War Without End

Guest

http://www.counterpunch.org/hughes0823.html

CounterPunch

August 23, 2002

Lieberman's Conflict of Interest?

by William Hughes

On May 2, 2002, the Senate of the U.S. passed a notorious pro-Israel Resolution (S. Res. 247), with respect to the Mid-East controversy. Its co author was Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (D-CT). In pushing the measure, he barked, "You are either with us or the terrorists" (Washington Times, May 3, 2002). Who is this "us" he is talking about?

The measure falsely equated the U.S.'s post-9/11 fight against terrorism with Israel's brutal occupation of the Palestinian people in the occupied West Bank and Gaza. It also condoned Israel's vicious military attacks on Jenin, Ramallah and Bethlehem.

Black's Law Dictionary (5th Ed.) defines a conflict of interest as a "Term used in connection with public officials and their relationship to matters of private interest or gain to them."

The Senate Code of Official Conduct, "Conflict of Interest," Rule 37, Par. 2, states:

"No Member...shall engage in any outside business...which is inconsistent or in conflict with the conscientious performance of official duties."

The legislative history of this provision says, "It should be read to prohibit any outside activities which could represent a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest (See, Senate Ethics Manual, Sele ct Committee on Ethics, United States Senate, p. 66).

The Congressional Directory, (107th Congress, 2001-2002), list the official biography for Lieberman. It is silent about his membership or association with any Zionist organizations or his adherence to a Zionist political ideology.

Lawmaking is built on trust. Lieberman has an obligation to his fellow senators to disclose fully his agenda to the members of the Senate. Almost all elected political entities abide by these ethical rules, which are centered on revealing any conflict of interest, appearance of a conflict of interest, prejudice, or bias.

Like all members of the Senate, Lieberman is required to file an annual "Financial Disclosure Statement" with the Secretary of the Senate. In his May 15, 2001 submittal, he again failed to mention any official membership in any Zionist organizations. Although, he does disclose his significant connection, as an advisory board member, to three Israeli-based non-profit organizations: "The Peres Center for Peace" at Tel Aviv; "Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies" at Bar-Ilan University, and the "Natural History Museum," located in Jerusalem.

Lieberman's membership in these Zionist affiliated groups does raise, on its face, an appearance of a conflict of interest on his part with respect to an issue, like S. Res. 247, since it advances the cause of Zionism and/or Zionist Israel. If he is in fact a Zionist, then the conflict between his public duties and his private interests becomes even more pronounced.

The Anti-Defamation League, a hot air organ for Israel, defines Zionism as, "The guiding nationalist movement of the majority of Jews around the world, who believe in, support and identify with the State of Israel." Does Lieberman subscribe, as a matter of personal political philosophy, to the ADL's definition of Zionism? If so, shouldn't he put that fact on the public record, whether he is a card carrying Zionist or not?

Actually, Zionism is an alien based political movement, global in scope, racially restrictive, with its spiritual headquarters in Tel Aviv, and not Washington, D.C. It aspires to a land grabbing "Greater Israel."

On another disturbing front, Israel Radio (Kol Yisrael), reported on Oct. 3, 2001, that Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, had boasted at a Cabinet meeting, "I want to tell you something very clear, don't worry about American pressure on Israel, we, the Jewish people control America, and the Americans know it."

In light of the above, I feel the Senate had a right to know any relevant information about Lieberman's Zionist political ideology, memberships, and associations in order to weigh the value of endorsing or opposing his pro Israel resolution. He should have, at a minimum, disclosed to the Senate any and all of his Zionist connections, and then, if appropriate, recused himself on the matter of S. Res. 247.

Our country is at high risk for terrorist attacks, partly, because of its flawed policy of giving unconditional support to a hawkish Israel, presently led by a man universally-loathed for his brutality. This policy, unfortunately, also includes unfairly demonizing and punishing Muslims and Arabs leaders in general; for example, the economic sanctions against Iraq, which have caused the death of hundreds of thousands of innocent Iraqi children, fall into the latter category (CASI, 01/02).

