Dems Eating Their Own to Defend AIPAC

[laststeamtrain]

Dems Eating Their Own to Defend AIPAC

by Steven D
Tue Sep 18th, 2007 at 07:03:18 PM EST
Rep. Jim Moran (D-Va.) made a very big mistake, at least as far as the Democratic leadership in the House is concerned. He told the truth about AIPAC's unhealthy influence on American politics:

"In an interview with Tikkun, a California-based Jewish magazine, Moran said the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is "the most powerful lobby and has pushed war from the beginning. I don't think they represent the mainstream of American Jewish thinking at all, but because they are so well organized, and their members are extraordinarily powerful -- most of them are quite wealthy -- they have been able to exert power." <...>

"The problem with addressing the groups who have argued strongly in favor of a long-term American military presence in the Middle East is that they raise arguments that are not related to the point," Moran said. "I would like to have a reasonable, objective discussion about AIPAC's foreign policy agenda. But it's difficult to do that because any time you question their motives, you are accused of being anti-Semitic." "

And for that transgression, House Majority Leader, Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md) has decided Moran needs to be taken to the woodshed:

"House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) went after fellow Democrat Jim Moran of Virginia Tuesday, calling on him to retract his comments about the Israel lobby.

“His remarks were factually inaccurate and recall an old canard that is not true, that the Jewish community controls the media and the Congress,” Hoyer said at a news conference in the Capitol."

First of all, Moran never said the Jewish community controls the media and Congress, so Hoyer is the one lying. What Moran said was that AIPAC, the ultra conservative pro-Israeli lobby which doesn't represent the views of the majority of Jewish Americans, is the most powerful lobby in Washington which pressed for, and has continued to support, President Bush's war with Iraq, a statement which is factually true.

Indeed, AIPAC is so powerful that it was able to force Speaker Nancy Pelosi to remove language from legislation earlier this year that would have specifically required President Bush to get authorization from Congress before attacking Iran even though the majority of Americans oppose another war in the Middle East.

<more>

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2007/9/18/19318/7181

[Greeby]

1. Moran taken to task by a moran nt

[Dr.Phool]

4. Did he say "Get a brain Moran"!?

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

2. boomantribune? The link doesn't load quickly, I wonder why.

:hi: MKj

[Jim Sagle]

3. Moran ain't nuthin' but shit. Fuck'm.

[Name removed]

5. Deleted message

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[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

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[ThomCat]

14. For speaking the truth?

Wow.

[burythehatchet]

17. Dude is always looking in the mirror when he orally flatulates.

[AdHocSolver]

7. Blame AIPAC and give a free pass to Big Oil, Halliburton, Saudi Arabia, and the Miltary/Industrial..

Complex. AIPAC does not determine U.S. policy. For sure it goes along with what these other groups promote in order to maintain a connection to the regime currently in power. However, it is ludicrous to think that AIPAC could change American policy if it contradicted what Big Oil, et al. had already planned on doing.

Israel knew that Iraq had no nuclear capability since Israel had destroyed Iraq's nuclear facility in the early 1980's. In fact, Reagan/Daddy Bush criticized Israel for this action, since Reagan/Daddy Bush were supplying their good buddy Saddam with WMD's. Israel was more concerned with Syria and Iran and their incursions into Lebanon, than they were with Iraq. The invasion of Iraq was pure and simple a Bush/Cheny grab for Iraq's oil plus a chance for companies like Halliburton to make huge war profits.

Concentrating on AIPAC as the source of American foreign policy fiascos instead of placing the responsibility where it rightly belongs (Big Oil, Halliburton, Military/Industrial complex, Saudi Arabia) is giving the groups actually responsiblea a free pass on their chicanery.

[LeftishBrit]

8. All very good points...

Even some Republicans are now admitting that it's mainly about who controls the oil. Add to that lots of other military/financial interests, and plain old American (and with Blair, British-nostalgic) imperialism, and you've got the current disasters.

