Aipac Instructs Delegates To Stay ‘Positive’
By Nathan Guttman
Thu. May 29, 2008
Washington - This past week, an unusual letter was sent out to the 7,000 delegates expected to attend the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s upcoming annual conference. Reflecting the heightened political tension surrounding the gathering in this campaign year, organizers from Aipac effectively told those planning to attend on June 2 to behave themselves better than they had last year.
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Left out of the letter was the impetus for such a warning: At last year’s annual conference, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi received scattered boos when she spoke about the problems created by the war in Iraq. Organizers appear determined to avoid such political statements at this year’s event, which will be attended by presidential candidates John McCain, Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
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Obama is at odds with Aipac in his willingness to enter into talks with Iran. The Illinois senator has said that pursuing negotiations with leaders in Tehran should be part of American policy on Iran and the alleged threat posed by its nuclear program. Aipac, on the other hand, does not encourage talks with Tehran.
A draft obtained by the Forward of the lobby’s 2008 policy “Action Agenda” calls on the administration to designate Iran and North Korea as “major national security threats” and to take “all appropriate measures to halt Iran’s pursuit of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them.”
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http://www.forward.com/articles/13470/