The AIPAC Caucus (The Nation)

[marmar]

BLOG | Posted 03/13/2007 @ 10:10am
The AIPAC Caucus

Ari Berman

The night before Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi addressed the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's (AIPAC) annual conference, House Democrats removed language from an Iraq supplemental bill that would have prevented President Bush from attacking Iran without Congressional approval.

"Conservative Democrats as well as lawmakers concerned about the possible impact on Israel had argued for the change in strategy," the Associated Press reported. "Opposition to the Iran language from conservative Blue Dogs had threatened to sink the spending plan," added National Journal's Congress Daily.

Hawkish "pro-Israel" organizations, on the Jewish and Christian right, have been leading advocates of a more confrontational Iran policy. Thousands of supporters are in town for AIPAC's star-studded convention, which as usual drew half of the Senate and a third of the House, including members of both parties' leadership.

The effort to remove the Iran language was spearheaded by Congressman Allen Boyd (the only Democrat to support the privatization of Social Security in 2005). In addition to supporting the White House line on Iran, the Blue Dogs want to give Bush a waiver to keep US troops in Iraq indefinitely. Appeasing the Blue Dogs could hurt Pelosi with the progressive wing of her caucus, which is already weary about the supplemental. .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion?bid=15

[Tommy Jefferson]

1. AIPAC pays the bills

AIPAC pays our legislators' campaign bills.

Is it any wonder that they then demand Congress spend the money of U.S. Taxpayers and the blood of U.S. soldiers to fight for Israel?

1 + 2 = 3

[aquart]

5. Really? All their bills? Isn't that illegal?

I'm sure I could be wrong, but if one PAC could pay all bills I know DeLay would have been the happiest man alive... yet there are so many.

Could you provide the figures that prove that Israel is controlling our Congress? That would be the poor nation that depends on our foreign aid, right?

Oh, wait, do you mean rich American Jews are illegally funding Democratic campaigns? Please provide the proof.

Since you state it so equivocally, I know you have the evidence at your fingertips.

[TwilightGardener]

6. AIPAC has undue influence on our Congress and White House. By extension, then,

so does Israel. That's all there is to it.

[peace13]

2. Obviously I confused her with someone who cared!

I am so tired of working to get our government to do what is right for America. There best be a good explanation for this. I called her office and they have no official press release although he did say that it was true.

[TwilightGardener]

3. It's sickening to witness our ever-eroding ability to determine

our own foreign policy. AIPAC can go to hell and take Israel with it.

[peacetalksforall]

4. What the hell good does it do to get rid of Rumsfeld, Cheney, Bush,

Rice, Bolton, Gonzsles out of there? AIPAC is our problem. I can see more clearly this morning. The USA is Little Israel.

Israel whose leaders seem to be the ones who sustain perpetual war to parallel our leaders who sustain perpetual war.

What else does Israel and the U.S. have in common?

Construction.

As in walls.