I've stayed out of round two of the Walt-Mearsheimer fight for a few reasons. One is, I'll admit, I'm tired of the tsoris I get from the Likud Lobby -- note: not the "Jewish lobby," and not even the "Israel lobby," but only the Lukidnik Lobby, in which I include Alan Dershowitz, Marty Peretz, Abe Foxman, and Cathy Hughes (whether they themselves would include themselves, I don't really care). I recently found out that my rather mild, moderate, pro-Israel, pro-Palestinian, pro-peace position almost cost me dearly -- and would have, without the intervention of a dear friend -- and I can't even tell you in which direction, though I have a pretty good guess. I'm willing to endure this crap on behalf of my own views and values but not on behalf of someone else's. Second, though I've not had time to read the book, my impression is that it takes the original argument -- with which I mostly but not entirely agreed -- to a place I would not go. AIPAC and its friends do not explain the fact that we went to war in Iraq. (Dick Cheney, and to a lesser extent, alas, George W. Bush, do.) Not having read the book, I can't even tell you whether they in fact argue that, since the authors have been so routinely slandered in so many places, but either way, I'm going to let it be someone else's problem. Call me a coward if you like, but I'm an awfully busy coward.
Read the whole Altercation here.
And I don't want to have my government continue to support Israel in its attacks on Palestinians. Note that I said nothing about whether the Palestinians also attack Israel -- I'm not involved in that, and my government is not supplying the weapons used by Palestinians.
It is baffling to me why every working American is obligated to pay money every single year of their lives to support Israel. For what? Exactly what is it that we get out of this transaction?
This is not Germany, we didn't cause the holocaust -- in fact, the U.S. fought against the Nazis. Personally, I think it was a terrible idea to set up a Jewish state in the middle east. That said, it's not my problem and I don't want to pay for it.
Good for the authors Walt-Mearsheimer for trying to bring to light the influence of Aipac and other Israeli-support groups. It should be illegal for any foreign country, or any group, to bribe or threaten our politicians to force them to give my money to some foreign country. Unfortunately our corrupt politicians love the bribes, and until it ends Israel will be a part of it.
Lobbying reform and election financing reform is necessary. But the bottom line is that the U.S. needs to stop subsidizing Israel.
Israel can either found a way to live in peace or not, but either way, not on my nickel. People in the U.S. are going to get tired of this constant outflow of money to Israel (and to many other countries in the middle east). Bring the troops home and the money home. U.S. Out of Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and Israel.
From the shameless pandering of the Congress to the Jewish lobby, where there is no bill or amount of money for Israel that cannot pass at ANY TIME.
From the infiltration of our government with ISRAELI spies, fully supported by AMERICAN JEWS.
From the treasoneous pushing of American to war with IRAQ, with Lebanon, with Palestinians, growing hostility with Syria, and Iran.
From the total domination of our media, and banking, to the rape of our treasury for these neocon fantasies.
Israel and American Jews have OVERSTEP their bounds!!