During the 2000 election, Lieberman received $86,000 from Pro-Israel PAC contributors towards his Senate re-election campaign, (See, Janet McMahon, WRMEA, Oct/Nov. 2000 issue). What effect did that financial contribution, and others like it, have on his voting record and on his hidden political agenda?

Let me make this clear: Lieberman's religion is no one's business but his own. His politics, however, and any foreign links to it, are the public's business. I am pro-America. I am also an anti-Zionist and against Sharon's colonial policies.

S. Res. 247, which passed the Senate by a 94-2 vote, will only increase the hostility towards America in the Arab and Muslim world. It also, more importantly, will send a green light to the blood stained Sharonists to continue their killing spree against innocent Palestinians. Thankfully, Senators Robert C. Byrd (D-WV) and Ernest F. Hollings (D S.C.) had the courage to oppose the Resolution.

No special foreign-based interest, like Zionism, should ever be placed above the interest of our Republic. Lieberman must be forced to come clean with the Senate about all his Zionist connections. Senate Rule 37 requires it and so does the future security of our nation.

William Hughes is a Baltimore attorney.

liamhughes@mindspring.com

Alpha

Israel PAC Money to US Representatives in the US Congress:

http://www.wrmea.com/html/aipac.htm

Guest

THE ULTIMATE JEWISH CONSPIRACY THEORY
By David Aaronovitch ( david.aaronovitch@btinternet.com )
The Guardian (London) -- Wednesday, January 15, 2003
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,874824,00.html

God save us from conspiracy theorists, were Senator Joseph Lieberman to
be elected US president in 2004. Things are quite bad enough as they
stand, without a Jewish head of state in America. Fortunately, it looks
as though George Bush will win, whoever his opponent is.

For the past 40 years, the common explanation for US partiality towards
Israel has been the power of the Jewish lobby. It is an explanation
that, broadly, has united leftwingers and rightwingers. Why has the
United States been so supine in the face of Israeli intransigence, and
so uncaring in its attitude towards the plight of the Palestinians?
Above all, why has it behaved in this way, when a more balanced approach
might have served its long-term interests far better? The Jewish lobby,
that's why.

The lobby explanation has been outlined with great clarity by Mark
Weber, who is director of the American Institute for Historical Review.
In a long article ["A Look at the `Powerful Jewish Lobby'."
http://www.ihr.org/leaflets/jewishlobby.html], Weber brought together
the comments and analyses of various Jewish academics, such as Benjamin
Ginsberg of Johns Hopkins
University, and writers such as Seymour Lipset and Earl Raab. Ginsberg,
for example, wrote in his book, The Fatal Embrace: "Since the 1960s,
Jews have come to wield considerable influence in American economic,
cultural, intellectual and political life ... close to half its
billionaires are Jews. The chief executive officers of the three major
television networks and the four largest film studios are Jews, as are
the owners of the nation's largest newspaper chain and the single most
influential newspaper, the New York Times."

Lipset and Raab gave further figures, noting (according to Weber) that
Jews constituted "50% of the top 200 intellectuals ... 20% of professors
at the leading universities ... 40% of partners in the leading law firms
in New York and Washington." Etcetera, schmetcetera. You get the idea.

Naturally (says another convenient Jewish intellectual, Alfred
Lilienthal), this Jewish connection, fostered by Jewish tribalism, has
exerted an enormous pull on non-Jews. So, movies plus dosh plus
tribalism equals Zionism in Washington, and who says so? Jews do.

Weber, as one of America's leading Holocaust deniers, is perfectly
happy, but I can see that old Ginsberg has terrific problems with the
fact that Jews have cropped up in almost all of the major 19th and
20th-century political movements - many of them completely
contradictory. They are cited as leading forces in liberalism,
neo-conservatism, socialism, bolshevism and market capitalism. The only
two movements that Jews don't seem to have led are fascism and Islamic
fundamentalism. Still, they were the guys behind Reagan, the guys behind
Clinton - either ever mutating, ever powerful (if you're a
conspiracist), or ever disagreeing with each other if you're not.

