Does the American Israel Public Affairs Committee,  AIPAC have a stranglehold on Mid. East policy and debate?
475638
Israel has the same Committees in EU countries also. They have the real power of diplomacy in the world. You could see it from how leaders of the west countries respond againest anything that may threat Israel benefits.\nhttp://www.counterpunch.org/fisk04272006.html
377119
Doubtful, the most likely aggressor will be the Isaelis. Since Sharon was incapacitated, they've been more or less leaderless since January of this year. Now that they've taken some action to get a new leader, i'm sure they'll be making some kind of decision. The US response most likely will be in defense of the Israelis. \n\nThe only wild card is Pres. Bush, he doesn't have an election to worry about and probably wants to leave a legacy: "the person who had the courage" to make the decision to stop Iran's quest for a nuclear weapon, even if it meant using a tactical nuke on some of the hardened facilities such as the nuclear enrichment plant at Natanz.\n\nPres. Bush's generals appear to have recommended against a military response, and may resign over the whole issue, if the Commander-in-Chief decides to proceed anyway.\n\nA US attack will lead to fearful consequences, but on the other hand, do we let a megolomaniac get control of a nuclear device? Hard questions to answer.
322678
Probably not. The US is currently involved in both Iraq and Afghanistan, plus the cost of attacking Iran could prove to be very, very high. I imagine the Israelis will take out the Iranian nuclear capabilities at some point, should the US not intervene.
1020016
This is a very good question and plummets to the heart of the matter. \n\nStates have borders. Israel's borders are in dispute. There have been numerous UN Resolutions calling for Israel to release the lands it has seized illegally. These resolutions haven't been enforced!\nThe Economist magazine recently had an excellent map of the lands Israel has illegally occupied since the 1967 War. It's astonishing Israel is getting away with stealing soooo much land.\n\nRemember, all Saddam Hussein tried to do was get Iraqi land (namely, Kuwait) back that was taken by imperial British map-makers (who had a new fleet of oil-powered ships that needed cheap oil).\n\nHypocrisy run amok in foreign policy is what it is. I think that's a reason why the terrorists are angry.
978320
Thank you for sharing. Unfortunately some people cling to their ideas no matter how much truth is thrown at them. Do not worry, not all Americans feel that Israel is the innocent in all this. Some of us do recognize Israel as being in the wrong and the major aggressor in that region.
930600
http://www.aipac.org/
5320
You can find an article "U.S. Foreign Policy Objectives and Priorities in the Middle East and the Rest of the Globe" on US Foreign Press Center website >> http://fpc.state.gov/fpc/21564.htm. Going through this article you will get an idea.\n\n>>> Naveen Kumar
259411
I think the governments of the West have made it very clear what the barrier is.  Hamas was renounce terrorism and its call for the destruction of Israel.  I think you call it a "Jew lobby" in our senate, but it's not because it's a Jewish state or Israel, it's because Hamas is calling for the destruction of another country.  That does not ever sit well with the United States.  If Hamas will renounce its former violence and become a legitimate POLITICAL party that will seek change through PEACEFUL and POLITICAL methods, then it will be recognized by the West as a legitimate government.  It will finally get the recognition by the world that it has craved.   Surely the leaders of Hamas are intelligent enough to see that.  Your prophet Mohammed, peace be upon him, taught peace, not violence.  I see the election of Hamas in Palestine to be a golden opportunity for the leadership of Hamas.  I hope they do not do anything foolish that would ruin their chances of establishing a legitimate government.
735660
Right now Hezbollah is being directed by it's mentor, Syria to destabilize the Lebanese government, who they believe is sponsored by the US.  Hezbollah has made some serious threats against this government, and it certainly is in know bodies best interest, particularly Israel, to let this happen.\n\nNow, this is the same Syria that some dumb sh it in American politics has suggested we ask to help find a solution to the Iraq problem.  Also, this is the same Syria the is keeping Hezbollah, and the Islamist jihad equipped with arms, ammunition and jihadists to keep up the fight.  This is also the same Syria that is demanding a timetable from the US regarding it's troop withdrawal from Iraq.\n\nAre we totally out of our minds, that we would do anything to trust these dirt bags?  Has our whole damn political system fallen apart?  Is this an example of how the democrats operate?   Damn, now I'm really worried!
