Boss
by BAR editor and senior columnist Margaret Kimberley
link to uruknet.de
“Late classical period of the lobby, spilling into decadence.”
Out with the old (AIPAC), in with the new (J-Street). Who knows what the future will bring?