I would think that the crude (in a literal, and not derogotory sense) formulation, "Israel is an extension of the United States" would answer Dougs' comment in the affirmative, in a sense similiar to, "the U.S. ruling class is in love with Texas, California and Hawaii for its own imperial reasons", or at least that would have been crystal clear in the 1840's and 1880's for the Hawaiians and Mexicans. Or for Arabs today, who clearly need a good dose of "Americanization", whether they like it or not, according to the dominant ideological trend (overwhelmingly dominant, I would say) within that ruling class.
But American Zionist - and we must insist upon this explicitly _political_ label - left apologetics, interference, disruptions, etc. have certainly been a persistent problem for _us in the left_ here. Granted, driving the copperheads away - remember Copperheads from your U.S. History classes? - from within the left won't solve the larger problem of the excess of American Likudist [a Zionist subset beyond the left] influence and even command over the current US political regime. But it sure doesn't help us fight this low grade civil war. That's what it feels like to me, as Likudism and its Christian allies has simply declared unlimited war on _us_, don't forget, have no illusions! Look at the difference between the ruling class reaction to the Israel boycott movement, versus the anti-apartheid movement in the 1980's, it's like day and night. We can't fight with left apologists stabbing us in the back every step of the way. If we can't clean up our own house, what chance do we have beyond the left? None! Might as well pack it up and go home.
Brad Mayer wrote:
> "For many years Israel has also been the largest recepient of
>military aid.
>It leads the 2003 appropriations with $2.2 billion. Egypt comes second with
>$1.3 billion, though some of it is now on hold for human rights violations[!].
>[Guess who] Jordan comes next, with almost $200 million [most useful for
>repressing their own population under the U.S.- Hashimite
>dictatorship - that's
>what it is!], and then Colombia [no doubt Israel will start messing
>there, as it
>did in Guatamala], with $100 million. All but Israel have to
>purchase U.S. arms
>exclusively - Israel only having to spend 75% of the aid on U.S. arms. Also
>uniquely, Israel can go straight to U.S. arms suppliers. None of
>its purchases
>are first vetted by the U.S. Department of Defense. It is as if
>Israel was part
>of the United States!" [pgs 53-54]
>
>Omygosh, call out the fallacy police! But we can see why Zionism insists on
>planting its nest of vipers within the American left.
Is that really the problem? Or is it that the American ruling class is in love with Israel for its own imperial reasons?
Doug
-- /**********************************************************************/ Brad Mayer