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'The Israel Lobby' on the Haaretz Editorial Page
MER - MiddleEast.Org - Washington - 22 March:
'The Israel Lobby' study published earlier this week compiled alot of
information from diverse sources and provided an important measure of
perspective as well. All in all a significant contribution to
trying to finally, even so late in the historical day, expose and check
the grossly excessive power of what is in effect what we have called it
for many years now - 'The Jewish-Israeli Lobby'.
Even so however much was
ommitted from the study including a focus on what is happening now in
Washignton championed by 'The Lobby" -- the lead-up to greatly expanded
war with Iran whose ramifications are likely to be even greater than
what has happened so far.
The Israelis themselves are
confused these days. Here from Israel's leading 'liberal'
newspaper is a quasi-thoughtful editorial which in the end supports the
Ariel Sharon strategy of 'unilaterally' settings Israel's borders (for
the time being anyway) and repackaging once again the military
occupation of the ever more imprisoned Palestinians.
One has to wonder how long the Harvard and University of Chicago
Professors are going to wait to truly speak up about these current and
impending issues and how much they will pull their punches in doing so.
For while 'The Lobby' remains super busy directing the future
the Professors took a very long time and pulled quite a few vital
punches in their serious and important scholarship about the past.
A warning from America
By Haaretz Editorial
22 March: Two well-known American professors have released an article that has
aroused great interest in the American and Israeli diplomatic
communities. In the article, called "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign
Policy," Professors John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt write that the
Israel lobby in Congress is causing a dangerous pro-Israel tilt in
American policy and was a critical factor in the Bush administration's
decision to go to war in Iraq. The writers' conclusion is that
America's negative image in the Middle East stems from its overly
supportive attitude toward Israel.
Even
if the article involved an attempt to blame the Jews for developments
that are unconnected to them, and even if the comments are rooted in
increasing opposition to the war in Iraq and an attempt to search for
hidden motives for what the writers see as an American foreign policy
failure, it would be irresponsible to ignore the article's serious and
disturbing message.
The conclusion that Israel can draw from the
anti-Israel feeling expressed in the article is that it will not be
immune for eternity. America's unhesitating support for Israel and its
willingness to restrain itself over all of Israel's mistakes can be
interpreted as conflicting with America's essential interests and are
liable to prove burdensome. The fact that Israelis view the United
States' support for and tremendous assistance to Israel as natural
causes excess complacence, and it fails to take into account currents
in public opinion that run deep and are liable to completely change
American policy.
Instead of strengthening the Jewish and Israeli
lobby and causing it to influence American policymakers to support
Israel unreservedly, the Israeli government must understand that the
world will not wait forever for Israel to withdraw from the
territories, and that the opinions expressed in the article could take
root in American politics if Israel does not change the political
reality quickly. The unilateral withdrawal from Gaza did improve
Israel's standing in the world, especially in Europe, but that is not
enough.
Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's plan to attempt to
get widespread international support for the political program he will
present, which is based on a significant withdrawal in the West Bank
and the evacuation of tens of thousands of settlers, is a wise and
necessary step. It is impossible to set a border with the Palestinians
in a unilateral manner if it is not accepted at least by the United
States and Europe. In Gaza, Israel withdrew to an accepted
international border, but in the West Bank, the intention is to
maintain sovereignty over settlement blocs located in occupied
territory.
A unilateral withdrawal that is not based on an
agreement with the Palestinians will be meaningless if it does not win
international support. Strengthening the ties between Israel and Europe
and getting the United States involved in the process is a top-priority
strategic necessity. The Jewish and Israeli lobby in America would do
well to begin explaining the next withdrawal now, after years in which
they primarily tried to win support for a continuation of the
occupation and the settlement enterprise. Perhaps then it will be
easier to explain Israeli policy and consolidate the true American and
Israeli interests. The professors' article does not deserve
condemnation; rather, it should serve as a warning sign.