The other difficulty for non-conspiracists is that there just aren't
that many Jews in America. Six million is the latest figure (3.9% of the
population in Florida, and 128,000 out of 21 million in Dubya's Texas),
and probably declining. The Muslim population is about 3.5 million and growing.

The electoral-lobby thing doesn't work any more. Enter, lowered from the
gods, another story. This is that Israel is currently being sustained in
its Sharonite nastiness by a new lobby - the Christian right. This may
seem strange in view of the ol'-time anti-semitism of many people, such
as preacher/politician Pat Robertson, but the transmission is supposed
to work like this.

1. Lots of these Christian folks are dispensationalists, who believe
that we are living in the sixth dispensation, and the seventh (shortly
upon us) will be a millennium-long earthly reign, based in Israel.
(Warning note: We have to have a rapture first, and their idea of
rapture is different from that of most Guardian readers.)

2. For this to happen, all the Jews have to go to Israel and then
convert to Christianity or die.

3. So they want the Jews to get the whole of Palestine, and quickly.

4. George Bush is a born-again Christian, as are many of his cronies, so
either 5. he believes all this stuff and bases his foreign policy on it, or

6. he bends to the dispensationalists because he needs their votes.

I have read this account in several newspapers and, last Sunday, heard
it delivered, uninterrogated, on Radio 4. And it just occurs to me that
there might be other, less obviously ridiculous explanations for
American policy on Israel over the years. They could include the legacy
of the cold war - when the USSR sided with the Arab nations; a respect
for Israeli democracy (flawed though it might be); a penchant for the
underdog (now fading); and - above all - an identification with a
pioneering people who made a life in a new land, and displaced another
people in order to do it.

I do accept, however, that this lacks the narrative drive of the other
versions, and await the moment when we discover that Joe Lieberman is
also the Grand Master of the Priory of Sion, who has bought his election
with the fabulous Templar treasure, dug up at Rennes-le-Cateau. That's
what I call a story.

--------------------------------------------------------

Guest

Breaking the Silence on the Israel Lobby:

http://www.warwithoutend.co.uk/middle-east-and-asia/2002/12/31/breaking-the-silence-on-the-israel-lobby.php

Guest

Guest · Posted: Wed Jan 15, 2003 10:25 pm Post subject: TARJUFFE

HARK THE ANGELS SCORN: JOE LIEBERMAN - YANKEE TARTUFFE

by Guest (a work in progress)

Platitudinous, moralistic, cuddly-wuddly, blotchy, and off-pink cheeked, Senator Joseph Lieberman (D- Connecticut) is, for all appearances, a shyly confident, not quite fine figure of a man. Like all humble preachers, his reticence is guarded, wisdom held in reserve. When some out of the way church is made available, congregants gather, and from our TV screens, they look as hushed, penitent, and glad to be there as any we see assembled in Reverend Robert Schuller's Crystal Cathedral. For all we fans at home know, they're the same people. Surely they know he's no Reverend, but from their expectant body language, it's clear they've at least conceded - he's no ordinary Joe.

The pulpit is his, and he knows it. His bland demeanor conceals a feral readiness, and the orthodox vestment - his coffee-grey tailored suit, proclaims him as the anti-Schuller, an unresplendent prophet. It's an implicit message: Why, in the Hebrew faith, dear people, flash is considered inappropriate, drab is the thing. We are a solemn tribe, my friends, never drawn to the light. Que sera, sera, whatever we are, we are.

Now, he starts in earnest. Hand-wringing gets him going , Senator Joe's chubby, interlocking fingers knead his doughy palms, relentlessly, montonously, and voila - it's a sermon suzette. Then, dripping with piety, he lowers his head, and in low, irregular tones, we hear, we his anxious supplicants -Saintly Wisdom, and Unvarnished Truth. Cursed with a sing-songy, constipated nebbish whine, the Senator Joe's voice has circus calliope rhythms. And, as the sermon builds, the calliope softens the dirge, and that's all the encouragement he ever needs. Whatever one might say in disparagement, - Joe Lieberman is a self-starter. A schmaltzy exhibitionist, his engine is already on hum.

