plus 4, Forbes Ranked Analyst Picks Stock Winners In The 3G Chinese Market - Yahoo Finance |
- Forbes Ranked Analyst Picks Stock Winners In The 3G Chinese Market - Yahoo Finance
- Homeowner counseling program may end - Greenville News
- Enterprise Databank, Dec.21: transitions, recognition and events - Longview News-Journal
- Venezuelan President's Speech on Climate Change in Copenhagen - ZNet
- Latest Articles - Dissident Voice
| Forbes Ranked Analyst Picks Stock Winners In The 3G Chinese Market - Yahoo Finance Posted: 21 Dec 2009 08:23 AM PST 67 WALL STREET, New York - December 21, 2009 - The Wall Street Transcript has just published its China & Japan Report offering a timely review of the sector to serious investors and industry executives. This 132 page feature contains expert industry commentary through in-depth interviews with public company CEOs, Equity Analysts and Money Managers. The full issue is available by calling (212) 952-7433 or via The Wall Street Transcript Online. Topics covered: Chinese ADRs - Asia Pacific Fund - Greater China Fund - Non-Mainstream Names - China and the US, The Most Vibrant Growing Global Economies - Japan Equity Fund - Expectation of Strong Earnings in Singapore Companies - Thai Government Key Driver for Economic Recovery in 2010 Companies include: Deer Consumer Products (DEER); Lonrho Africa (LNAFF.PK); Nintendo (7974_JP); Puda Coal (PUDA); AU Optronics (AUO); Acorn (ATV); Alcon (ACL); Amphenol (APH); Apple (AAPL); Baidu (BIDU); BioPharm Asia (BFAR.OB); British Petroleum (BP); CNOOC (883_HK); Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ); Chaoda Modern Agriculture (0682.HKG); Cheung Kong Holdings (CHE.SG); China Automotive Systems (CAAS); China Housing & Land (CHLN); China Merchants Bank (3968_HK); China Mobile (CHL); China Ritar Power (CRTP); China Sky One Medical, Inc. (CSKI); China Unicom (CHU); China Valve Technology (CVVT); Chunghwa Telecom (CHT); Cisco (CSCO); Cogo (COGO); Disney (DIS); DuPont (DFT); Ezra Holdings (5DN.SIN); F5 (FFIV); FEMSA (FMX); Fanuc (6954_JP); Flextronics (FLEX); Global Sources (GSOL); HK Exchange (388_HK); Hewlett-Packard (HPQ); Honda (HMC); ICBC (1398_HK); ICON (ICLR); Juniper (JNPR); KONE (KNEBV.HEL); Komatsu (6301_JP); L'OrŽal (LOR.BE); LG Display (LPL); LIC Housing Finance (LICHF.IN); MUFG (MUFG); McDonald's (MCD); Mitsubishi UFJ (MTU); Molex (MOLX); Nabors (NBR); NestlŽ (NESR.F); Nobel Biocare (NOBN.VX); Orascom Telecom (OTLD_LI); Pargesa Holdings (PARG.SWF); Roche (RO.SW); SK Telecom (SKM); Sanofi-Aventis (SNY); Sasol (SSL); Singapore Telecom (SGAPY.PINK); SinoHub (SIHI); Sinopharm (1099_HK); Sony (SNE); Swiss Water Decaf (SWS-UN.TO); Terna (TRN.BIT); Total (TOT); Total Produce (T70.BE); Toyota (TM); Toyota (7203_JP); Venture Corporation (V03.SIN); WSP Holdings (WH); Wal-mart de MŽxico (WMMVF.PK); Winner Medical (WWIN); Wonder Auto Technology (WATG); Xcel Energy (XEL); Yamaha Motor (7272.JP); Yongye International (YONG); Yum! Brands (YUM). In the following brief excerpt from the 132 page report, Brian J. White discusses the outlook for the Chinese tech sector and for investors. BRIAN J. WHITE, CFA, is Managing Director of Equity Research, covering tech supply chain, networking and IT hardware at Ticonderoga Securities. Mr. White has covered various industries in the technology sector for 11 years with firms such as Collins Stewart, Jefferies & Company and Merrill Lynch. Prior to joining Ticonderoga, he was responsible for covering the electronics supply chain and China technology sectors at Collins Stewart, which included researching stocks in areas such as display technologies, China technology, passive components and electronics manufacturing services. Mr. White has been active in researching the technology sector in China over the past several years and hosts an annual tour for clients to cities such as Beijing, Shenzhen and Shanghai. Mr. White was ranked as one of the leading analysts in the electronics industry category by Forbes as part of the 2009 Blue-Chip Analyst Survey, and he was a member of the number one-ranked electronics manufacturing services team by Institutional Investor Magazine while at Merrill Lynch. He received his MBA from Vanderbilt University with a concentration in finance and accounting, with an international emphasis. He graduated with honors and is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma. Mr. White is also a Chartered Financial Analyst and a member of the New York Society of Security Analysts. TWST: What's important from an investor perspective and from a stock growth perspective when you look at things like the 3G buildout in China, and the increased focus on enterprise solutions and servicing in the institutional marketplace as opposed to consumer spending growth? Mr. White: So I mean, 3G spending started on a trial basis even before the licenses were given out early this year. So we've got three different technologies, and the three big service providers are building out each using a different technology. You'll probably see 3G spending on infrastructure on base stations peak this year, but it really is an ongoing investment. So I think you will see the infrastructure peak. I believe in the fourth quarter, demand for base stations picked up quite a bit because you have TD-SCDMA phase III going through and WCDMA phase II. So you've got a couple of new phases, base stations to expand the coverage for 3G in China. Next year you will have spending on 3G infrastructure and the year after, but it won't be as great as this year. So this year was the initial buildout but still focused on the networks at the three service providers with three technologies. I think what you will see next year and in the future is the purchase of 3G handsets. So the network is built out this year but the 3G handset sales were disappointing for various reasons. I think you will start to see that pick up next year and the year after. The 3G handset numbers in China are low millions at best. So you think about what people have in the U.S., most people now have 3G phones. The iPhone was recently launched with China Unicom (CHU), and there are lots of smartphones coming out. The issue you have in China is that the phone numbers are not portable; so to change a service provider, you've got to get a different number. Additionally, the applications are not there just yet. TWST: Which stocks have been positively influenced by this change? What are you seeing in terms of the performance of the stocks that are set to benefit not only from the initial buildout stage, but from the adoption of the 3G? Mr. White: The big beneficiary in China has been ZTE and Huawei. ZTE and Huawei have been the big beneficiaries of the base station buildout in China. Historically, they actually were nowhere in the wireless market in China. So 3G gave them an opportunity to get involved in wireless infrastructure in China. They had mostly exported their wireless technology. So they are both beneficiaries. They are both ramping up a big mobile phone businesses, so you think of them as infrastructure companies. I just visited ZTE in October, and they are the number six mobile phone vendor in the world, and they hope to be number five by the end of this year. Additionally, ZTE is starting to ramp high-end smartphones that you will see start to be sold into U.S. market. So I think those were a couple of guys that will benefit as well. The Wall Street Transcript is a unique service for investors and industry researchers - providing fresh commentary and insight through verbatim interviews with CEOs and research analysts. This 132 page special issue is available by calling (212) 952-7433 or via The Wall Street Transcript Online . The Wall Street Transcript does not endorse the views of any interviewees nor does it make stock recommendations. For Information on subscribing to The Wall Street Transcript, please call 800/246-7673 Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Homeowner counseling program may end - Greenville News Posted: 21 Dec 2009 08:09 AM PST (2 of 2) State housing finance officials later reversed their policy, saying they'll apply for future rounds of funding, but that may not occur for months. Even foreclosure-devastated states like Florida, Nevada and California expect their money will last longer. Those three states recently were identified as having the worst foreclosure rates, according to California research firm RealtyTrac Inc. South Carolina ranked 30th. North Carolina, Michigan, Georgia and Nevada expect their funds to last until June 30, the last date to spend the money according the grant's provisions. Florida's money could last until June 1, while California could run out as early as April. Only Arizona reported a funding shortage similar to South Carolina's. "We've had one of the worst foreclosure problems here in Arizona, so they're running through the money very quickly," said Carol Ditmore, spokeswoman of the Arizona Department of Housing. The department will continue to offer free foreclosure help to Arizona residents using money the agency has set aside for housing programs. Such extra money seems unlikely from South Carolina's almost empty coffers. Instead, Family Services counselors unsuccessfully sought money from other agencies such as the Department of Housing and Urban Development and mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Geer even came up with a creative business proposition that could keep the agency's services running: evaluating a struggling homeowner's financial situation for banks. The group could charge $450 per evaluation, saving a bank's mortgage servicing department paperwork and time, he said. But that proposal, he said, has struggled to gain traction among larger banks. The Charleston County Legislative Delegation agreed last month to send a letter to top bank executives to encourage banks to consider using the service. Reach Katy Stech at 937-5549 or kstech@postandcourier.com. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Enterprise Databank, Dec.21: transitions, recognition and events - Longview News-Journal Posted: 21 Dec 2009 08:45 AM PST Transitions The Longview Brentwood Outreach office has moved to 911 NW Loop 281, Suite 307, in the Austin Bank Building. The office was at 2020 Bill Owens Parkway for seven years. Dianna Yarbrough is the center's director, and Colleen Miley serves as business development representative. The Longview Brentwood Outreach Center provides assessments to determine the need for admission to a Brentwood Hospital program, they said. All inpatient treatment services are provided at Brentwood Hospital in Shreveport. In Longview, the office continues to offer a day treatment program for adults. Michael J. Somer has joined Surface Equipment Corporation's engineering department. Somer brings to the company more than 30 years experience as a chemical engineer in multiple industries, with his most recent assignment being engineering manager and project engineer for engineering and design for S&B Engineers & Constructors at Eastman Chemical Co. Somer earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering in 1971 and his master of business administration degree in 1985. He is a registered licensed professional engineer in the states of Ohio, Michigan, New York and Texas, and is a Certified Project Management Professional through the Project Management Institute. Kit McKinney of Longview has opened Greater East Texas Diabetes Education and is accepting patients. She has more than 15 years experience as a registered dietitian and is also a certified diabetes educator. McKinney is a 1987 graduate of Longview High School and has degrees from Texas A&M and The University of Texas Pan American and has completed a fellowship in pediatric nutrition at Indiana University School of Medicine. For