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March 2006
More on the debate about 'The Israeli Lobby'
(March 27, 2006)
The Harvard Study, now sans the Harvard seal and with an extra disclaimer, has generated considerable debate and interest. The following exchanges have much useful and interesting information...
All About 9/11 And The Doubt, Skepticism, Disbelief
(March 25, 2006)
When Hollywood celebrity Charlie Sheen came out last week the events of 9/11 and since have come under a greater 'credibility gap' than ever. This review of all the doubt from the current issue of New York Magazine is a very useful and interesting article, even if the skepticism is considerable, some parts quite incomplete, and the focus not always clear. But it sure makes for good weekend reading! And if you missed it a few days ago read the MER Editorial and review in "The Mother of all Hoaxes? Part II."
Israel - Next Target of al-Qaida?
(March 23, 2006)
Major media stories are mushrooming, just in advance of the Israeli election, about: Israel Fears That It, and Palestinian Territories, Will Become al-Qaida's Next Jihad Battleground
The Mother of all Hoaxes? Part II
(March 22, 2006)
MER called for an unprecedented international media investigation of everything relating to 9/11 last summer. It took us too long to do so -- much too long we plead guilty. Here's the link to the MER Editorial "The Mother of All Hoaxes?" Earlier this year a new organization of academics picked up on that call after a meeting in Washington between of Professor James Fetzer, the organizer of Academics for 9/11 Truth, and MER Publisher Mark Bruzonsky. Now well-known actor Charlie Sheen is lending his voice to the call.
'The Israel Lobby' on the Haaretz Editorial Page
(March 22, 2006)
'The Israel Lobby' study published earlier this week compiled alot of information from diverse sources and provided an important measure of perspective as well. All in all a significant contribution to trying to finally, even so late in the historical day, expose and check the grossly excessive power of what is in effect what we have called it for many years now - 'The Jewish-Israeli Lobby'.
Rachel Corrie - Another New Tragedy
(March 21, 2006)
What a further tragedy that those who care so much about what Rachel Corrie stood for, and what she so sadly died for, lack the understanding and the courage themselves to prevent her political rape on top of all the other indecencies.
U.S. Domination Has Limits
(March 20, 2006)
From Noam Chomky on the implications of the new spirit of independence from the U.S. that is growing fast in both Latin America and Asia.
The Jewish-Israeli Lobby
(March 18, 2006)
This is a vital subject, The Jewish-Israel Lobby, but it is one rarely paid the attention it is due and one hardly ever discussed as openly and thoughtfully, and as honestly and 'candidly', as it should be. These two well-known American academics, one from the U of Chicago the other from Harvard, make a limited stab at doing so in this nevertheless quite important article. But they glose over far too much, almost totally overlook far more, and at the end of the day pull far too many punches in view of the unique sensitivities this subject arouses within American society and American Jewry.
EXPECT ANOTHER 9/11 - provoked or 'black oped'
(March 17, 2006)
"Another 9/11 event will prepare the ground for a nuclear attack on Iran. Some readers say that Bush, or Israel...with American complicity, will provoke a second attack on the US. Others say that Bush or the neoconservatives working with some 'black ops' group will orchestrate the attack."
PREPARATIONS FOR IRAN ESCALATE AS IRAQ IS PULVERIZED FURTHER
(March 16, 2006)
Nothing less than ongoing subjugation and control of the region through a combination of military force, super technology, CIA ops, gigantic money expenditures, hated Arab 'client regimes', and Israel of course is currently underway more than ever -- all disguised from gullible Americans with simplistic and to say the least dishonest 'democracy' and 'freedom' rhetoric.
Christian and Jewish Fundamentalism Fomenting More Muslim Radicalism
(March 14, 2006)
What is now known as 'The Clash of Civilizations' is now underway and the ramifications will grow in significance and are potentially catastrophic. Christian Fundamentalism and a pecular modern-day form of Jewish Zionist Fundamentalism underlie what has already happened and are primarily responsible for bringing it about through policies that have continually affronted, embarrassed, insulted, and enraged many in Arab and Muslims countries
NYTimes Top Reporter Back from Baghdad Predicts U.S. will 'fail' in Iraq
(March 12, 2006)
A day after returning to the U.S., after another long term as bureau chief in Baghdad, John F. Burns of The New York Times said on Bill Maher's live Friday night HBO program that he now feels, for the first time, that the American effort in Iraq will likely "fail."