Coyly, he measures our gaze, one dirty-angel forelock astrew. Cooing sounds emerge sotto voce, metronomic trills designed to tranquilize us before prayer. Senator Joe breaks the meditative quiet with a limpid nod, a solicitous, Shandling-esque smile. It's a moment, yes a Kodak moment. We are lifted. We are extended. We are in flight. From ourselves? Who can know? But the chicken soup, (sans the hearty ingredients) that Joe Lieberman lovingly places before us, many still sip. Or so we're told. And, there's the rub. Why? Beyond the media hype, what exactly is his appeal? What does he have to offer?

A Connecticut Yankee Of Sorts In King George's Court, Joe Lieberman is the political equivalent of Moliere's pious fraud - TARTUFFE. A mealy-mouthed man of the cloth, whose mock-faith conceals an enormity of sin, SenatorJoseph Lieberman is more properly TARJUFFE, and we should herald him so. Hark the angels scorn.

Alpha

"Sen Lieberman calls for unconditional US support for Israel......."
-----------------
Forwarded Message:
Subj: [AL-AWDA-News] JEWISH ACTIVISTS DISRUPT LIEBERMAN CANDIDACY ANNOUNCEMENT
Date: 1/14/03 6:25:27 PM Pacific Standard Time
)

PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release

Date: January 13, 2003
Contact: 917-517-3627

JEWISH ACTIVISTS DISRUPT LIEBERMAN CANDIDACY ANNOUNCEMENT
Citing Lieberman's support for Israeli military violence, activists challenge candidate.

STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT—Jewish activists disrupted Sen. Joseph Lieberman’s announcement of his presidential candidacy at Stamford High School and his first campaign stop at the Stamford Diner. Holding placards and banners, 30 members of Jews Against the Occupation (JATO) chanted, "U.S. funds Israel’s War… Jewish Voters Say No More!" Two activists were arrested during the demonstration. JATO calls for an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem as well as an end to U.S. military and economic aid for Israel.

"Senator Lieberman claims to speak for American Jews when he calls for unconditional U.S. support for Israel. But increasingly, Jews in the U.S. and Israel reject the violent Israeli repression of Palestinian civilians," says Malcah Rosen of Stamford, one of the demonstrators.

JATO activists protested Israeli use of U.S. aid to finance human rights violations. Both the seizure of Palestinian land and collective punishment of Palestinian civilians, which are illegal under the Geneva Conventions, are made possible by U.S. military and economic aid.

"Israel does not use U.S. aid for the purposes of advancing democracy and freedom. U.S. aid both directly and indirectly supports the military infrastructure enabling mass detentions and killings of Palestinian civilians, as well as the destruction of Palestinian society. As Jews around the world voice their opposition to this war against a civilian population, United States tax dollars perpetuate it," says Rebecca Levitsky of New York City.

Challenging Senator Lieberman’s position that the Israeli occupation is necessary, New York City resident Karen Goldman observes, "Lieberman has characterized ending Israel’s military violence as ‘a crime of weakness’ and affirms an unconditional ‘special relationship’ between the U.S. and Israel. We must sever this relationship until Israel demonstrates a true interest in peace and fair negotiation. As Israeli officials speak more and more of their intentions to engage in massive ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, we cannot allow the United States to continue to support the greatest crimes of this conflict."

Jews Against The Occupation is a New York City-based group of Jewish community leaders, and part of a growing movement of worldwide Jewish dissent against the illegal, violent actions of the Israeli government and the occupation of the West Bank, Gaza, and East Jerusalem.

www.jewsagainsttheoccupation.org

###

Huwaida Arraf
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
www.palsolidarity.org

"If the people lead, the leaders will follow"

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http://al-awda.org/wb_fund.htm
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Guest

The first paragraph is interesting, because while the usual figure
estimated is 60%, even 50% should silence those who don't want to see
where the party's money is coming from.

