AIPAC's Proxy War on Obama
On August 12, 2008, President Barack Obama awarded the Medal of Freedom, our nation's highest civilian honor, to 16 individuals whom he described as "agents of change". Among the awardees were: Senator Edward Kennedy; former Congressman and Cabinet Secretary, the late Jack Kemp; and Grameen Bank founder, Muhammed Yunus.
One of the recipients, Mary Robinson, Ireland's first woman President and world renowned advocate for human rights, was singled out for attack by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and AIPAC. They argued, on the flimsiest of grounds, that Robinson was biased against Israel (though for the ADL and AIPAC, anything short of effusive praise for Israel is seen as evidence of bias).
The case they built against her was based largely on her chairing the 2001 World Conference Against Racism in Durban, South Africa, in her capacity as High Commissioner of the UN Human Rights Commission. The Durban Conference has been criticized by supporters of Israel for its harsh criticism of Israeli policies. There is, however, clear evidence that Robinson played an important moderating role in tempering the language of the conference, especially when it came to upbraiding those conferees who crossed the line into anti-Semitism. She was praised for her efforts by prominent Israelis, including Shimon Peres. None of this, however, has deterred Robinson's detractors. When faced with the facts which rebut their charges, they simply ratcheted up their rhetoric. A recent piece in the Jerusalem Post, for example, makes an absurd charge, blaming Robinson "for the destruction of the universality and moral foundation of human rights".
Despite the harshness of these attacks, and the hurt, no doubt, they have brought to Ms. Robinson, I am convinced that this entire episode had less to do with her than it does with the President. And the charges against this distinguished Irish leader though not only wrong headed, hurtful to her, and unfair, were also a case of political misdirection.
What first aroused my suspicions was ADL's and AIPAC's silence about the fact that South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu had also been tapped by the President to receive a Medal of Freedom. Unlike Robinson, who has only expressed general concern about Palestinian rights and temperate criticism of Israeli policy, Tutu has been a harsh critic, comparing Israeli practices in the occupied lands to Apartheid. How to explain this uproar over Robinson, and not a peep about Tutu?
It is known that some groups, like the ADL, have targeted Robinson for years, objecting, for example, each time she received an honorary doctorate. But for AIPAC, and its coterie of Congressional acolytes, to have gotten into the fray, established that this was a political "inside the Beltway" fight. The goal here was not to deny an award, but to send a message of displeasure to President Obama, prompted more by his persistent pressure on Israel to freeze settlements, then his choice of awardees. AIPAC appeared to believe that an attack on Robinson was a safer route to take to send this message than going after Tutu--and with less negative fallout.
During the past few months, as Obama has continued to raise the heat on Israeli P.M. Netanyahu, AIPAC has been noticeably quiet. They have neither criticized nor challenged the President directly, nor did they mount a campaign to defend Israeli settlements. Instead, they took a more indirect route, opting to support Congressional sign-on letters, praising Israel's commitment to peace and calling on the President to ease off pressure on Israel and direct pressure, instead, on Arab states to normalize relations with Israel, as the first step in the peace process.
In the end, that was what this gratuitous "Medal of Freedom" shot across the White House bow was all about--not a concern over anti-Israel bias (or else Tutu would have been raised), but a not so subtle jab at Obama and a reminder, by AIPAC, of the controversy they can manufacture.
In this case their efforts failed. Many Irish and Irish Americans were outraged, human rights organizations world-wide, including those in Israel, came to Robinson's defense, and the President dismissed the protests and went ahead with the award.
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"In this case their efforts failed. Many Irish and Irish Americans were outraged, human rights organizations world-wide, including those in Israel, came to Robinson's defense, and the President dismissed the protests and went ahead with the award."
The tide is turning, & the big pro-occupation, pro-settlement lobbies are no longer calling all the shots in Washington. Many Americans have been letting their representatives in Washington know that their unwavering support for any number of Israeli policies is foolish, outrageous, contrary to American ideals & is NOT working to promote American interests in the region. Pelosi, Reid & others need to know that daily evictions of Palestinian families from their homes, demolitions, settler rampages, bypass roads for those of one religion ONLY are disgusting & contrary to the ideals of the American people they are supposed to be representing. The Obama people have begun to pay attention, but Congress is still mostly out to lunch on all issues related to the Israelis.