information call (903) 753-1144 or log onto www.GETDiabetesEducation.com. Upper Cervical Health Centers of America has announced the opening of its newest office at 1121 Evergreen St. in Longview. Dr. George Berry is now seeing patients. For information, call 903-759-5567. Lindy Hall, senior director of enrollment services at LeTourneau University, has received a two-year appointment to the Texas Guaranteed Student Loan Corporation on the Lender/School Advisory Committee. The committee comprises 15 school members and 11 lender members who work together to improve the lending process for student loans, both for the schools and for the lenders. LSA committee members offer input to the state program; recommend ideas for technology and policy implications and; discuss issues and activities that help support the needs of TG's school, lender, servicer, and secondary market associates. Hall served on the committee from 2001 to 2003. The East Texas Baptist University Board of Trustees has announced its elected officers for 2010. Charles T. (Tom) Lyles, a certified public accountant and vice president of Stiefel, Lyles & Allen in Tyler, has been named board chairman for the coming year. Sam R. Moseley, a longtime Marshall attorney, has been selected to serve as vice chair of the board. The board secretary for 2010 will be Marshall resident Ray Delk. Delk, who holds a bachelor's degree from Stephen F. Austin University and a master's degree from the University of Texas at Tyler, is vice president for Operations at Good Shepherd Medical Center-Marshall. Delk is a Longview High School graduate. Dana Talley Leavitt of Longview recently began a new business venture with Stella & Dot Jewelry, a social shopping company that offers private jewelry trunk shows at offices and homes. She has seven people on her team and plans to expand her sales force. For information, call Talley at (903) 387-0369 or visit her Web site at www.stelladot.com/danaleavitt. Recognition Longview High School graduate Cindy Lindsay who now lives in Boulder, Colo., has been selected as Woman of the Year for the YWCA's 2010 Hall of Fame for Boulder County. Each year the YWCA recognizes those whose achievements and community service reflect the values and mission of the YWCA by protecting children, empowering women and girls, and eliminating racism. Lindsay was selected because of her long-term commitment to help women and children around the world through her work on the board of BoldeReach. Cindy is the daughter of Carolyn and Walter Lindsay of Marshall and a graduate of Longview High School. Eastman Chemical Co. has been ranked 70th on G.I. Jobs' annual list recognizing the nation's top military-friendly employers. Eastman was selected from a pool of more than 5,000 companies with annual revenues of at least $500 million. Criteria for the rankings included assets dedicated to military hiring, Reserve/Guard policies, percentage of new hires who are veterans, veteran training programs and the previous three years' listings. KSA Engineers Inc. has been named to the management consulting and research firm Zweig White's 200 fastest-growing engineering and environmental firms list for 2009. Jonice Young is president of the Longview-based firm which ranked No. 88. Founded in 1978, the company has 130 total employees in seven offices throughout Texas: in Austin, Longview, Lufkin, McKinney, Tyler, Sugar Land and Amarillo. The list features the design and environmental firms that have outperformed the economy and competitors to become industry leaders in the United States and Canada. Rockin' C Ranch received a Reader's Choice Award for Best Team-building Facility/Organizer in the Eastern Region, according to the organization Texas Meeting & Events. The magazine cited Rockin' C Ranch, founded and operated by Matt Clapp, as a place to "promote teamwork on a working cattle ranch in the piney woods of East Texas." Rockin' C Ranch is north of Tyler State Park just off Highway 14. The camp operates year round as a summer camp, retreat center and outdoor education program and is also available for corporate and church picnics. For more information, call (903) 858-3308 or visit the Web site at www.rockincranch.org. Luminant's Oak Hill Mine, which serves Martin Lake Power Plant, achieved what Luminant company officials said was an unprecedented milestone – 5 million safe work hours without a single lost-time injury. Oak Hill is the first mine in Luminant's nearly 40 years of mining to achieve the milestone. The safe work hour streak began some 11 years ago and continues due to employee dedication to the mine's behavioral-based safety process. A student team from the East Texas Baptist University's Fred M. Hale School of Business last month placed in the Top 100 Overall Game-To-Date Score category of The Business Strategy Game for the fourth consecutive week. The team of Daniel Aldave and Julie Templin ranked 12th among 4,004 teams from 259 colleges and universities participating for the week of Nov. 2-8. The Business Strategy Game is an online exercise where teams are assigned the task of running an athletic footwear company in head-to-head competition against other teams. Company operations parallel those of actual athletic footwear companies. Brian Dawson and Katherine McCommon Dawson of SoundSource Entertainment of Longview have announced their receipt of two 2009 "Best of Entertainment Industry" awards from Texas Meetings & Events Magazine for excellence in event production, entertainment and event lighting. SoundSource Entertainment is featured in the "Best of Industry 2009" issue. Brian and Katherine Dawson were nominated to be the emcees and hosts of Texas Meetings and Events' statewide annual awards banquet recently held at Lakeway Resort & Spa in honor of their award nominations. The shareholders of Curtis Blakely and Co. have announced that Curtis R. Blakely and Rose M. Blakely were recently honored at the annual meeting of the Texas Statewide Telephone Cooperative Inc. for their lifetime contributions to the Texas telephone industry. The Blakelys, both certified public accountants, are the founding shareholders of Curtis Blakely and Co. of Longview. Curtis R. Blakely began his service to the telephone industry over 50 years ago. Rose M. Blakely serves as president of Curtis Blakely & Co. and as a board member of the East Texas Chapter of Certified Public Accountants. Her career in the telephone industry began in 1973. Big Sandy-based Strategic Fulfillment Group, provider of advanced subscription, catalog, continuity and product fulfillment systems and technologies, has entered into an agreement with ARTnews to provide comprehensive fulfillment services, according to Tony Pytlak, president and chief operating officer of SFG. SFG provides services from a 140,000-square-foot facility in Big Sandy. The company formed in 1997 from the merger of two direct mail fulfillment operations. LeTourneau Technologies' combined after-market parts and service business is on track to have a record sales year in 2009, officials with the company's parent firm, Houston-based Rowan Cos., reported recently. William H. Wells, Rowan's vice president of finance and chief financial officer, said during the company's quarterly earning call with market analysts that LeTourneau's after-market parts and sales business typically averages profit margins in the low-to-mid 40 percent range. For the quarter ending Sept. 30, that part of LeTourneau's after-market business provided $30 million or 22 percent of the company's external revenues. LeTourneau Technologies, Rowan's manufacturing division, saw third-quarter revenues total $219 million, including $84 million of sales to Rowan's own drilling division. External revenues were $135 million, a decrease of 16 percent from the last quarter and 21 percent from the prior year. Longview High School graduate Cindy Lindsay of Boulder, Colo., has been selected as woman of the year for the YWCA's 2010 Hall of Fame for Boulder County. Each year the YWCA recognizes those whose achievements and community service reflect the values and mission of the YWCA by protecting children, empowering women and girls and eliminating racism. Lindsay was selected because of her long-term commitment to help women and children around the world through her work on the board of BoldeReach. Lindsay is the daughter of Carolyn and Walter Lindsay of Marshall and a graduate of Longview High School. Patty Steelman, vice president/director of marketing for Austin Bank, was awarded the Certified Financial Marketing Professional designation from the Institute of Certified Bankers (ICB), a subsidiary of the American Bankers Association, in Washington, D.C. Steelman has more than 27 years of marketing and advertising experience. She is a graduate of the 2002 American Bankers Association School of Bank Marketing at the University of Colorado, the 2009 ABA School of Bank Marketing and Management at SMU, Austin Bank Leadership Class V, and Leadership Tyler Class 19. Steelman joined Austin Bank as director of marketing in 1999. Specialty Group Services Inc., an industry leader in radiology revenue cycle management, announced that Heidi Koffler has joined the Specialty Group Services team as the new marketing director. With more than 10 years of industry experience under her belt, Heidi brings a wealth of knowledge to the company and will be in charge of the marketing strategy as SGS expands its reach further into the radiology market. Calendar Jan . 12, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Stars Over Longview hosted by Longview Regional Medical Center honoring women in the community. Admission: $25 per ticket; table of eight - $200. Tickets can be purchased at the hospital, Barron's and Women's Health Boutique. For more information call Kim Brown, director of marketing (903) 381-7239. Jan. 29 through Jan. 31 — The East Texas RV & Camping Expo will feature more than 150 boats, 100 RV/travel trailers, and 50 ATVs and motorcycles on exhibit during the three-day event at Maude Cobb Convention Center and Longview Fairgrounds. Hours Jan. 29 are 2 to 8 p.m.; Jan. 30, 9 a.m. to - 8 p.m.; and Jan. 31, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults; $1 for children ages 6 through 12; and free for children 5 and under. For more information call Mitzi Barnes at the Longview Partnership, (903) 237-4021. Feb. 12 through Feb. 14 — East Texas Home Builders Association Home Products Show will feature exhibits of products and services for building new homes, remodeling and updating existing homes at Maude Cobb Convention Center. Hours on Feb. 12 are 6 to 9 p.m.; from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Feb. 13; and 1 to 5 p.m. on Feb. 14. Admission is $5 per adult with children under 12 free. For more information call Jimmie Snider (903) 758-6416. Feb. 5 — 2010 Go Red for Women Luncheon will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Pinecrest Country Club featuring LaDonna Gatlin who grew up on stage with her brothers, The Gatlin Brothers band. Gatlin is an active member of the National Speakers Association. The event benefits research to fight heart disease in women. Tickets are $50 per person with corporate tables available. Call Tanya Hicks at (903) 323-8800 for more information. Feb. 20 — the annual Health Fair hosted by Good Shepherd Medical Center will be held from 8 a.m. to noon at Maude Cobb Convention Center. Call the hospital's marketing department at (903) 315-5278 for more information. Admission is free. The fair offers health screenings, information and a Day of Dance presentation by the Good Shepherd Medical Center's Spirit of Women program. