BUSH WATCH...JEWS AND BUSH POLITICS

Criticism Of Israel Is Neithaer Bigotry Nor Anti-Semitism , carroll | www.bushwatch.com 05.15.03 |related stories

The ''overwhelming force'' occupation by Israel of the West Bank and Gaza, with attendant strategies of collective punishment, extrajudicial assassination, and the ongoing policy of salting disputed territory with the ''facts'' of Jewish settlements deserve to be denounced and often are -- by many Israelis and American Jews, as well as by others who make clear that their opposition is to Israel's policy, not to its Jewishness. But it is likewise true that criticism of Israel is increasingly animated by anti-Semitism.

"Israel Lobby...Leaders Tear Roadmap To Peace Into Little Pieces," Supporting Sharon , weiss | www.bushwatch.com 05.15.03 |related stories

In Jewish political life, there are little Jews and big Jews. Little Jews might be college presidents or retired accountants, but they vote (for Democrats mainly), write letters and give money. Big Jews head Jewish organizations. They are the leaders and fund-raisers of the Israel lobby, which lately would appear to be a monolith supporting the Sharon government....After drafts of the timetable got around, the Israeli government raised objections, and a drumbeat of opposition began among Jewish organizations. The plans were attacked by Abraham Foxman of the Anti-Defamation League, Mortimer Zuckerman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations, James Tisch of the United Jewish Community, and by the Washington Institute, which has connections to the leading pro-Israel organization, the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee. AIPAC circulated a letter in Congress aimed at countering the road map by saying that the Palestinians bore the burden of achieving peace.There were rumors that big Jews had resolved to roll up the road map. Because Secretary of State Colin Powell had lost on Iraq, he was weak and dismissible. The Israel lobby could work with hawks in the Defense Department to bring the Bush administration around—and, oh yes, remind politicians about next year’s elections. Then the monolith cracked....For now, a struggle has commenced over the American role in the peace process—and there are, at last, big Jews on both sides.

Self-Identified Jewish President Of Harvard Smears Critics Of Israel As Anti-Semites , | www.bushwatch.com 05.15.03 |related stories

In his choice of examples, Mr. Summers comes close to saying that attacking Israel is the same as being anti-Semitic. He adds: "I have always throughout my life been put off by those who heard the sound of breaking glass in every insult or slight, and conjured up images of Hitler’s Kristallnacht at any disagreement with Israel. Such views have always seemed to me alarmist if not slightly hysterical. But I have to say that while they still seem to me unwarranted, they seem rather less alarmist in the world of today than they did a year ago." If I read Mr. Summers correctly, he does believe that negative opinions about Israel are tantamount to anti-Semitism. If that isn’t what he means, then given his position of power and influence as the president of Harvard University, Mr. Summers ought to take an opportunity to make some crucial distinctions.

Why did you create a "Jews and the War" page? Why not a "Christians and the War" page? Or "Muslims and the War" page? It could prove to be highly informative---and intriguing---to have all three pages readily available on your site, as to give insight into how the conflict is affecting the three communities. But to have an isolated "Jews and the War" page is stigmatizing. Please don't add to the negative stigma---it's bad enough that many people still believe that the Jews were responsible for 9/11. --S. Danelle Trudeau

Bush Watch follows the news, Danelle. Given the numerous stories lately on Bush, religion, and war, I created a Bush as evangelist page. ( http://www.bushwatch.com/evangelist.htm) With the arrest of Al-Arion in Florida last month, I created a Bush and the Muslims page. (http://www.bushwatch.com/samibush2.htm ) With the even more recent flap caused by Dem Rep. Moran in Virginia and the GOP attempt to turn it into a Trent Lott on the left story, and with Tom DeLay heading up a push to swing Jewish votes on the basis of the story (see below), I created a Jews And War page. OK? best wishes, Jerry Politex (NOTE: With the end of the war, the title of this page was updated to reflect today's realities.)

