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http://cosmos.ucc.ie/cs1064/jabowen/IPS ... 64805.html
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"In the greatest service of his long public life, former President Jimmy Carter warns of the grave consequences of America's phenomenal subservience to Israel. In his latest book and recent lectures, he focuses on how Israel's cruel occupation, made possible by massive and unconditional U.S. support, has subjected the Palestinian people to terrible suffering for forty long years. Beyond that grave human tragedy, candid observers must cite U.S. complicity in Israeli lawlessness as the major factor that prompted the horror of 9/11 and lured America into launching three costly, wrong-headed, and failing wars – Afghanistan, Iraq and the War on Terror.
The linkage is easily identified.
America's support of Israel's brutality was the main motivation for 9/11. It was the ultimate expression of Arab fury over America's double standard that routinely ignores Israeli violations of Arab human rights. Nine-eleven would not have happened if any U.S. president in the last forty years had refused to finance Israel's humiliation and destruction of Palestine. Michael Scheuer, a former CIA analyst now a consultant to CBS News, recently told a congressional committee that "our unqualified support of Israel" was the main reason for 9/11. Marine General Anthony Zinni, President George W. Bush's first special envoy to the Middle East, has stated that the United States invaded Iraq for Israel and oil. Osama bin Laden repeatedly said it was payback for U.S. support of Israel's brutal treatment of Palestinians and other Arabs and for U.S. complicity in 1982 when Israeli forces used U.S.-donated munitions to massacre over 18,000 innocent Arabs in Lebanon.
The U.S. acts of war in Afghanistan and the War on Terror were President Bush's retaliation for 9/11. Israel – and only Israel – urged the United States to invade Iraq. Israel's lobby in Washington pushed hard and prevailed. To our foreign critics, these wars focus on killing people outraged by our pro-Israel bias. Our government has done nothing to redress the grievances of Israel's victims.
Despite this grim record, U.S. subservience to the wishes of Israel's leaders does not change. Unconditional aid to Israel keeps flowing, as does Israel's savage treatment of Palestinians and other Arabs. Moreover, the Bush administration is fully and openly pledged to do whatever is necessary – even acts of war – to halt Iran's nuclear program even if its projects are lawfully limited to peaceful purposes. Israel is the only nation urging the United States to attack Iran. The lobby is pushing hard again. If the U.S. assaults Iran it will be on Israel's behalf.
Congress, like the rest of America, is totally devoid of debate on the amazing role of this small nation in critical U.S. policy. Members are fulsome in public praise of the Jewish state, but no politician mentions the illegal behavior of Israel or the staggering burden it imposes on our country."