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  Does Israel have too strong a hand in our foreign policy, or do its interests merely coincide with ours?

The Toledo Blade


Toledo, Ohio, Tuesday, March 18, 2003

 

Editorials

Whose national interest?

THE Democratic Party's shunning of Virginia Congressman James Moran because of remarks some wrongly construe as anti-Semitic suggests a greater fear of losing conservative American Jewish money in 2004 than an adherence to honest, intelligent, political principles.

David Irving comments:

This has been submitted by a reader with the following remarks: Here is a phenomenal editorial from the Toledo Blade which should be disseminated near and far, and which could form the basis for many good letters to the editor and talk show comments:

The Toledo Blade is a substantial US daily newspaper. We spoke with its news department to verify that the piece below was an actual editorial, and not an op-ed piece, and told the reporter to give his congratulations to the editors and to say that they had made newspaper history. Finally, he said that if the nation's larger papers had run editorials like this one a few months ago, the present war may have been averted.


If you wish to send a message of encouragement or support to counterbalance the criticism they must be receiving, their contact information follows:

The Toledo Blade Company, 541 N. Superior St., Toledo, OH 43660, (419) 724-6000

Rose Russell, Associate editor
David Shutt, Editorial director (419) 724-6067
Tom Walton, Vice president-Editor (419) 724-6170

Mr. Moran, an 11-term congressman, was critical of U.S. Jewish leaders who, he felt, could alter war fervor. He said many were swayed after talking with hawkish former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. If he misrepresents their position, they can say so. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi is out of line to demand Mr. Moran's head.

For half a century there has been a wrongheaded effort to label anti-Semitic any criticism of anyone or anything Jewish, including Israel. Fear of the hateful tag inhibits open discussion, minimizes honest criticism, and blocks informed decisions.

 

. MR MORAN isn't alone in linking White House policy makers to Israeli interests. He may be, sad for him, the first elected official to be forthcoming. And he erred in alluding to strong support for war in the Jewish community, which is diverse.

Stanley Heller, American and Jewish, has tried to keep his co-religionists honest for 20-odd years. In a Feb. 20 article at www.antiwar.com, he cited "rabid neocons" - some of whom, "like Richard Perle, Douglas Feith, and David Wurmser, actually worked for Israeli think tanks writing grand papers for (Likud) Prime Minister Netanyahu on how the U.S. and Israel should take apart and reconstruct the Middle East," and who now hold key roles in shaping U.S. foreign policy

Though Mr. Heller ascribes most war zeal to oil, empire dreams, and weapons testing, he says "We owe it to Americans to tell them the whole truth, that part of the war drive is being fueled by a wacko militarist clique from Israel and its interlocking bands of American Jewish and Christian supporters."

He's not alone. In the Feb. 23 (London) Observer Ed Vulliamy, and in the March 3 San Diego Union-Tribune, James O. Goldsborough, speak in the same vein -- of America's first religious war and proponents' visions of empire.

Mr. Vulliamy takes on the empire theme. In 1992, he says Paul Wolfowitz wrote a blueprint for America's 21st century foreign policy that seems a play book for this administration. It talks of using "nuclear, biological, and chemical weaponry, pre-emptively 'even in conflicts that do not directly engage U.S. interests.'"

Is this what Americans want? Does Israel have too strong a hand in our foreign policy, or do its interests merely coincide with ours? Americans won't know without open discussions, free of political repercussions and stifling accusations.

 

Pat Buchanan charges: A cabal seeks to ensnare our country in a series of wars that are not in America's interests
Outrage as US Congressman Moran (Virginia) says Jews are Pushing for War (Washington Post)
Moran "plans to resign"
Rep. Jim Moran ousted: asserted that US Jews were pushing Iraq War

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