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Name: Antony Loewenstein
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Saturday, October 01, 2005

Itching for a fight

Australia/Israel and Jewish Affairs Council (AIJAC) is Australia's leading pro-Zionist lobby group. Executive Director Colin Rubenstein thinks the world should isolate and target Iran:

"...Broad sanctions are warranted that will make nuclear progress as difficult as possible, thus delaying the Iranian bomb.

"If this cannot be achieved, a limited US-led air strike on key components of the Iranian program will inevitably be considered as an option."

Just a few years ago, Rubenstein was leading the charge against Saddam's Iraq. This is Rubenstein back in January 2003:

"Uninspected since 1998, it is beyond doubt that Saddam possesses extensive stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons, missiles and illegally imported missile engines and parts, and is working towards acquiring nuclear capabilities.

"...the removal of Saddam Hussein, an outcome that will not only liberate the Iraqi people, but [will] also dramatically improve the prospects for political reform and reconciliation throughout the region."

Rubenstein should have been ignored then - his organisation retains close relations with John Howard's government - and he should be ignored now. His loyalty is to Israel first and foremost and therefore Australia's national interests remain secondary.

Switzerland based journalist Shraga Elam reveals a concerted campaign by Israeli officials to persuade America to get tough against Iran:

"According to the Israeli financial paper Globes from today (in Hebrew) a Knesset delegation told the US Congress: 'Don't learn from the Israeli retreat from Gaza; stay in Iraq till the mission will be accomplished.'

"MK Eldad said that they could tell the US what the Israeli government cannot say: 'Israel will have to act against Iran if the US won't do it; we shall not endure another six million victims.'

"MK Yosef Tomi Lapid added: 'I'm the only Shoah survivor at the Knesset. The western world didn't want to understand who Hitler was and we aren't ready to scarify another six million Israelis in order that the world will learn who the Iranian rulers are.'

"These Israeli politicians swinging the ultimate 'Holocaust weapon' seem to come to the help of the US MIC [Military Industrial Complex] in order to convince the Congress of the alleged necessity of continuing the brutal ME [Middle East] policy.

"Just as Iraq had not presented an existential threat to Israel, Iran does not build one. If Israel would be really worried about the Iranian future nuclear capacity it would have for example severed its relationships with Russia for helping Iran in the nuclear field. It seems that there is a necessity for construing imaginary threats in order to continue the deadly US aggressions in the ME with its fat profits for the MIC.

"These combined US-Israeli efforts endanger millions in the ME, including Jews."

9 Comments:

Blogger evan jones said...

Philip Mendes, noted watcher of Australian Jewry, had this to say in response to Glenn Milne's attack (the Australia, 26 Septmeber) on Labor MP Julia Irwin's condemnation of Israel's continued encirclement of Israel:
'Milne's superficial analysis reflects his lack of understanding of the leadership structures of the Jewish community. He cites as the source for his comments a Martin Guenzl, described as a prominent member of the Australian-Israel and Jewish Affairs Council. AIJAC is, in fact, a private think tank which does not claim to represent the Jewish community in any official capacity.'
So there you go. AIJAC is irrelevant. We can all sleep soundly in our beds.
Yet for an irrelevant organisation, AIJAC spokesmen sure get published in our 'quality' press on a regular basis. While the bulk of Australian Jewry remains mute.
Peculiar anomaly that.

Saturday, October 01, 2005 12:42:00 pm  
Blogger Antony Loewenstein said...

Many say AIPAC is irrelevant in the US, too. It's nonsense, of course. AIJAC appears in our media so regularly, and virtually no other Jewish orgs do, as you say, there is something going on.
Mendes calls himself a Jewish left-winger when in reality he supports the Israeli Labor party. I rest my case.

Saturday, October 01, 2005 12:47:00 pm  
Blogger Ibrahamav said...

Sounds to me like another group who would prefer that the Jews march quietly to their graves.

Never again.

Saturday, October 01, 2005 1:45:00 pm  
Blogger Andjam said...

While not advocating full-out war with Iran, I don't view a non-friendly country
1) Capable of projecting to an overseas continent (including a country fairly neutral to Iran) via militant groups
and
2) Being in possession of nuclear weapons

being a positive development for Australia's national security.

Does this make me a wheeler-dealer loyal to Israel first and foremost?

Saturday, October 01, 2005 2:27:00 pm  
Blogger Ibrahamav said...

Is Australia planning on bombing Iran? Is Iran actively threatening its neighbors? Is it funding terrorism?

Sunday, October 02, 2005 5:17:00 am  
Blogger evan jones said...

Iran a 'non-friendly country'? To whom? Certainly not to Australia.
If Iran is a non-friendly country to the US, the latter might consider a long-overdue apology and compensation for the Mossadegh overthrow in 1953, the installation and support of the repressive Pahlavi regime, and the shooting down of the passenger flight in 1988.
The Howard Government, as part of the Coalition of the Killing (and the Australian Israeli lobby as a transparent part of the Australian War Party, to add to its long standing lickspittle support of Israeli ethnic cleansing) are more a threat to my security than is Iran.

Sunday, October 02, 2005 7:54:00 am  
Blogger Andjam said...

Iran a 'non-friendly country'? To whom? Certainly not to Australia.

Yeah right, and I suppose Argentina was practically asking to be attacked by Iran for its evil foreign policies.

If Iran is a non-friendly country to the US, the latter might consider a long-overdue apology and compensation for the Mossadegh overthrow in 1953, the installation and support of the repressive Pahlavi regime, and the shooting down of the passenger flight in 1988.

An apology may be due to the people of Iran, but no such apology is due to the regime. It doesn't give a damn about democracy or innocent civilian deaths.

Sunday, October 02, 2005 11:15:00 am  
Blogger Ibrahamav said...

The only ethnic cleansing in the ME is when the Palestinian Jordanians ethnically cleansed jerusalem.

Did you happen to forget the FACTS?

Sunday, October 02, 2005 1:59:00 pm  
Blogger Ibrahamav said...

Talk is cheap. The Palestinian leadership proves that almost every day.

If an apology by George causes the maniacs of Iran to put away their dream of nuclear holocaust, I say let him.

Monday, October 03, 2005 3:17:00 am  

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