This article about a speech by Jimmy Carter on June 19 contains one paragraph which is definitely NOT by Carter, and which is an outrageous editorial effort to contradict the point Carter is making. I’ve marked that paragraph and commented there.
Carter blasts US policy on Palestinians
By SHAWN POGATCHNIK
ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
-----------------------------------
‘DUBLIN, Ireland -- Former President Jimmy Carter accused the U.S., Israel and
the European Union on Tuesday of seeking to divide the Palestinian people by
reopening aid to President Mahmoud Abbas' new government in the West Bank while
denying the same to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.
‘Carter, a Nobel Peace Prize winner who was addressing a human rights conference
in Ireland, also said the Bush administration's refusal to accept Hamas' 2006
election victory was "criminal." Hamas, besides winning a fair and democratic mandate that should have entitled it to lead the Palestinian government, had proven itself to be far more organized in its political and military showdowns with Abbas' corrupt Fatah movement.
‘Carter said the consensus of the U.S., Israel and the EU to start funneling aid
to Abbas' new government in the West Bank but continue blocking Hamas in the
Gaza Strip represented an "effort to divide Palestinians into two peoples."
‘****In the latest crisis, the U.S., Israel and much of the West have been trying to
shore up Abbas in hopes that the West Bank can be made into a democratic example
that would bring along Gaza.****’ (MY COMMENT: What the hell is this supposed to mean? The West Bank “a democratic example”? Hamas candidates, not the Fatah rebels who now control the West Bank, were elected to run the government. The Hamas government is the result of democracy and puts democracy into practice. Due to US and Israeli interference Hamas retains its rightful power only in Gaza. The West Bank is presently the world’s most conspicuous example of anti-democracy in action.)
‘Far from encouraging Hamas' move into parliamentary politics, Carter said the
U.S. and Israel, with European Union acquiescence, sought to subvert the outcome
by shunning Hamas and helping Abbas to keep the reins of political and military
power.
‘"That action was criminal," he said in a news conference after his speech.
‘"The United States and Israel decided to punish all the people in Palestine and
did everything they could to deter a compromise between Hamas and Fatah," he
said.
‘Carter said the U.S. and others supplied the Fatah-controlled security forces in
Gaza with vastly superior weaponry in hopes they would "conquer Hamas in Gaza" -
but Hamas routed Fatah in the fighting last week because of its "superior skills
and discipline."’
Showing posts with label Carter. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Carter. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Sunday, June 10, 2007
Why Can't the Tail Deliver the Dog? Also, a Joe Lieberman note.
JIMMY CARTER'S IMPRESSIVE REMARK
I’ve been reading Jimmy Carter’s book, “Palestine Peace Not Apartheid”, and one of his comments on his many personal conversations with Arab and Israeli leaders stands out above all others. Carter is writing about the Saudi Arabian viewpoint in the context of U.S. failure to cause Israel to comply with various peace-making agreements in which Israel has made promises and then broken them, as well as to cause Israel to comply with numerous United Nations resolutions.
Carter wrote:
“I might add that the Saudis and many others greatly overestimate the influence of the United States, and they never understand why we cannot ‘deliver’ our own friends [i.e., the Israelis] in the Middle East when it suits our purposes.”
That sentence speaks loudly about who has the controlling hand in the U.S./Israel axis. I’ve repeatedly written in this blog about the Israel Lobby’s dominant and destructive influence on U.S. policies. Some have disagreed, arguing that Israel is a chess piece in a U.S. plan for domination of the Middle East. Historically, there may be truth in the idea that Zionism was used by “Western nations” to serve their own purposes, but today it is quite clear who holds the leash that leads the obedient American mastiff. Israeli leaders have openly boasted for years that they can bring U.S. politicians to heel whenever they please.
It is fascinating that Carter says that others “greatly overestimate” the influence of the United States on a tiny state which the Americans made possible, which the U.S. keeps alive and stronger militarily than its neighbors through massive financing and armaments, and whose foreign policy aims are dutifully supported and echoed by the U.S. in the U.N. and elsewhere. Any reasonable person would think that the United States of America would be, in power relative to Israel, the organ grinder in relation to his little monkey, and not the other way around.
