Israeli lobby

[Seth Ackerman]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Kromm" <ckromm at mindspring.com>
To: <lbo-talk at lists.panix.com>
Sent: Monday, March 03, 2003 11:16 PM
Subject: Israeli lobby


One doesn't have to search too hard to find out why the U.S. supports
Israel. Senator Jesse Helms, Foreign Relations Committee Chairman from 1995
to 2001, put it succinctly in the Middle East Quarterly in 1995: "Israel is
at least the equivalent of a U.S. aircraft carrier in the Middle East.
Without Israel promoting its and America's common interests, we would be
badly off indeed."

You can argue about the end result, but the motivation is pretty
straightforward. Don't make this harder than it is.

That being said, I think it's equally undeniable that AIPAC money can be
decisive in specific political races and/or affect voting records in certain
areas. AIPAC's successful targeting of Reps. Hilliard and McKinney were
warning shots to all who question Israeli aggression.

---

I've never understood this quote. The US has several actual aircraft
carriers in the Middle East. Why would it need the equivalent of one?

Seth