Lindsey Graham Reiterates Support for Israel, ‘Our Best Friend’

[azurnoir]

Source: NYT

Senator Lindsey Graham vowed on Wednesday to lead “violent pushback” against the United Nations if it “tries to take over the peace process” between Israel and the Palestinians, and against any nation that pushes to prosecute Israeli soldiers for war crimes through the International Criminal Court.

Mr. Graham, Republican of South Carolina and an all-but-official contender for his party’s presidential nomination, acknowledged on questioning that the pushback would not be literally violent, but perhaps virulent, in the form of withdrawing United States financial aid to nations or international institutions.

“I am in charge of the foreign assistance account, I’m in charge of the money we provide for the United Nations,” he explained, referring to his chairmanship of an appropriations subcommittee.

“We provide 25 percent of the funding for the organization,” Mr. Graham said, several times. “I’m not going to ask the American taxpayer to fund an organization that’s going to be used in a way to marginalize” Israel, which he called “our best friend.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/05/27/lindsey-graham-reiterates-support-for-israel-our-best-friend/?_r=0

[okasha]

1. Yet another reason why it's going to be Jeb.

[leftynyc]

6. Other than Rand Paul

there isn't one republican (or Democrat for that matter) that doesn't feel the exact same way.

[freshwest]

2. The GOP disavows internnational law the same way it does Constitutional law. No matter who gets the

red rose as the Koch brothers' prom date in 2016, they'll keep defunding laws until there's nothing left to say.

They've been on the anti-UN routine since the John Bircher Society first spewed. It's been repackaged variously as the NWO, Illuminati, whatever sells to the masses who gobble it up.

The 2016 elections will make or break this nation for good.

[sulphurdunn]

3. The US has done plenty for Israel.

What has Israel ever done for the US? Why would it be "our best friend"?

[oberliner]

5. Friends with Benefits: Why the U.S.-Israeli Alliance Is Good for America

If you're interested, there is this article:

http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/friends-with-benefits-why-the-u.s.-israeli-alliance-is-good-for-america

[leftynyc]

7. You're preaching to people who

have zero desire to listen. I admire your patience.

[sulphurdunn]

20. Shooting the messenger

is a kind of rebuttal. I suppose.

[leftynyc]

22. Awfully nice of you

to prove my point so well and succinctly.

[sulphurdunn]

28. Your welcome,

but while succinct, your point is just an opinion, unprovable and pointless.

[The Second Stone]

10. I read it, and it's a pretty thin puff piece

Israel has a great friend in the United States, such that it would not exist without the U.S. Israel goaded the US into war with Iraq, but I don't see how that was an act of friendship. It now tries to goad the US into a war with Iran, and I don't see that as an act of friendship either.

[oberliner]

14. "Israel goaded the US into war with Iraq..."

That's ridiculous.

[sulphurdunn]

21. Of course.

So is the notion that neocons are joined at the hip with the Zionist movement or that they dominated the administration of GW Bush, or that they, aided and abetted by outfits like AIPAC and the Heritage Foundation that spoon fed our lapdog media the bullshit used to launch a war that benefited Israel at the time but has ended in disaster for both countries and the rest of the Middle East. Israel did not goad the US into war. American Zionist did that for it.

[oberliner]

24. So Americans goaded America into invading Iraq?

I think it would be more accurate to say that neocons wanted to invade Iraq for a variety of reasons, helping out Israel being pretty far down on the list. US getting control of Iraqi oil revenue being towards the top.

[sulphurdunn]

29. It would not be more accuarate,

and yes Americans goaded Americans into war with Iraq. Who else could do it? Of course, a large number of neocons just happen to have dual American/Israeli citizenship, including many who served in the GW Bush administration. So, whose national interests they were serving is a legitimate question and raises some interesting questions.

[oberliner]

32. "a large number of neocons just happen to have dual American/Israeli citizenship..."

Ok - now I get where you are coming from.

[sulphurdunn]

36. Good. I'm glad you do.

The days when legitimate criticism of the Israeli state and its American lobby could be dismissed by the canard of anti-Semitism, either stated or implied, is fast coming to an end. The Sabra and Shatila massacres in 1982 began the process. Operation Protective Edge in 2014 and everything that has happened in between have accelerated it. If vehemently opposing the slaughter and oppression of virtually defenseless people makes me an anti-Semite, I can live with the epithet.

[oberliner]

37. Can you post a link to that list?

Thanks in advance.