I recommend Jimmy Carter’s book because of its sincerity and the unique first-hand personal experiences recounted there, even though from my point of view it is far too accepting of Israel.
JOE LIEBERMAN'S WARMONGERING
As I was writing this, I read for the first time of Senator Joe Lieberman’s loud call for the United States to bomb Iran – which, if done, would fulfill one of Israel’s most fervently expressed wishes. This is an excellent example of how the Zionist tail wags the American dog. Senator Lieberman is strictly religious Jew with open loyalty to Israel, “one of the Senate's most consistent supporters of Israel, and an advocate of the Iraq War.” (Wikipedia.) His wife is named Hadassah after "Hadassah", the Women's Zionist Organization of America, founded in 1912. Zionism, in case anyone doesn’t know, is the Jewish movement which resulted in the creation of Israel in Palestine and which continues to promote Israel's interests. Need I say more?
I’ve been reading Jimmy Carter’s book, “Palestine Peace Not Apartheid”, and one of his comments on his many personal conversations with Arab and Israeli leaders stands out above all others. Carter is writing about the Saudi Arabian viewpoint in the context of U.S. failure to cause Israel to comply with various peace-making agreements in which Israel has made promises and then broken them, as well as to cause Israel to comply with numerous United Nations resolutions.
Carter wrote:
“I might add that the Saudis and many others greatly overestimate the influence of the United States, and they never understand why we cannot ‘deliver’ our own friends [i.e., the Israelis] in the Middle East when it suits our purposes.”
That sentence speaks loudly about who has the controlling hand in the U.S./Israel axis. I’ve repeatedly written in this blog about the Israel Lobby’s dominant and destructive influence on U.S. policies. Some have disagreed, arguing that Israel is a chess piece in a U.S. plan for domination of the Middle East. Historically, there may be truth in the idea that Zionism was used by “Western nations” to serve their own purposes, but today it is quite clear who holds the leash that leads the obedient American mastiff. Israeli leaders have openly boasted for years that they can bring U.S. politicians to heel whenever they please.
It is fascinating that Carter says that others “greatly overestimate” the influence of the United States on a tiny state which the Americans made possible, which the U.S. keeps alive and stronger militarily than its neighbors through massive financing and armaments, and whose foreign policy aims are dutifully supported and echoed by the U.S. in the U.N. and elsewhere. Any reasonable person would think that the United States of America would be, in power relative to Israel, the organ grinder in relation to his little monkey, and not the other way around.
I recommend Jimmy Carter’s book because of its sincerity and the unique first-hand personal experiences recounted there, even though from my point of view it is far too accepting of Israel.
JOE LIEBERMAN'S WARMONGERING
As I was writing this, I read for the first time of Senator Joe Lieberman’s loud call for the United States to bomb Iran – which, if done, would fulfill one of Israel’s most fervently expressed wishes. This is an excellent example of how the Zionist tail wags the American dog. Senator Lieberman is strictly religious Jew with open loyalty to Israel, “one of the Senate's most consistent supporters of Israel, and an advocate of the Iraq War.” (Wikipedia.) His wife is named Hadassah after "Hadassah", the Women's Zionist Organization of America, founded in 1912. Zionism, in case anyone doesn’t know, is the Jewish movement which resulted in the creation of Israel in Palestine and which continues to promote Israel's interests. Need I say more?
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Jimmy Carter vs. The Dershowitz Traveling Medicine Show
In case anyone else is interested, here is the latest update -- from Brandeis University itself -- on former president Jimmy Carter’s speech this afternoon and the intrusion of Zionist apologist Alan Dershowitz:
“Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz has accepted an invitation to appear at Brandeis Jan. 23 from the Student and Faculty Committee to Bring Alan Dershowitz to Brandeis.
“After the completion of President Jimmy Carter's 4:30 p.m. program in the Shapiro Gymnasium, Mr. Dershowitz will respond to President Carter's remarks about his book "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid" and the situation in the Middle East.