As a great fan of Bush Watch, which I have recommended to numerous friends, I was shocked to see a new page entitled "Jewish War Support." I am Jewish and neither my family nor anyone I know supports this war. Bad for the Jews? That would be people with names like Wolfowitz and Perle out front on this. Yet despite the fact that more Orthodox elements of Judaism may be pro-Bush, I would say the majority of Jewish people are appalled the his policies -- foreign and domestic. Nor do I think it's incongruent to support Israel without liking the Israeli government. After all, I'm pro-American while disagreeing vehemently with our our own. Please consider changing the title of the page. It is certainly incorrect as it stands. --Ilene Cooper [For clarity, the page has been renamed "Jews And War" to reflect both Jewish support and non-support. (NOTE: With the end of the war, the title of this page was updated to reflect today's realities.) --Politex, March 18-May 15 2003]

WHEN CONSERVATIVES COLLIDE:
Bush Neocons Use The Charge Of "Anti-Semitism" Against Anti-War Conservatives

David "Frum’s other indictment against the antiwar conservatives is anti-Semitism, the nuclear weapon accusation in American public life. The simple point to be made is that neoconservatism is not synonymous with Jewish opinion. (And indeed, several of the movement’s prominent figures are Gentiles.) In their effort to marry American policies to the goals of the Israeli far Right, the neocons have embraced Norman Podhoretz’s definition of anti-Semitism: if you are supportive of Israel, everything is fine. The neocons have no problem with those parts of the Christian Right that view the gathering of Jews in the Holy Land as a prelude to the final Armageddon, in which all Jews will convert to Christianity or perish. Such believers stand meekly in the Amen Corner for the Sharons, Netanyahus, and Meir Kahanes of the world, and the neocons are well pleased. But conservatives who evince any public doubts about where the Israel tie is leading us are seen as dangerous anti-Semites, ripe for smearing.

The good news—because the Jewish contribution to nuanced and sophisticated political discussion in America is quite substantial—is that many (and perhaps most) politically engaged Jews consider the neocon view of the world to be rabid nonsense. To turn one’s back on the Richard Perles and Paul Wolfowitzs and David Frums, who have worked to trash America’s good name with their incessant warmongering, does not mean that one is turning one’s back on Thomas Friedman, or Joe Klein, or Leonard Fein, or Michael Kinsley or anyone else in what would obviously be a very long list of non-extremist Jews, some who are conservative, many more who are not.

No matter how quickly Baghdad is conquered, it is clear that the neocons have led the United States into an extremely perilous situation, perhaps the most dangerous in its history. --Scott McConnell

THE BUSH-IRAQ DECK OF CARDS

Ten Of Clubs: John Bolton

"A prime architect of Bush’s Iraq policy, Bolton served Bush Snr and Reagan in the state department, justice department and USAid and is now under-secretary for arms control and international security in Bush Jnr’s state department. His appointment was intended to counter the dove-ish Colin Powell.

Bolton now leads Rumsfeld’s charge to destabilise Powell’s multilateralism. Bolton is part of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs, the Project for the New American Century and is a vice-president at the American Enterprise Institute. He was also one of Bush’s chad-counters during the Florida count. Bolton has long advocated Taiwan getting a UN seat – he’s been on the payroll of the Taiwanese government.

The US unilateralist is a regular contributor to William Kristol’s right-wing Weekly Standard and has vilified UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Bolton was an opponent of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty and a cheerleader for the Star Wars Defence System. He has hinted at targeting Cuba in the war on terror. His financial interests include oil and arms firms and JP Morgan Chase, like Shultz. It is said that Bolton believes in the inevitability of Armageddon.

Like Woolsey, Bolton is said to believe we are in the midst of world war four which he estimates could take 40 years to finish. Despite evidence to the contrary they believe Iraq was involved in September 11. With Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Khalilzad, Bennet, Woolsey, Perle and Kristol, Bolton co-signed a letter in 1998 urging President Bill Clinton to take military action in Iraq."