[sulphurdunn]

38. What list?

Do you want a history of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict? The facts of what has happened are not in doubt, only the causes and the interpretation. So, please be more specific, and I will be happy to supply you a list of links from both sides and can sort it out for yourself.

[oberliner]

39. The list of the dual American/Israeli citizens in the GW Bush administration

Do you have some citation for that claim?

[oberliner]

43. Do you really not see anything fishy about these links and the information contained therein?

You honestly believe that all those people are dual American/Israeli citizens?

Are you sure it's not just a list of Jewish people?

[sulphurdunn]

44. It isn't about what I believe

or what you believe. Every time I type some variant of the question into a search engine I get lots of hits that contain the same names. No matter what I do, I find no information to refute any of those claims, which is kind of fishy considering how rapidly with which the Jewish community usually dispels falsehoods about itself. So, are they just lists of Jewish people? Maybe, but it is more likely they are a list of American Jews with dual citizenship.

I am willing to repudiate this position if presented with facts to the contrary. Fire away.

[oberliner]

52. I have no doubt that you get lots of hits with those same names

The first name listed under the Bush Administration list in your first link is Michael Mukasey. He's also listed on your third link as well.

He was born in the United States and lived in the United States his entire life.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Mukasey

If you can provide any evidence to support the claim of him being a dual American-Israeli citizen, please do so.

[sulphurdunn]

54. Short of asking him

I'm not sure what evidence would support the claim if you discount all the links stating otherwise. Attached is a link from the ADL saying he isn't a dual citizen. Of course, at that point the question becomes why the ADL site should be considered more authoritative than the other hundreds of sites claiming otherwise? You tell me.

http://regions.adl.org/mountain-states/news/adl-sends-statement-to.html

[oberliner]

64. How many hundreds of sites are there saying that Obama is a secret Muslim?

I really don't think that number of sites is the best measure.

[King_David]

56. Do you believe all USA Jews to be citizens of Israel ?

Really?

Really?

[sulphurdunn]

58. Of course not.

The majority of American Jews are obviously not Israeli citizens. That does not mean all American Jews are not Israeli citizens. I would be greatly comforted to know that those who serve in positions of authority in the US Government do not possess dual citizenship of any nationality. That seems like a no-brainer to me. I don't know about you.

[King_David]

55. Who are these dual citizens?

Tell us...

This should be good

Thanks in advance

[sulphurdunn]

59. According to literally

hundreds of sites, many former and present American Jews serving in positions of authority in the US government have dual American/Israeli citizenship. You can find specifics on this by simply using your search engine. Whether or not any of it is true is difficult to know. With the exception of one link to ADL in Colorado, I can find no claims to the contrary. Were I compelled to reach a conclusion based upon what I can find, I would lean toward concluding it was true.

Why don't you see if you can do a better job of researching this matter than I have. I would be relieved to be refuted in this matter. Go ahead. That should be interesting, and thanks in advance.

[King_David]

60. No I will not delve into those kind of sites thank you very much . nt

[The Second Stone]

45. Israel fairly regularly demands that the US fight its wars

and the Iraq conflict was one of those wars. They demanded a war with Iran too. There are a number of Americans that join in those efforts on behalf of Israel. A huge number. Many of them members of Congress. All of them are putting the interests of Israel before the interests of the United States.

[oberliner]

48. Wow

Israel demanded that the US fight Iraq?

You think there are a huge number of Americans (many of them in Congress) who put the interests of Israel before the interests of the United States?

Why would they do that?

[The Second Stone]

50. Votes and money

simple as that. You seem to be shocked that Washington elected officials engage in a legal system of bribery called "lobbying" so that they can then propagandize for votes. It is a terribly corrupt system. The most recent open spectacle of it was when Netanyahu demanded and received a platform before Congress before the Israeli elections, an action unprecedented in US history.

https://consortiumnews.com/2014/10/02/how-israel-out-foxed-us-presidents-3/

Israel uses the US, and is not a friend to the US. It also treats Palestinians like they are sub-human.

This will continue as long as Israel has people willing to propagandize for these atrocities in the US.

[sendero]

61. All I see there...

... is a point of view that all of the security work that benefits mostly Israel somehow benefits us as well. Simply not true.

Nothing made Israel's "friendship" more clear than their intentional slights to our president, who they apparently feel, because of history, should make every decision for their benefit rather than the benefit of the US.

Israel is no one's friend and never will be.

