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Saturday, August 08, 2015

AIPAC gall is amazing

Here members of AIPAC (often for attribution) assert that it is improper for Barack Obama to criticize AIPAC. It is very important that they don't just contest the (obviously accurate) criticisms, but argue that criticizing them is something he must never ever do. The amazing thing is that it is clear that they wanted this article to be published (I think it is clear that they contacted The Times). In the USA there is a powerful bunch of people who think that they must not be criticized, are willing to say so, and don't imagine that their denunciation of lese AIPAC will anger anyone who can cause them any problems -- that is they assume that they are so powerful that they can be as arrogant as they want. I think that no country with any self esteme would allow any group to treat it that way. The quotes directly that it is unacceptable for a President to (implicitly) criticize AIPAC (without naming it).
“It’s somewhat dangerous, because there’s a kind of a dog whistle here that some people are going to hear as ‘it’s time to go after people,’ and not just rhetorically,” said David Makovsky
That is criticism (without naming people or groups) is an incitement to violence. Or what else can "not just rhetorically" mean. Makovsky directly said that it is unacceptable to criticize AIPAC (what other interpretation is there ?). and
Words have consequences, especially when it’s authority figures saying them, and it’s not their intent, perhaps, but we know from history that they become manipulated,” said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, repeating a concern he had raised directly with Mr. Obama during the closed-door session. “Of all political leaders,” Mr. Hoenlein added, “he certainly should be the most sensitive to this.”
How can this be interpreted as other than the claim that it is not acceptable for Obama to participate in a debate about his policy by saying that criticisms of his policy are inaccurate ? The cheek the gall the arrogance faccia di bronzo prepotente haughty and you know the word I am not willing to type in this context.

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