Click here for the full Bush-Iraq Deck Of Cards.

"Israel Lobby Group" Offers "Sustained Cheers" For Tough Remarks About Syria And Iran By Powell And Rice With Much Of Congress In Attendance

As delegates to the AIPAC [American Israel Public Affairs Committee] meeting were heading to town, the group put a headline on its Web site proclaiming: "Israeli Weapons Utilized By Coalition Forces Against Iraq." The item featured a photograph of a drone with the caption saying the "Israeli-made Hunter Unmanned Aerial Vehicle" is being used "by U.S. soldiers in Iraq."

At an AIPAC session on Sunday night, Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom proclaimed in a speech praising Secretary of State Colin L. Powell: "We have followed with great admiration your efforts to mobilize the international community to disarm Iraq and bring democracy and peace to the region, to the Middle East and to the rest of the world. Just imagine, Mr. Secretary, how much easier it would have been if Israel had been a member of the Security Council."

A parade of top Bush administration officials -- Powell, national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, political director Kenneth Mehlman, Undersecretary of State John R. Bolton and Assistant Secretary of State William Burns -- appeared before the AIPAC audience. The officials won sustained cheers for their jabs at European opponents of war in Iraq, and their tough remarks aimed at two perennial foes of Israel, Syria and Iran.

The AIPAC meeting -- attended by about 5,000 people, including half the Senate and a third of the House -- was planned long before it became clear it would coincide with hostilities in Iraq....Internationally, anything that links Israel to the current war could alienate friendly Arab states by suggesting that the war is driven by Israel's interests. At home, the embrace of the war by an organization of influential Jews could fuel anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, though polls have indicated that American Jews are less likely to support the Iraq war than white Americans of other faiths.

Despite the meeting's script, AIPAC attendees found the subject of the war impossible to avoid. Powell talked about Iraq. Rice talked about Iraq. In the hallways, everyone talked about Iraq....AIPAC also promoted Israel's involvement in the Iraq war, though it has not been acknowledged by the administration. Citing the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, AIPAC reported on its Web site that the U.S. Army is using Israeli-made Hunter and Pioneer drones, computer systems and Popeye air-to-surface missiles. AIPAC and Israeli officials at the conference said that while such weapons are being used in the Iraq war, they were not provided by Israel specifically for it.

Eyal Arad, who has served as a campaign adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, said in an interview at the conference yesterday that his country, which attacked an Iraqi nuclear facility two decades ago, was pleased to honor the Bush administration's request to keep a low profile in this conflict. The Bush administration was somewhat ambivalent about tying itself to AIPAC and Israel. Though it sent several officials to the meeting with strong pro-Israel messages, there were efforts to keep things low-key. The White House insisted that yesterday's speech by Rice, though delivered to a room with 2,000 people, be "off the record." --Washington Post, 04.01.03

