While the Senate’s upcoming Iran bill, aiming to give Congress veto power over any pact negotiated by the P5+1, already put the deal in serious jeopardy, a new amendment to it proposed by Sen. Marco Rubio (R – FL) seems to be the silver bullet that will kill any chance of the deal.
The Rubio Amendment would require that any nuclear deal with Iran include an explicit public endorsement from Iran of Israel’s status as a “Jewish state.”
There had been previous mentions of getting Iran to acknowledge Israel’s right to exist as such, though the inclusion of endorsing their “Jewish state” status is even more problematic, as it is tantamount to supporting the status of Israel’s religious minorities as second-class citizens. Many nations, particularly in the Middle East, would balk at such a declaration.
On the other hand, the massive influence of the Israeli Lobby within the US Congress virtually ensures a large amount of support for such an amendment from both parties. This is true in spite of AIPAC, one of the largest such lobbying groups, opposing making the Iran deal about Israel.
For hawks like Rubio, the unacceptability of the Israel clause is very much the point, as it not only places a threatened veto on any Iran deal, but ensures that no deal can ever be reached.
Ah yes, which Republican candidate will end over farther for israel?
Ah yes, which Republican candidate will bend over further for israel?
The amendment dictated and sent to him in a letter along with money from Adelson! Congratulations America!
I think that more and more Americans are becoming aware of the republicans slavish devotion to Israel. Neo-con Rubio is a perfect example of this. And people are sick of any criticism of Israel being labeled anti-Semitic. This may well come back to bite the GOP in the a** in 2016. At least I hope so.
For some reason I never seen my comment to Mr. Ditz’s article showing in the past and present??!!!
[moderator’s note: It was caught in our spam filters — and since it was posted around midnight, I had gone to bed. It’s been approved now – TLK]
And this guy is being touted as the most likely Republican candidate for President?
Although Rubio is young, he could just as well be John McCain. He's a throwback to the cold war era, which people like him (and Cruz) are determined to reignite. He's also seriously out of touch in his obsession to keep Cuba isolated.
McCain, Cruz, Rubio Appear to be Berry Goldwater protégés! They are trigger happy just like Berry!
A friend brings to my attention a classic 1986 interview with the Arizona senator in which he lights into lobbyists in general — and the Israel lobby in particular:
Kolbe: Is the Israeli lobby too powerful?
Goldwater: God, yes, way too powerful.
Kolbe: Has that had some detrimental effects on what comes out of Congress?
Goldwater: Yes. See, we have no treaty with Israel, but we have pledged ourselves to go to war if she has to go to war. And there are some of the actions that some of the Israeli groups take that, at times, I’ve felt would hasten that day when we have to live up to our promise. I can understand the feeling, but I’m getting awfully tired of the great influence they have and there’s no question about it.
http://www.theamericanconservative.com/goldwater-…
Good quote, Guest. Goldwater was head and shoulders above today's GOP vermin. If he were still in the Senate, no doubt he'd be locking horns with these idiots, who are definitely NOT conservatives in the true sense of the word.
BTW, Monty, it's "Barry," not "Berry."
"…touted as the most likely Republican candidate…"
Not in anything I've read lately. He's a milquetoast quisling, at most.
The statement really should read:
"We recognize that Israel is a Jewish state dedicated to religious and ethnic apartheid, genocide of its Palestinian population, and Israel is a rogue, nuclear-armed klepto-state intent upon robbing land from its neighbors."
I'd sign that statement.
Now that depends upon the size of the riot, for a Civil War is a riot, none the less a riot fully endorsed by the Declaration of Independence.
For there is a thing worse then riot, the very thing that the oppressed have been doing since 1776, namely patience as in the rotted fruit of indifference.
So, if there is a rebellion going down, let us not turn our backs on it just because it lacks all the earmarks of a true blue socialist Revolution.
If Americans were fair and just, would AIPAC money be able to so corrupt our political system?
No, for people who seek permanent happiness by way of compassion, pity and charity, most painful is it for them to see the wealthy Jews of AIPAC being enriched upon the misery of American society.
I think we are fair and just but for some reasons we are standing back, watching and NOT raising our voices loud enough for the politicians to hear us loud and clear!
The word "Jewish State" refers to race or religion, or both ?. I would say that probably both. In any case, it would not be too much different than the constitutional categorization of Iran as an "Islamic State" and therefore, in principle, there should not be any problem in the recognition of Israel by Iran in such terms.
This manoeuvring is ultimately meaningless. The sanctions regime will shortly crumble. Remember it's P5+1 not P1. If Europe is still Uncle sam's b..tch in the military sphere, its rapid sign up to the game changing BRICS development bank in the face of strident US opposition shows they have some independence in the economic sphere.
Nine years ago, then-Secretary of State Colin L. Powell delivered a speech on the Middle East in which he briefly called on Palestinians to recognize Israel as a "Jewish state." Powell doesn't recall how the phrase ended up in his speech, but David Ivry, then the Israeli ambassador to the United States, says he persuaded an aide to Powell to slip it in.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/arti…
Iran should insist that in order for Iran to agree to Israel's right to exist, Israel must define what its borders are and promise not to enlarge its territory in any direction.
Wow i have never read a whole blog dedicated to jew bashing. Read the bible peeps and just think if it were your race being talked about in such a manner.
Hopefully you never WILL read a whole blog dedicated to Jew bashing. You certainly haven''t done so here.
"Read the bible…"
And what would reading a book of stories written by malcontents and mystics from 2000 years ago do?
I always thought people were Jewish were because of their culture or religion, not their race. Like Christians and Muslims, aren't their Jews from all different races?
When will Saudi Arabia sign that declaration?