928999
It is simple. Since early 1950s US strategic planners realised that whoever controls Middle East has substancial power in the world,because of all the oil in the region. They suggested that Israel might offer the US means to gain strategic advantage in the MidEast. Since that time many things happened that proved this to be correct. For example, alot of Gulf states were trying to gain independence.. Israel was recognised as the state that can be used to relieve the situation in the area..also if that failed, use israel as a military base to control surrounding territories. \n\nIn Essence, thats what happened, Since it's establishment, it has received over $100 billion direct aid from the US, by far the most then any other country in the world. Alot of that money is spent directly to buy US weapons. Right now, Israel posses WMD, nuclear weapons, most advanced and biggest fleet of bomber planes in the world (2nd only to US). Other then US, it has the biggest military strengh in NATO. Israel has become , in effect, an off shore US military base.
517522
Probably no other sane person.\nAIPAC controls the USA's money. Thats a fact.\n\n "The Israelis control the policy in the congress and the senate."\n\n-- Senator Fullbright, Chair of Senate Foreign Relations Committee:  10/07/1973 on CBS' "Face the Nation". \n\n\n\n "I am aware how almost impossible it is in this country to carry out a foreign policy [in the Middle East] not approved by the Jews..... terrific control the Jews have over the news media and the barrage the Jews have built up on congressmen .... I am very much concerned over the fact that the Jewish influence here is completely dominating the scene and making it almost impossible to get congress to do anything they don't approve of. The Israeli embassy is practically dictating to the congress through influential Jewish people in the country"  \n\n-----Sec. of State John Foster Dulles  quoted on p.99 of Fallen Pillars by Donald Neff \n\n\n\nPeres  warned Sharon that refusing to heed incessant American requests for a cease-fire with the Palestinians would endanger Israeli interests and "turn the US against us.  "Sharon reportedly yelled at Peres, saying "don't worry about American pressure, we the Jewish people control America."
646786
Israel has been trying to "mend fences" (no relation to the current security fence being built between Israel and the disputed territories) for many years but unfortunately does not have a partner for peace with the Palestinians. The USA is Israel's only ally because like Israel, the US is: \n- a democratic state.\n- a state that has been attacked by terrorism.\n- a leader in medical and scientific research.\n- a state where the people value freedom, capitalism and equal rights for women.\n\nIran's comment are nothing more that propaganda. If there is any justice in this world (and the UN) then the world will never allow Iran (a rogue state) to acquire weapons of mass destruction.
1027651
The US supporst Israel for the sole and simple reason that it is a highly strategic position in the middle east and one that needs our help.  Its a case of "you sratch my back and I scratch yours" right?  Yes we did in fact embargo S. Africa, however, S. Africa is a highly divided nation whose sides are more than willing to accept help from anyone (and believe me, America has its hand there too).  S. Africa offers no political or military advantage.  What America does there is purely arbitrary.  They have some diamonds and a little oil, but so does Russia.  So, that's why.  Political science is kinda my thing
149115
Consider foremost the common values that bind the US with the Middle East's only democracy, then the strategic value to the US of a strong Israel.\n\nAmerican aid to Israel was minimal until after the Six Day War, and only took off after Israel saved US ally Jordan from a PLO-Syrian invasion in 1970. The 1979 Camp David Accords, which secured peace between Israel and Egypt, mandated increased aid to Israel to compensate in part for Israel's return of the Sinai and the resulting loss of strategic depth, air bases, training grounds and oil fields. Israel's prescient destruction of Iraq's nuclear program in 1981 stopped Saddam Hussein from having nuclear weapons when he invaded Kuwait nine years later - nuclear weapons he could have used against US troops during the the first Gulf War.
554263
Get it through your heads.  Israel has controlled American policy since 1948.  It's the "New World Order".
961126
Interesting. I liked the whole comment about having a lack of tension. I may be wrong, but I think the guy's from Iran. Don't they kind of have a habit of ignoring the international community and causing just a wee bit of tension on the rest of the PLANET? Besides, he underestimates the intellect of the American people; we are perfectly used to political rhetoric trying to play our emotions off of current events so that we form a favorable opinion to their cause(in this case namely "destroying the Zionist Jews") I hope he doesn't plan his reelection on it. Oh ya, if he gets thrown out, he'll just kill who he has to in order to get back.
1064395
Giving Palestine to the Jews after WW2, was a mistake, hasn't worked out, and should be recognised as such.\n\nThe policy of the USA leaders isn't helping matters, without their support peace will never be possible.\n\nWe need a revolution in the USA first before anything else can happen\nHopefully with the increasing national debt, dependency on and shortage of oil, and the worsening living standards of poor Americans ,the revolution wont be far off