“The Dershowitz program is expected to begin at 6:45 p.m., but may start later if the Carter event, which immediately precedes Professor Dershowitz's talk, runs long.
“Attendees may not enter the hall until the Carter event has concluded and the presidential party has departed.
“Signs and banners will not be permitted inside the Shapiro Gymnasium. A demonstration area has been established across the street from the Gosman Center.
“Watch the live remote broadcast
The event will be streamed live on the Internet, making it possible to watch via computer. On the afternoon of Jan. 23, point your browser to http://go.brandeis.edu/live. “
-----
I (and who knows how many thousands of other people) have received a form email from Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, asking for ideas to include in his response to the State of the Union speech tonight. Guess what subject I suggested. I wrote:
“It is time that we stop pussyfooting around the fact that Israel and its supporters in the U.S. are the cause of the disastrous war in Iraq -- and the cause of a future attack on Iran if such an attack cannot be stopped. Senator Webb, I think you are a brave enough man to speak out and say that we cannot continue to sacrifice American interests and lives for the sake of Israel's perception of its security requirements. Except for the pressures of the Israel Lobby, we have absolutely no reason to support and arm Israel, and no reason for belligerence toward Iran.”
No, friends, I don't think he'll actually read it. It may not even get into an intern's statistical summary.
“Harvard law professor Alan Dershowitz has accepted an invitation to appear at Brandeis Jan. 23 from the Student and Faculty Committee to Bring Alan Dershowitz to Brandeis.
“After the completion of President Jimmy Carter's 4:30 p.m. program in the Shapiro Gymnasium, Mr. Dershowitz will respond to President Carter's remarks about his book "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid" and the situation in the Middle East.
“The Dershowitz program is expected to begin at 6:45 p.m., but may start later if the Carter event, which immediately precedes Professor Dershowitz's talk, runs long.
“Attendees may not enter the hall until the Carter event has concluded and the presidential party has departed.
“Signs and banners will not be permitted inside the Shapiro Gymnasium. A demonstration area has been established across the street from the Gosman Center.
“Watch the live remote broadcast
The event will be streamed live on the Internet, making it possible to watch via computer. On the afternoon of Jan. 23, point your browser to http://go.brandeis.edu/live. “
-----
I (and who knows how many thousands of other people) have received a form email from Senator Jim Webb of Virginia, asking for ideas to include in his response to the State of the Union speech tonight. Guess what subject I suggested. I wrote:
“It is time that we stop pussyfooting around the fact that Israel and its supporters in the U.S. are the cause of the disastrous war in Iraq -- and the cause of a future attack on Iran if such an attack cannot be stopped. Senator Webb, I think you are a brave enough man to speak out and say that we cannot continue to sacrifice American interests and lives for the sake of Israel's perception of its security requirements. Except for the pressures of the Israel Lobby, we have absolutely no reason to support and arm Israel, and no reason for belligerence toward Iran.”
No, friends, I don't think he'll actually read it. It may not even get into an intern's statistical summary.
Saturday, January 13, 2007
Another Gap in the News? President Jimmy Carter's Book
There is a story of which I became aware two days ago, thanks to my friend Victor, even though its raison d’etre dates back to November of last year: The furor created by the pro-Israel faction over a book by former president Jimmy Carter, "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid" .
Either there is something really lacking in my daily survey of the news, or this is another one of those significant stories which is not-so-mysteriously missing from widespread reporting in the U.S.A.
Because the book was apparently published in November of last year, and scarcely got its beak out of the shell before it was blasted with the equivalent of the Israeli air assault on Lebanon, I think it is curious that very few Americans have been made aware of it by our zealous guardians of an “informed public”. Obviously they do not want us thinking about the criticisms of Israel which are in the book. This is the silent treatment I mentioned in a recent post.