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Venezuelan President's Speech on Climate Change in Copenhagen - ZNet Posted: 21 Dec 2009 07:41 AM PST (Copenhagen, Kingdom of Denmark, Wednesday, December 16th, 2009) President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez: Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, Excellencies, friends, I promise that I will not talk more than most have spoken this afternoon. Allow me an initial comment which I would have liked to make as part of the previous point which was expressed by the delegations of Brazil, China, India, and Bolivia. We were there asking to speak but it was not possible. Bolivia's representative said, my salute of course to Comrade President Evo Morales, who is there, President of the Republic of Bolivia. [Audience applause] She said among other things the following, I noted it here, she said the text presented is not democratic, it is not inclusive. I had hardly arrived and we were just sitting down when we heard the president of the previous session, the minister, saying that a document came about, but nobody knows, I've asked for the document, but we still don't have it, I think nobody knows of that top secret document. Now certainly, as the Bolivian comrade said, that is not democratic, it is not inclusive. Now, ladies and gentlemen, isn't that just the reality of the world? What we are experiencing on this planet is an imperial dictatorship, and from here we continue denouncing it. Down with imperial dictatorship! And long live the people and democracy and equality on this planet! [Audience applause] And what we see here is a reflection of this: Exclusion. There is a group of countries that consider themselves superior to us in the South, to us in the Third World, to us, the underdeveloped countries, or as a great friend Eduardo Galeano says, we, the crushed countries, as if a train ran over us in history. In light of this, it's no surprise that there is no democracy in the world and here we are again faced with powerful evidence of global imperial dictatorship. Then two youths got up here, fortunately the enforcement officials were decent, some push around, and they collaborated right? There are many people outside, you know? Of course, they do not fit in this room, they are too many people. I've read in the news that there were some arrests, some intense protests, there in the streets of Copenhagen, and I salute all those people out there, most of them youth. [Audience applause] Of course young people are concerned, I think rightly much more than we are, for the future of the world. We have - most of us here - the sun on our backs, and they have to face the sun and are very worried. One could say, Mr. President, that a spectre is haunting Copenhagen, to paraphrase Karl Marx, the great Karl Marx, a spectre is haunting the streets of Copenhagen, and I think that spectre walks silently through this room, walking around among us, through the halls, out below, it rises, this spectre is a terrible spectre almost nobody wants to mention it: Capitalism is the spectre, almost nobody wants to mention it. [Audience applause] It's capitalism, the people roar, out there, hear them. I have been reading some of the slogans painted on the streets, and I think those slogans of these youngsters, some of which I heard when I was young, and of the young woman there, two of which I noted. You can hear among others, two powerful slogans. One: Don't change the climate, change the system. [Audience applause] And I take it onboard for us. Let's not change the climate, let's change the system! And consequently we will begin to save the planet. Capitalism is a destructive development model that is putting an end to life; it threatens to put a definitive end to the human species. And another slogan calls for reflection. It is very in tune with the banking crisis that swept the world and still affects it, and of how the rich northern countries gave aid to bankers and the big banks. The U.S. alone gave, well, I lost the figure, but it is astronomical, to save the banks. They say in the streets the following: If the climate were a bank it would have been saved already. [Audience applause] And I think that's true. If the climate were one of the biggest capitalist banks, the rich governments would have saved it. I think Obama has not arrived. He received the Nobel Peace Prize almost the same day that he sent 30 thousand soldiers to kill more innocents in Afghanistan, and now he comes to stand here with the Nobel Peace Prize, the president of the United States. But the United States has the machinery to make money, to make dollars, and has saved, well, they believe they have saved the banks and the capitalist system. [Audience applause] Look, over there I met, I had the pleasure of meeting this French author Hervé Kempf. Recommending this book, I recommend it, it is available in Spanish - there is Hervé - its also in French, and surely in English, How the Rich are Destroying the Planet. Hervé Kempf: How the Rich are Destroying the Planet. This is what Christ said: it would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. This is what our lord Christ said. [Audience applause] The rich are destroying the planet. Do they think the can go to another when they destroy this one? Do they have plans to go to another planet? So far there is none on the horizon of the galaxy. This book has just reached me, Ignacio Ramonet gave it to me, and he is also around somewhere in this room. Finishing the prologue or the preamble this phrase is very important, Kempf says the following, I'll read it: "We can not reduce global material consumption if we don't make the powerful go down several levels, and if we don't combat inequality. It is necessary that to the ecological principle that is so useful at the time of becoming conscious, 'think globally and act locally,' we add the principle that the situation imposes: 'Consume less and share better.'" I think it is good advice that this French author Hervé Kempf gives us. [Audience applause] Well then, Mr. President, climate change is undoubtedly the most devastating environmental problem of this century. Floods, droughts, severe storms, hurricanes, melting ice caps, rise in mean sea levels, ocean acidification and heat waves, all of that sharpens the impact of global crisis besetting us. Current human activity exceeds the threshold of sustainability, endangering life on the planet, but also in this we are profoundly unequal. I want to recall: the 500 million richest people, 500 million, this is seven percent, seven percent, seven percent of the world's population. This seven percent is responsible, these 500 million richest people are responsible for 50 percent of emissions, while the poorest 50 percent accounts for only seven percent of emissions. So it strikes me as a bit strange to put the United States and China at the same level. The United States has just, well; it will soon reach 300 million people. China has nearly five times the U.S. population. The United Status consumes more than 20 million barrels of oil a day, China only reaches 5-6 million barrels a day, you can't ask the same of the United States and China. There are issues to discuss, hopefully we the heads of states and governments can sit down and discuss the truth, the truth about these issues. So, Mr. President, 60 percent of the planet's ecosystems are damaged, 20 percent of the earth's crust is degraded, we have been impassive witnesses to deforestation, land conversion, desertification, deterioration of fresh water systems, overexploitation of marine resources, pollution and loss of biodiversity. The overuse of the land exceeds by 30 percent the capacity to regenerate it. The planet is losing what the technicians call the ability to regulate itself; the planet is losing this. Every day more waste than can be processed is released. The survival of our species hammers in the consciousness of humanity. Despite the urgency, it has taken two years of negotiations for a second commitment period under the Kyoto Protocol, and we attend this event without any real and meaningful agreement. And indeed, on the text that comes from out of the blue, as some have called it, Venezuela says, and the ALBA countries, the Bolivarian Alliance say that we will not accept, since then we've said it, any other texts that do not come from working groups under the Kyoto Protocol and the Convention. They are the legitimate texts that we have been discussing so intensely over the years. [Audience applause] And in these last few hours, I believe you have not slept, plus you have not eaten, you have not slept. It does not seem logical to me to come out now with a document from scratch, as you say. The scientifically substantiated objective of reducing the emission of polluting gases and achieving an agreement on long-term cooperation clearly, today at this time, has apparently failed, for now. What is the reason? We have no doubt. The reason is the irresponsible attitude and lack of political will from the most powerful nations on the planet. No one should feel offended, I recall the great José Gervasio Artigas when he said: "With the truth, I neither offend nor fear." But it is actually an irresponsible attitude of positions, of reversals, of exclusions, of elitist management of a problem that belongs to everyone and that we can only solve together. The political conservatism and selfishness of the largest consumers, of the richest countries shows high insensitivity and lack of solidarity with the poor, the hungry, and the most vulnerable to disease, to natural disasters. Mr. President, a new and single agreement is essential, applicable to absolutely unequal parties, according to the magnitude of their contributions and economic, financial and technological capabilities and based on unconditional respect for the principles contained in the Convention. Developed countries should set binding, clear and concrete commitments for the substantial reduction of their emissions and assume obligations of financial and technological assistance to poor countries to cope with the destructive dangers of climate change. In this respect, the uniqueness of island states and least developed countries should be fully recognized. Mr. President, climate change is not the only problem facing humanity today. Other scourges and injustices beset us, the gap between rich and poor countries has continued to grow, despite all the millennium goals, the Monterrey financing summit, at all these summits as the President of Senegal said here, revealing a great truth, there are promises and unfulfilled promises and the world continues its destructive march. The total income of the 500 richest individuals in the world is greater than the income of the 416 million poorest people. The 2.8 billion people living in poverty on less than $2 per day, representing 40 per percent of the global population, receive only 5 percent of world income. Today each year about 9.2 million children die before reaching their fifth year and 99.9 percent of these deaths occur in poorer countries. Infant mortality is 47 deaths per thousand live births, but is only 5 per thousand in rich countries. Life expectancy on the planet is 67 years, in rich countries it is 79, while in some poor nations is only 40 years. Additionally, there are 1.1 billion people without access to drinking water, 2.6 billion without sanitation services, over 800 million illiterate and 1.02 billion hungry people, that's the global scenario. Now the cause, what is the cause? Let's talk about the cause, let's not evade responsibilities, and let's not evade the depth of this problem. The cause, undoubtedly, I return to the theme of this whole disastrous panorama, is the destructive metabolic system of capital and its embodied model: Capitalism. Here's a quote that I want to read briefly, from that great liberation theologian Leonardo Boff, as we know a Brazilian, our