A Blog Reporting on Reports, Conjecture,and Opinions on International Affairs

Monday, November 05, 2007

AIPAC More than a Pro-Israeli Lobby?


A Federal judge last friday approved of subpoenas for Condi Rice, and a few other Bush administration officials in a case where AIPAC officials national security information and passed it to Israel and the press.

AIPAC, the American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee, is known as the most powerful lobby in Washington. Two officials from the organization are accused of conspiring with a Pentagon analyst to transmit government intelligence to outside sources. The interesting thing about this case is the argument that the defense uses. They said that the witnesses would show that their acts are just part of the practice of "back channeling" to advance US foreign policy goals. They also say that the US government regularly gives them sensitive information with the expectation that it would be shared with foreign government officials. The foreign government would be Israel. AP


Its disturbing to see that an American lobbying organization may serve as a conduit for a foreign power. Its no suprise that many people feel that AIPAC serves the interest of Israel more than the interests of the US. The US does not have to use lobbyists to relay information