AIPAC Says U.S.-Israel Ties Are Under Attack

[seemslikeadream]

Group Denies Wrongdoing Amid Probe

By Robin Wright and Thomas B. Edsall
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, September 8, 2004; Page A10

In a lengthy letter to supporters and allies, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee charged yesterday that the "very essence" of relations between the United States and Israel is under assault as a result of reports that the FBI is investigating whether AIPAC officials passed classified information to Israel.

The e-mail, AIPAC's first detailed comment about the FBI's counterintelligence investigation, strongly denies involvement in criminal activity or receipt of secret intelligence information by the organization or its employees, calling the allegations "false and baseless."

It also appeals to supporters for a "special contribution" to combat the publicity, including a recent full-page ad in the Washington Times that alleges that the United States has turned a blind eye to Israel's violations of international law.

The AIPAC letter comes amid charges from some American Jews that enemies of Israel and of AIPAC are capitalizing on the controversy created by reports of the probe. Some have said their goal is to undermine relations with Israel. Others are concerned about an anti-Semitic undercurrent because many of the U.S. officials that the FBI has mentioned in interviews are Jews in the Pentagon and Vice President Cheney's office.

more
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3677-2004Sep7.html

[Tamyrlin79]

1. Under Attack?

Indeed.

[punpirate]

2. What AIPAC means by this...

... is that AIPAC is under attack, and by extension, that all the neo-cons and Sharon are under attack.

Getting caught is a no-no, especially if one lives and operates within the Beltway. People stop going to your luncheons and stop giving you money if you're facing indictments....

[Eloriel]

3. What unmitigated horsepucky

The TRUTH is "U.S.-Israel Ties Are NOT Under Attack," but damn well should be.

In fact, I think that would be my first wished for outcome of this whole spy scandal. Wouldn't mind AIPAC being discredited all to hell, but even that's subordinate in my mind.

[Matilda]

4. Seems to me that AIPAC should be put under a microscope.

Do they think they should be immune from investigation?

[Copperred]

5. WHERE ARE THE AMERICANS!

Both Parties fear AIPAC/ISRAEL.....here is a chance for them to work on a bipartisan effort that is truly American, that the American people will support....and will set alot of things straight.

SIMPLY PUT...it does not matter who you are...YOU DO NOT SPY ON THE UNITED STATES, GET CAUGHT, AND GET OFF.......

IF BOTH PARTIES SEE THE BIPARTISIAN LIGHT>>>THEY HAVE A HISTORIC CHANCE TO PUT THIS FOREIGN AGENT INFLUENCE IN ITS PLACE.

AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE POLITICIANS WONT HAVE TO BE AFRAID AS MUCH AS THEY HAVE BEEN...AND THAT IS THEIREVERY SOLID MOTIVATING FACTOR.

THIS IS GOING TO BECOME A CAMPAIGN 2004 ISSUE U CAN BET ON IT>>>>BUSHES ASHCROFT IS BLOCKING A SPY SCANDAL>>>WHAT DO YOU THINK HONEST JOHN?

From the Heartland....that be OHIO.

[Wright Patman]

8. Honest John?

Would that be Sen. Kerry? I do not mean to dash your hopes, but he has a long history as a more or less blind supporter of Israel, as do most in Congress, and I don't see that changing.

He has made speeches recently, maybe even to AIPAC itself, reasserting his bona fides as a supporter of the lobby.

[jumpstart33]

13. I think the Israelis and American Jews realize that this gives cover for

our Congress and other politicians to not be afraid of losing money from AIPAC and other organizations run by American Jews if they stand up for America's interests first and not Israel's. Thanks to Bush and his war on terror and the neocon crowd that Bush has surrounded himself with, there may, indeed, be a light at the end of this tunnel.

[Gman]

6. The current essence of US - Israel relations needs to be assaulted

in order to save as many lives as possible.

[shraby]

7. Ah, but when does the frog-marching begin?????

I've been waiting for quite a while now.

[stickdog]

9. What's next? AIPAC claims that anti-AIPAC = antisemitic? (nt)

[Owlet]

10. AIPAC's position: they just got together for coffee

Franklin met Israeli Intelligence attaché

Israeli officials confirm report, say he was giving Franklin information, emphasize that everything was open and above board.
Ben Kaspit and Maariv International

Larry Franklin, the Pentagon analyst suspected of possible negligence and improper handling of classified materials met with
several Israeli diplomats, including Col. “Y”, the Military Intelligence attaché. This has been confirmed to Maariv by senior
diplomatic sources.

The sources add that OC Military Intelligence (MI) Maj. Gen. Aharon Ze’evi-Farkash was aware of these contacts. They emphasized that the meetings were held openly, no attempt was made to hide them in any way, as there was nothing to hide.

http://www.maarivintl.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=10952

[seemslikeadream]

11. Neoconservatism and Espionage AIPAC Spy Scandal: Crimes of the 'Clean Brea

Neoconservatism and Espionage AIPAC Spy Scandal: Crimes of the 'Clean Brea


According to Green, his visitors "were extraordinarily well-informed" and very focused:

"It was apparent they've been at this for awhile, I asked them if there was a current reason for them asking questions about things that go back over 30 years, and they sort of looked at each other and said, 'Yes, it's a present issue,' but wouldn't say specifically what. Though they did ask very specific questions about one individual in particular."

