| By Andrew I think it is important to point out the many concrete examples which conclusively prove the Israel Lobby thesis. The thesis is so obvious that this should hardly be necessary, but for the loud whining from the apologists for the Lobby and their Chomskeyite American-Empire-explains-everything fellow travelers. Here’s something to think about from Ira Glunts, a former IDF volunteer (Glunts’ writing starts with “In an op-ed column . . .” ; it is also reprinted here; it was originally posted here, but for the life of me I can’t get the link to display properly; more Glunts here; my emphasis in red): “In their recent best-selling book, Boomerang: The Failure of Leadership In the Second Intifada, presently only available in Hebrew, Raviv Drucker and Ofer Shelah, two respected Israeli journalists, described a meeting between the then Secretary of State Colin Powell, who the lobby considered to be the ‘weak link’ in the chain of more Israel-friendly Bush Administration officials, and Abraham Foxman, head of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai Brith, who is a prominent member of what in Israel is called the Jewish lobby. The following selection indicates in a dramatic way that Gergen’s view of the influence of the Israel lobby may not be shared by all ex-government officials. In his [Powell’s] own State Department there was a keen awareness of the strength of the Jewish lobbyists. Secretaries of State did not usually meet with lobbyists, but both Jewish officials and Jews that did not officially represent specific groups from Abe Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League to Ronald Lauder, could meet with Powell on short notice…. At the State Department, Foxman had an aura of omnipotence. He was held responsible for the appointment of Indyk as Undersecretary of State under Clinton, and was thought to have played a role in the appointments of Secretaries of State Christopher and Albright. Powell related to Foxman almost as if he were someone to whom he must capitulate. Once Foxman told one of his deputies that Powell was the weak link. When the Secretary of State heard this he began to worry. He knew that in Washington a confrontation with the Jewish lobby would make his life difficult. Once he arranged a meeting with Foxman, but the busy Foxman postponed the meeting three times. When they eventually met, the head of the Anti-Defamation League apologized to the Secretary of State [for the postponements]. ‘You call, we come,’ replied Powell, paraphrasing a well known advertisement for a freight company. That statement had much more meaning than just a humorous polite reply. Drucker, Raviv and Shelah, Ofer, Boomerang…, Keter, 2005, pps. 132-133. Translation and text emphasized or enclosed in brackets, mine.”
So Colin Powell, American Secretary of State, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, multi-decorated American general, cowers in fear before Abe Foxman, a guy so powerful he can get away with postponing a meeting with Powell three times? And you want to try to tell me that the Lobby has no power? Are you on crack? |
No comments:
Post a Comment