ACTION ALERT: Oppose House Resolution Supporting Israel's Attacks!

[Nothing Without Hope]

Juan Cole gave the heads-up on this in his blog here: http://www.juancole.com/2006/07/call-congress-i-got-this-from-cni.html

The craven US Senate ALREADY passed such a resolution, using a voice vote (so there are no recorded votes for us to see).

YOU MUST READ THE ALREADY-PASSED SENATE VERSION OF THIS RESOLUTION - it is frightening and aggressive in so many ways. It calls for the President to impose sanctions (guess it's just one more unitary executive power) on Syria and Iran and opens the way for more. It gives Israel absolutely open season to do whatever the hell they want in the MidEast.

CSPAN pdf file of the Senate Resolution is HERE -http://www.c-span.org/pdf/06071_%20Israel_Lebanon_Resolution.pdf
In an edit, I'm adding IMAGE FILES of the four pages of the Senate Resolution at the end of this opening post as well as a link to a new thread on this

Now it is the House's turn to pass a similarly craven, horrible resolution. Here's what Juan Cole received from CNI:

ACTION ALERT
Call Your Representative Now!
Oppose Unbalanced Resolution Supporting Israel's Attacks on Lebanon and Gaza
House Vote Scheduled for Today

The Council for the National Interest has learned that the House of Representatives will vote sometime today on an unbalanced resolution on the current crisis between Israel, Lebanon and the Palestinians. The bill, H.Res. 921, includes no criticism of the month of Israeli attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza and Lebanon, which have been carried out with American-made weapons paid for with U.S. taxpayer money. A Senate version of the bill passed by a voice vote (meaning there was no recorded vote) yesterday.

The Council for the National Interest encourages its members to call their member of Congress immediately to express their opposition to this bill for its lack of balance. You can reach your Representative's office by calling the main House switchboard at [phone] or by looking of the number at this website: http://www.congress.org/congressorg/directory/congdir.tt

The House is scheduled to start at least two hours of debate on the resolution shortly, which you can watch live on C-SPAN.

TALKING POINTS:

Israel's attacks on innocent civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza and Lebanon are a violation of U.S. law, specifically the U.S. Arms Export Control Act and the U.S. Foreign Assistance Act. The U.S. Arms Export Control Act restricts the use of U.S. weapons to legitimate self-defense and internal policing; U.S. weapons cannot be used to attack civilians in offensive operations. The U.S. Foreign Assistance Act prohibits U.S. aid of any kind to a country with a pattern of gross human rights violations.

Israel's attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza and Lebanon are examples of collective punishment, which are prohibited under the Geneva Conventions.

Continued Israeli actions against the civilian population of Gaza and Lebanon are not only against U.S. laws and the Geneva Conventions, which Israel has reportedly been given a "green light" to continue for another week by the Administration, but they are destroying the American ability to fight the war on terror. They are also destroying Israel's ability to make peace with her neighbors through negotiations, the only real road to security for the state of Israel.

Council for the National Interest Foundation
1250 4th Street SW, Suite WG-1
Washington, District of Columbia 20024
202-863-2951
www.cnionline.org

Here is the CSPAN link to the pdf file of the horrible voice-passed Senate resolution: http://www.c-span.org/pdf/06071_%20Israel_Lebanon_Resolution.pdf

I don't yet have a CSPAN link to the House debate, which will surely pass this resolution without even a recorded vote unless something is done.

Edited to add images of the four pages of the Senate Resolution (from the pdf file link above):



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Here is a new thread on the already-passed Senate Resolution:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1674661

[pepperbear]

1. K AND R! THANKS! n/t

[CuteNFuzzy]

9. It's unbelievable

Hundreds of civilians murdered and we express support for it.

Absolutely Unreal!!

