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Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News
The Results Show The Relative Strengths of Lobby Groups
by Moorad Mooradian, Ph.D. (moorad@erols.com) - The Armenian Reporter International - 12/30/2000
Posted: Friday, January 05, 2001 10:44 am CST
That the Armenian Assembly of America and the Armenian National Committee have accomplished as much as they have is testimony to the magnificent dedication, skills, and hard work of the people involved in the daily activities of both organizations.
Without question, they are deserving of support from the population. There are also unsung heroes. These are the people who contribute many hours of hard work, spend vast amounts of personal funds, who may or may not belong to either the AAA or the ANC, but who work the political scene by themselves. The combination of the above is the group whom the Turkophiles have labeled the "powerful Armenian lobby." As successful as this lobby has been so far, nothing can compare to the "Jewish lobby," many of whose members have rushed to the defense of the Turkish ally, Israel. As the old saying goes, the proof is in the pudding.
While the "powerful Armenian lobby" fought a valiant battle to have the Genocide Resolution passed in the House of Representatives -- only to see the efforts take a strategic retreat -- the Jewish Lobby continues to rack up victory upon victory. Recently, the Jewish behemoth succeeded at the expense of the Palestinians. The triumph occurred in the same House that surrendered to Turkish threats on the Armenian Resolution.
HOUSE RESOLUTION SLAMS PALESTINIANS
On October 25, the House passed a resolution by a whopping 365-30 margin, literally placing all of the blame for the current violence in the Middle East on the Palestinians. The House did not even think about proportional responsibility for the violence. It did not mean a thing to the members of that august body of Congresspeople that, of 137 deaths at the time of the vote, 129 of them were ethnic Arabs.
It mattered not that Israel responded to rock throwing with helicopters (all American-made) sending rockets into areas crowded with Palestinians, that Israeli war planes attacked areas known to house innocents, that Israeli warships belched forth rockets into schools, hospitals, homes, etc., and that Israeli soldiers did not hesitate to aim their rifles to kill and maim unarmed civilians.
When the Serbians responded to Albanians in like manner, they were called war criminals, but when Israel murders innocent people under the guise of responding to terrorists, the House of Representatives calls them faultless. The House message signified "solidarity with the state of and people of Israel at this time of crisis." Where is the voice of solidarity for the many innocent Palestinians who have been killed or maimed for life? Hats off to David Bonior and John Conyers of Michigan, Jesse Jackson Jr. of Illinois, Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, Barbara Lee and Maxine Waters of California, Cynthia McKinney of Georgia, and Jose Serrano of New York. These are names well known to Armenians. They once again displayed a sense of decency, impartiality, and human compassion. These Congresspeople did not fall prey to the pressures exerted by the Jewish lobby and voted against the resolution defending the Israeli terror apparatus.
"TERRORIST ACT" VS. "SELF-DEFENSE"
It is interesting that when an Arab plants a bomb, it becomes a terrorist act. But when Israel rains rockets onto schools and hospitals, it is called self-defense. One needs to ask, how many people have so-called terrorists killed and how many have "sanctioned" bombings and shootings killed? Which response has inflicted greater suffering on innocent people? No one should believe that this article defends the violent nationalists who have been labeled terrorists. But when the might of trained military forces is unleashed against rock throwers to drive home a point to Palestinian leaders, it is no different from the political ends sought by a "terrorist" placing a bomb at a busy shopping center. Pilots pushing a button to send rockets into a city or naval ships launching death from many miles away are paramount to a knave leaving a bomb at an airport.
For the record, let me state here clearly and unequivocally that I do not condone the work of terrorists, no matter what their cause. This type of activity causes senseless deaths of innocent people who happen to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Yet, where is the voice of sanctimonious Bill Clinton? If any resolution can and will put American lives at risk, it is this type of lopsided, biased, totally political resolution that incurs the wrath of radicals in the Middle East who sit and wait for an excuse to aim fire at Americans. Why doesn't the honorable Mr. Tom Lantos speak out for American self-interest in this instance? Can his being an Israeli Nationalist dressed in the clothing of an American citizen be the difference? To top off his hypocritical postulating, short timer (thank God!) Bill Clinton is working with the gutless leaders of this same Congress to finalize this year's charity donation to Israel. This aid package consists of $2B in military handouts and $800M in economic aid. Israel politicians know US politics and they understand the power of the Jewish lobby. They recognize that all politics begins at home. Hence, Israel has requested an additional $800M in military aid. Guess what? Bill Clinton and certain leaders of the Congress are scurrying about trying to convince everyone that the additional funds requested by Israel should be granted.
POWER OF THE JEWISH LOBBY
The House resolution that sailed through Congress "condemns the Palestinian leadership for encouraging violence and doing so little to stop it, resulting in the senseless loss of life." The same resolution unabashedly asks Bill Clinton to use America's veto power "at the United Nations Security Council to ensure that the Security Council does not again adopt unbalanced resolutions addressing the uncontrolled violence in the areas controlled by the Palestinian authority." That these sentiments were written by a smart guy who works for one of the Jewish lobby organizations is clear. The silence about the uncontrolled violence unleashed upon Palestinians was conspicuous by its absence. However, the Palestinians, Arab peoples in general, do not have the clout of the Jewish lobby in the US. It is time for the Palestinians, many of whom are Christians, and the other Arab groups to begin considering ways to balance the power of the Jewish lobby. One of the reasons that the Arab nations lost the ground wars against Israel even though they outnumbered the Israelis was that no Arab could unite them for a concerted effort. The same problem is currently materializing.
There is some mild bleating by the Arabs about the violence, but nothing compared to what would have happened if anyone threatened their oil profits. The Arabs are letting the world know that their support for the Palestinians continues to be lukewarm, if that. The last meeting of the Organization of Arab States sent a signal to Israel that the Arabs as a whole will respond with "more of the same" talk. No one is suggesting another war or increased physical violence. That will solve nothing and result in more innocent people on both sides being killed. There are many Israelis who oppose the overwhelming violence unleashed against the Palestinians. This is not a Jew-versus-Palestinian issue. It is a Realpolitik nightmare. Perhaps the Palestinians can do more to keep their justifiably angry younger set from hurling stones. Further, no sensible person applauds the murder of the Israeli soldiers whose throats were cut while they were held captive in the Palestinian police station. Yet, few voices in the US Congress asked for US pressure on Israel to have their soldiers lock up their weapons.
The resolution adopted by the House substantiates the argument that the US is not an impartial third party to this conflict. This loss of credibility is the direct result of the phenomenal success that the Jewish lobby groups in the US have achieved through the years in making the US a knee-jerk Israeli advocate. If any resolution places US lives at risk, House Resolution 426 is the one.
Springfield, VA
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