[Peace-discuss] Fwd: Message From Senator Durbin -- P S

Brussel Morton K. mkbrussel at comcast.net
Wed Jan 21 22:58:45 CST 2009


I suppose you'd have to go to the Temple to get a good answer. You  
might encounter there such folks as Paul Weichsel or Fred Gotheil,  
ardent defenders of Israeli polices, however perverse they might be.  
Ask David Green, an expert on such things.

One could cite the financial and media power of the Zionist lobby, the  
favoritism  of major news outlets like the NYT to Israeli interests,  
the fact that those in Congress believe it to be in the interest of  
the U.S. to have a secure base in the ME, the relative silence, so  
far, of the U.S. Jewish community against Israeli policies, what are  
seen as common global interests of the U.S and Israel (as when we were  
overthrowing Central American governments, supporting rogue  
insurrections in Africa, or supporting Latin American dictators) and  
the general disinterest and ignorance of the American populace as a  
whole, which gives Congress an implicit license for what they do. Or  
all of the above, and more.


On Jan 21, 2009, at 2:50 PM, Jenifer Cartwright wrote:

> Naive question on my part, but WHAT accounts for the US' mindless  
> support for Israel??? Jews are about 3% of the US population, and  
> almost all of the ones I know agree w/ me about the situation in the  
> ME.
>  --Jenifer
>
>
> --- On Wed, 1/21/09, Jenifer Cartwright <jencart13 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> From: Jenifer Cartwright <jencart13 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Fwd: Message From Senator Durbin
> To: "peace-discuss" <peace-discuss at anti-war.net>, "Brussel Morton  
> K." <mkbrussel at comcast.net>
> Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 2:46 PM
>
> Criminy. Even once-Senator Obama's resonse wasn't that appalling.  
> Isn't there a form letter for appeasing the other side, i e us??
>  --Jenifer
>
> --- On Wed, 1/21/09, Brussel Morton K. <mkbrussel at comcast.net> wrote:
> From: Brussel Morton K. <mkbrussel at comcast.net>
> Subject: [Peace-discuss] Fwd: Message From Senator Durbin
> To: "peace-discuss" <peace-discuss at anti-war.net>
> Date: Wednesday, January 21, 2009, 12:40 PM
>
> I guess my letter got put into the wrong bin… --mkb
>
> Begin forwarded message:
>
>> From: Correspondence_Reply at durbin.senate.gov
>> Date: January 21, 2009 10:23:55 AM CST
>> To: mkb3 at mac.com
>> Subject: Message From Senator Durbin
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> January 21, 2009
>>
>>
>>
>> Mr. M. K. Brussel
>> 2003 S George Huff Dr
>> Urbana, IL 61801
>>
>>
>> Dear Mr. Brussel:
>>
>> Thank you for contacting me about U.S. support for Israel. I  
>> appreciate hearing from you and share your concern for Israel's  
>> security and the safety of its citizens.
>>
>> Israel has endured many years of suffering as ordinary citizens,  
>> many of them children, have lost their lives to hatred and  
>> terrorist violence. No cause or grievance can justify the  
>> deliberate killing of innocent civilians.
>>
>> Israel has a right to defend itself from rocket attacks by Hamas  
>> and other terrorist threats. I was an original cosponsor of S. Res.  
>> 10, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent on January 8,  
>> 2009. This resolution recognizes the right of Israel to defend  
>> itself against attacks from Gaza and reaffirms the United States'  
>> support for Israel in its battle with Hamas. It also recognizes the  
>> importance of United States support for and involvement in the  
>> Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
>>
>> Israel remains the most important U.S. ally in the Middle East and  
>> the only multi-party democratic state in the region. I am proud to  
>> have been a strong supporter of Israel throughout my service in  
>> Congress. The strong and stable friendship between our two  
>> countries, built on a solid foundation of shared values, mutual  
>> assistance, and trust, is in the fundamental interest of the United  
>> States as well as Israel.
>>
>> Since World War II, the United States has given Israel more  
>> assistance than any other country, and Israel was the largest  
>> annual recipient of U.S. foreign assistance from 1976 through 2004.  
>> Since 1985, the United States has provided nearly $3 billion a year  
>> to Israel.On August 13, 2007, representatives of the American and  
>> Israeli governments signed a 10-year, $30 billion aid package. The  
>> agreement calls for annual increases in military assistance to  
>> Israel, reaching $3.1 billion a year by Fiscal Year 2018.
>>
>> The Israeli people deserve safety and security. Palestinians should  
>> have a safe and sovereign homeland and a voice in deciding their  
>> own destiny. But these goals for Palestinians cannot be achieved at  
>> the expense of Israel's sovereignty or the safety of its citizens.  
>> The establishment of a Palestinian state must come through peaceful  
>> negotiations, not violence.
>>
>> I am pleased that President Obama has repeatedly stated that  
>> resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict will be a top priority  
>> for his administration and I continue to hope that the Israeli and  
>> Palestinian governments can reach a mutual agreement that will  
>> bring peace and stability to the region. In the long run there is  
>> no alternative.
>>
>> I am monitoring this situation closely and will continue to stand  
>> firm in my support for Israel. Thank you again for your message.  
>> Please feel free to stay in touch.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>>
>>
>> Richard J. Durbin
>> United States Senator
>>
>> RJD/ds
>>
>>
>
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>

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