Two-thirds of Congress, Blair to attend AIPAC event in Washington D.C.

Two-thirds of Congress, Blair to attend AIPAC event in Washington D.C.

www.oudaily.com

AIPAC works to maintain a strong U.S.-Israeli relationship ,and the AIPAC policy conference in the largest gathering of pro-Israel people outside of Israel, said Erik Baker, psychology and history junior.

“Two-thirds of Congress will be there,” Baker said.“Tony Blair is the keynote speaker.”

Baker said past speakers have included Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John McCain.

(visit the link for the full news article)

Surprise, surprise. Blair will attend AIPAC's yearly conference. For those unfamiliar with AIPAC, it is the country's biggest pro-Israel lobby organization, which the mainstream media doesn't really like to report on - I recommend you to watch the embedded documentary for those interested in their ''way of working''.

The same man whom occupies the position of envoy for the Middle East, which is tasked to mediate peace between Israel and the Palestinian territories.

Ever since the War on Iraq turned to be one big deliberate lie, I have very little respect for this crook. Pretty ironic that it is this man who instigated war on Iraq was appointed for bringing peace to Israel and Palestine.

The fact that he is keynote speaker on the yearly AIPAC conference would make one wonder how he could possible be unbiased, and if two-thirds of Congress does indeed visit this conference, it confirms how much the US foreign policy has been fine-tined in favor of Israel.

I, for one, do not wonder why the Middle East does not take America serious any more.




www.oudaily.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

The congressional leaders on the schedule include Reps. Steny Hoyer and Eric Cantor, and Sens. Chuck Schumer and Lindsey Graham.

The White House hasn't announced a speaker, though it's sending Joe Biden to Israel earlier in March.

source

I found some more names of attendants that might be of interest. Not being American, these names don't ring a bell to me personally.

I don't mean to be stoking anyone's fire but... how long before the pejorative "anti-Semite" banner is to be raised?

It is clear that this is the single most powerful foreign lobby in the nation.

It is clear that their access to the citizens representation exceeds any degree of 'normalcy.'

It is clear that their influence in what can only be jokingly referred to as 'the press' is beyond acceptable.

When you have politicians, giddy with delight, strutting around saying things like "You don't have to be Jewish to be a Zionist!" (any guesses who that was?) that they are more than casually connected to the group.

We Americans are starting to become sensitized to the ill-effects lobbyists have in this country, extending their agenda onto our 'servants.' But we rarely discuss the singular foreign lobby who seems to be replete with spies, and other less than savory types, given carte blanche in our government halls.

Isn't Tony Blair the UK's Middle East Ambassador?

Or am I mistaken.

If he is, it strikes me as a shocking conflict of interest, surely he should be pro-peace, not pro-Israel or pro-Arab.

How would you feel if you were an Arab Leader seeing that!?

Very odd, if he's still in that role!



[edit on 25-2-2010 by kiwifoot]

Originally posted by Maxmars
We Americans are starting to become sensitized to the ill-effects lobbyists have in this country, extending their agenda onto our 'servants.' But we rarely discuss the singular foreign lobby who seems to be replete with spies, and other less than savory types, given carte blanche in our government halls.

In Israel, they even called a town square in Jerusalem after Jonathan Pollard, the notorious spy whom transfered classified US documents to Israel.


[edit on 25-2-2010 by Mdv2]

"The Israel Lobby" is a must see for anyone interested in the Israel/ME conflict. It's produced by a dutch tv show (to my knowledge) and was a real eye opener for me. Rumor has it, you cannot be US president without pledging allegiance to Israel at AIPEC.
Then when Joe Biden says: "You don't have to be a Jew to be a Zionist" the hugs and laughs follow, but lo and behold if we utter a critique against Zionism the ADL or Israeli's blog army will jump on your throat with accusations of anti-semitism.

The hypocrisy in this whole debacle is sickening, not to mention the eerie similarities between the Holocaust and the way the Palestinians are treated, or were massacred in the Gaza War last year, sponsored by AIPEC and your tax dollars.

Obama Approves $30 Billion in Military Aid to Israel Over Next Decade ...(while the US economy is in the crapper and unemployment and budget cuts rise.)

Originally posted by Conspiracy Pianist
"The Israel Lobby" is a must see for anyone interested in the Israel/ME conflict. It's produced by a dutch tv show (to my knowledge) and was a real eye opener for me.

