Move Over AIPAC, Make Room for Enlightenment

It just took a little bit of looking around to find some elements of the media which abhor Netanyahu's right wing anti-peace approach to the Palestinian question. Some are clearly of Jewish heritage, like The Tablet, and some are not specifically Jewish, but take a progressive/liberal view of how to establish a two state solution to the Jewish/Palestinian problem.

Here's something from The Tablet.
Here's Juan Cole's contribution from his blog Informed Comment.
Here's Col. Patrick Lang's piece from his blog, Sic Semper Tyrannis.

Then there's J Street, a liberal Israel lobby which opposes the hard liners like Netanyahu and AIPAC.

Maybe it's just me, but it seems that the right wing Israel apologists get more press than those of the liberal/progressive view. Is that true, and if so, Why?

Leanderthal

Netanyahu 29; Obama 25

The title of this post reports the score of 29 to 25, in a competition pitting Netanyahu against Obama in how many standing ovations each got recently from a joint session of Congress.

Here's another piece by Glenn Greenwald about our bought and paid for senators and congressmen siding with a foreign leader versus their own country's leader.

This is more than shameful. It's enormously distressing.

How has it happened that Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel, has actually succeeded in capturing the allegiance of our elected officials, who have to know that that comes at the cost of lost prestige, influence and humiliation of our own President?

The answer of course is to follow the money trail. The Israel lobbies in this country, especially AIPAC, have successfully bought the allegiance of our elected officials, just as if they had been elected by the citizens of Israel. That has happened in spite of the reality that Jews comprise only about three or four percent of the American population. The portion of Jewish Americans
who condone this influence peddling are supporting people who behave like the Mafia, engaged in selling protection, rackateering, bribing and black mailing.

I blame not only AIPAC and the other Israel lobbies, but our own hypocritical, dishonest, integrity-poor politicians. They are behaving in a treason-like manner and have been doing so for longer than I'd like to admit.

And here's a Boston Globe article on how this conflict is playing out at a local level.

The result of this, of course, is that the current right wing Likud led Israel essentially has almost unchallenged influence on the foreign policy of the United States. This is an obscene state of affairs.

To say this openly, especially for public figures, is to run the risk of being at least ostracized publicly and worse, to risk losing their jobs and being tarred with the old but still effective anti-Semite brush.

I keep hoping that the relatively new J Street Jewish lobby will come to be seen as the more important influence on our foreign policy, especially with respect to our interactions with Israel. This moderate/progressive alliance of American Jews supports a two state solution to the Israel/Palestinian stand-off, is against illegal settlements, and for an end to Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands.

The obstacle to this happening is that J Street likely would have to outbid AIPAC in bribing American politicians. As long as our politicians have to raise $millions to pay for their never ending election campaigns, they will be vulnerable to being bought in exchange for unquestioned support of right wing Israeli behavior.

Leanderthal

Calling Out Netanyahu Over His 1967 Borders Tirade

Here's Juan Cole's straight talk about Netanyahu's tirade over Obama's declaration that the 1967 Borders, with land swaps, needs to be the basis for establishing a Palestinian state.

This man needs to be put in short pants by Obama. Unfortunately the US Congress gave him several standing ovations when he addressed that body today.

Here's Glenn Greenwald's sad tale about that.

Follow the money is still the operative perspective.

Our elected officials act like they were elected by the far right citizens of Israel. How did we get ourselves into this predicament? More importantly how can we get ourselves out of this predicament, that the tribe, as the Jewish magazine Tablet refers to Jews, representing just three or four percent of American citizens(depends on who one asks) can dictate foreign policy for America?

As I've said several times over the past few years, I am not an anti-semite, but I am an anti-Zionist, in the sense that the far right Likud sect of Israel is what passes for Zionism today.

More accurately, I am anti-bully of any stripe, and I believe Netanyahu and his henchmen are bullies. All bullies need to be stood up to. That won't happen with members of Congress because it would require too many of them to have the guts to confront these bullies.

I have been heartened recently to observe Obama demonstrating a stiff spine. I hope he will not back down on this, and, hope beyond hope, I don't want him to veto any upcoming UN declaration establishing a Palestinian state based on the '67 borders with agree upon land swaps.

As long as our politicians need $millions in campaign funds which AIPAC and it's kind are happy to provide as bribes, and as long as getting elected and re-elected matters more to politicians than honesty and integrity, we'll be stuck in this predicament.