Did I miss this news just because I don’t read enough news? Did I overlook what everybody else has seen? Possibly, but I doubt it. I have no intention of devoting my life to the depressing and uninstructive perusal of “the daily news”, but I do watch some television news programming each night, and I look more than once a day at all the headlines of major news services (e.g. AP, New York Times, Reuters, MSNBC, USAToday) so that I can read in depth about anything that interests me. I also go to Google News, which is the only news source where I’ve found a Carter book story, and which generally offers a wider spectrum of coverage than other news services.
So, thanks to Vic, I have learned belatedly that a “controversy” over President Carter’s book has presumably been going on for months, the latest development being resignations by members of a Carter Center advisory board.
The news story is ”Carter Center Resignations” .
“The resignations, announced Thursday, are the latest in a backlash against Carter's book ‘Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid,’ which has drawn fire from Jewish groups, been attacked by fellow Democrats and led to the resignation last month of Kenneth Stein, a Carter Center fellow and a longtime Carter adviser. . . . Steve Berman, an Atlanta real estate developer among those who resigned, said members have ‘watched with great dismay’ as Carter defended the book, especially as he implied that Americans might be afraid to discuss the conflict in fear of a powerful Jewish lobby. . . . Berman said the religious affiliation of the resigning members, which include some prominent Jewish leaders in the Atlanta area, did not influence their decision. “
I want to repeat one thing for emphasis, in view of a recent discussion on this blog: “. . . especially as he implied that Americans might be afraid to discuss the conflict in fear of a powerful Jewish lobby.”
My curiosity aroused by Berman’s last statement, I found a list of the people who resigned.
“The following have announced their resignation from the Board of Councilors:
1. Alan R. Abrams, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Servidyne, Inc2.
2. Steve Berman, managing partner, OA Development, an Atlanta based real estate developer company.
3. Michael Coles, chairman of Minneapolis-based Caribou Coffee Co.
4. Doug Hertz, president & CEO, United Distributors.
5. Jonathan Golden, Partner and Chairman, Arnall, Golden, Gregory LLP, an Atlanta law firm.
6. Barbara Babbit Kaufman, author; formerly of Chapter 11 Books as its founder.
7. Liane Levetan, former state senator and DeKalb CEO.
8. Jeff Levy, Chairman and CEO of Atlanta-based PrDigital Media and its parent company, Biltmore Communications9. Leon Novak, principal, The Trilogy Group, a full-service provider of commercial real estate services based in Atlanta.
9. Gail Solomon, Georgia Dome executive services manager.
10. Cathey Steinberg, Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Fund, former state Consumers' Insurance Advocate and former state Senator.
11. Steve Selig, President and Chairman of the Board of Selig Enterprises.
12. William B. Schwartz, Jr. was the U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas from 1977-1981 during the Carter Administration.
13. William B. Schwartz III, formerly senior wealth management professional at Offitbank, an arm of Wachovia.”
Regardless of what Berman said, there is a lack of ethnic/religious diversity in the list. To me the fact that so many Jewish people would resign en masse illustrates a “one issue” mentality (which I’ll be writing about at another time) focused on what is perceived as good or not good for Jews as a group – one issue which dwarfs all other issues. It also probably illustrates the power of big organized Jewish groups like the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith to pressure individuals who might otherwise not have thought of resigning.
If by now you are wondering what President Carter wrote, join me. I haven’t seen the book yet, and Googling President Carter and his book’s title lands you waist-deep in a flood of pro-Israel, ad hominem, diatribes which are not keen to let us know about the former president’s assertions. As always in such cases, a debate on facts is avoided, and the spears are thrown at the individual who wrote down the facts.
The hard-to-find articles are the ones favorable to President Carter. Here are a few with favorable views:
>Berkeley
Antiwar
>The Nation
Zmag
Here is another article, fairly balanced, but the comments are a free-for-all!
Either there is something really lacking in my daily survey of the news, or this is another one of those significant stories which is not-so-mysteriously missing from widespread reporting in the U.S.A.
Because the book was apparently published in November of last year, and scarcely got its beak out of the shell before it was blasted with the equivalent of the Israeli air assault on Lebanon, I think it is curious that very few Americans have been made aware of it by our zealous guardians of an “informed public”. Obviously they do not want us thinking about the criticisms of Israel which are in the book. This is the silent treatment I mentioned in a recent post.
