naraburns nihil supernum
6mo ago
(text post)
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Israel-Gaza Megathread #3
This is a refreshed megathread for any posts on the conflict between (so far, and so far as I know) Hamas and the Israeli government, as well as related geopolitics. Culture War thread rules apply.
On the topic of Zionism and Jewish influence in American media, I came across a twitter long post that scrutinises the notion that Zionists effectively decide American foreign policy. There are three main highlights of this post.
The State Department and the Pentagon are far more powerful lobbies, and their support for Israel is given only begrudgingly.
The increasingly high volume public statements that Israel is the only liberal democracy in the Middle East and therefore deserves American support actually signal the weakness of the Israeli lobby.
Israel receives atrociously large aid packages because it allows Congress more latitude to manipulate through the budget process, and much of the aid actually ends up in the pockets of defence contractors or are credits to purchase American arms.
I can't verify all of these statements since I'm writing this before heading to bed, but I think this is the first time I've heard someone who isn't implicitly pro-Israel take the issue of lobbying and scrutinise the claims of actual Israeli heft in the American elite. One of the replies to the post brings up an article about Pentagon backed groups in Syria fighting CIA armed militias. It's very interesting to me how intra-American rivalry between various lobbies spill over in warzones, particularly the Middle East.
I’m sure he has some more complete and subtle model of the US government than I do, but isn’t it kind of strange on its face to say “yeah the Israel lobby has special influence over US policy but it’s no big deal because the actual government departments whose job it is to handle these matters have more influence?”
As an American citizen I would find it incredibly fucked up if Israel ever overrules the Pentagon or the State Department on anything.
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Notes -
On the topic of Zionism and Jewish influence in American media, I came across a twitter long post that scrutinises the notion that Zionists effectively decide American foreign policy. There are three main highlights of this post.
The State Department and the Pentagon are far more powerful lobbies, and their support for Israel is given only begrudgingly.
The increasingly high volume public statements that Israel is the only liberal democracy in the Middle East and therefore deserves American support actually signal the weakness of the Israeli lobby.
Israel receives atrociously large aid packages because it allows Congress more latitude to manipulate through the budget process, and much of the aid actually ends up in the pockets of defence contractors or are credits to purchase American arms.
I can't verify all of these statements since I'm writing this before heading to bed, but I think this is the first time I've heard someone who isn't implicitly pro-Israel take the issue of lobbying and scrutinise the claims of actual Israeli heft in the American elite. One of the replies to the post brings up an article about Pentagon backed groups in Syria fighting CIA armed militias. It's very interesting to me how intra-American rivalry between various lobbies spill over in warzones, particularly the Middle East.
I’m sure he has some more complete and subtle model of the US government than I do, but isn’t it kind of strange on its face to say “yeah the Israel lobby has special influence over US policy but it’s no big deal because the actual government departments whose job it is to handle these matters have more influence?”
As an American citizen I would find it incredibly fucked up if Israel ever overrules the Pentagon or the State Department on anything.
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