Where are the real American statesmen? Continuing to support Israeli occupation of seized Palestinian land is not a position which honest American politicians would countenance.

Unfortunately, America is occupying Afghanistan now, and has been for a decade.

Hypocrisy abounds.

Leanderthal

Obama to AIPAC

Here's what I should have said.

Leanderthal

The End of the World On My Birthday?

This is not the way I'd like to celebrate my birthday.

Here's a piece at Salon.com on the end of the world coming next Saturday, which will be my 74th birthday.

Seems some religious nut job has cooked up a formula, based on his interpretation of some numbers in the Bible, that predicts the rapture and Armageddon on May 21, 2011. Apparently he also had predicted the end of the world back in 1994, and when it didn't happen he said he misinterpreted some numbers.

Figures don't lie, but liars do figure.

So all of those hordes of people who might have sent me presents now have an excuse not to.
But wait till next year:-)

Leanderthal

Juan Cole on Victor's Justice

Here's a really good piece by Juan Cole on what he calls the "hypocritical world of victor's justice".

He sides with Glenn Greenwald on the need to bring Bush, Cheney and their henchmen to trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

He asks the big question, how are Bush and Cheney different from Slobodan Milosevic?

Leanderthal

WAR CRIMINALS or war criminals?

Here's Glenn Greenwald on the reality of dual standards
when it comes to deciding who is a war criminal.

If Bin Laden deserved what he got, why not Bush and Cheney?

This is an ages old argument which will never be settled simply because
the one who wins makes the rules. But I for one am grateful that people like
Greenwald try to make us uncomfortable with our two faced moralizing.

Leanderthal

On Taking the First Pitch

No website to link to on this one. It's just my need to exercise the voice crying in the wilderness on one of my own pet peeves.

Most people would assume that a major league pitcher can throw a strike almost any time he wants, if he is pretty sure that the batter will "take it". I understand the rationale for "taking" whatever the pitcher can throw when the count is 3 and 0. Make the pitcher prove he can throw a strike.

What I don't agree with is the almost sacrosanct acceptance of taking the first pitch for the purported purpose of getting a feel for what and how the pitcher is throwing.

With all the statistics which our announcers and analysts have at their disposal it would be interesting to note who benefits more by this practice.

How often has that worked for the benefit of the batter?
How often has that worked for the benefit of the pitcher?

To me it seems obvious that more often than not the batter puts himself in a 0-1 hole "right off the bat", which gives the advantage to the pitcher. The on deck circle is the right place to try to get a feel for what and how the pitcher throws.

I'm just sayin'.

Leanderthal

In Your Face Politicians

This is just so disgusting that it truly is nauseating.

Leanderthal

This Level of Ignorance is Breathtaking

Read it and weep for enlightened religion. Then again, perhaps "enlightened religion" is just another oxymoron.

Leanderthal

21st Century Old Testament Prophet

Here is James Carroll's opinion on the killing of OBL.

I actually had the same reaction to his prophecy that I
have had while reading the warnings of the Old Testament
prophets.

Truly James Carroll is the real Voice Crying in the Wilderness.

Leanderthal

George Will on Being 70

As a 74 year old I really enjoyed this column. I disagree with his politics, but he sure can write.

I want a lot more of that house money.

Leanderthal

Nothing is Certain Except Death And_____.

Nothing is Certain except death and ____.

How's that for an introduction to an open thread?

I look forward to what you all come up with
in filling in the blank, which used to be "TAXES",
but based on recent evidence, is no longer certain.

Humor me, take a shot.

Leanderthal.

"Don't Cheer Boys"

Here is the response to the news of the death of OBL which I admire most, and which speaks for me.

My Blogging friend, The Old New Englander, should be cheered for his wisdom.

HUAH!

Leanderthal

Two Speeches on One Event

Here is one speech on the killing of OBL. This one by President Obama.

And here's another, this one by Chris Hedges.

Can they be reconciled? Is one right and the other wrong; if so which is which? Are they both right;
if so how can that be?

Leanderthal

Move Over AIPAC

Here's a welcome piece written by an 84 year old Holocaust Survivor who champions the need for civil rights for all people.

One can only wish and hope that she will be effectively supported in her efforts to expose AIPAC for what it really is; an American Jewish lobby for Israeli, the far right, brutal Likud Israel.

Leanderthal