Ledeen's Israeli connection, as the chief go-between with Israel in the Iran-Contra affair, is well-known, but his storied history didn't prevent employment as a "consultant" to the Office of Special Plans.

Vest and Rozen report that the agents never brought up Franklin's name: they wanted to know about Wolfowitz, Perle, Feith, Ledeen, and Bryen. Another node of interest: the Pentagon's "Office of Special Plans," which is widely credited with funneling enough phony "intelligence" into the White House to expose its occupant to the charge of being a world-class liar. "The only name that didn't come up was Larry Franklin," avers Green.
more
http://www.antiwar.com/justin/?articleid=3521
Pollardites in the Pentagon?


by Patrick J. Buchanan

In 1970, Perle was picked up on an FBI wiretap discussing NSC secrets with the Israeli embassy. In 1981, as assistant secretary of defense, Perle got a top-secret security clearance for his chosen deputy Stephen Bryen, who is said to have narrowly eluded indictment for offering top-secret documents to Mossad's man in Washington.

In 1982, Feith was the object of an inquiry as to whether he had given secret documents to the Israeli embassy. Fired from the NSC, he was hired by Perle. Feith left the Pentagon in 1986 to form a law firm – in Israel. Hired by Rumsfeld in 2001, Feith set up the Office of Special Plans, which cherry-picked the intelligence to the White House that turned out to be false, but facilitated the war on Iraq.

In 1996, Perle, Feith and Wurmser co-authored a paper for Netanyahu calling for ditching Oslo, reoccupying the West Bank and overthrowing Saddam as "an important Israeli strategic objective."

In 1998, Wolfowitz and Perle signed an open letter from the neoconservative front group PNAC to Clinton, urging him to ditch diplomacy and wage war on Iraq, and pledging their full support.
On Jan. 1, 2001, eight months before 9/11, Wurmser, at AEI, called for joint U.S.-Israeli air strikes on Iraq, Iran, Syria and Libya.

According to White House anti-terror chief Richard Clarke, Wolfowitz, in April 2001, wanted Osama put on a back burner and for us to go after Iraq. In the first hours after 9/11, according to Bob Woodward and Clarke, Wolfowitz wanted Iraq invaded, not Afghanistan. For his role in steering us into war, Wolfowitz was named Man of the Year – by the Jerusalem Post.

more
http://www.antiwar.com/pat/?articleid=3517

[jumpstart33]

12. Well, isn't it about time? I thought no foreign government could tell us

what to do? That's what we always cry when asked to have soldiers serve under the UN flag or have other nations go after us under trade agreements. It seems to me that Israel is a foreign government that has had just too much influence over the US government and it's time to stop. So if this relationship is "under attack" I say good and it's about time!

[Dr Strangelove]

14. They Have Been Spying the Piss out of The US

for years now. And what about those Israeli movers we have heard so much about? We give them billions in aid, mostly military, and what we don't give them they steal. But it's OK the worst that can happen is we send them home, usually quickly and quietly. I think ALL spies in the US should be prosecuted, no matter who they work for!!!

[newyawker99]

15. Hi Dr Strangelove!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[htuttle]

16. There's a typo in the headline

Shouldn't that read: "AIPAC Says U.S.-Israel Spies Are Under Attack"

[seemslikeadream]

17. White House Draws Fire From Congress, Offical Over Leak of FBI Probe

White House Draws Fire From Congress, Officials Over Leak of FBI Probe
Wexler: Community 'Broadbrushed'
By Ori Nir
September 10, 2004

WASHINGTON — With America's pro-Israel lobby scrambling to combat media leaks from unnamed government officials, the White House is drawing criticism from congressmen and Jewish communal officials over the FBI investigation into allegations that officials of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee illegally transferred secret information to Israel.

Lawmakers and Jewish organizational leaders are questioning the motivation for the investigation and its two-year course, stressing that no indictments have emerged — only leaks from administration officials familiar with the FBI probe. In addition to expressing outrage over the media leaks, several Congressmen are also condemning the investigation itself, which they say has spawned unfair accusations of disloyalty against Aipac and represents an abuse of power on the part of Attorney General John Ashcroft.

"To think that one of the leading American Jewish organizations has been investigated for two years, and the highest people at the White House were aware of it, is extremely unsettling," said Rep. Robert Wexler, a Florida Democrat. "If there was an individual or group who broke the law, they need to be held accountable. But the broad-brushing of Aipac and the American Jewish community is extremely inflammatory and needs to be stopped."


At least one lawmaker, Representative John Conyers of Michigan, was calling for a congressional investigation regarding the substance of the allegations. Conyers, the top-ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, asked the committee's Republican chairman, James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin, to open an investigation into the claim that a "rogue element of the United States government" may have worked with a foreign government in possible contravention of foreign policy
more
http://www.forward.com/main/article.php?ref=nir20040909324

[leesa]

18. About time the slime beneath this rock is exposed.

[Zorra]

19. kick