Michael Neumann writes: "Why then does America support Israel? There is the pro-Israel lobby, I guess, and (a distinct factor) the support of ordinary American Jews for Israeli policies. More important may be the enormous prestige of Jews and Jewish culture in American life. But most important of all is probably a force never to be underestimated--plain old inertia. America supports Israel because it once had a reason to do so, or thought it did, and because it has done so in the past. Intellectuals may feel cheated by such banal explanations, but offer no viable alternatives. Whatever the reasons for American support, US interests aren't among them" (@ <http://www.counterpunch.org/neumann0820.html>). Whether or not you agree with his main explanation -- that the US government supports Israel out of inertia and stupidity, against "American interests," including the interests of American capitalists and oil companies, not to mention the interests of ordinary Americans -- he is not saying that the "Jews run everything." If you find his explanation unsatisfactory, you need to offer your own that better explains US support for Israel. You might start by deconstructing ideas that there are such things as "national interests" and that the Empire has ever served the "interests" of the nation that carries the "white man's burden." -- Yoshie
* Calendar of Events in Columbus: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/calendar.html> * Anti-War Activist Resources: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/activist.html> * Student International Forum: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/> * Committee for Justice in Palestine: <http://www.osu.edu/students/CJP/>