WHY RICHARD PERLE WON'T GO AWAY

"JEWISH LEADERS ACKNOWLEDGE THAT SOME JEWISH POLICY MAKERS HELPED DEVISE" BUSH WAR PLAN AND "SOME JEWISH LOBBYISTS HAVE BACKED IT," BUT RANK AND FILE REMAIN SPLIT "Jewish organizations that have never been hesitant to issue resolutions on American foreign policy, especially toward the Middle East, have remained silent on going to war against Iraq. Jewish leaders say that while they are supportive of President Bush because he has been a reliable ally of the Israeli government, they have become increasingly fearful of a backlash if the war goes badly. But the other, more fundamental, reason for their reticence is that their own members have for months been unable to agree on whether a war with Iraq is a good idea. The question of where American Jews stand on the war gained urgency this week after Representative James P. Moran, Democrat of Virginia, was condemned by members of both parties for saying that influential Jews were driving the United States toward war and was forced to apologize. While Jewish leaders acknowledge that some Jewish policy makers helped devise the president's strategy on Iraq, and some Jewish lobbyists have backed it, there is strong evidence that American Jews are as divided as the rest of the nation. " 3.15.03 www.bushwatch.com
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BUSH CALLS FOR APPROVAL OF ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN PEACE PLAN TO WEAKEN ARAFAT'S POWER, BUT LEAVES QUESTIONS OF ISRAELI SETTLEMENTS VAGUE "Though the document is fairly detailed, Israel is concerned about certain ambiguities in the language that might require it to withdraw its forces and take other concrete steps in return for mere commitments by the Palestinians to end violence. The Bush administration says it is highly sympathetic to these concerns and, until today, has said they should be incorporated in the document before it is published. Today Mr. Bush shifted slightly, saying changes in the document could be made after it was published. Another focus of Israeli concern is the quartet as a concept. Israelis say pointedly that they do not want the same people who think Iraq is cooperating with arms inspections to determine whether Palestinians are easing up on attacks on Israelis. One of the vaguest parts of the peace plan is when, and how extensively, any "settlement activity" must end in what the plan calls the "occupied territories." Mr. Sharon has said Israel would make painful concessions for peace, but it is not clear that he would be willing to dismantle more than a tiny fraction of the settlements.Mr. Bush did not clarify his position today. American officials say the action on settlements would be a phased-in policy to be negotiated in the future, and that Palestinians must first end their violence. Officials insisted that Mr. Bush would remain sensitive to Israeli concerns at all times, even as he desired to capture the moment when the Palestinians seemed ready to reduce Mr. Arafat's power." 3.15.03 www.bushwatch.com
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ISRAELIS MUST END SETTLEMENT BUILDING IF PEACE IS TO COME "The road map, which calls for a Palestinian state by 2005, suffers from vagueness. But it is a decent place to start. If Mr. Bush does publish it, Arab and European leaders must do their share, by helping the Palestinians move to a post-Arafat era and providing political cover for compromise. The Israelis must end their settlement building. No one can know what the world will look like after a war in Iraq. But the Israeli-Palestinian dispute will certainly require urgent attention. " 3.15.03 www.bushwatch.com
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"SLUR OF 'ANTI=SEMITISM' IS BEING LEVELED TO INTIMIDATE AND TO KEEP US FROM DISCUSSING THE REAL ISSUES" "A woman who identified herself as Jewish and antiwar wondered why more Jews weren't attending the event, and Rep. Moran answered her. His thoughts are widely supported by Jewish commentators in and out of Israel. Rep. Moran also discussed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He does not always say everything Israel's supporters want to hear, and this has gotten him in hot water before. Israel wants $12 billion in supplemental aid, which Rep. Moran has not challenged or criticized. He simply says that in return for $12 billion, the settlement-building should end. He said that to have peace, Israel must withdraw to its 1967 boundaries. He also was emphatic that Israel must be safe and secure. Those are moderate requirements. " 3.13.03 www.bushwatch.com
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REPUBLICANS DIRECTED BY TOM DELAY HOPE TO WOO JEWISH VOTERS WITH MORAN REMARKS "Republicans have seized on the assertion of Rep. James P. Moran (D-Va.) that Jews are determining American policy toward Iraq as a new weapon in the GOP's long-term effort to attract traditionally Democratic Jewish voters and donors. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) told a group of more than 150 Orthodox Jewish leaders from around the country yesterday that the Democratic Party "appears to countenance remarks like those made by Representative Moran in the past few weeks." DeLay has been the driving force in the Republican effort to capitalize on President Bush's strong support of Israel and his leadership in the war on terrorism to weaken Democratic support and financial backing from Jews....In states such as Florida and New York, Jewish voters are a large enough percentage of voters to play a crucial role in election outcomes. In presidential elections, Democratic candidates depend on Jewish supporters to supply as much as 60 percent of the money raised from private sources. Any significant reduction in the financial support will weaken Democratic candidates and the Democratic Party organizations. " 3.13.03 www.bushwatch.com