Princeton University Forum Transcript - Anne-Marie Slaughter, Cornell West, Mark Bruzonsky
(March 11, 2006)
This is the full transcript of the Princeton University Forum: "Intellectuals and the Institution: What's in the Service of the Nation?". This forum was held at Princeton University on February 7, 2006. Panelists were Anne-Marie Slaughter, Dean of the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs; Cornell West, Professor; Mark Bruzonsky, Journalist. The forum was moderated by Sean Wilentz, Director of the Program in American Studies.
Major CRISIS Now Ahead Predicts Fisk
(March 9, 2006)
Robert Fisk says that in his three decades of reporting from the Middle East he's never seen it more dangerous, and that he's certain another major crisis, possibly even another September 11, is coming.
India-U.S.-Turkey-Israel Alliance as U.S. Bulks Up For Further Middle East War
(March 8, 2006)
"If this nuclear deal [with India] stands, the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is going to fall. The president has just blasted a huge hole through the framework that his predecessors worked for over 30, 40 years to help build up."
Dispossessing, Controlling, and Permanently Subjugating the PALESTINIAN PEOPLE
(March 7, 2006)
The Israeli-inspired mention of 'Palestinian Territories' at the Oscar's
Sunday night in a sense telecasts the new language far and wide --
no real state, no real homeland, nothing even close to self-determination
but rather permanent dispossession and in effect imprisonment on the
now scattered, divided, controlled and individually cut-off 'territories'.
JEWISH HOLLYWOOD - Paradise Now and Munich both lost and 'minimized'
(March 6, 2006)
Not only does the powerful American Jewish community enjoy wielding its power on both coasts in the USA these days but it has a closer than ever working alliance with Israel's leading newspaper, Ha'aretz, as well. And that's where this take on what happened last night was nearly instantly published -- clearly with advance understanding and preparations for what happened just a few hours ago in considerably Jewish Hollywood.
IRAN STRIKE PLANS ESCALATING FAST
(March 5, 2006)
"Israel’s special forces are...operating inside Iran in an urgent attempt to locate the country’s secret uranium enrichment sites... They are
operating from a base in northern Iraq, guarded by Israeli soldiers with the approval of the Americans."
Chechnya - Horror and Pogrom with U.S. and Israel support
(March 4, 2006)
This is just one story from the terribly bleeding and crying land of Chechnya that has been so forgotten and so sold-out to big-power 'politics' and geo-political 'realities' by so many for so long, including by the the increasingly discredited United Nations as well.
'Jordan Is Palestine' Rebirthing
(March 3, 2006)
The Israelis won't say it in public, but the realities of their actual geopolitical strategy, as well as their 'Revisionist Zionist' ideology, are that when the day comes that they can manage it they will manuever world events, U.S. policies, and through the Americans at least the Europeans and the U.N., so that what was once called 'Transjordan' will become known as the 'Palestinian State'.
New America Sets The New Middle East Negotiations Date On-The-Make
(March 1, 2006)
To put things in perspective, the New America Foundation moved in to town a few years ago after the Bush/Cheney takeover trying to establish a kind of new centrist block in modern-day Rome. On the whole New America types are too smart and internationalist to be Bush/Cheney/Neocons, too patriotic to want to be part of an American super-nova eclipse which they fear is underway, yet too compromised, power hungry, and on-the-make to be trusted by the rest of us.
For persons in Florida and California
(March 1, 2006)
West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale, and Naples FLORIDA -
Santa Barbara and Los Angeles CALIFORNIA -
If you are in or near any of these cities and would like to meet in person with MER Publisher Mark Bruzonsky soon please email to MER@MiddleEast.Org with your name and phone numbers(including cellphone) and with brief information about yourself. .
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