IF THE SKIES FALL: Middle East Politics and More.
Saturday, October 31, 2015
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
AIPAC defeated on Iran deal brings out right wingers to criticize it for its continued support of Democrats.
Carlone Glick wrote: "
What message are Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer, Ben Cardin, Joe Manchin and Robert Menendez, who endangered their standing in their party by opposing Obama’s Iran deal to take from AIPAC’s fundraiser for Coons? The obvious message to them is that they were stupid to stick their necks out. If AIPAC is no longer willing to limit its support to Democrats who actually support Israel then it is no longer a pro-Israel organization in any real sense. Rather, it is a partisan organization that will support Democrats regardless of their position on Israel.
And what message does AIPAC’s fundraiser for Coons send to Republicans? Had Republican Senator Rand Paul supported Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, he would have been vilified as an anti-Semite by his political opponents. AIPAC no doubt would have lavished support on his Democratic opponent if he or she were willing to utter a few pro-Israel platitudes.
In other words, AIPAC is saying that it exercises double standards. Whereas the pro-Israel lobby expects Republican lawmakers to support Israel, it supports and fundraises for Democratic lawmakers who oppose Israel.
And, if AIPAC abandons its expectations of Republicans, as its fundraiser for Coons indicates it has for Democrats, and supports anti-Israel politicians regardless of their partisan pedigree, then AIPAC will cease to function as a pro-Israel organization at all.
Clearly AIPAC is struggling to get its arms around its loss. The $20 million its Super Pac Citizens for a Nuclear- Free Iran spent to scuttle the deal managed to secure the votes of just four Democratic senators. Today it faces the dismal reality in which Democratic lawmakers believe the upside of voting with their convictions, the will of their voters and America’s national security interests is smaller than the downside of voting against Obama and his Democratic Party.
But surrendering to Obama is not the answer. If AIPAC wants to remain relevant, (or reinstate its relevance) in Washington, it needs to follow a simple rule. It must support those who support Israel and oppose those who oppose Israel.
Chris Coons voted for a deal that constitutes a mortal threat to Israel and to the US-Israel alliance. He is not a supporter of Israel. And neither are his 41 Democratic Senate colleagues who supported the deal.
But lots of other Democrats do support Israel. It is AIPAC’s job to find them, support them and stand by them. This it must do first and foremost by exacting a price from those who failed to stand up and be counted last summer when the chips were down."
What message are Democratic Senators Chuck Schumer, Ben Cardin, Joe Manchin and Robert Menendez, who endangered their standing in their party by opposing Obama’s Iran deal to take from AIPAC’s fundraiser for Coons? The obvious message to them is that they were stupid to stick their necks out. If AIPAC is no longer willing to limit its support to Democrats who actually support Israel then it is no longer a pro-Israel organization in any real sense. Rather, it is a partisan organization that will support Democrats regardless of their position on Israel.
And what message does AIPAC’s fundraiser for Coons send to Republicans? Had Republican Senator Rand Paul supported Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran, he would have been vilified as an anti-Semite by his political opponents. AIPAC no doubt would have lavished support on his Democratic opponent if he or she were willing to utter a few pro-Israel platitudes.
In other words, AIPAC is saying that it exercises double standards. Whereas the pro-Israel lobby expects Republican lawmakers to support Israel, it supports and fundraises for Democratic lawmakers who oppose Israel.
And, if AIPAC abandons its expectations of Republicans, as its fundraiser for Coons indicates it has for Democrats, and supports anti-Israel politicians regardless of their partisan pedigree, then AIPAC will cease to function as a pro-Israel organization at all.
Clearly AIPAC is struggling to get its arms around its loss. The $20 million its Super Pac Citizens for a Nuclear- Free Iran spent to scuttle the deal managed to secure the votes of just four Democratic senators. Today it faces the dismal reality in which Democratic lawmakers believe the upside of voting with their convictions, the will of their voters and America’s national security interests is smaller than the downside of voting against Obama and his Democratic Party.
But surrendering to Obama is not the answer. If AIPAC wants to remain relevant, (or reinstate its relevance) in Washington, it needs to follow a simple rule. It must support those who support Israel and oppose those who oppose Israel.
Chris Coons voted for a deal that constitutes a mortal threat to Israel and to the US-Israel alliance. He is not a supporter of Israel. And neither are his 41 Democratic Senate colleagues who supported the deal.
But lots of other Democrats do support Israel. It is AIPAC’s job to find them, support them and stand by them. This it must do first and foremost by exacting a price from those who failed to stand up and be counted last summer when the chips were down."
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