Thank you for the suggestion to read Shavit’s White Man’s Burden ( https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/white-man-s-burden-1.14110 ). While I understand the people identified, as in Giraldi’s piece, hold quite visible and high level positions, I don’t think they are telling Cheney and Rumsfeld what to do. Instead, they make what Cheney and Rumsfeld want to accomplish more possible. One should consider that as far as government positions, if they were not committed to the Cheney and Rumsfeld playbook, they wouldn’t have held those jobs.
Apparently our difference of opinion is just how much influence Jews have over American Middle East policy. Since I cannot think of any single event the US is responsible for, or has not stopped, with relation to Israel that is not consistent with its actions elsewhere in the world, I don't accept that the Jewish interest has that much influence for the reasons laid out in the article.
The only exception would be the way the U.S. wields the veto at the U.N. which the U.S. on behalf of Israel. Yet given the level of political donations from Jews, that's not surprising though. Still, there is no evidence of the U.S. going to war either for Israel, the wealthy Jewish donors or the Jewish government officials, instead of he U.S.’s own interests.
I do not think Zionism is a benevolent force by any means, but rather it is not strong enough to dictate policy to the U.S. So for those calling me "Zionist Lite," I recommend you read two of my other pieces on Informed Comment.
Israeli Right Wing Faction Announces a Plan for Ethnic Cleansing
- Essentially an offer that says ‘Get Out or We Will Make Your Life a Living Hell, or Worse’
September 19, 2017
Thank you for the suggestion to read Shavit’s White Man’s Burden ( https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/white-man-s-burden-1.14110 ). While I understand the people identified, as in Giraldi’s piece, hold quite visible and high level positions, I don’t think they are telling Cheney and Rumsfeld what to do. Instead, they make what Cheney and Rumsfeld want to accomplish more possible. One should consider that as far as government positions, if they were not committed to the Cheney and Rumsfeld playbook, they wouldn’t have held those jobs.
Apparently our difference of opinion is just how much influence Jews have over American Middle East policy. Since I cannot think of any single event the US is responsible for, or has not stopped, with relation to Israel that is not consistent with its actions elsewhere in the world, I don't accept that the Jewish interest has that much influence for the reasons laid out in the article.
The only exception would be the way the U.S. wields the veto at the U.N. which the U.S. on behalf of Israel. Yet given the level of political donations from Jews, that's not surprising though. Still, there is no evidence of the U.S. going to war either for Israel, the wealthy Jewish donors or the Jewish government officials, instead of he U.S.’s own interests.
I do not think Zionism is a benevolent force by any means, but rather it is not strong enough to dictate policy to the U.S. So for those calling me "Zionist Lite," I recommend you read two of my other pieces on Informed Comment.
Israeli Right Wing Faction Announces a Plan for Ethnic Cleansing
- Essentially an offer that says ‘Get Out or We Will Make Your Life a Living Hell, or Worse’
September 19, 2017
https://www.juancole.com/2017/09/israeli-announces-cleansing.html
Prime Minister May: Take Back the Balfour Declaration - Israel Reneged on the Bargain
April 4, 2017
https://www.juancole.com/2017/04/balfour-declaration-reneged.html