American. Leonardo Boff says on this subject as follows: "What is the cause? Ah, the cause is the dream of seeking happiness through material accumulation and of endless progress, using for this science and technology with which they can exploit without limits all the resources of the earth." And he cites here Charles Darwin and his "natural selection", the survival of the fittest, but we know that the strongest survive over the ashes of the weakest. Jean Jacques Rousseau, we must always remember, said that between the strong and the weak, freedom is oppressed. That's why the Empire speaks of freedom; it's the freedom to oppress, to invade, to kill, to annihilate, and to exploit. That is their freedom, and Rousseau adds this saving phrase: "Only the law liberates." There are countries that are hoping that no document comes out of here precisely because they do not want a law, do not want a standard, because the absence of these norms allows them to play at their exploitative freedom, their crushing freedom. We must make an effort and pressure here and in the streets, so that a commitment comes out of here, a document that commits the most powerful countries on earth. [Audience applause] Well, Mr. President, Leonardo Boff asks... Have you met Boff? I do not know whether Leonardo might come, I met him recently in Paraguay, we've always read him. Can a finite earth support an infinite project? The thesis of capitalism, infinite development, is a destructive pattern, let's face it. Then Boff asks us, what might we expect from Copenhagen? At least this simple confession: We can not continue like this. And a simple proposition: Let's change course. Let's do it, but without cynicism, without lies, without double agendas, no documents out of the blue, with the truth out in the open. How long, we ask from Venezuela, Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, how long are we going to allow such injustices and inequalities? How long are we going to tolerate the current international economic order and prevailing market mechanisms? How long are we going to allow huge epidemics like HIV/AIDS to ravage entire populations? How long are we going to allow the hungry to not eat or to be able to feed their own children? How long are we going to allow millions of children to die from curable diseases? How long will we allow armed conflicts to massacre millions of innocent human beings in order for the powerful to seize the resources of other peoples? Cease the aggressions and the wars! We the peoples of the world ask of the empires, to those who try to continue dominating the world and exploiting us. Mr. President, almost two centuries ago, a universal Venezuelan, a liberator of nations and precursor of consciences left to posterity a full-willed maxim: "If nature opposes us, let's fight against it and make it obey us." That was Simón Bolívar, the Liberator. From Bolivarian Venezuela, where a day like today some ten years ago, ten years exactly, we experienced the biggest climate tragedy in our history (the Vargas tragedy it is called), from this Venezuela whose revolution tries to win justice for all people, we say it is only possible through the path of socialism! Socialism, the other spectre Karl Marx spoke about, which walks here too, rather it is like a counter-spectre. Socialism, this is the direction, this is the path to save the planet, I don't have the least doubt. Capitalism is the road to hell, to the destruction of the world. We say this from Venezuela, which because of socialism faces threats from the U.S. Empire. From the countries that comprise ALBA, the Bolivarian Alliance, we call, and I want to, with respect, but from my soul, call in the name of many on this planet, we say to governments and peoples of the Earth, to paraphrase Simón Bolívar, the Liberator: If the destructive nature of capitalism opposes us, let's fight against it and make it obey us, let's not wait idly by for the death of humanity. History calls on us to unite and to fight. If capitalism resists, we are obliged to take up a battle against capitalism and open the way for the salvation of the human species. It's up to us, raising the banners of Christ, Mohammed, equality, love, justice, humanity, the true and most profound humanism. If we don't do it, the most wonderful creation of the universe, the human being, will disappear, it will disappear. This planet is billions of years old, and this planet existed for billions of years without us, the human species, i.e. it doesn't need us to exist. Now, without the Earth we will not exist, and we are destroying Pachamama as Evo says, as our indigenous brothers from South America say. Finally, Mr. President, and to finish, let's listen to Fidel Castro when he said: "One species is in danger of extinction: Humanity." Let's listen to Rosa Luxemburg when she said: "Socialism or Barbarism." Let us listen to Christ the Redeemer when he said: "Blessed are the poor for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, we are capable of not making this Earth the tomb of humanity. Let us make this earth a heaven, a heaven of life, of peace, peace and brotherhood for all humanity, for the human species. Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much and enjoy your meal. [Audience applause] Translated by Kiraz Janicke for Venezuelanalysis.com Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. |
| Latest Articles - Dissident Voice Posted: 21 Dec 2009 08:45 AM PST
Introduction The discussion of Zionist Power Configuration (ZPC) in the US political system revolves around several essential issues, including: 1. The claims by the ZPC that it represents Jewish opinion and values as well as its authority to speak for the interests of the American people. Method: Public Records, Ethnic Neutral Sources and Citations The case against the Zionist Power Configuration is based on the open record of publications, speeches, articles, interviews and sources available to the general public (and any interested reader). Many facts and data are drawn from Zionist and Israeli sources as well as mainstream publications and writings by critical journalists and analysts.1 We do not privilege the statements by Jews, whether they are critics or supporters of the State of Israel, as most "progressive" writers do. The pursuit of truth is not an "ethnic science", an approach that smacks of Nazi and Zionist racial theories. Indeed, nothing reveals the extreme Zionist power or cultural hegemony over the debate on Israel and American Zionism so much as the constant reliance, reference and citation of the "Jewish" authorship of critical articles, even when publications by non-Jews are better documented, of earlier publication, and better argued. The ethnic (Jewish) label attached to writings and intellectual and political activity is selectively applied: the ethnic labels are applied to 'positive outcomes' as part of a general campaign exalting the "superiority" of the "race"; and disregarded in the face of 'negative outcomes' and activities (e.g., financial swindles, Russian oligarchs, espionage agents). In fact the "double standard" is buttressed by savage attacks by the ZPC on those who, following the ethnic labeling tradition, actually mention the Jewish background of mediocrities and war criminals as well as peace and justice advocates. We will begin by questioning and challenging the representativeness of the ZPC in the United States today. Zionists and the Jewish Communities in America The 51 Presidents of the Major American Jewish Organization (PMAJO) claim to speak for all Jews in the US.2 A major study in the north Boston region found that less than 25% of Jews belong to a synagogue, fewer (10%) contribute to the Jewish Federation and over 50% do not accept rabbinical Zionist precepts against inter-marriage with non-Jews.3) According to the Jewish Telegraph Agency (12/4/2009) conservative synagogues have declined by almost 25% from 800 to 650 over the past decade. Even most striking many prominent individuals who may be of Jewish parentage, no longer consider themselves "Jews" despite frequent claims by Zionists that their achievements are a product or a result of their being "Jewish". Near majorities of young people of Jewish ancestry do not identify with Judaism and are critical or indifferent to Zionist appeals for Israel. They have no involvement in Jewish centered civic activities.4 A small, but vocal, group of Jews are organized and active critics of the entire Zionist apparatus, rejecting the idea of Israel as an exclusive ethno-religious state and supporting a secular democratic republic in Palestine.5 In addition several Orthodox Jewish sects view the 'state of Israel' as a form of blasphemy and call for its destruction.6 The "51" misrepresent their actual numbers and claim to speak for 6 million US Jews. At best they may speak for less than half of the imputed population and even then their support waxes and wanes according to the issue, the timing and the place and varies in intensity. The power of the "51" is not a result of its representativeness of the Jewish community at large, but the location of its followers in the power structure and the intensity and quasi-religious fervor of their activists. Their political power resides in their singular forces in pursuit of the interests of the State of Israel and the control and influence in media; their nationwide networks and the wealth and financial power of contributors. Their capacity to browbeat apathetic Jews into making contributions and lending support adds organizational muscle. Their willing use of force, money and media slander intimidates any and all critics, including dissident politicians, media, journalists and professors.7 At most there are probably no more than 500,000 Jews who actively back the "51" – but what a half million! Given the low level of political participation of the US population in general, the relative low salience of Middle East issues to most Americans and the one-sided pro-Israel mass media propaganda, which misinforms the public, the Zionist zealots have little competition. They have a free hand in penetrating and influencing political, social and cultural institutions in line with the policies dictated by their Israeli influenced leaders among the "51." The issue of the limited representativeness of the Zionist organization must be separated from the exercise of power. By leveraging non-Zionist, non-Jewish civic organizations, political institutions, pension funds, trade unions etc. the ZPC magnifies its power beyond its numbers.8 The limited representativeness of the "51" is compensated by the silence and apathy of the majority of Jews and non-Jewish/Jews, who either are not willing to challenge ZPC claims or are immersed in private concerns, careers or other unrelated civic issues. The '51's hundreds of thousands of activists are strategically placed in institutions, as well as geographically, with a centralized command capable of mobilizing money, media attention and political leverage in any priority, political, cultural or social arena.9 The '51' organizations are not merely a "lobby" in the sense of having paid officials operating to influence congressional votes.10 They include religious, civic, charitable, ideological, cultural and social organizations unified and unconditionally committed to following the zigzags of Israeli political directives.11 The actual structure resembles a 'power configuration' that reaches from small chapters in municipalities to statewide confederations, as well as national organizations, each with its own budget, its own ideological watchdogs and appropriate levels of power. The power for Israel is exercised by elected and appointed Zionist officials, especially those in positions that have any relevance to Israeli interests. These "interests" include direct aid to Israel, sanctions and wars against Israel's Middle East and Asian adversaries, American pension fund investments in Israel, boycotts of companies trading with Israeli-designated adversary countries and many other strategic concerns. The key to the power of the Zionist Power Configuration is that it is a mass grassroots organization, bolstered by the financial support by scores of millionaires and dozens of billionaires and a complicit mass media. These political resources translate into tremendous leverage over the far more numerous non-Zionist electorates, the mass media spectators and the upwardly mobile politicians. The ZPC illustrates clearly how "numbers" in the abstract do not count,12 especially in a permeable electoral system like the US, where money, organization, discipline and ethno-religious fanaticism define the boundaries, issues and acceptable policies. The ZPC as Foreign Agents of the Israeli State The recent decision of the US Congress to repudiate (HR 867) the findings of Israeli war crimes in the official Final Report of the United Nations' Fact Finding Mission on the 2009 Gaza Conflict by a vote of 344-36 is a measure of the power of the ZPC.13 The report, also known as the "Goldstone Report", after its principle author Justice Richard Goldstone, was released on September 15, 2009, amid a carefully orchestrated campaign to discredit its findings and its authors. What is even more important than the US Congressional vote of condemnation is the fact that the campaign was publically ordered from Israel, directed by the Presidents of the '51' and obediently and enthusiastically carried out by several hundred thousand Zionist activists, throughout the country. The '51' and the mass of Zionist zealots were openly defending Israeli state terror and crimes against humanity. Their defense of war crimes never evoked a second thought. What mattered was their ability to pressure, threaten, cajole and promise future funds to Congressional representatives in order to secure their vote against Justice Goldstone. Blind obedience to Israeli dictates was evident in the fact that many Congresspersons proudly confessed to never having even read the Goldstone Report and that none dared question the egregious fabrications, which its two uber-Zionist Congressional sponsors, (Representatives H.L. Berman, D-California and G.L. Ackermann, D-New York), of the House Resolution 867, concocted.14 The US Congress, in fact, almost unanimously rejected the eminent Justice Goldstone's request to present his findings in person. In the UN National Assembly, the Zionists were able to leverage the US to vote against the Goldstone Report, which in turn secured the vote of several Eastern European client states, insignificant island dependencies and the predictable Western European "Allies". This amounted to a total of 18 votes against the 114 UN members who endorsed the Report's thorough documentation of Israeli war crimes and state terrorism, an endorsement which represented over 80% of the world's population.15 The ZPC is powerful but not omnipotent. It controls the US Congress and Executive and has decisive influence in the mass media, but there are important fissures in the monolith, as a number of Jewish organizations and individuals, revolted by Israel's mass killings in Gaza and the ZPC unconditional support, have spoken out in support of the Goldstone Report.16 More importantly, major national trade/union federations in Canada, Ireland, Great Britain, France and Italy, along with numerous human rights organizations, support a global boycott and disinvestment campaign against Israeli products.17 Judicial processes are proceeding in various European countries to arrest and put on trial top Israeli officials involved in the Gaza massacre.18 The United States, under the tutelage of the ZPC, remains as the center of Israeli power and the sole reliable backer of Israeli war aims in the Middle East, especially with regard to Iran. The power of Israel over Washington's Middle East policy is in direct relation to the strategic influence of the ZPC. The denial of the power of the ZPC by seemingly "progressive" and "leftist" writers and journalists has been one of the principal obstacles undermining efforts to effectively counter US government support for Israeli war crimes, the expansion of colonial settlements in the West Bank and the military/sanctions policies toward Iran.19 Israeli Power over US Middle Policy: The Centrality of the ZPC The manifestations of Israeli power over the US are public, visible, outrageous and unprecedented in the annals of US foreign relations.20 Israeli power is wielded directly through its subordinated political arm, the ZPC, which in turn facilitates the direct intervention of the Israeli state in the internal politics of the US. Let us examine several crucial empirical indicators of Israeli power in the US. On November 9, 2009, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the mass based Jewish Federation (JF) of North America General Assembly and thanked US President Obama and the US Congress for repudiating the Goldstone Report. The Israeli head of state then told his US followers to increase their efforts to influence US policy to "stop Teheran from realizing its nuclear ambitions."21 The previous day, Israel's Ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, told the same Jewish Federation to "press for sanctions on Iran and condemn the findings of the United Nations commission on Gaza."21 Speaking as a tribal chieftain dictating orders to the loyal overseas followers, Oren stated, "Our strength derives from the belief that we have a right to independence in our tribal land, the land of Israel…"21 Israel is the only country that can intervene in the internal politics of the US, counting on a powerful political organization, to shape US policy to serve its state interests. By drawing on the now discredited myth that American Jews' tribal ancestry is rooted in Israel, rather than Central Asia, Khazaran, reinforces the idea that Israel and not the United States — is the true 'homeland' of American Jews and therefore it is their right and duty to obey the dictates of the Israeli state.22 Each year dozens of Israeli state officials visit the US and directly intervene in US political debates, congressional hearings and executive policy making – with nary a whisper of protest, let alone censure from the US State Department. Any other country's officials who so flagrantly intervene in US politics would be declared persona non grata and expelled from the country. In contrast, because of the power of the ZPC, Israeli civilians and military officials are invited to intervene in US policy making, to set the agenda for numerous Zionist officials in and out of public office and to bludgeon and praise those who criticize or oppose Israeli dictates.23 The repeated public statements by Israeli officials that the primary loyalty of American Jews is to Israel and its policies – in other words, that they should act as a fifth column for Israel — is incompatible with the notion of citizenship everywhere except for this small group in the US.24 One could imagine the outcry (and brutal reprisals) if any political leader from a Moslem country called on their co-religionists to pursue its state interests. What is striking then about the ZPC is that it openly and publicly organizes meetings, follows orders and pursues policies dictated by Israeli public officials and yet is not registered as a foreign agent, let alone prosecuted for acting, by its own admission, on behalf of a foreign power.25 The ZPC: Lobby or Unregistered Foreign Agents? Based on its organizational structure and political aims, the pro-Israel social-political configuration cannot be reduced to a common "lobby." The mass activist organizational structure encompassing and penetrating civic, political, cultural institutions and media outlets resembles a power configuration that works within and outside of Washington to shape political decisions relevant to Israel.26 Equally important it plays a major role in shaping the opinions and behavior of public opinion and civic society organizations. Secondly, unlike American lobbies, it acts to shape US foreign policy in the interest of a foreign military power, up to and including decisions on promoting war and imposing sanctions against Israel's opponents, prejudicing the lives and security of thousands of American working people and taxpayers. Thirdly, the term "lobby" does not ordinarily encompass the virulent repressive activities pursued by the ZPC against critical writers, cultural figures, academics and others in American society who question Israeli policy. The ZPC not only acts a foreign agent for Israel today, but has been openly doing so over fifty years.27 In the 1960's the Justice Department attempted to enforce the 1938 Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) against the current American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)'s predecessor, the American Zionist Council (AZC), but was blocked by pro-Israel politicians. The ZPC no only publicly gives unconditional support to Israeli policy but engages in espionage on behalf of Israel as several prominent members of the ZPC and Mossad have testified. One of America's leading experts on Israel's "lobby," Grant Smith, has amassed a vast archive of declassified official US documents on Israeli-Zionist activities in the US. He cites numerous cases in which AIPAC purloined internal classified government documents in order to further Israeli trade privileges n the 1980's.28 A leader of the Zionist Organization of America was implicated in the illegal transfer of US government uranium to Israel in 1956. In 2005, Steve Rosen and Keith Weissman, leaders in AIPAC, admitted to receiving a confidential document relating to US-Iran policy, transmitting it to an Israeli embassy official.29 From 1979 to 1985, senior US Army Weapons Engineer Ben-ami Kadish, an American Zionist and former member of the fanatical Jewish Haganah militia in British Mandate Palestine, handed critical confidential documents on an enormous number of US weapons systems over to agents from the Israeli embassy.30 These were then believed to have been passed to the Soviet Union in order to influence their policy on immigration to Israel. Under the influence of the Zionist-infested Justice Department, Kadish got off with a $50,000 fine and not a single day in jail – for handing scores of crucial US military secrets to Israel. Ben-ami Kadish's fellow spy, American Zionist Jonathan Pollard, shared the same Mossad handler in the 1980s. Pollard, who worked as an analyst for US Naval intelligence, provided the Israelis with crate-loads of classified military and intelligence documents filled with top secret information on US policy in the Middle East, weapons systems, US agents in the Soviet Union and any and all relevant strategic objects of interest to his Israeli handlers.31 On October 29, 2009, the Justice Department charged Stewart David Nozette, a Defense Department scientist, with attempting to transmit classified information to an Israeli Mossad agent. Nozette, an American Zionist, did not act strictly out of tribal loyalties to the Jewish State. Like Pollard, he asked for money and an Israeli passport (Boston Globe 10/20/09). According to former Mossad agent Victor Ostrtovsky, the spy agency recruits thousands of overseas Zionist sayanim (Hebrew for 'helpers') who "must be 100 percent Jewish" for Israeli Mossad operations, which may include terrorism.32 In 2001 Fox News investigative reporter, Carl Cameron, reported that scores of Israeli spies were rounded up and deported in the aftermath of 9/11, including five Mossad agents videoing the World Trade