Could there be such a thing as a good Israeli Lobby ?
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The beirut spring is a blog that is interested in Lebanese society and its politics. It started in February 2005 after the assassination of Prime Minister Rafik Hariri
March 28th, 2008 at 7:44 pm
Lobby - “to conduct activities aimed at influencing public officials and esp. members of a legislative body on legislation” - Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary. Examples of other political lobbies in the U.S. are the China lobby, the Cuban-American lobby, the Arab lobby, the Armenian lobby, etc. All have influenced U.S. policy at one time or another. To get the proper perspective of foreign influences on U.S. policy (or any other country) recall Lord Palmerston’s observation; “Nations have no permanent friends or allies, they only have permanent interests”. So, to your question, any Israeli lobby is going to try to sell its own program as you would expect the Arab lobby to do the same. I’m sure that all lobbying groups will take into account the fact that an Obama, McCain or Clinton administration will differ (probably significantly) from a Bush administration. The question really is what new approaches are probable in future U.S.- Middle East relations, but still take into account U.S. interests.
March 28th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha.
This is your funniest post yet.
Seriously dude, I hope someone pays you to write this BS, and you’re not REALLY that naive.
March 28th, 2008 at 10:07 pm
The only thing I gathered onther than wanting a more Liberal lobby, that Obama isnt so bad after all.
March 28th, 2008 at 11:43 pm
It was a long article and I read it all. Like many articles - some of it I agreed with and some, I’m not so sure about.
Let us only consider Lebanon - in view of this article. It is no secret that Syria is negotiating with Israel, wants to negotiate with the USA and more importantly - exactly what their terms are.
Lebanon goes back under the control of Syria and the Tribunal is stopped. Is this going to be a “good” thing for Lebanon? Very doubtful. What do the Israeli really care about Lebanon? Very little - they care about themselves and the American Jewish care even less than the Israeli do.
Do you really want a more “liberal” Lobby? Do you really want Obama? because that’s exactly what this article is all about. It’s about electing Obama as President of the USA. He will facilitate the “deal” between Israel & Syria and that “deal” will sell Lebanon back to Syria. Obama’s top adviser (who recently had to resign because of comments about Clinton) has advocated sendintg in the US Marines to force Israel to agree to a one state solution. The current Obama thought is a one state solution according to the his Palestinian backers. Maybe it’s the best and only solution …. I don’t know but there is no doubt that the Obama way will be different for all of the Mid-East than any other has ever been. It might be better or it might be worse but his sympathy is with Iran and with Syria and that will be a real change.
March 29th, 2008 at 6:52 am
“Obama’s top adviser (who recently had to resign because of comments about Clinton) has advocated sendintg in the US Marines to force Israel to agree to a one state solution.”
The advisor, Samantha Powers, publicly retracted that speech, which was her own musing and nothing more. Nobody in the American or Israeli administration is even remotely considering a one-state solution, it’s 180 degrees from their actual position and complete fantasy. If you really believe this is Obama’s position, you are living in upside-down land.
March 30th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
That “speech” as you call it - was not the first time she advocated US Military intervention in Israel OR that she advocated that the US refuse to sell any arms to Israel. She may be correct that this is what is needed - there is no doubt that past actions have not been successful.
You are correct - current US Administration certainly does not support this kind of action OR a single state solution. Obama would not be “current Administration” and that’s the whole point.
He has a long history of involvement with both Syrians and Palestinians in Chicago and the prominent Palestinian in Chicago is now in favor of a one state solution.
“” In a conference call last month with Jewish and Israeli media aimed
primarily at dispelling Internet reports he is anti-Israel, Obama stated
“Palestinian refugees” belong in their own state and do not have a
“literal” right of return to Israel.
But in the 1990s Obama was a speaker at events in Chicago’s large
Palestinian immigrant community to raise funds for U.N. camps for the
so-called Palestinian refugees.
Ali Abunimah, a Chicago-based Palestinian-American activist and
co-founder of Electronic Intifada, a pro-Palestinian online publication,
recalls introducing Obama at one such event, a 1999 fundraiser for the
Deheisha Palestinian camp in the West Bank.
Abunimah is also a harsh critic of Israel and has protested outside
pro-Israel events in the Chicago area.
“I knew Barack Obama for many years as my state senator — when he used
to attend events in the Palestinian community in Chicago all the time,”
stated Abuminah during an interview last month with Democracy Now!, a
nationally syndicated radio and television political program.
“I remember personally introducing [Obama] onstage in 1999, when we had
a major community fundraiser for the community center in Deheisha refugee
camp in the occupied West Bank. And that’s just one example of how Barack
Obama used to be very comfortable speaking up for and being associated with
Palestinian rights and opposing the Israeli occupation,” Abunimah said.
According to quotes obtained by Gulf News, Abuniham recalled a 2004
meeting in a Chicago neighborhood while Obama was running for his senate
seat. Abunimah quoted Obama telling him “warmly” he was sorry that “I
haven’t said more about Palestine right now, but we are in a tough primary
race.”
“I’m hoping when things calm down, I can be more up front,” Abunimah
reportedly quoted the senator as saying.
Abunimah said Obama urged him to “keep up the good work” at the Chicago
Tribune, where Abunimah contributed guest columns that were highly critical
of Israel. “”
___________________________
I think this is all pretty clear. Obama is running for President - he will say what he needs to say to get elected. After that, he can go back to his “real” positions and do whatever he wishes. This is how politics work …. he fully understands that, and so do I. Obama is correct, words matter (all of them, including the Rev Wright), but actions matter more. Barak Obama is not an “honest” man, he is an adept politician who wants to be President of the USA and he will do/say whatever it takes to do that.