[Nothing Without Hope]

13. This was predictable. ***WaPo article on the powerful ISRAEL LOBBY:***

The neocon dogs have been howling for attack on Iran and Syria. They are leading this charge. Why haven't the Dems spoken out? Are they ALL in the pro-Israel lobby's pocket? The Wash Post has an article on the political power of this lobby to get what Israel wants no matter what it does to the US and the rest of the world:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/12/AR2006071201627_pf.html

A Beautiful Friendship?
In search of the truth about the Israel lobby's influence on Washington

By Glenn Frankel
Sunday, July 16, 2006; W13

(snip)

Thanks to the work of the lobby and its allies, Israel gets more direct foreign aid -- about $3 billion a year -- than any other nation. There's a file cabinet somewhere in the State Department full of memoranda of understanding on military, diplomatic and economic affairs. Israel gets treated like a NATO member when it comes to military matters and like Canada or Mexico when it comes to free trade. There's an annual calendar full of meetings of joint strategic task forces and other collaborative sessions. And there's a presidential pledge, re-avowed by Bush in the East Room, that the United States will come to Israel's aid in the event of attack.

On Capitol Hill the Israel lobby commands large majorities in both the House and Senate. Polls show strong public support for Israel -- a connection that has grown even deeper after the September 11 attacks. The popular equation goes like this: Israelis equal good guys, Arabs equal terrorists. Working the Hill these days, says Josh Block, spokesman for the premier Israeli lobbying group known as AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, "is like pushing at an open door."

Not everyone believes this is a good thing. In March two distinguished political scientists -- Stephen Walt from Harvard and John Mearsheimer from the University of Chicago -- published a 42-page, heavily footnoted essay arguing that the Bush administration's support for Israel and its related effort to spread democracy throughout the Middle East have "inflamed Arab and Islamic opinion and jeopardized U.S. security."

The professors claim that our intimate partnership with Israel is both dangerous and unprecedented. "Other special interest groups have managed to skew foreign policy, but no lobby has managed to divert it as far from what the national interest would suggest," they argue. They go on to say that the war in Iraq "was due in large part to the Lobby's influence," and that the same combine is "using all of the strategies in its playbook" to pressure the administration into being aggressive and belligerent with Iran. The bottom line: "Israel's enemies get weakened or overthrown, Israel gets a free hand with the Palestinians, and the United States does most of the fighting, dying, rebuilding and paying."

(snip)

For the Senate vote on this resolution, there was not even a recording of the votes - it was a voice vote. No accountability at all - at least not to the US public. It's obvious that there is accountability, but to their masters, not to us.

[Nothing Without Hope]

2. Remember - the attacks against Lebanese civilians and infrastructure are

ILLEGAL under US LAW because this is clearly laid out for armaments provided by US taxpayers:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1668742
Thread title (July 18, 2006): "Israel Violates Law on U.S. Weapons in Mideast"

[Nothing Without Hope]

3. You absolutely MUST read that horrible Senate resolution - I'll

see about posting images of the pages of the resolution shortly. The House Resolution will be equally horrible. Note that in the Senate, the resolution passed on voice votes, so that the Senators cannot be held accountable for their vote. Let's at least force a recorded vote in the House.

[mmonk]

6. How can we force a recorded vote?

Elected officials are master cowards.

[Norquist Nemesis]

7. It's truly amazing; they hold Iran and Syria responsible w/this resolution

Not surprising, but amazing. They're laying the groundword to expand the war. Wonder if Iraq will switch it's position to side with Iran if the U.S. goes to war with them.

[Norquist Nemesis]

4. K&R plus CSPAN link

http://www.c-span.org/watch/index.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS

Right now, they're "debating" to "protect the pledge". :puke: Unfuckingbelievable the shit they spew.

[K8-EEE]

5. K& R!!!

Thanks for this

[bloom]

8. I noticed the Senate is officially holding Syria and Iran responsible. nt

[Norquist Nemesis]

10. Yep! Laying the groundwork! n/t

[rodeodance]

11. drats--wish I could have lest heard it!

[Nothing Without Hope]

12. ***READ THE SENATE RESOLUTION HERE - IMAGES OF THE FOUR PAGES***

You'll note that they call for sanctions on Syria and Iran and are clearly laying the groundwork for more. Israel has absolute open season to do anything it wants with the US arms our taxes have paid for:

Again, here is the PDF file at CSPAN from which I took these image files for easier viewing:
http://www.c-span.org/pdf/06071_%20Israel_Lebanon_Resolution.pdf



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[Nothing Without Hope]

14. I've posted a separate thread on the already-passed Senate Resolution

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x1674661
thread title (7-19-06): SENATE RESOLUTION calling for Iran, Syria SANCTIONS & supporting Israel

[Clarkie1]

25. Great Resolution. I hope there were 100 voices rising in unison.

What specifically is in the resolution you don't like?