Center bombing.33 Industrial and political spying is not uncommon among states, even between allies. What is striking is that representatives of an organized ethno-religious group, the major American Zionist organizations, have expressed sympathy and solidarity with such spies as Ben-ami Kadish, Jonathan Pollard and others, even defending their acts of espionage as a significant contribution to US – Israeli relations.34 The implication, or better still, the explication for this perverse thinking is that for the leading American Zionist organizations, spying for Israel, is part and parcel of their primary loyalty to the Jewish state. Zionist primary loyalty to Israel is not confined to mainline American Jewish organizations. During the Rosen-Weissman trial, numerous prominent Jewish leftists (including Democracy Now's Amy Goodman) publicly defended the procuring of confidential documents and their handing over to a foreign (Israeli) government as a matter of "free speech" and "freedom of the press."35 Rosen in his civil suit again his firing by AIPAC (to deflect FBI investigators) claimed that his dealing of US government documents to Israeli officials was "common practice" AIPAC officials.34 Top Zionist leaders in the Bush and Obama administration have a long history of work for and with Israel, including in some cases activity, which has caused them to lose security clearances and/or to come under investigation.36 Two top Pentagon officials in the Bush administration, Former Undersecretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz and Assistant Secretary of Defense, Douglas Feith are cases in point. Obama's chief of staff, Rahm Emmanuel spent time in the Israeli armed forces and has long been suspected of ties to Mossad.37 Stuart Levey, a top US Treasury Department official involving in enforcing sanctions against Iran, has spent nearly a decade in close collaboration with MOSSAD, a point he brags about.38 During the Bush (Jr.) Presidency, non-Zionist officials in the Pentagon and CIA complained of being sidelined by top Zionist officials, who set up their own intelligence offices run by their own fellow Zionist policymakers. Wolfowitz and Feith set up the Pentagon's Office of Special Plans run by Abram Shulsky. Colonel Karen Kwiatkowski, an official in the Pentagon at the time, complained of being marginalized and supplanted by Israeli officers who had unfettered access to the highest Pentagon officials.39 The November 2007 United States National Intelligence Estimate Report (NIE) on the Iranian nuclear program was savaged by all the major Jewish American organizations, their cohorts in Congress, and the Executive branch because the report concluded that Iran had suspended its nuclear weapons development since 2003.40 The major Zionist organizations and their supporters in the US government favored Israeli intelligence disinformation claiming an active nuclear weapons program that threatened US security. In short order the NIE report, prepared by 16 major US Government intelligence agencies, was pushed aside and US policy followed the lead of the Zionist-backed Israeli claims of a "secret" Iranian weapons program despite the absence of any hard data. Leveraging Power The key to Zionist power in shaping US policy toward the Mid-East, Arab-Muslim relations and toward "third parties" affecting Israeli policy is the combined influence of Zionists in executive offices (Treasury, State, National Security, Pentagon, etc.) and Congress, especially leading committees relevant to Israeli interests, and as well as the mass organizations in civil society (the '51' major American Jewish organizations) and Zionist control over the mass media.41 Zionist power and control in these crucial areas spreads out into influencing academic activity, including the repression of Israeli critics, the censoring of publications, manipulation of professional societies, trade unions and state and union pension funds, whose members are overwhelmingly neither Jewish nor Zionist. The result is that the Zionist Power Configuration's automatic and unquestioning support for the crimes and treason, including Zionist espionage for Israel within the US and the universally-condemned Israel war crimes, goes uncontested in the mass media, the Congress, and even the small political and literary journals on the 'Left.' This uncontested support of espionage by foreign power acting through public organizations is unique in US history. In the past organizations acting as surrogates for a foreign power were condemned, ostracized, suppressed, prosecuted and subject to mass public outrage. It is a "tribute" to the power of ZPC that none of that occurs today. As a footnote to history, it is the first time that practically all Marxist journals, monthlies, bi-monthlies, quarterlies and annuals and their leading contributors have avoided a serious critique of the ZPC. On the contrary, the sparse articles which purport to deal with Middle East policies cover-up the role of the ZPC in shaping US policy.42 There is evidence that, even in the most radical publications of "critical writing," fellow traveling editors, who otherwise claim "internationalist" and "working class" allegiances, are not willing to confront the ZPC war makers who promote wars in the Middle East, funded by American taxpayers and fought by 99.9% non Jewish/non-Zionist working class Americans in uniform. The Interlocking Directorate: Establishing Zionist Hegemony Several critical analysts have identified some of the key issues and institutions under Zionist influence.43 Some have identified AIPAC as an influential pro-Israel lobby. Others have noted the pro-Israel bias of the mass media.44 A very few have even identified Zionist predominance in media ownership.45 Others, especially during the Bush presidency, noted the influence of key Zionists in the Pentagon, especially their role in promoting the US invasion of Iraq.46 The narrow focus of their otherwise valuable critiques fails to account for structural continuities over time and place: the long-term, large-scale presence of unconditional Israel Fisters across administrations especially over the past two decades. Moreover, while case studies of Zionist influence over specific policy issues, such as the recent Congressional repudiation of the Goldstone Report and support for Israeli war crimes, are useful, the larger theoretical and empirical phenomenon of the growing chain of issues over ever more extended policy areas of interest to Israel (and therefore the ZPC) is ignored.47 In a word, the problem of ZPC power in the US is not confined to a single issue lobby. This narrow approach obfuscates the systemic role of the ZPC in effectively disenfranchising the great majority of the American wage and salaried people (at the expense of their living standards), increasing war taxes for the middle class and blocking investment opportunities for corporate America in countries designated (by Israel) as "security threats" (adversaries of Israeli colonial expansion). The career patterns of leading Zionists include movers from business (Wall Street, Corporate law firms) to government; another pattern involves Zionist academics who move to the executive branch and then on to corporate or Zionist think tanks. Others follow a career combining academic – propagandist – journalist policy consultant positions, often prominent on the television political 'talk' shows. The leading media moguls combine roles as CEO's – propagandists – and Israel advocates. The overlap of career positions creates a network of shared ideologies, defined by 'what is best for Israel' (Israel First). The shared "world view" creates a cohesive group that sets the boundaries of US policy debate. Congressional behavior, Executive policy makers and intellectual discourse are confined by these ZPC-determined parameters. In effect pro-Israel career patterns and projections of power have established a kind of Judeo-Zionist hegemony of US public life. Ethno-sizing Truth One of the extreme manifestations of Zionist-Jewish hegemony is found in the fear and trepidation with which critics of Israeli policy approach the issue. Most seek to "Judaize" any criticism, instead of seeking and citing truth, facts or analyses on their own merits. They support their statements by citing Israeli sources and Jewish writers, even if earlier non-Jewish, non-Israeli writers and analysts have raised the same issues and may have provided a more systematic and consequential critique.48 This "tactic" of seeking to play off critical Jews against the ZPC and Israel is debatable if not counter-productive, regressive and serves to re-enforce the pervasive fear of the ZPC. The proponents of this approach, assuming they are not ignorant of non-Jewish critics, argue that by citing the Jewish background of the critics of Israel, they disarm the ZPC charge of "anti-Semitism." They further argue that by putting an ethnic 'spin' or 'ethnicizing' the critique they are responding to "Jewish sensibilities" and are more likely to get a hearing from Jews and their sympathizers.49 These arguments are plausible but deeply flawed. Committed Zionists, meaning the entire ZPC, dismiss Jewish and non-Jewish critics with equal ferocity: the former as "self-hating Jews," the latter as "anti-Semites." Sacrificing truth and principled criticism to shield "Jewish sensibilities" means refraining from challenging their residual tribal sympathies to a 'Zion-centric' view of the world. If the central problem is Zionist hegemony of US culture and especially foreign policy in the Middle East (and wherever else Israel dictates), it ill behooves us to pander to amorphous 'special sensitivities' of the few Jewish dissidents who demand ethnically-based critiques. Demystifying a Racial Doctrine The big challenge for opponents of Judeo-Zionist hegemony is demystifying its ideological bases. Zionists and their media camp followers always highlight "Jewishness" and the disproportionate number of notable, successful scientists and public figures with whom the Zionists self-identify (even if the said individual have no identification with anything remotely "Jewish" beyond some distant ancestry). In contrast, to highlight the "Jewishness" (and Israel-centricity) of notorious swindlers, spies, warmongers, gangsters, drug or arms traffickers is be labeled anti-Semitic. Selective ethnic identity is crucial to maintaining and perpetuating the racist myth of Jewish superiority and the corollary of power and prestige, based on special meritorious qualities. One of the key components of Zionist-Jewish ideology and Israeli power is precisely the racist myth of the Jewish moral and intellectual superiority – not the guns, money and backing of Washington and the ZPC's central location within the US elite social structure. There are two options for those interested in demystifying Zionist-Jewish hegemony: One could eliminate all ethnic labels or one could insist that labels be applied to all individuals including the most nefarious, grotesque and embarrassing. Despite cracks in the Zionist monolith and the emergence of public critics within and without the Jewish community,50 especially among young former Jews, who prefer to assimilate with their fellow-citizens (the passive majority), still up to a third of US Jews remain hard-core backers of the ZPC with Israel as their most enduring political loyalty. While not discounting the psychological gratifications, which accompany beliefs in a mythical biblical past, there are real material benefits to joining the Israel First Power Configuration. While it is true Zionists contribute money and time to promoting the Israeli agenda, there are also powerful material incentives, especially the benefits accruing from exclusive identification and membership in a cohesive