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MEET THE CHAIRMAN OF BUSH'S DEFENSE POLICY BOARD, WAR HAWK AND EX-DIRECTOR OF JERUSALEM POST RICHARD PERLE "Perle served as a foreign-policy adviser in George W. Bush’s Presidential campaign—he had been an Assistant Secretary of Defense under Ronald Reagan—but he chose not to take a senior position in the Administration. In mid-2001, however, he accepted an offer from Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to chair the Defense Policy Board, a then obscure group that had been created by the Defense Department in 1985. Its members (there are around thirty of them) may be outside the government, but they have access to classified information and to senior policymakers, and give advice not only on strategic policy but also on such matters as weapons procurement. Most of the board’s proceedings are confidential....Under Perle’s leadership, the policy board has become increasingly influential. He has used it as a bully pulpit, from which to advocate the overthrow of Saddam Hussein and the use of preëmptive military action to combat terrorism. Perle had many allies for this approach, such as Paul Wolfowitz, the Deputy Secretary of Defense, but there was intense resistance throughout the bureaucracy—most notably at the State Department. Preëmption has since emerged as the overriding idea behind the Administration’s foreign policy. One former high-level intelligence official spoke with awe of Perle’s ability to “radically change government policy” even though he is a private citizen. 'It’s an impressive achievement that an outsider can have so much influence, and has even been given an institutional base for his influence.'" 3.13.03 www.bushwatch.com
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CONSPIRACY THEORY OR REALITY? CHARGES OF ISRAEL-BACKING NEOCON HAWKS AND ANTI-SEMITISM HEATING UP "MSNBC talk-show host Chris Matthews said war supporters in the Bush Pentagon were 'in bed' with Israeli hawks eager to take out Saddam. That line of argument has spurred a furious counterattack, with many saying that some of the criticism has crossed the line from legitimate policy debate to classic anti-Semitism....The War Party may have gotten its war," [Pat Buchanan] writes. "But it has also gotten something it did not bargain for. Its membership lists and associations have been exposed and its motives challenged. In a rare moment in U.S. journalism, Tim Russert put this question directly to Richard Perle: 'Can you assure American viewers . . . that we're in this situation against Saddam Hussein and his removal for American security interests? And what would be the link in terms of Israel?' "Suddenly, the Israeli connection is on the table, and the War Party is not amused. Finding themselves in an unanticipated firefight, our neoconservative friends are doing what comes naturally, seeking student deferments from political combat by claiming the status of a persecuted minority group." 3.13.03 www.bushwatch.com
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VIRGINIA CONGRESSMAN SAYS JEWS COULD STOP BUSH WAR. JEWS SAY HE'S ANTI-SEMITIC "Jewish organizations condemned Rep. James P. Moran Jr. (D-Va.) yesterday for delivering what they said were anti-Semitic remarks at an antiwar forum in Reston, where he suggested that American Jews are responsible for pushing the country to war with Iraq and that Jewish leaders could prevent war if they wanted to...."If it were not for the strong support of the Jewish community for this war with Iraq, we would not be doing this," Moran said in comments first reported by the Reston Connection and not disputed by Moran. "The leaders of the Jewish community are influential enough that they could change the direction of where this is going, and I think they should."...A January poll commissioned by the American Jewish Committee found that 59 percent of American Jews supported war against Iraq, a percentage not appreciably different from that of Americans generally. Reports of Moran's comments and his apology drew a variety of responses among political leaders and observers of U.S. policy in the Middle East. Virginia Senate Minority Leader Richard L. Saslaw (D-Fairfax), who is Jewish, said: "Was it tremendously insensitive? Yes. Is [Moran] an anti-Semite? No. I've known this guy since 1979, and he's not an anti-Semite."...Moran said he was trying to make a larger point that "if more organizations in this country, including religious groups, were more outspoken against a war, then I do not think we would be pursuing war as an option." He said he framed his answer the way he did because his questioner identified herself as Jewish, and 'I regret doing that.' " 3.11.03 www.bushwatch.com
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