Jeff

http://www.jewishsf.com/bk030117/us16.shtml

Lieberman must battle other Democrats for Jewish money
MATTHEW E. BERGER

Jewish Telegraphic Agency

STAMFORD, Conn. -- If Jewish money accounts for an estimated half of big-time Democratic donations during the presidential primary season, then Sen. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) would seem to be at a distinct advantage.

But that may not be the case.

Analysts say that Lieberman may have a slight advantage in the money game because he is an observant Jew with strong ties to the organized Jewish community.

But Lieberman's base of support is the same group that the other Democratic hopefuls will be soliciting fervently.

And others already have some key Jewish players behind them.

In addition, new campaign finance laws that go into effect for the first time will change the way Jewish money is doled out for 2004.

"Lieberman will get a substantial majority of Jewish contributions," but the new campaign laws will expand the number of dollars people can contribute in the election cycle, said Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics.

The new law, known as McCain-Feingold for the lawmakers that sponsored it, doubled the amount of contributions a person could give to a primary campaign to $2,000.

It also raised the amount of money a contributor could give to all candidates and committees in each election cycle from $50,000 to $95,000.

And because soft-money donations -- unlimited funds given to the national political parties to use on behalf of candidates -- have been banned, there are fewer avenues for the money to be distributed and fewer large-scale donations for candidates.

That makes individual contributions, theoretically, more important, although loopholes are expected to be found around the new laws.

Analysts say the new laws will lead to an increase in contributors who are "double dipping," giving funds to more than one Democratic candidate.

Marvin Lender, the bagels magnate and Jewish communal leader who is serving on the board of the Lieberman campaign, said he believes the "lion's share of large gifts" to the Lieberman campaign will come from Jewish donors.

But that does not mean he will get all of the Jewish money.

Steve Grossman, former national chairman of the Democratic National Committee, has been working the phones for former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, soliciting numerous Jewish donors.

He says the Jewish community is much less monolithic than people believe, and he is not writing off the constituency for his candidate.

"There's a vast number of Jews who can write $2,000 checks who don't affiliate with Jewish entities," said Grossman, a former president of AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

"For those people not imbued with the Jewish community, Joe Lieberman will not have any particular advantage over other candidates."

Those groups include Jewish trial lawyers, who have a former member of their profession in Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.), health care professionals who may largely support Dean, a physician, and gays and lesbians, who also back Dean because he supported gay civil unions in Vermont.

If Sen. Bob Graham (D-Fla.) enters the race, his strong ties to Florida's Jewish community could also come at a cost to Lieberman, as will the relations Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) has cultivated in his home state.

Having been in the Democratic leadership for more than 15 years, Rep. Richard Gephardt (D-Mo.) has links to Jewish donors around the country.

Support for a candidate is "based on access, past support and friendships," said Morris Amitay, a Jewish fund-raiser and former executive director of AIPAC. "A lot of it is personal."

In addition, many Jewish voters may base their support on the candidates' positions on Israel. At the same time the Israel issue could become a non-issue this time around, given that other Democratic hopefuls, as well as President Bush, are also seen as strong proponents of Israel.

There are also many Jewish voters who will back the candidate that comes closest to their policy views, no matter what religion.

"For a significant number of people, maybe even an equal number, they are Jewish, but health care, the economy, civil rights and the war tend to drive their support for a candidate more than whether one candidate happens to be Jewish," Grossman said.

For more JTA stories, go to http://www.jta.orgAll rights reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any form without permission

Alpha

THE REAL REASONS THE US WILL INVADE IRAQ:

http://www.warwithoutend.co.uk/middle-east-and-asia/2003/01/18/the-real-reasons-the-us-will-invade-iraq.php

Guest · Posted: Sat Jan 18, 2003 5:43 pm Post subject:

War Without End

The global war against terror, news about the illegal invasion of Iraq, the corporate puppet presidents, the war criminal Tony Blair, September 11th 2001, the USS Liberty and New World Order crimes against humanity.

Zionist Jew Joe Lieberman Should NEVER be US President