Settling for Failure in the Middle East - Stephen M. Walt

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"Like so many of his predecessors, President Obama is quickly discovering that persuading Israel to change course is nearly impossible.

Obama came to office determined to achieve a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians. His opening move was to insist that Israel stop building settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem -- a tough line aimed at bolstering Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and persuading key Arab states to make conciliatory gestures toward Israel. These steps would pave the way for the creation of a viable Palestinian state and the normalization of Israel's relations with its Arab neighbors, and also help rebuild America's image in the Arab and Muslim world.

Unfortunately, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has no interest in a two-state solution, much less ending settlement expansion. He and his government want a "greater Israel," which means maintaining effective control of the West Bank and Gaza. His response to Obama's initiative has ranged from foot-dragging to outright defiance, with little pushback from Washington.

This situation is a tragedy in the making between peoples who have known more than their share. Unless Obama summons the will and skill to break the logjam, a two-state solution will become impossible and those who yearn for peace will be even worse off than before."

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Steve Walt: AIPAC Still Thwarting Obama on Middle East With Dems Backing Bibi

<snip>

"Prof. Stephen Walt writes in today's Washington Post that despite the rise of J Street -- and, I'd add, the decline in Israel's public standing since the Gaza war -- AIPAC is still managing to block President Obama's efforts to advance Middle East diplomacy. This is not a partisan issue, Democrats are, if anything, worse than Republicans when it comes to effectively advancing the interests of the Likud Party. That should change with a Democratic President but, as Walt says, only if the President insists that Democrats stand with him and not Netanyahu.

But he probably won't unless Democrats start making clear to their representatives that being "right" on health care, the environment, and marriage equality does not make up for supporting a one-sided Middle East policy that is decidedly not in American interests simply to keep those campaign contributions roling in. Those policies have turned Palestinian lives into a living hell and will lead, if left in place, to the end of a democratic Jewish state."

http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/

[IndianaGreen]

1. Some Democrats are either bought by Israel Lobby or confused as to which country they represent

or both.

[proteus_lives]

2. Dual-loyalty smears.

Always popular.

[Hardrada]

3. Popular since all-too-accurate!

[proteus_lives]

4. Prove it.

[azurnoir]

5. delete wrong place n/t

[oberliner]

7. Shelley Berkley gets a lot of money from casinos

Is she bought and paid for by MGM Grand and Wynn?

[azurnoir]

13. well?

:shrug:

[LeftishBrit]

10. I daresay some of your politicians do have dual loyalties...

If the banking interests and the health insurance interests were ever to clash with one another - they just wouldn't know which to choose!!!

[azurnoir]

6. a good start would be here

http://www.opensecrets.org/

they list who is getting money from where albeit AIPAC is not listed as such they do not directly contribute they direct others as to who gets and who doesn't

an example would be Shelley Berkley's last campaign cycle Pro-Israel interests have not as of yet committed themselves to the 2010 cycle very much

[oberliner]

8. That is a great site

It shows just how exaggerated these ridiculous claims of being "bought and paid for" by the Israel lobby truly are.

I encourage everyone to look up as many Senators and Representatives as possible to get a true sense of what percentage of their financial contributions come from this lobby.

[azurnoir]

12. There are lots more reasons to check that site out n/t

[LeftishBrit]

9. Fascinating stuff. To a foreigner, it mainly shows the scary power of lobbies in general.

I note that the top sectors are:

Finance, Insurance and Real Estate $3,696,087,299

Health $3,551,518,019


Wow. Just wow. No wonder it's so difficult to reign in the bankers, or to establish any sort of universal health care.


Pro-Israel lobbies contributed $1,603,815. Not insignificant, but pretty small beer compared with Big Money and Big Health Profiteering.

[azurnoir]

11. Exactly

and IMO a form of legalized bribery that should be delegalized (spell says that is not a word)

[pelsar]

14. well as an expert speller...

i recognize the intent of the "delegalized".....and declare it useable...

[azurnoir]

15. Lol thanks n/t

[oberliner]

16. Could not agree more

The degree to which money pervades our elections process needs to be seriously reformed.