News

The FBI is probing AIPAC's involvement in keeping Israel supporter Rep. Jane Harmon (Harmon of Harmon-Kardon is Husband) as the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, which certainly has access to top secret information.

FBI Probe

Wonder why it was so important to Israel to have her on this committee?

Pat Tillman's brother, Kevin Tillman, has this to say on the anniversary of his brother's death:

In a democracy, the policy of the leaders is the policy of the people. So don’t be shocked when our grandkids bury much of this generation as traitors to the nation, to the world and to humanity. Most likely, they will come to know that “somehow” was nurtured by fear, insecurity and indifference, leaving the country vulnerable to unchecked, unchallenged parasites.

Sounds like Kevin has been doing his homework.

John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt have, somehow, scored a publishing deal. Congratulations to them! Looks like the debate on the effect of Israel's supporters on US policy in the middle east will go on a little longer. Scott McConnell discusses this and more here in Breaking the Silence.

Far right Israeli politician Avigdor Lieberman looks to be admitted into the ruling coalition in Israel. The groundwork is being laid in a vote to hand the prime minister more power to run the Israeli government, something many are very concerned about.

The Scotsman

Harvard economist Andrei Sheifer has been "demoted" for his conflict of interest during the consultation provided by Harvard to the Russia government in the 1980s/1990 which led to the plundering of assets by the "oligarchs". Among other things, Harvard was fined 26 million dollars by a US court for Sheifer’s actions. Russia lost something like 26 billion (probably low).

Boston Globe and more here

Sibel Edmonds Diary on Daily Kos

Interesting diary on Sibel Edmonds here.

There are links to a French Documentary here. The documentary looks very interesting.

Who is Rahm Emmanuuel?

Rahm Emanuel is the chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. In many of the close races where Democrats are seeking to take previously republican seat he has located and financed pro-war Democratic candidates.

For example, Christine Cegelis polled 44% again long time republican Henry Hyde in 2004. Hyde then retired. Instead of backing Cegelis in the 2006 race, Rahm Emanual dug up pro-war candidate Tammy Duckwoth who:

Although she had both her legs blown off in Iraq, she has remained committed to "staying the course" in Iraq (2). Duckworth had no political experience and did not live in the 6th District, but Rahm Emanuel raised a million dollars for her and brought in Dem heavyweights Joe Lieberman, Barak Obama, John Kerry, John Edwards and Hillary Clinton to support her. Despite all this help and with the Cegelis campaign virtually penniless, Duckworth barely managed to eke out a victory by a measly four percentage points.

However Duckworth is not doing very well in the general election. In a recent radio address by Duckworth she offered no timetable for withdrawl in Iraq.

Emanual has back 22 new candidates for congress of which "only one [] is for prompt withdrawal from Iraq. And it is noteworthy that Rahm found pro-war candidates in both red states and blue, like CT and CA. Check out these candidates for yourself."

This leads to the question:

Who is Congressman Rahm Emanuel? From what does he derive his power? What are his thoughts on the future for the Dems? And where is The Nation in all this. More on that coming shortly.

Yes, that will be interesting.

Countepunch.org

Lecture on 'The Lobby" cancelled due to ADL pressure

A lecture by historian Tony Judt has been cancelled due to pressure by the ADL and Abe Foxman. Tony Judt is a strong and effective critic of Israel and the Israeli Lobby in the US. He is also Jewish.

By doing this the ADL is confirming one of the theses of Walt-Mersheshiemer paper - that The Lobby that critics of Israel will be silenced by threat of consequence.

And apparently mere criticism of Israel is enough for action by the ADL. The ADL no longer feels it necessary to provide actual evidence of anti-Semitism.

Here is someone’s personal comment on Judt:

Although generally, and rather proudly, a lifelong "man of the left," Judt is one of the few prominent academics today who actually enjoys being around clever people who disagree with him: his Remarque Institute is a tiny little oasis of freedom of speech in American academe. [...]

And now Judt's been blacklisted himself by the neocon lobby as an "anti-semite." How utterly absurd--aside from the fact Judt himself is Jewish, his Remarque Institute regularly hosts *Holocaust Studies seminars*, for pete's sake! It's their bread and butter!

Oh, I shudder for freedom of speech in America. Are there any oases left?

I agree.

Much more at isteve.com

When The Onion is good, it is really good.

Senate Wins Fight To Lower Allowable Amperage Levels On Detainees' Testicles

WASHINGTON, DC—Led by a bipartisan group of senators critical of White House policy on suspected terrorists, the Senate passed a bill Thursday that prohibits interrogators from exceeding 100 amps per testicle when questioning detainees. "Even in times of war, it is counterproductive and wrong to employ certain inhumane interrogation techniques, and using three-digit amperage levels on the testicles of captives constitutes torture," said Sen. John Warner (R-VA), who has also supported reducing the size of attack dogs and the height of nude pyramids. "Using amperages of 99 and lower, with approved surge protectors on the jumper-cable clamps, are the hallmarks of a civilized society." The legislation did not address amperage restrictions on suspected terrorists' labia.

The Onion