The Power of AIPAC

In an article I read a long time ago, one of AIPAC's lobbyists bragged that he could get 70 Senators to sign a napkin. It looks like they were a few off:

More than three quarters of the U.S. Senate, including 38 Democrats, have signed on to a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton implicitly rebuking the Obama Administration for its confrontational stance toward Israel.

The letter, circulated by the pro-Israel group AIPAC, now has the signatures of 76 Senators and says in part:

We recognize that our government and the Government of Israel will not always agree on particular issues in the peace process. But such differences are best resolved amicably and in a manner that befits longstanding strategic allies. We must never forget the depth and breadth of our alliance and always do our utmost to reinforce a relationship that has benefited both nations for more than six decades.

A similar letter garnered 333 signatures in the House, and its support marks almost unified Republican support for Benjamin Netanyahu's government, along with strong, but more divided, public Democratic discomfort with Obama's policies in the region.

What terrible actions merited this letter, signed by 3/4th's of the Senate?

When Obama was elected, he said he wanted Israel to stop building settlements on occupied land. This type of thing is nothing new (Bush said this as well), and Israel smiles politely while continuing to build new settlements on occupied land.

However, because Obama is a secret Muslim Kenyan usurper Democrat and gave the vaguest sense that he might have actually meant what he said, Israel decided that this was some grave affront to their sovereignty that wouldn't be tolerated.

Israel then proceeded to go down the list of all the various ways you can be a dick to someone in in international relations, and has leaked stories everywhere imaginable to let people know just how upset they are.

It bears repeating that they are upset because we said publicly that we maybe/possibly wanted them to stop breaking international law. This may not seem controversial, but when you're the spoiled child of the international community and have always been able to do whatever the fuck you wanted with fawning approval of the United States, this type of thing becomes an international incident.

The letter states:

We must never forget the depth and breadth of our alliance and always do our utmost to reinforce a relationship that has benefited both nations for more than six decades.

There is not a person following the US/Israel relationship who can tell you with a straight face that it has been mutually beneficial for anyone other than defense contractors and warmongers of all nationalities.

And that brings us to why 76 Senators in the United States signed a letter enthusiastically backing our self destructive relationship with Israel. That would be because AIPAC is probably the most powerful lobby of any kind in the United States, and if you dare challenge them they'll have a slew of other powerful groups call you an anti-Semite and recruit a well funded primary challenger to take you out of office. As it turns out, being called a bigot and losing your job are pretty good deterrents for stopping any real discussion of a rational foreign policy.