13 Nov 2024
Thursday 1 August 2013 - 13:01
Story Code : 42385

House passes AIPAC strangle Iran sanctions 400-20

House passes AIPAC strangle Iran sanctions 400-20
ByM.J. Rosenberg


Sometimes I hear from readers who complain that I lay too much blame on AIPAC for our one-sided and failed Middle East policies.


What can I say? I worked at AIPAC for almost six years (1973-1975, 1982-1986) so I know how it operates. Additionally, because I left AIPAC on good terms, I maintained friendships with its staff (no more!) and they filled me in on how the lobby was increasing its power over Congress. Of course, I saw that myself during 15 years as a House and Senate staffer. AIPAC runs the Middle East policy show on Capitol Hill.


Rarely am I surprised by anything AIPAC (or Congress, tucked securely in its pocket) does. But sometimes, AIPACs actions are so egregious, and those of Congress so supine, in promoting policies that are clearly against U.S. interests that I have to admit some surprise.


Take what AIPAC is doing this week. It is getting the House of Representatives to pass legislation it wrote that would impose the heaviest sanctions on Iran yet, (Here is AIPACsone minute videourging support for its bill).


Here is how theNew York Timesdescribedthe AIPAC bill on Thursday.


The legislation, if enacted into law and fully enforced, could basically eradicate what is left of Irans diminished oil exports by coercing its remaining customers to find other suppliers. Proponents of the legislation say that with 376 sponsors, it is expected to pass the House easily. It would then move to the Senate for consideration in September.


There is nothing surprising about that. AIPAC has been drafting and the House and Senate passing AIPACs Iran sanctions bills for years. They dont accomplish anything except punish the Iranian people. After all, if they did work, AIPAC wouldnt keep having to write new sanctions bills. Iran would have surrendered to Israels demands on the nuclear issue years ago.


In a sense, this is all deja vu except for the timing.


Again theTimes:


But critics say the timing of the House vote has raised sharp questions about the kind of message it would send to Irans president-elect, Hassan Rouhani, before he takes office on Sunday.


Ya think?


A new president of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, takes office in a few days. He was elected as a moderate, the un-Ahmedinejad. Since his election hehas made clearthat his goal is to resolve the US-Iran stalemate over Iranian nuclear development through negotiations.


Of course, at this point, who knows? Maybe he is a wolf in sheeps clothing.


We will know soon but not until after he takes office on Sunday, which is why AIPACs preemptive strike is so appalling.


After all, there is not one reason for passing this punitive bill before the new president takes office, unless, of course, AIPACs goal is to insult Rouhani and the Iranian nation in order to push him toward becoming another Ahmedinejad.


Nothing pleased the lobby more than having an Iranian president who spouted obscene nonsense about the Holocaust and Israel, all the easier to convince the United States to go to war with him. But this guy is trouble. If he is a real moderate, AIPAC wont get its war.


As to the question as to why Congress would go along with AIPAC on this, you know the answer. Members of Congress will do whatever it wants to collect campaign cash from donors associated with it. Even in a case like this, where the U.S. interest is so clear, dollars and cents point the other way.


The good news is that the administration has made clear it welcomes the new Iranian president and is eager to hear what he has to say. Of course, AIPACs legislation, once passed by House and Senate, could box him in.


This is why I write about AIPAC so much. There is no other lobby like it. Other countries are represented in Washington by registered foreign agents who are banned by law from any involvement in U.S. politics. AIPAC skirts that requirement by being anAmerican lobbyrepresenting a foreign government. Neat trick! And it is the trick (funding politicians legally) that enables it to foist all these dangerous policies on the United States.


Last point: most of your favorite progressive Members of Congress are co-sponsors of the AIPAC bill, meaning they knowingly put U.S. interests behind their fundraising desires.Here is the list.Read it and weep, no, read it and get angry.


ByMJ ROSENBERG


 


The Iran Project is not responsible for the content of quoted articles.


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