If you go to the AIPAC website and read the talking points they are sending their member attendees with to Capitol Hill you will see an unabashed chutzpah that will be sure to raise some hackles.
They are pushing that (1) sequester cuts not be applied to the aid to Israel–
Despite ongoing buget [sic] woes, it is critical that the United States live up to its aid commitment to Israel.
(2) that Congress go on record as supporting a resolution that the U.S. would support Israel militarily if Israel felt it unilaterally had to attack Iran.
So at a time when the U.S. is experiencing great economic difficulty, AIPAC doesn’t want Israel to “share the pain.” And on the war front, this prescription for a pre-authorized “green light” for an Israeli attack on Iran which the U.S. is committed to support should be front page news stories. I don’t think these have gotten much play in the media and it’s not for nothing that folks at the Mondo site were denied journalist accreditation. Even I, as jaded as I am, am flabbergasted that they would be so bold as to have such hubris to advance such demands.
This AIPAC event is an opportunity for some pips to come from some pipsqueaks in our hallowed halls of Congress. For some mini-Hagels to emerge on the legislative firmament. Hope springs eternal.
NB: USA need not give a “green light” or “support” to Israel if Israel merely “wants to” attack Iran, but only if Israel feels it “has to” attack Iran. How will the USA know the difference? Easy: Israel will say it feels it “has to” attack Iran — as Net’hoo has been saying for a very long time, now, although without attacking Iran. You’d think that if Israel “had to” attack Iran it would do so, USA or no USA.
But you’d be wrong. Maybe the feeling of necessity for attack is not universally felt among Israeli leaders. Feelings are treacherous things, touchy and feely.
Question: How many Israeli leaders does it take to feel that Israel “has to” attack Iran? Answer: Is that before or after the USA promises support?
Better Question: How many Israeli leaders does it take to screw the USA?
US foreign policy in any area of the world is not to follow what is right or wrong, but what furthers US interests, so that assisting Saudi and Gulf dictatorships, who have not the slightest interest in democracy or human rights, while helping put down peaceful protesters in Bahrain, comes naturally to the US ruling elite, notice how they refused [at the UNSC recently] to condemn suicide bombings of innocent civilians in Damascus last week, pure terrorism by any definition of the word, and yet any means are justifiable to oust Assad, and then to facilitate regime change in the other countries that display any semblance of independence, Iran and Lebanon dominated by Hezbollah, In the real world, as long as US politics is dominated by “big bucks” the lobby know they have a stranglehold on both parties, I imagine or I hope most US politicians don’t like it, but know that until things change or the demands of the lobby get so extreme, as they have at the moment and push back becomes a natural human instinctive reaction, they will have to go along with it, if they wish to be elected that is.
This whole thing is flying right over the heads of the average American, who will soon experience even more poverty. Honest, they really don’t have a clue that the US leadership will give the average Israeli Jew more than what the US will give the average American. And these average Americans are being blessed with America’s world reputation as the key sponsor of rogue Israel’s recipe for a better world.
It’s a pity The Dersh or Adelson didn’t die in place of Robert Byrd.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxWfawiufK0
10 years on it’s as compelling a speech as ever. And a vindicated one
RE: “Despite ongoing buget [sic] woes, it is critical that the United States live up to its aid commitment to Israel.” ~ AIPAC
MY COMMENT: Chutzpah, thy name is AIPAC! ! !