The recipients all made contributions. Mr. Zogby represents something, an organization. Did either he, personally, or that organization, make one positive contribution which changed the life of one Palestinian Arab? I just would like to know. Israelis have tried and tried. A new proposal by Mr. Netanyahu would certainly help make progress. Slicing the baby in two parts, from top to bottom, will kill the baby. But Palestinians can not form a government, or an unity. This is not coming out of my mouth, this was said recently by an Arab. All the land in the world will not help such a a people, who also lack education, a will to improve themselves and their environment. If EIGHTY PERCENT of Gaza alone is dependent on handouts, is that going to change if they have more land? They are already destroying whatever land they have. Military bases do not feed a population. Unrest is not good for kids. On an individual basis members of my family have helped a few Palestinians, here and there, and befriended them. They remain friends until they get what they want, then they move on. That is fine, but it is not a future for them. A real man stands on his own two feet.
Query:
Are you seriously recycling the Reagan-era "welfare queens" caricature? Again?
"How to explain this uproar over Robinson, and not a peep about Tutu? "
Tute is a respected foreign dignitary who long list of acheivements.
Robinson is low level functionary of the American establishment.
Any other questions?
Amused Observation:
In other words, Robinson is vulnerable to AIPAC career-destroying influence whereas Tutu is not.
Query:
Are we talking about the same Robinson? The Robinson in the article refers to Ireland's President, actually.
Do you know anything about Mary Robinson?
http://en.
he knows everything
It may well have been a painful moment for Ms. Robinson. Mr. Zogby, with this article, does not make it any better. He does not make any positive contribution at all, again. I am sure he could do better, as could Palestinians, especially Mr. Abbas, but it is his choice not to do so. If one repeats the same old complaints, over and over, one gets the same lack of results, over and over. Nothing Mr. Zogby says or does, and nothing Mr. Abbas says or does, improves the life of even one Palestinian mother or child. So, those jewish organizations are a bunch of, you know whats, Mr. Zogby, and it is important that we know your point of view, but to what end, exactly? I am just trying to understand. Mr. Obama did not have them on the podium to hand out medals of freedom to them. It was all about individuals who did something concrete. This or that individual may not be correct in his/her views on a particular subject, but Mr. Hawking has made great contributions, and so has Mr. Yunus in another field. What so many need, Palestinians included, is a handup and no longer a handout. Eighty percent of Gaza is on the dole! And it does not help their situation or get them respect they desire.
Observation:
It was the Israeli navy that boarded the humanitarian aid ship and seized its passenger and crew, like pirates. You cannot blame that on the Palestinians.
Palestinians needs to go forward and Mr. Zogby could have used this space to make a case for that. For example, Mr. Yunus, of Grameen Bank, has started a very useful and succesful enterprise,lending small amounts of money to (mainly now) women, sothat they can start businesses. Grameen Bank has a representation in the U.S. It is also in Saudi Arabia. Shipment to Gaza of a.o. cement is now blocked, because they will use it to rebuild and build military bases. If they would use it to rebuild Gaza there would be no point to oppose such shipments. IF Palestinians in Gaza made the choice to build and rebuild, to teach and learn, or even to start cleaning up their mess there, they could probably apply for small loans @ the S. Arabian Grameen Bank to start small enterprises. Even women could do it, because they could start such things as small bakeries from the home, and sell. My jewish grandmother did that in the 1800's in Hungary when she was left with five young kids after her husband died. Where there is a will, there is a way. Mr. Zogby points his finger, again, and fails to see that the other four are pointing back at him and, as he speaks for Arabs, at Arabs. That is too bad.
Please stop.
With Israel's standing in the country dropping quickly as their condemned policies remain in place, it's no wonder these lobbyists are treading carefully.
Wether it's war crimes, confiscating other people's land or selling weapons to Burma, China and other nasty regimes, Israel and its' supporters are taking American support for granted.
These attacks on Obama, despite massive support from within the Jewish community, aren't only pissing off the Irish.
Giving a medal of Freedom to an enabler of Islamic oppressive regimes is contrary to the spirit of the institution.
Only Stephen Hawking deserved his medal. Million times more than a political ideologue like Ms Robinson
and YOU are NOT an ideologue?
Let's have some full disclosure
I"ll go first.
I am a gentile.
Next?
The head of the Arab American institute critiquing the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee. That's objective. Kinda like asking Keith Oberman to critique Fox News. Obama got 80% of the Jewish vote, Joe Biden called for the end of settlements at the AIPAC annual conference------he got a standing ovation. Zogby is hoping to keep the Obama administration from making demands on the Arab world and just keep the focus on Israel. There is a transparent agenda here.
