AIPAC Congratulates Itself on the Slaughter in Lebanon

[Tom Joad]

"Look What You've Done!" Begins the letter.

http://www.counterpunch.org/walsh08162006.html
AIPAC Congratulates Itself on the Slaughter in Lebanon

By JOHN WALSH

"My fellow American," Howard Friedman, President of AIPAC, begins his letter of July 30 to friends and supporters of AIPAC, "Look what you've done"! After warning that "Israel is fighting a pivotal war for its life," by which he means Israel's wanton slaughter and all-out destruction in Lebanon, Freiedman condemns "the expected chorus of international condemnation of Israel's actions" and Europe's call for "a cease-fire immediately." Then he exults: "only ONE nation in the world came out and flatly declared: Let Israel finish the job. . That nation is the United States of America--and the reason it had such a clear, unambiguous view of the situation is YOU and the rest of America Jewry." (All emphases in the original here and below.) Here I must take issue with President Friedman since I bet that most Jewish Americans, in contrast to the AIPAC crowd, were horrified by the slaughter in Lebanon. In fact if anyone other than President Friedman wrote this, he would be accused of fabricating a Jewish plot and labeled a nutty conspiracy theorist and scurrilous anti-semite.)...
More at link above...
____________________________

I wish to echo Walsh's comment about the really insidious nature of Friedman's implication that all American Jews support every and all Israeli policies, as if they were robots and not people with varying opinions and inclinations... it really does belong in the dustbin (or recycling bin, if people get the paper version). However, it is important to hear and understand what AIPAC is saying, because apparently much of Congress listens to them, as extremist as it is --and do remember, most of congress voted for an AIPAC written resolution supporting Israeli aggression in Lebanon, and with the exception of a few (like Kucinich and Barbara Lee) opposed any calls for cease-fire. Reminds me of the votes against the Vietnam war in its early stages. (see here )

In addition to the Counterpunch link above,there is an illustrated full-version of Walsh's commentary on AIPAC's fundraising letter at this site http://stopaipac.org/aipaclebanon.htm

Organize to Stop AIPAC! Stop promoting war and militarism.
Joyful Labor Day to all.

[whistle]

1. Wow!

[regnaD kciN]

2. AIPAC is not unlike the Christian Coalition...

It gets its power from the illusion that it speaks for all members of the faith, so that opposing its policies is tantamount to bigotry against the religion (and, in the case of Jews, the ethnic group) in toto.

[IndianaGreen]

4. AIPAC has only 100,000 members that profess to speak for all of us

The wealthy Jews that fund AIPAC share nothing in common with the larger number of working class Jews in America, most of whom would rather have peace in the Middle East than have our community feed Bush's apocalyptic vision for Israel.

[Tom Joad]

5. As you probably know there is even a "Christian" equivalent to

AIPAC, called "Christians United for Israel" started by this nut for Texas (why so many nuts in TX, i don't know)
http://www.thenation.com/doc/20060814/new_christian_zionism

Supporting war does not seem what Jesus (or any religion) is all about, but it seems to be for some. Even though Hagee's outfit will not likely out do AIPAC and related groups (given the decades AIPAC has been organizing) they certainly are becoming part of the problem.

[NOLADEM]

3. So, do they mourn success as well?

These guys are such agitators.

[Tom Joad]

6. The US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, an alternative

http://www.endtheoccupation.org/

The US Campaign is a diverse coalition working for freedom from occupation and equal rights for all by challenging US policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Campaign is based on human rights and international law, providing a non-sectarian framework for everyone who supports its Call to Action. Its strategy is to inform, educate, and mobilize the public so as to change the US role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to support peace, justice, human rights, and international law.

My suggestion. Join it. Now.

[breakaleg]

7. It's nice to see how proud of their actions they are.

[Tom Joad]

8. It is, as Norman Finklestein would say, a very special form of chutzpah.