configuration, which empowers its members, finances electoral campaigns and is well-connected among political leaders, as well as financial, real estate and insurance moguls. The spinoffs and payoffs for upwardly mobile Zionist activists can be lucrative and career-enhancing. Ambitious politicians, who measure up and toe the line, are likely to tap into substantial funding and favorable media coverage. Networks, which work for Israel, enhance Jewish-Zionist prestige while providing emotional gratification and vicarious pleasure in sharing the thrill of Israel's bloody military victories and its forceful expansion of the "fatherland." Not a few careers have advanced through the "contacts" made at the national and regional Zionist meetings. This is especially the case for many, otherwise mediocre, political candidates facing competitive elections. Active membership in a powerful Zionist organization may protect the careers of lackluster, or even incompetent, performers in some academic or professional settings where the threat of a lawsuit charging anti-Semitism can ensure contract renewal. Zionist racist ideology, with its implicit and explicit emphasis on Jews as "special people" ordained by God, as well as the media's bias toward presenting a selectively positive ethno-religious identity, provides symbolic gratification to lower middle class Jews, who sell Israel bonds, write letters to politicians, heckle critics of the Jewish state and march under the flag of Israel. They are likely to play a role at the grassroots level in bullying family members, neighbors and colleagues to join the cause or refrain from voicing criticism of Israel. Recently, more than a few Seders have led to family bust-ups over issues like the massacre of Palestinian civilians in Gaza, the Goldstone Report and the Ben-ami Kadish spy episode. The success of the ZPC in projecting power and shaping US policy depends, in large part, on the financial clout of its millionaire financiers, its penetration of the state apparatus and the interlock of the corporate-political directorate. However, equally important is the grassroots work of hundreds of thousands of middle and lower middle class activists. The effective exercise of power by the Zionist elites is based on the vertical ties between the leaders and followers, especially in mobilizing for Israel's high priority campaigns promoting dubious causes – like Israeli repudiation of moderate US policies toward Jewish colonial settler expansion or calls for more restraint from killing civilians in Palestine and elsewhere. It is highly unlikely that any changes can be induced among the Zionist elite; but there are reasons to believe that some sections of the rank and file can be influenced by anti-Zionist Jews and non-Jews. This is especially true at a time when Israeli political leaders have embraced such openly ultra-rightist postures. Zionist Hegemony is Vulnerable Several developments encourage the hope that these vertical links can be weakened. Over the past five years, numerous articles, books and videos critical of Israel have broken through Zionist censorship. Equally important, the emergence of new activist Jewish anti-Zionist organizations and the vast increase in member organizations supporting a boycott and divestment campaign against Israeli products, companies and cultural institutions have broken the ZPC stranglehold on public opinion.51 Faced with growing opposition in civil society the ZPC has escalated its repressive efforts to ban publication of critical authors, fire academics and savage journalists and politicians.52 Simultaneously a concerted effort has been made to encourage its ideological 'attack dogs' in academia suppress any critical discussion of the issues that most discredit the Israeli state, namely the recent Israeli massacres in Gaza, the brutal expansion of settlements in the West Bank, the Goldstone Report on Israeli war crimes and Israel's well-orchestrated push for war against Iran.53 Zionist Intellectuals: In Defense of Terror The ZPC has long established a near stranglehold on the major media outlets for opinion and analysis on the Middle East and especially on issues, which Israel's foreign office has given high priority. As a result Israel First academics and pundits monopolize the editorial and opinion pages of the Washington Post, the Murdoch chain, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, Newsweek, and other print outlets.54 The spread of Zionist extremism is evident in two recent feature articles published by Newsweek (December 21, 2009), glorifying the neo-fascist head of the Israeli secret police, Mossad, Meir Dagan for his success in assassinating political adversaries in violation of national boundaries and his close ties with US Treasury official and Zionist zealot Stuart Levey, who is in charge of blackmailing Iran's trade and investment partners, in order to strangle the Iranian economy and impoverish seventy million of its people. The Newsweek authors of these articles are rightwing Israel and US Zionists. Notorious Zionist news anchors, like Ted Koppel and Wolf Blitzer, parrot the Israeli-ZPC line in the major media (Fox News, CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN, BBC) as well as secondary outlets (National "Public" Radio).55 The result is self-styled "experts" of dubious loyalty to the America, but with strong ties to Israel and Zionist propaganda institutes, grind out opinion pieces which defend the Israeli regime's most atrocious war crimes and land grabs.56 Numerous professors from the most prestigious universities hack out op-ed pieces defending Israel's assault on Gaza, fabricating judicial precedents, and citing "Just War" theory.57 Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, when confronted by near universal support for the Goldstone Report, ordered the ZPC to denigrate Justice Goldstone, the basis and legality of the Report and falsify its contents. When the extreme militarists, like Netanyahu, passed the word to Israel's mouthpieces in North America, they unleashed the ZPC's entire stable of academics, journalists and propagandists. Over one hundred op-ed pieces in the major media savaged the Report, slandered Goldstone and defended Israeli terror attacks, which destroyed the entire human infrastructure of the Gaza.58 No Israeli crime was too great to cause any Harvard, Yale, Princeton or John Hopkins Zionist academic to rethink their bind subordination to the Jewish state. They parroted Netanyahu's line that the massacre over one thousand civilians and the brutalization of hundreds of thousands was an exercise of "Israel's right to self-defense." Few of the Jewish and non-Jewish academics, who dared to criticize Israel's terrorist policy, cited the weakest section of the Goldstone Report – its amalgamating Israel's all-out terror bombing of Palestinian neighborhoods, schools, hospitals, mosques and farms, with Hamas' futile and ineffective retaliatory rockets falling mostly on empty Israeli fields. Few if any raised their voices against the domestic propaganda arm of Israeli war crimes – the Presidents of the 51 Major Jewish American Organizations. Needless to say, with few domestic critics willing to even identify their opponents, the ZPC secured over 90% of the US Congress in favor of Israel's repudiations of the Goldstone Report, which they had never even read.59 What is striking about the vast majority of Zionist academic apologists of terrorism is their shoddy scholarship, their tendentious and illogical arguments and de-contextualized analogies. Their 'persuasiveness' is based on the fact that their 'line' is reinforced by the mass media and enforced by the ZPC's political thuggery and character assassination of potential critics. Their repeated presence in the media gives the appearance of legitimacy in defending violations of international law. Their prestigious positions provide a veneer of expertise or knowledge even as their research in the region is based on flawed premises, including disproven religious legends and colonial mythology.60 As Zionist academics become more deeply involved in justifying the expansionist Zionist claims, Israeli conquests and brutal militarism there is an accompanying marked deterioration of intellectual standards. Over time prestigious positions become linked with mediocrity. Academic degrees, awards and badges of merit are harnessed to hack writing and political hatchet jobs. Noted critics, who exempt Israeli war crimes and terror, are still published by prestigious publishers, despite their shabby intellectual output. Promotions and academic chairs are secured by eminently distinguished apologists of dubious morality. Their blind support and defense of the practices of a terror state puts the lie to their claims to high ethical and scholarly standards. The American Zionist academic elite fits Adorno's authoritarian personality: at the throat of the American polity and at the feet of the Israeli-ZPC elite.61 Arrogant posturing, angry polemics and emotional ejaculations cover up for their lack of substantive arguments. Where bullying fails, soothing rhetoric which speaks to values, dialogue and cooperation accompanies a blind eye to the relentless Israeli uprooting of Arab residents from Palestinian/Jerusalem. Princeton academics cite classical political theorists in defense of gun-toting Jewish settlers who brutalize shepherds, threaten school girls and up-root centuries-old Palestinian olive groves. The Globalization of Zionist Power From the Israeli fatherland to the nerve centers of Zionist power in the US, using the experiences and drawing on the support of the ZPC, pro-Israel influence has spread to important political institutions in England, Canada, France, Netherlands, Russia and more recently South America. In England, leaders and deputies from both the Conservative and Labor party accept millions in campaign funds from billionaire Zionists, paid junkets to Israel and other payoffs in exchange for supporting Israel's most egregious acts of violence in Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank.62 Zionist front groups like the "Conservative Friends (flunkeys) of Israel" and "Labor Friends (flunkeys) of Israel" ensure that the incumbent regimes and the opposition put Israeli trade and militarist interests at the center of British Middle East Policy.63 In Canada under the Conservative Harper regime, Zionists have secured unprecedented influence and diplomatic and material support for Israel's top priorities.64 These include support for the annexation of most of Palestinian East Jerusalem; repudiation of the Goldstone Report; support for Israeli war crimes during the 2008/09 invasion of Gaza; Israel's invasion of Lebanon and pending legislation criminalizing criticism of Zionism as "anti-Semitism" among a host of other pro-Israel acts, decrees and trade privileges. The opposition Liberal and New Democratic parties compete with the Conservatives in pandering to the pro-Israel power configurations in order to secure campaign financing from millionaire real estate, financial and media moguls. In contrast, major Canadian trade unions and anti-Zionist Jewish campus and community organizations have organized boycotts of Israeli goods and academic organizations serving the bloody occupation. In France, life-long Zionist zealot, Foreign Minister Bernard "Bernie" Kouchner, has embraced Netanyahu's extreme position of "unconditional negotiations" which allows massive land seizures and the construction of 'Jews-only' apartment complexes on illegally confiscated Palestinian land to continue while endless inconsequential "peace" negotiations take place.65 This position has been supported by uber-Zionist Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton. In Russia, eight of the top nine