Comments on: Freedom’s Watch and “Strong Supporters of Israel”

By: Gene

Gene — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:42:52 +0000

I'm not certain how this document might fit into the conversation here except as an important part of the background that must be taken into consideration when discussing Israel/Palestine.

By: LeaNder

LeaNder — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 06:48:39 +0000

Some of these comments are really frightening. I thought I got used to this by now.

Of cause we know, theoretically, that this is what the security industry and surveillance is all about.

By: KBubba

KBubba — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 03:39:09 +0000

The generation of American Jews who fanatically support Israeli imperialism in the Levant is getting quite old. Younger American Jews lack that obsession, according to polling. As it is, only 20,000 Jewish immigrants settled in Israel last year, despite a huge worldwide recruitment push. Many people in Israel allegedly maintain a phone and an address there but have moved to the US. They are counted in the population figures for Israel, but no one knows how many Jews actually live in Israel.

Who will the US use as its military colony and outpost in the Middle East when all the Jews (except for the “settlers” and the religious fanatics who live off the welfare state) pack up and go to Europe and the US.

By: musings

musings — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 01:15:13 +0000

I agree with the fact that people are often described in shorthand which creates false associations. Neocons and the long-term welfare of the state of Israel are not necessarily a good association. Be that as it may, I have another concern
with this lobbying. The use of the illegal immigrant as a whipping boy plays into the myths being generated by neocons about the dangers from terror to the US.
There is also another factor: it is that there are people it is okay to be in an empire, and people who should never aspire to be important. If you are born in the US to illegals, you are, under the US Constitution, an American citizen. If you have an infant ear infection, they will see you in the emergency room. If you are ready for school, they must take you. You are home. Home is the place where when you have to go there, they have to take you in. But not for a Palestinian. Are the Mexicans to be turned into the American version of Palestinians? If this succeeds, our moral authority for demanding anything of Israel towards the Palestinians will be history. But experience tells me that Mexicans have been taking care of this country for a long time. I do not claim to be of such a favored race that the workers shall not be worthy of their hire, that they should occupy the fearful position of strangers and slaves. I scorn those men who would lead my country astray into thinking of their fellow men in such terms.

By: Bill Field

Bill Field — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:48:52 +0000

I think the current situation for the US/West is extremely dangerous right NOW because, if the USA gets another “pro-war” President claiming these almost “total control” powers just what will happen?
When one sees what “the powers behind the throne” have achieved in the past few years…..(eg scrapping Habeas corpus, redefining “opinion” as “sedition”….committing “criminal acts of invasion, kidnap & torture”….and, other things , the virtual destruction of what ought be the most successful economy on earth)….. WHAT CAN THEY DO IN 4 more yrs. of this madness?
“From their own bunkers” they well might start a MAJOR World War and “wipe out” who knows what …..including FOREVER & EVER & EVER, all dissent, debate & criticism as to better ways forward…….
I belierve a Presidential aspirant who does not clearly oppose wrongful “interventions” & total “military withdrawals/settlements” from places & scrapping “police state laws” will be a disaster …..for not just the whole “free” world but the whole world.
Wrong wars are a racket……trade brings wealth not territory…..the Brit’s gave us Australia (perhaps thanks to our cousins in USA) and have made a FORTUNE out of trading with us………

By: charlie ehlen

charlie ehlen — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:33:48 +0000

America is still a very racist country. The warmongers who “push” Israel and America to dominate the world are the problem here. The racist attitudes of the so called “leaders” of both wings of the War Party in America cause so much trouble the world over. The majority of Americans seem to be deaf, dumb, and blind to the truth. Why? They get their “news” from the TV for one. Also, they seem to be so “involved” in “reality TV” that thinking gives them a headache. Americans no longer seem able to think honestly about much at all. They fall for the racist crap about “Arabs” and “Islam”. Hell, they buy the absolute crap called “Islamofacism” for crap sake! What a joke. The word is pure horse manure.
I fear that America will become more anti-Semitic than Nazi Germnay was. We seem to headed that way and fast. This causes me great concern, not because I am Jewish, I am not. In fact, I do not believe in any religion myself. But I can see how there will be a backlash against Israel and by extention, all Jews. It sadens me to see this possibility here in America, but I fear we are going in that direction. We have lost our original goals as a country. We have gone abroad too often in search of monsters to destroy. As Art Kelly said in the old “Pogo” cartoon; We have met the enemy, and he is us. How very sad that this is how America has fallen. How sad to see the destructuion of Martin Luther King Jr’s “dream” for America.

By: Bill Field

Bill Field — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 23:50:14 +0000

At the end of the day I can’t see this as Geo-strategic. The US/West has known for about 75 yrs now oil will run out and what have we done to conserve it or gear up for “alternative energy”. Despite “population explosion”, there is PLENTY of resorces and land in this world, especially in US & West. Food is cheap. Wars over territory, why?..people almost all want to live in city’s.
I suspect it’s an enormous rort ….pure & simple!….and the target is taxpayers….and, everone in the system is just covering for their “meal ticket”.
As long as the “international (& probably tax free banking) “pro-war” Money boy’s control/own the media and thus “public opinion” (& do “smear campaigns” to get rid of opposition), AND, can “buy” the political party’s (thus control all the Govt. (& internal dissent) they can virtually get ANY LAWS, MONEY AND JUSTICE THEY WANT…..It’s bribery pure & simple.

By: Jack Lambert

Jack Lambert — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 21:13:37 +0000

You become who you hate. This occurs at the national level. too.

By: Bill

Bill — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:31:29 +0000

Curious if you saw Philip Weiss’ rejoinder to this post, Jim, and if you’d offer any comments on that…

http://www.philipweiss.org/mondoweiss/2008/01/are-leftleaning.html

Would love to hear if you have any thoughts on Heilbrunn’s new book, too. I find it interesting how you are clearly one of the most prolific, informed writers on neocons and yet you seem to get such short thrift.

You’re cited like once in Heilbrunn’s book, indirectly. If I recall correctly, it was much the same with Mann’s ‘Vulcan’ tome. I find this lack of attribution quite curious.

By: Max Cadenhead

Max Cadenhead — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:13:02 +0000

Let’s not kid ourselves. To compare the Miniscule support given by Irish-Americans to the IRA, as San Fernando Curt does, to the overall abuse of the US by the Israeli-american plundering of our Treasury and of our blood and good name, is folly. Never in the history of the Republic has any ethnic group so abused its fellow citizenry as have the Israeli-american con machine. It all started with the nonsense of “dual” citizenships. What Crap!. As late as 1950, it took an Act of Congress to make Sir Winston Churchill, whose mother was American, an “honorary” citizen. Nay, the Israelis were the first to be allowed this travesty of Dual citizenships, and the first to utterly abuse the notion. But not the last. I know a guy with five, count’em Five citizenships including the US. What Folly? No man can serve two Masters, and the NeoCons,(never has a name been so appropriate), prove it. Also, consider how a nation of five, (5) million people have now surpassed Britain as the fourth largest seller of Arms worldwide…Tell me, could Chicago do that…same number of people!! Of course not!. Which makes Israel a drop ship point for the Military/Industrial complex here in the Republic. What a joke! And the Joke, alas, is on us.