It sounds as though AIPAC are currently dominated by their right wing - perhaps because both the Israeli and American governments are currently right-wing; and are prepared to hold some of their meetings in the popular location of Bush's rear end. But, as you say, putting all the blame on them leaves lots of other people off the hook.

[Cronopio]

12. "putting all the blame on them leaves lots of other people off the hook."

Nobody is putting ALL of the blame on them. And you've got to start the revolution somewhere.

[hans]

11. Yes, but why did the Dems go along with it?

You are right, IMO, to include the factors you listed as some of the main reasons that Bush launched the war, but the follow-up questions is why did the leading lights of the Democratic Party, and expecially why did Hillary Clinton, agree to vote for the IWR. Surely there are two main reasons they went along:

1. They were afraid of being seen as weak on defense and terrorism and lacked the courage of their own convictions to openly confront Bush and vote against the IWR.

2. They were also afraid to stand up to AIPAC and many other influntial doners and party bigwigs who habitually support a hard line on Israeli / Palestian issues.

The great irony here, is that the war in Iraq has been a disaster for Israel, and the grand poobahs of AIPAC have been shown to be fools on parade. Fools who have learned nothing, and are now intent on war in Iran.

The most disappointing recent development in this long, desparately sad saga, is Hillary Clinton pandering to the Jewish lobby by declaring her support for exclusive Israeli control of Jerusalem, in contravention of the original U.N. mandate declaring it an open city, and in contravention of long standing U.S. foreign policy.

This kind of pandering will eventually get a million Americans killed for nothing. That's what I think. Hans

[laststeamtrain]

9. Good comment stream on this post at Daily Kos: link

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2007/9/19/6459/42743

From author's update to his OP:

"I'm not implying that AIPAC is the sole bad actor regarding our current flawed policies in Iraq, nor are they the only ones advocating a war with Iran. Neoconservatives, the military-defense-disaster capitalism complex, Dick Cheney, Joe Lieberman, Rev. Hagee and every idiot fellow at the Heritage Foundation and AEI are also responsible. But to ignore AIPAC's influence on both parties, Democrats and Republicans, and the war agenda that they promote for the Middle East, an agenda which is in direct contrast to the views of the majority of American Jews (as shown by recent polling linked in this diary) is, in my opinion foolish and dangerous."

[groovedaddy]

10. AIPAC, just one more example of the undue influence of money

on the political process.
Who says that money can't buy everything?

[coco77]

13. Hoyer is a RepubliCON..

[smoogatz]

15. Que?

http://hoyer.house.gov/

[coco77]

18. Dem only in name...

I have been watching him for a while now, and he always finds away to get in there to help the other side. I watched him yucking it up with the CONS and bush before the last election..

[cascadiance]

16. So did they honestly think they could fool us into thinking he's better than Rahm?

Sheesh!

I'm more f'ing glad I in effect told the DCCC to f off the other day when they begged me for money on the phone. I gave them an earful of what I felt about Rahm and what he did earlier. I guess I'll have to have a sheet on Steny now also prepared and pieces about AIPAC too!

And PLEASE don't call me anti-semitic for saying this! My favorite politician is Jewish. Russ Feingold! It has nothing to do with how I feel about Jewish people, but every way I feel about these so-called PACs of the "Jewish lobby" AIPAC, and the "Turkish lobby" ATC, who in fact DON'T represent those country's citizens but have a lot of the same American members on them like Brent Scowcroft that push the interests of the military industrial complex.

[provis99]

19. AIPAC is a favorite of Christian fundamentalist organizations

They get some of their donations from apocalyptic nuts like John Hagee, who seem to think that Israel is too be supported, not because its a safe haven for Jews, but by pushing all the Jews into Israel, Armageddon will be brought on, and all the Jews who don't immediately convert will be killed. Ironic that AIPAC would take funding from the worlds worst anti-Semites. Politics makes strange bedfellows.