I've posted it various times on ATS and I'll continue to do so as this is clearly quality journalism that I don't think you'd see on American TV. In fact, a documentary on the dark side of AIPAC would be filtered out by the Israel lobby and never allowed to be aired anyway.

In the documentary, at 12:00 min - the former congressman perfectly exemplifies how the Israeli lobby works. Earl Hilliard, congressman of Alabama, attempted to restore diplomatic relations with Libya. As soon as the Israel lobby figured out, they started funding his pro-Israel opponent with a donation of $300,000 for his election campaign. It shows how politicians acting in the interest of the US instead of in the interest of Israel, are silenced. From the bottom to the top

It surprises met that there is a lack of interest in this topic. Personally, I would be outrageous if my government would act in the interest of another country, rather than in its own.






[edit on 26-2-2010 by Mdv2]

AIPAC Decides Next Week If California Senate Candidate Passes Muster on Israel

The lobby that supposedly doesn't exist is being called in to determine if a GOP candidate for the US Senate, Tom Campbell, is sufficiently devoted to Israel's interests.

Those who reject the idea that the lobby is the 800 pound gorilla in American politics will say this is normal. I suppose it would be if the French, Italians and Japanese were able to throw this kind of weight around and get away with it. But they don't and can't.

George Washington, who warned in his farewell address against Americans holding "unnatural connections to foreign powers" is not pleased. As for Madison, don't even ask!

source

This story does illustrate my last post on this thread very well. Israel has so much influence through AIPAC on the US foreign policy because it is heavily involved in recruiting and financially supporting pro-Israel politicians.

George Washington would indeed not be pleased about this indeed. Is America still a sovereign power?

What I find SICKENING about this whole charade.

A foreign entity has MORE power in MY frelling government, THAN I DO.

THAT IS ALL THAT NEEDS TO BE SAID!

A Dispatches documentary here in the UK revealed how powerfull the Israel lobby is here in British politics.
By far the largest and most powerfull Lobby group, with Britich MPs making more trips to Israel than the rest of the world combined.

Originally posted by Mdv2

In Israel, they even called a town square in Jerusalem after Jonathan Pollard, the notorious spy whom transfered classified US documents to Israel.

....who then passed on those classified secrets to Russia.

AIPAC also buys influence via all the "campaign donations" it gives out to the politicians for support. That is why so many of the political elite attend the AIPAC event every year, they need to be seen offering their full unquestioning support, in return for the cheque in the post!

Originally posted by woodwardjnr
A Dispatches documentary here in the UK revealed how powerfull the Israel lobby is here in British politics.
By far the largest and most powerfull Lobby group, with Britich MPs making more trips to Israel than the rest of the world combined.

I'm sure that's not true, given the amount of trips US political hacks make to the promised land.
I'm sure we are still second best in that respect.

I've got to be honest here. Just the thread title alone made me facepalm.

This is truly disgusting.

Those vatican jesuit knights of malta! AH! Curse them for disguising their activities behind aipac! ARGH!

AIPAC Blasts Obama Administration

It's a standard AIPAC statement. Except this one is blasting the United States and not the Arabs. Not a word criticizing Israel, not a word supporting the President or the US government. It's an incredible document.

This is the lobbying position AIPAC will be selling to Congress. It will be urging super pro-AIPAC legislators like DCCC chair Chris Van Hollen, Anthony Wiener, Alan Grayson, Howard Berman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Steny Hoyer etc to sign on to this statement as they have always backed Israel in the past (see Gaza war). Same with Boxer, Schumer, and others who never deviate from he AIPAC line. Donors will be calling.

AIPAC statements on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict always describe a crisis and then explain how it was caused by the Muslims (Arabs, Palestinians, Turks, whatever) and then offers a remedy. The remedy: do whatever Israel wants.

source

So that you know: don't dear to criticize Israel, mr President.

This comes only after AIPAC last week demanded that the US would ratify tougher sanctions on Iran. Whether that is in America's interest or not doesn't matter at all.

NEW YORK (JTA) -- The American Israel Public Affairs Committee is calling on the U.S. Congress to take several immediate steps in response to a New York Times report revealing that the federal government has awarded more than $107 billion in grants, contracts and other benefits to foreign and multinational U.S. companies conducting business in Iran.

