Tom the Exterminator on the Middle East

[Nathan Newman]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Naji Dahi" <n.dahi12 at gte.net>
>Lobbying does not only involve money. As I stated multiple times the power
>of AIPAC stems from:
>1. Its ability to raise money on behalf of pro-Israel candidates.
>2. Its ability to strike a strategic alliance with Christian cons groups who
>see in the sustaining of Israel as a step before the coming of Christ.
>The Arab lobby is very weak by comparison. First, there is no such thing as
>an Arab cohesive interest.

Fine- but then the whole ominous Israeli lobby argument boils down to the
idea that pro-Israeli forces have been better organizers than their
counterparts, which I have no dispute over.  They have built alliances with
numerically larger groups like fundamentalists and avoided infighting.

Which is usually true of any issue which wins in Congress, so by definition,
a pro-Israeli policy indicates smart organizing by its advocates.

At the end of the day, if the "Israeli lobby" boils down to saying that they
are good organizers, I don't know what is gained by even discussing its
existence.

-- Nathan Newman