The Truth will prevail, But only if we Demand it from Congress!
9-11 Inside Job and Neocons Hacked 2004
By ARNAUD DE BORCHGRAVE, UPI Editor at Large
WASHINGTON, June 6 (UPI) -- Once a year the Israel lobby in
Washington known as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee
holds its annual convention where anyone who's anyone in the
political world comes to render fealty, rather than homage. It has
become a political rite of passage, like a medieval contract for
exchanging goods and services, which was often military service in
exchange for protection. Anyone who doesn't pass the litmus test can
forget about becoming president of the United States , or senator or
even congressman.
Maverick anti-American and anti-Israeli British Member of Parliament
George Galloway said this week, just before AIPAC convened its
three-day annual conference in Washington , that he "prays for the
safety of Barack Obama." He also warned Arab "puppet presidents and
corrupt kings" that "the ground has moved under their feet." But
Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee for president, didn't
hesitate to forgo all the praise being heaped on him by the Arab
media to embrace Israel and everything it stands for -- first and
foremost freedom and democracy.
"I'll be speaking from my heart and as a true friend of Israel ,"
Obama said, adding he knew he was among "good friends who share my
strong commitment to make sure that the bond between the United
States and Israel is unbreakable today, tomorrow and forever."
Obama struck all the right notes for several thousand Jews. He was
proud to be part "of a strong, bipartisan consensus that has stood
by Israel in the face of all threats. That is a commitment that both
John McCain and I share, because support for Israel in this country
goes beyond party. But part of our commitment must be speaking up
when Israel 's security is at risk, and I don't think any of us can
be satisfied that America 's recent foreign policy has made Israel
more secure."
Obama said he will make sure Israel can defend itself against any
threat -- "from Gaza to Tehran ." He will also implement "a
Memorandum of Understanding that provides $30 billion in assistance
to Israel over the next decade." He also will work "to help Israel
achieve the goal of two states ... living side by side in peace and
security." And for that to happen, Hamas has to be isolated until it
puts an end to terrorism and recognizes Israel 's right to exist.
The message that was broadcast all over the Arab world said, "Let me
be clear. Israel 's security is sacrosanct ... non-negotiable." And
"there is no greater threat to Israel -- or to the peace and
stability of the region -- than Iran ."
At last year's AIPAC convention Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert
flew over to deliver a plea not to tie President Bush's hands "on
Iran ." This year Olmert is teetering on the edge of collapse on
corruption charges, but he didn't flinch. He said Iran 's nuclear
program must be stopped by "all possible means" and Tehran must be
made to see "it would suffer devastating repercussions if it pursued
atomic weapons."
AIPAC's foundations in the American Jewish community are solid gold.
Its 100,000 members are, for the most part, wealthy American Jews.
The lobby, reputedly Washington 's most powerful (though this is
disputed by the NRA and AARP), ensures that anything Israel wants or
needs gets quick action on the Hill. And that covers anything from
$3 billion a year for the next 10 years for modern weaponry to soft
loans for building the $2.5 billion physical barrier between
Israelis and Palestinians, and under the radar the steady expansion
of Jewish settlements in the West Bank . Some 800 new dwellings in
Arab East Jerusalem were on the radar and made public recently.
Israel is the largest recipient of direct economic and military U.S.
aid since the creation of the Jewish state 60 years ago. It also
receives its annual aid from the United States at the beginning of
the fiscal year so that it can earn interest. Other foreign aid
recipients get aid in quarterly installments.
Both McCain and Obama were effusive in their praise for Israel in
their AIPAC speeches, and both said they would make a Palestinian
settlement a foreign policy priority, namely the two-state solution
Bush said he would bring about before he leaves office. Most experts
say the time is long passed when such a deal was still possible. The
"wall" of separation that has annexed 17 percent of the West Bank
where 145 settlements exist and 240,000 Jewish settlers live, all
add up to no room for a "viable and contiguous" Palestinian state,
as promised by the United States.
Nor is Israel , irrespective of the government in power, about to
allow Palestinian refugees the right of return, or a Palestinian
capital in East Jerusalem . Another Palestinian election probably
would allow Hamas, dedicated to the destruction of Israel , to
spread its influence to the West Bank and make Israel more obdurate
to conceding anything beyond perhaps easing restrictions on West
Bank Palestinians.
Iran is a bigger concern to Israel , as well as to a McCain or Obama
administration, albeit for different reasons. A majority of
Israelis, according to surveys, favor bombing and missile attacks
against Iran's nuclear facilities, which they know would not destroy
Iran's nuclear program but believe would retard whatever the mullah
regime is planning.
Bellicose anti-Iran statements at the AIPAC convention got the
biggest hand. Neocon kingpin Richard Perle made another pitch to put
Iran next on the terrorist regime hit list. But three former
commanders of the U.S. Central Command -- which includes the Middle
East, Iran and Pakistan -- have disassociated themselves from those
who advocate hostile action and now favor high-level dialogue.
Iraq 's former Foreign Minister Adnan Pachachi told United Press
International this week he favored a three-nation negotiation with
Iraq and Iran -- and the United States . Unless we learn to live and
work together, the Iraq War will be a war that never finished.
Arab leaders and commentators reacted with anger and disbelief at
Obama's speech -- the worst thing to happen to us since the 1967
Six-Day War (in which they lost the West Bank and East Jerusalem to
Israel), said Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator.
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