Did I miss this news just because I don’t read enough news? Did I overlook what everybody else has seen? Possibly, but I doubt it. I have no intention of devoting my life to the depressing and uninstructive perusal of “the daily news”, but I do watch some television news programming each night, and I look more than once a day at all the headlines of major news services (e.g. AP, New York Times, Reuters, MSNBC, USAToday) so that I can read in depth about anything that interests me. I also go to Google News, which is the only news source where I’ve found a Carter book story, and which generally offers a wider spectrum of coverage than other news services.
So, thanks to Vic, I have learned belatedly that a “controversy” over President Carter’s book has presumably been going on for months, the latest development being resignations by members of a Carter Center advisory board.
The news story is ”Carter Center Resignations” .
“The resignations, announced Thursday, are the latest in a backlash against Carter's book ‘Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid,’ which has drawn fire from Jewish groups, been attacked by fellow Democrats and led to the resignation last month of Kenneth Stein, a Carter Center fellow and a longtime Carter adviser. . . . Steve Berman, an Atlanta real estate developer among those who resigned, said members have ‘watched with great dismay’ as Carter defended the book, especially as he implied that Americans might be afraid to discuss the conflict in fear of a powerful Jewish lobby. . . . Berman said the religious affiliation of the resigning members, which include some prominent Jewish leaders in the Atlanta area, did not influence their decision. “
I want to repeat one thing for emphasis, in view of a recent discussion on this blog: “. . . especially as he implied that Americans might be afraid to discuss the conflict in fear of a powerful Jewish lobby.”
My curiosity aroused by Berman’s last statement, I found a list of the people who resigned.
“The following have announced their resignation from the Board of Councilors:
1. Alan R. Abrams, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Servidyne, Inc2.
2. Steve Berman, managing partner, OA Development, an Atlanta based real estate developer company.
3. Michael Coles, chairman of Minneapolis-based Caribou Coffee Co.
4. Doug Hertz, president & CEO, United Distributors.
5. Jonathan Golden, Partner and Chairman, Arnall, Golden, Gregory LLP, an Atlanta law firm.
6. Barbara Babbit Kaufman, author; formerly of Chapter 11 Books as its founder.
7. Liane Levetan, former state senator and DeKalb CEO.
8. Jeff Levy, Chairman and CEO of Atlanta-based PrDigital Media and its parent company, Biltmore Communications9. Leon Novak, principal, The Trilogy Group, a full-service provider of commercial real estate services based in Atlanta.
9. Gail Solomon, Georgia Dome executive services manager.
10. Cathey Steinberg, Executive Director of the Juvenile Justice Fund, former state Consumers' Insurance Advocate and former state Senator.
11. Steve Selig, President and Chairman of the Board of Selig Enterprises.
12. William B. Schwartz, Jr. was the U.S. Ambassador to The Bahamas from 1977-1981 during the Carter Administration.
13. William B. Schwartz III, formerly senior wealth management professional at Offitbank, an arm of Wachovia.”
Regardless of what Berman said, there is a lack of ethnic/religious diversity in the list. To me the fact that so many Jewish people would resign en masse illustrates a “one issue” mentality (which I’ll be writing about at another time) focused on what is perceived as good or not good for Jews as a group – one issue which dwarfs all other issues. It also probably illustrates the power of big organized Jewish groups like the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith to pressure individuals who might otherwise not have thought of resigning.
If by now you are wondering what President Carter wrote, join me. I haven’t seen the book yet, and Googling President Carter and his book’s title lands you waist-deep in a flood of pro-Israel, ad hominem, diatribes which are not keen to let us know about the former president’s assertions. As always in such cases, a debate on facts is avoided, and the spears are thrown at the individual who wrote down the facts.
The hard-to-find articles are the ones favorable to President Carter. Here are a few with favorable views:
>Berkeley
Antiwar
>The Nation
Zmag
Here is another article, fairly balanced, but the comments are a free-for-all!
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