[Nothing Without Hope]

15. kick n/t

[Nothing Without Hope]

16. kick n/t

[Nothing Without Hope]

17. no further interest? n/t

[mmonk]

18. Interested.

I just don't like feeling hopeless.

[Nothing Without Hope]

19. going to kick it anyway n/t

[Nothing Without Hope]

20. kick n/t

[cracksquirrel]

21. No...

No I don't think I will. Thanks for the heads up, though. I'll send my congresscritter a thank you if they do support this statement...

[Nothing Without Hope]

22. Truly disgusting ***WaPo article*** on these congressional resolutions:

They lick the hand that feeds them.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/18/AR2006071801415.html

Congress Is Giving Israel Vote of Confidence
Both Parties Back Ally, Court Jewish Support

By Jim VandeHei
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, July 19, 2006; Page A05

Democratic and Republican congressional leaders are rushing to offer unalloyed support for Israel's offensive against Hezbollah fighters, reflecting a bipartisan desire to not only defend a key U.S. ally but also solidify long-term backing of Jewish voters and political donors in the United States, according to officials and strategists in both parties.

With Israel intensifying its air and artillery attacks on Lebanon and warning of a protracted war, the Senate yesterday unanimously passed a bipartisan resolution endorsing Israel's military campaign and condemning Hezbollah and its two backers, Iran and Syria. A few hours earlier, Senate Minority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) delivered his most strident defense of Israel since the conflict erupted a week ago. The House is expected to pass a similarly pro-Israel resolution today.

At the same time, several candidates in highly competitive races are touting their unequivocal backing of Israel. Rep. E. Clay Shaw Jr. (R-Fla.), who faces a tough reelection race against a Jewish Democrat, introduced his own resolution charging that "both Syria and Iran are directly responsible for this act of terrorism and should be held accountable." In Minnesota, Rep. Mark Kennedy, the Republican Senate candidate, is criticizing what his campaign calls Democratic candidate Amy Klobuchar's "deafening silence" on the conflict, calling her a "timid soul." Klobuchar, however, has staked out a similarly pro-Israel position.

Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman punctuated the day with a speech to Christians United for Israel last night, declaring that "today, we are all Israelis."

(snip)

[EFerrari]

23. Kick & recommend

[Clarkie1]

24. I support this resolution. I hope all 100 senators voted yes.

What do you find wrong with it, specifically?

[greccogirl]

26. Count me in. I also support

this resolution.

[Clarkie1]

28. It's a balanced statement...

Support for Israel's right to self-defense, a call to limit civilian causualties (of course, Hezbollah places themselves in places to maximize just that, so it's challenging), condemnation of Hamas and Hezbollah for launching rockets previously to the the kidnapping and killing of the soldiers, acknowledging the responsibility Syria and Iran hold in this...I see nothing to oppose in this resolution.

:thumbsup:

[cracksquirrel]

27. *raises hand*

I think some people are uncomfortable with Israel doing anything right...

[Clarkie1]

29. Uncomfortable with any statement supporting the right of Israel

to defend itself in anyway, yes.

This is a balanced statement. It is not saying, "we don't care how many civilians are killed in the process," as some here are implying.

I stand with the voice of the Senate on this.

[cracksquirrel]

30. Wow...

I haven't been able to utter "I stand with the voice of the Senate" with a straight face for years... maybe there is hope!
:nuke:

[Clarkie1]

31. There is always hope. nt

[martymar64]

32. What about Palestinians and Arabs?

Don't they have a right to defend themselves. Of course, in your world, they have no rights, not even to life without being under an Israeli boot, if at all. This is just carte blanche for genocide in the West Bank and Gaza. If you want to see how this will turn out, just look at the Native Americans in the US.

[Clarkie1]

33. That would be your world...not my world. nt

[Nothing Without Hope]

34. kick n/t

[katinmn]

35. Thanks! K&N to follow up