[sulphurdunn]

30. The Washington Institute

is a Zionist think tank, although any fault with the article cannot logically be attributed to that fact. I did find the comments on the Israelis recycling 80% of their waste water to be interesting, especially since Gaza and the occupied terrorizes have severe potable water shortages. Water from West Bank aquifers is actually diverted to use in Israel. Israel, as the occupying power in the Territories is obliged under international law not to loot the resources of the people in the occupation zone, let alone steal their land, murder and terrorize them.

If Israel helps the US, it is primarily in aiding and abetting crimes against the Palestinian people.

[oberliner]

31. Who better to provide a response to such a question?

I would think a "Zionist think thank" would be exactly the sort of group who would have an answer. After all, they are in favor of promoting such a friendship.

[sulphurdunn]

33. No, they would be in the business

of seeing that American foreign policy was put to the service of Israel. They would call such a relationship "friendship".

[treestar]

65. Those benefits seem rather minor if not made up

And to benefit Israel and be for that intent.

Penchant for innovation, really? We don't have that ourselves? Not a good sell to Americans.

The only convincing one is about having a base in the M.E., which presupposes the idea we should be controlling it. You have to believe in the right wing attitude toward the M.E. to find the base so needed.

[d_legendary1]

4. With friends like Israel

who needs enemies?

[SoapBox]

11. Ditto!

You beat me to it.

[totodeinhere]

8. Our country has had a long bipartisan tradition of support for Israel.

But I think right now it's important to differentiate between support for Israel the country and supporting the ultra right wing government that they have right now. I think that eventually the Israeli voter is gong to wake up to the fact that Nuttyahoo's policies are not in their best interest.

[The Second Stone]

12. They voted for him over and over

it is who they are.

[oberliner]

15. Like we voted for Reagan twice and GW Bush twice

Is that who we are?

[Comrade Grumpy]

25. Well...

[The Second Stone]

46. Yes, exactly. In a Democracy the people are responsible for the respresentatives

they elect. "We" are responsible for Nixon, Reagan and Bush. Those of us that voted against them might not bear as much responsibility as those who did, but we are a self-governing people through our elected officials and bear responsibility as citizens for the results. I take very no comfort in my insufficient efforts to elect Democrats when Democrats lose, as I am fully aware of the consequences I will bear, in addition to the responsibility for failure.

Israel is a democracy, and it elected its ultra-nationalist right-wing government and the citizens as a whole are responsible and will bear whatever consequences come of it.

[oberliner]

47. Palestinians voted for Hamas

Doesn't get much more nationalistic and right wing than that group.

In both cases, for Israelis and Palestinians, I think we ought to support those who don't back the right wingers.

[The Second Stone]

51. Hamas doesn't run a free and independent country

it is the rump "government" in a blockaded ghetto.

[totodeinhere]

26. Actually only a minority of Israelis have ever voted for Likud

in the past few elections. But Israeli politics are so fractured that a small plurality is all he has ever needed to form a government. But he has certainly received no overwhelming mandate.

[onehandle]

9. The UK and France are our best friends across the sea.

Israel is our slow-paying tenant.

We have little choice but to defend them.

[mpcamb]

13. Best friend stuff... Isn't it usually reciprocal??

[djean111]

16. I am starting to think that Netanyahu promised Lindsay Graham our Presidency.

[Scootaloo]

62. That makes no sense whatsoever. n/t

[BlueStater]

17. Great Britain and Canada are our friends.

Israel is just a fucking parasite that's trying to take every last drop of blood from the United States.

[amuse bouche]

18. Yep. They are ungrateful

and not interested in peace

[oberliner]

35. "Israel is just a fucking parasite ..."

Wow

[BlueStater]

49. Yes, and I'll say it again.

Israel IS a fucking parasite.

Friendships go both ways. Israel certainly TAKES a lot from the United States but what have those assholes ever given in return?

[Scootaloo]

63. "Shitty Little Client State" is more accurate.

A parasite provides nothing to its host. a Shitty Little Client State acts as a catspaw in foreign policy for its host

[sendero]

19. If Israel is our "friend"...

.... I'd hate to know who our enemies are.

[Kingofalldems]

23. Why do they use espionage against us?

[oberliner]

34. Probably for the same reason we use espionage against them?

And most allies spy on one another.

[Kingofalldems]

40. Any Brits or Spanish in jail on espionage charges?

[oberliner]

42. Not that I'm aware of

I know that Germany did recently expel our CIA chief for wiretapping their PM's private cell phone conversations.

[olddots]

27. with friends like Graham who needs enimas ?

This attempt to go all Sheldon on Lindsey's part may backfire .

[King_David]

57. The is a very interesting thread you started , particularly the replies .

Think it should be bookmarked and pinned ?