In a rare move, the pro-Israel lobby has sent a sharply worded letter to every member of Congress calling for an investigation into why three successive administrations have failed under existing law to determine what companies have invested in the Iranian energy sector.

The letter demands that the U.S. government "enforce existing sanctions law and impose crippling new sanctions on Iran," including legislation before Congress that "contains provisions barring federal contracts to companies which are investing in Iran's energy sector or providing sensitive technology, and their parents or subsidiaries who are engaged in such activity."

With two thirds visiting the conference, that shouldn't be a problem to get passed.

source

The following snippets are from an article written by a Dutch US correspondent, written for a renowned local newspaper. I posted my translated version here on ATS the other day, which was removed as it didn't fulfill the requirements for a whole new thread. The reason being that I translated it myself and hence, ATS cannot guarantee its quality. Therefore, I have posted a couple of snippets on this thread as supplemental information for those interested.

Pro-Israel lobby threatens Obama's health care plan:

It was "unheard of" and "disloyal shocking," said Steven Clemons. He tells that a colleague of Donald Rumsfeld, David Schenker, now working for the Israel lobby, yesterday during a debate on the Middle East said that "there is a connection between the American-Israeli relations deteriorated and whether the health care reforms will pass congress. Thus he suggested that congressmen would withdraw support for the health care plan - the decisive vote is expected later this week - to punish the government for the deteriorating relationship with Israel.

Clemons, foreign specialist of the moderate New America Foundation and author of The Washington Note, one of the best blogs on foreign policy in the U.S. capital, was gutted. "This is something people say behind the scenes. And maybe it is so, "says Clemons. "But if people openly say it indicates that something is very wrong in the relationship."

AIPAC is by far the richest and most influential pro-Israeli lobby group in the U.S., closely allied with Likud, while a large majority of the Jewish community in 2008 in voted for Obama.

Recently, even J Street, a moderate Jewish lobby group that "less money and power but has broken the monopoly of AIPAC''said Clemons.

The fact remains that the Israel lobby continues to use its influence, as evidenced by the story of Donna Edwards. A talented African-American social worker from Maryland and was elected into congress for the Democrats in 2008.

But since she denied support for a motion last summer which confirmed Israel's right to self defense, her political career is in jeopardy.

Several Jewish organizations immediately expressed their dissatisfaction. And as in the past was more frequent with politicians like her, she will face a counter-candidate during the mid-term elections, her opponent, Herman Taylor, said last year in the news Politico that he has "many friends in the Jewish community".

Thus, Edwards suddenly needs to pull all the stops to retain her seat. "Very undeserved," said Art Brodsky activist and supporter. He convened a donors' meeting this weekend for her. He is Jewish. AIPAC makes the most noise, he says, AIPAC has the most money. "But they do not speak on my behalf. They speak for only a small part of the Jewish community. "

source

Should you be interested to read it in English, you'll have to use for instance Google Translate. Simply paste the link of the article that can be found hereunder onto Google Translate

U.S. Congressional lawmakers have flooded the White House and the media with letters and news releases complaining about the Obama administration’s unprecedented scolding of Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. This, following an Israeli announcement last week that a routine housing project was proceeding apace in eastern Jerusalem.

source

[edit on 21-3-2010 by Mdv2]

Shouldn't come as a surprise to people, you should read The Israel lobby and US foreign policy. Obviously goes into much more detail than a video can. The thing is, that while the media rarely reports or attacks the abomination known as AIPAC, actual members have no problem in flaunting how much power they have over congress, media etc I have heard Martin Indyk say on quite a few occasions that AIPAC is a very powerful and well funded lobby that has an effect on many aspects of US policy. He even says that such groups are vital in regards to how the US government operates and that such groups should not be held in a negative light.


[edit on 21-3-2010 by Solomons]

Christ...Tony "Ive earnt 20.000.000 since i was prime minister and have lucrative deals with oil companies that i want kept secret because its my share of the paek oil pie" Blair now goes and gives talks to AIPAC...

Just a chat between old friends then...

reply to post by andy1972


Absolutley...he was working for the Israeli agenda when he was UK PM...Why break the habit of a lifetime?

You know what?They can keep him for all I care...If they actually like and respect TB enough to have him as the keynote speaker at AIPAC-That says a helluva lot about them IMO.