The correct term, as Hagel quickly acknowledged last week, is "Israel lobby".
And that is precisely what it is: one of the most potent advocacy groups in Washington DC, and not only here. Few of its spokesmen were more forceful than Ed Koch, the colourful former mayor of New York who died on Friday. Koch, child of Jewish immigrants from Poland, was a passionate Israel supporter, and accused Obama of "turning his back on Israel" by naming Hagel to the Pentagon, which he called "a terrible appointment".
There are those who claim that the lobby's clout is vastly exaggerated, insisting that far from being a sinister body subverting US foreign policy in one of the world's most unstable regions, it is pushing at an open door. Even without a lobby, the thesis runs, Americans would be overwhelmingly supportive of Israel. Which may be true, but misses the point.
So, just how powerful is the Israel lobby in the US?
He never quit: Fire Lt. Martin Fullam killed by 9/11 illness is saluted
FDNY Lt. Martin Fullam, from his first toxic minute at Ground Zero until his 9/11-linked death last week, never stopped fighting for his fellow first responders.
Fullam, killed by a rare pulmonary illness caused by his time at the World Trade Center, was remembered at an emotional funeral Saturday for his endless leadership, courage and generosity.“When he could no longer fight fires, he continued to fight for all the FDNY members who responded on Sept. 11,” said Fire Commissioner Salvatore Cassano.
N.J. archdiocese promotes priest who groped teen
Sex abuse victims' advocates are criticizing the Archdiocese of Newark, N.J., for promoting a priest who allegedly admitted to groping a teenage boy.
The Rev. Michael Fugee, who has been barred from one-on-one contact with children as part of a binding agreement with law enforcement, has been promoted to a prestigious post within the archdiocese, where he will now help in the "formation" of new priests, heading up the Office of Continuing Education and Ongoing Formation of Priests, Newark Archbishop John J. Myers said recently.
The Newark (N.J.) Star Ledger said Sunday victims' advocates were aghast at the news, saying it showed "breathtaking arrogance" and "an alarming disdain for common sense."
Obama honors scientists, researchers at White House
President Barack Obama honored 23 scientists Friday at the White House.
“This is the most collection of brainpower we’ve had under this roof in a long time,” Obama said to laughter from the honorees and guests in the East Room, “maybe since the last time we gave out these medals.”
Each researcher received either the National Medal of Science or the National Medal of Technology and Innovation, called the nation’s highest honor for research and discovery.
With Liberty and Justice For Some: How the Anti-Defamation League Fuels Islamophobia
The Anti-Defamation League bills itself, and is typically seen by many in the mainstream Jewish community and beyond, as the "nation's premier civil rights/human relations agency.” In fact, the ADL’s conduct over the years is at odds with this one-dimensional view of the group as a long-time champion of civil liberties.
The ADL mission statement, for instance, describes it as a group that “fights all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects civil rights for all." Yet, a record going back decades shows something very different, including a shift “from civil rights monitoring to espionage and intelligence gathering.” Mistrust of the ADL among those concerned about civil and human rights has deep roots.
Scientists infuse 'life' into inanimate compounds
Scientists have infused "life" into inanimate chemical compounds by flashing a blue-violet light that prompted them to assemble themselves into a crystal.
The feat, described in a study published online Thursday by the journal Science, marks an important step toward creating "active" materials that can repair themselves, such as a smartphone screen that fixes its own cracks or a Kevlar vest that fills a hole made by a bullet, experts said.
Qaher F313: Iran unveils home-made 'stealth' fighter
Iran has unveiled a new home-made combat aircraft, which officials say can evade radar. The single-seat Qaher F313 (Dominant F313) is the latest design produced by Iran's military since it launched the Azarakhsh (Lightning), in 2007.
President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad said it had "almost all the positive features" of the world's most sophisticated jets. He said the "development of the Iranian nation's military power is... for deterrence and defensive purposes".
Priest files reveal disturbing stories of child molestation, coverup
More disturbing stories of priests' molestations of children -- and questionable actions by church leaders -- emerged in 12,000 pages of once-confidential personnel files.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles posted the documents on its website Thursday night, an hour after a Los Angeles judge ended 5-1/2 years of legal wrangling over the release of the files with an order compelling the church to make the documents public within three weeks.
US military struggling to stop suicide epidemic among war veterans
Libby Busbee is pretty sure that her son William never sat through or read Shakespeare's Macbeth, even though he behaved as though he had. Soon after he got back from his final tour of Afghanistan, he began rubbing his hands over and over and constantly rinsing them under the tap.
"Mom, it won't wash off," he said. "What are you talking about?" she replied."The blood. It won't come off."
On 20 March last year, the soldier's striving for self-cleanliness came to a sudden end. That night he locked himself in his car and, with his mother and two sisters screaming just a few feet away and with Swat officers encircling the vehicle, he shot himself in the head.
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