Paradoxically, support for Islamic conservative perspective has become an integral part of American liberalism. To the detriment of tentative liberal voices from within the Islamic community itself.
These dogmas are largely based on a few half-digested notions learned in cultural anthropology and comparative religion classes.
It is based on principle that certain ( not all) indigenous religions and cultures are beyond criticism.
In short, anything that is not perceived as originating from Europe ( and America by extension) deserves support and appeasement.
I, too, have enjoyed watching the collision between radical right wing Islam and the far left academic and political movements in the west. They have found they have a lot in common---their anti semitism, hatred of America, and disrespect for other's points of view. The problem for the far left is that if radical Islam has their way, it is the left they will eliminate first.
Obama sent a powerful and right message to the A.IPAC and its offshoots.
and another tick in his popularity
you want change.... and when the victims of change tell pollsters they don't like him anymore... the polls tell us he isn't effective and that nobody supports him.
YOU CANNOT EFFECT CHANGE WITHOUT CHANGING POLL NUMBERS
For every ox gored.... there is a change in popularity. Not to mention the wolves who interpret the polls as resistance to change rather than impatience.
Inexplicably during this lengthy attack on ADL not a SINGLE actual quote has been provided to support the premise of "'harshest attacks!"
This is unacceptable even by most indulgent standards of scholarship. And yes, we're all familiar for certain penchant for hyperbole among CAIR leadership.
To remedy this I am providing a link and quotes from ADL official statement. Judge for yourself.
Statement on 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient Mary Robinson ( quotes).
New York, NY, August 3, 2009 ... Abraham H. Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation
The awarding of the 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom to Mary Robinson as an "agent of change" was ill-advised.
While Mary Robinson may have accomplishments to her credit, she also, unfortunately, has an animus toward Israel....
Rather than be constructive and act objectively on Middle East issues, she became a lead cheerleader for the Palestinian narrative.
Ms. Robinson has been quoted as saying, "On the Palestinian side, they are the victims, etc. On the Israeli side, they feel they are the victims, in some measure ("Democracy Now," Pacifica Radio, Feb. 25, 2009).
Because she has not moved away from her anti-Israel bias, she is not an "agent of change" and is undeserving of America's highest civilian honor."
http://www
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nice try as usual:
http://www
HONORING AN AMERICA-HATER by TEVI TROY
http://www
Nice spin by Troy a known history revisionist and zio.nist..
Mr. Zogby' made accusation against Anti Defamation League of making "harsh attacks." I Without a single quotation to support this charge.
I refuted that accusation by posting official ADL statement.
However, your comment is on individuals unrelated to this discussion.
anti Israel bias IS an agent of change.
Americans have been on lockdown on this subject since WWII and all the 3 hanky films telling us one side is victims... [they most certainly are not] and the other side is evil [they most certainly are not]
Why is not AIPAC designated a lobby for a foreign country?
Why isn't Muslim Brotherhood founded CAIR?
Exactly for what foreign country are they lobbying?
Because zio.nism is colonialism.
Judiasm is a religion.
Aipac is not a religion - but enablers of zionichim.
More:
Islamophobia is a form of religio-ism.
"Every time we do something you tell me America will do this and will
do that... I want to tell you something very clear: Don't worry
about American pressure on Israel. We, the Jewish people, control
America, and the Americans know it."
Ariel Sharon, October 3, 2001
The Sharon quote is a proven fake which has been pointed out again and again and yet you insist on posting it. Do you really think there aren't people here who have fact checked this stuff and know better?
FYI Posting it just makes you look bad ...
"Ariel Sharon never made such a statement. Kol Yisrael Radio (the supposed source of the quotation) confirms that it never reported any such statement. This outrageous fabrication was invented and disseminated by the Islamic Association for Palestine, a pro-Hamas organization, and has been circulated by gullible individuals, such as Bryan Shuck."
Either you want to have a legit dialogue / debate here or you want to spread vicious lies and point out your own bigotry .. which is it?
President Obama has restored the prestige of the Presidential Medal of Freedom with these recipients. It is unfortunate that political shots have to be taken.
Giving a medal of Freedom to an enabler of Islamic oppressive regimes is contrary to the spirit of the institution.
Only Stephen Hawking deserved his medal. Million times more than a political ideologue like Ms Robinson.
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