AIPAC spending estimated $40 million to oppose Iran Deal

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is throwing mountains of money around in an attempt to derail the Iran nuclear deal.

Mondoweiss reported in early August that AIPAC’s education wing was taking all but three freshmen House Representatives on a visit to Israel in hopes of sabotaging the US government’s negotiations with Iran.

A few days later, the New York Times picked up the story. It reported that 58 congresspeople—including 22 Democrats and 36 Republicans—in total would be traveling to Israel in August.

The Times also revealed just how much money AIPAC is hemorrhaging in hopes of stymieing the international diplomacy between the P5+1 (the US, the UK, France, China, and Russia, as well as Germany) and Iran.

In the first half of 2015, AIPAC spent approximately $1.7 million lobbying Congress to oppose the deal. Yet this is mere chump change compared to what it has since funneled into advertisements and lobbying.

AIPAC created a new tax-exempt lobbying group in July called Citizens for a Nuclear Free Iran. The sole purpose of the organization is to oppose the Iran deal—which, in spite of the name of the group, will in fact prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons (weapons the Iranian government denies ever even seeking in the first place, and for which there is not a shred of evidence) in return for an end to Western sanctions on the country.

Citizens for a Nuclear Free Iran is spending up to $40 million to place anti-Iran deal ads in 35 states, according to the Times, up from a previous estimate of $20 million. This figure may increase even more as the 60-day period in which Congress can review the deal draws to a close.

In August 2013, AIPAC paid for a congressional trip to Israel. The organization paid around $18,000 for each congressperson who went. Assuming these costs remain the same today, AIPAC will be shelling out another $1 million to send US lawmakers to Israel.

NPR estimates AIPAC will spend $20 million to $40 million to oppose the Iran deal. In light of the above findings, $40 million may in fact be a lower limit.

AIPAC’s spending dwarfs the estimated $5 million liberal pro-Israel organization J-Street plans to spend in support of the international diplomacy.

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My first thought – ‘what a waste of money’
second thought – ‘hey it scans the same as ‘if I were a rich man”
third thought – ‘since Tom Friedman has brought singing satire to MW and folk are showing their creative abilities by adding verses, perhaps a more gifted person than myself (Annie?) could add another verse to the collection!’ ….

Obama should tell them that if JSIL starts anything they are on their own. After all, he’s the Commander in Chief. As consolation he could let them know that we would help with any needed medical supplies.

.. mountains of money ..
.. just how much money AIPAC is hemorrhaging ..

So..

About 6M Jews in U.S.

Say half are in a position to make donations (in the workforce or retired, not in a dire financial situation): 3M

Say one quarter of those are “on the right”: they believe that Iranian hegemonic ambitions should be thwarted, and that the Iranian regime should be made to feel some pain, for its support for Hezbollah and Hamas, and for its support for Iraqi Shiite militants (that helped turn the U.S.-led regime change war {whose intensive de-Baathification provided a significant boost to the prospects of many Shiites} into a protracted “sectarian” {warlordian? kleptarian?} civil war with a very large number of deaths): 0.75M

If a similar number of U.S. Christians feel the same way — that is, 0.75M drawn from the tens of millions of evangelicals — you have a total donor pool of 1.5M.

To raise $30M for a campaign, you’d need twenty bucks per person.

That’s not the way it actually happens of course. There are $100 cheques and there are $1000 cheques.

But it’s by no means an outlandish amount money.

Israel’s “free” vacation trip to Israel for freshman congress critters begins to sow dividends for Bibi’s stance on Iran Deal, first case in point: Nebraska new guy: http://www.kosherpress.com/language-skirmishes-on-the-iran-deal-opposition-may-not-voting-no/

August 14, 2015
AIPAC: Headed for Defeat (But That’s Not Why It’s Bad for the Jews)

by Andrew Levine

Mainstream media still try to keep news of its machinations to a minimum. But it is a losing battle. The lobby’s activities have become too flagrant, and the word is out.

This is even more the case now than a few weeks ago. Since the successful conclusion of negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program between the P5 plus 1 (the United States, Great Britain, France, Russian, China and Germany) and Iran, the Israel lobby has cast discretion aside.

Between now and late September, when Congress finishes “reviewing” the decisions reached in Vienna, AIPAC, along with other leading Israel lobby organizations – working in tandem with reactionary Iranians — will be pulling out all the stops, trying to undo what has been done.

They have declared war on the Obama administration.

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/08/14/aipac-headed-for-defeat-but-thats-not-why-its-bad-for-the-jews/