billionaire oligarchs have claimed dual Israeli citizenship. They illegally and violently seized hundreds of billions of dollars worth of formerly state-owned mines, factories and banks, and then transferred part of their illicit fortunes to overseas banks in Israel, the US, London and the money-laundering offshore island states and tax-havens. Zionist power peaked during the debauched Presidency of Yeltsin in the 1990's, but residual influence is evident in the Putin-Mevedev regime. This is particularly apparent in the US-Russian accords to increase sanctions on Iran, a policy that jeopardizes billions of dollars in Russian investments and trade with Iran. Russia has resolutely refused to pressure Israel over its colonial settlement expansion. In a similar manner, Israel retains a decisive influence over Holland and Germany's Middle East policy, via the exploitation of the Holocaust Memory, the Ann Frank legacy and the pressure of pro-Israel economic sectors. The newest example of the "globalization" of Zionist power and the drive for new Israeli spheres of influence is found in Latin America. Major US Zionist organizations have contributed substantial financial resources to building, advising and orienting their counterparts, especially in Argentina, Brazil and Peru, while engaging in a systematic effort to curry favor with the US by demonizing President Chavez for his forthright defense of Palestinian rights and condemnation of Israel's crimes against humanity during its blitz of Gaza.66 For these acts of courage the 51 US Jewish organizations branded Chavez an "anti-Semitic", even going so far as to accuse him of fomenting an assault on a Jewish community center in Caracas. When the arsonists were arrested, the assault was revealed to have been carried out by center employees hired by the local Jewish notables.66 Global Zionism has targeted Argentina and Brazil. Argentinean Jews have a history of ambiguous feelings toward the state of Israel and Zionism. Early twentieth century Jews established farming and cattle ranches — the legendary "Jewish Gauchos" — while urban artisans and working class Jews were active in socialist, anarchist, communist and left-wing Yiddish organizations. The mid-century generation (1940-60) of professionals, businesspeople, academics and bankers divided between leftist anti-Zionists and Zionists. Both suffered attacks from the pro-fascist sectors of the dominant mass-based populist Peronist regime. The 1960's to 1970's saw a profound generational split – characteristic of all Argentinean society – especially under the military dictatorships of (1966-1973) and (1976-82). A significant contingent of university-based students and professors, psychologists and professionals of Jewish ancestry joined urban guerrillas and radical mass movements and suffered "disproportionate" number of deaths by torture and 'disappearances.' During the worst years of terror, the Israeli government retained relations with the bloodiest of the military regimes (Videla, 1976), overlooking its anti-Semitic proclivities in order to trade in arms and military technologies. At the same time, Israel promoted Jewish immigration to Israel, securing passage of Zionist and non-Zionist Jews to Israel. The decimation of the generation of young non-Zionist Argentine revolutionaries of Jewish ancestry and the subsequent post-dictatorial neo-liberal electoral regimes, saw the rise of new groups of wealthy Argentine Zionist Jews who grew to dominate local community organizations. They deepened ties with Israel and more recently established extensive links with the US ZPC. Once again, however, under the pro-Israel Menem regime (1980-90) anti-Semitic terrorists bombed a major Jewish civic center killing and maiming scores of Jews in downtown Buenos Aires. Investigations of police complicity were aborted by the Menem regime. Israel 'overlooked' Menem's "negligence" and instead exploited Jewish fear to offer extremely favorable terms for Argentine Jews to immigrate (including paid travel, subsidized housing in the occupied territories – education, jobs etc.).67 The decline of left-wing activity during the1980's and 1990's was accompanied by the de-radicalization of secular Jewish offspring, especially in the professional classes. With de-industrialization, Jews, who had formed the backbone of the previous progressive national bourgeoisie, turned to emigration, finance, real estate and Zionism.68 The severe depression and financial crash of 2001-2002 led to the mass impoverishment of all Argentines (poverty levels hit 50% in December 2001-2002) including otherwise prosperous middle class Jews.69 They joined the popular mass neighborhood assemblies calling for the return of their savings, the end of neo-liberal policies and politicians and the restoration of their jobs. The subsequent economic recovery and commodity boom (2003-2008) led to a sharp de-radicalization and the ascendance of Jewish Zionist bankers, real estate and media moguls as principle leaders in the Argentine community. Their influential role in business and the center-left Kirchner regime led to a shift toward closer relations with the ZPC – including increased efforts to include Israel as a member of the regional integration treaty MERCOSUR.70 From the US side, the ZPC – especially the ADL and AIPAC, through their servile Secretary of State Clinton and US Congressional clients, fabricated an Islamic Iranian terrorist conspiracy in Latin America, especially in the region of the Argentine-Brazilian-Paraguayan frontier. On October 27, 2009, Zionist Congressman Elliot Engle, head of the Subcommittee on Western Hemispheric Affairs of the Foreign Relations Committee, opened hearings focusing on "Iran's expanding influence in Latin America," calling new trade ties between Iran and Brazil a threat to the region and the security of the US."71 Faced with the leftist regimes in Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador opposed to US and Israeli colonial wars and with Brazil and Argentina's public opposing Israel's crimes in Gaza, Israel launched its US and Latin American agents on a propaganda blitz to counter the overwhelming public rejection of Israeli policies. President Shamir followed a disastrous failed tour by thuggish Zio-fascist Foreign Minister Lieberman, gaining trade and investment concessions in Brazil and Argentina.72 Shamir's visit benefited especially through the contacts and leverage of local millionaire and billionaire Zionist business leaders. Nevertheless, Brazil, which has major trade and investment ties especially in gas and oil with Iran, has no intention of pandering to Israel.73 In Argentina, the Zionist connection continues to limit any major openings to the Arab-Iranian investments. Overall, the Zionist offensive and expanding local power base has resulted in mixed results: a major outflow of supporters in Venezuela and diminished influence in Bolivia and Ecuador. In contrast, Zionists have increased their influence in Brazil and Argentina. The enormous growth of Israeli power in Europe and the US, and the new Zionist offensive in Latin America is part of the "globalization" of Zionism. But the process is not linear. An especially hard sell for overseas Zionists are the repeated horrendous massacres by Israeli military forces, the blatant dispossession of Palestinians and the aggressive militarism pushed by the ZPC and Israel in the Middle East and South Asia. As a result, public hostility is growing world-wide; and there is a profound disconnect between the 80% to 90% Israeli Jews who defend Gaza war crimes and land seizures and the rest of the world.74 This is evidenced by the United Nations General Assembly vote on the Goldstone Report, which was endorsed by an almost ten to one margin. Moreover, in the case of the leftist regimes in Latin America, there is a significant reversal of Zionist influence. There are equally important cracks in the Zionist monolith among North American Jews and former Zionist fellow travelers. The continued "failure of the nerve" or "intellectual treason"75 of the American left academics and their "Marxist" journals to even discuss the role of the ZPC in making war policy has not stopped a breakthrough of Zionist critics, even in some mass media outlets. Jewish-Zionist Cultural-Political Hegemony in the US Jewish Zionist hegemony over the political narrative in the US has grown in recent years, evidenced by the support or, at most, tepid criticism, found in the major literary and political journals and magazines.76 In the beginning the ZPC imposed their view that Israeli conquest and wars against the native people of Palestine and its Muslim neighbors was a war of "national liberation" or "independence". This first phase culminated with Jewish-Zionist success in convincing President Johnson to cover up Israel's bombing of the USS Liberty during the Seven Day War.77 From 1970-90, Zionist-Jewish hegemony extended from its traditional bastion in the film, TV and radio mass media to a whole series of former left-of-center and conservative weekly and monthly publications and the establishment of new publications on the far right.78 The formerly liberal New Republic became a pulpit for virulent attacks on any critics of Israel.79Commentary, formerly a liberal cultural journal, became a mouthpiece for neo-conservative apologists of Israeli wars … and war crimes. The conservative National Review moved firmly into the 'Israel First' camp, purging any critical dissent on Israel and its unconditional supporters in the US. As Zionist hegemony in intellectual and popular cultural print and mass media was established, committed Israel-Firsters gained influential positions in US State Department and foreign policy apparatus.80 "Think Tanks", thinly veiled propaganda mills, produced pro-Israel position papers.81 Their staff elbowed their way into the mass media as "experts" and into foreign policy advisory positions serving various politicians and Administrations. They rose to the highest levels of government in the Clinton Administration and expanded further during the Bush-Obama regimes.82 Zionist entry into key positions of structural political power mirrored their long march through the cultural institutions. Their influence was reinforced by billionaire Jewish-Zionists' contributions to established think tanks, like the Brookings Institute, and to both political parties. Contributions influenced the nominations and candidates for office from local mayors to the Presidency of the United States. It is estimated that as high as 60% of Democratic Party contributions came from Israel First benefactors, securing an automatic 90% Congressional vote on whatever issue the Israeli Foreign Office marks as priority for its US Fifth Column.83 With very rare exceptions neither liberal, progressive, radical or "Marxist" writers, academics, editors, journalists broach the issue of Zionist-Jewish cultural-political hegemony, nor its economic structural underpinnings.84 The "left" is equally hegemonized by Zionist-Jewish influence, to the point that not a few join the vile ad hominem chorus slandering critics of the ZPC as "veering on anti-Semitism."85 Even today, at the end of the first year of the Obama regime, the Zionist presence in strategic positions in foreign policy making has been ignored by leftist and liberal critics of US Middle East policy. Few, if any critics, look at the structural determinants of that policy. One is more likely to find "data" in the business press. For example, an article in the Financial Times, criticizing President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's "inconsistent" position on Israeli settlements in Palestine's West Bank, points to the "…problems with the administrations message – including its inconsistent policy on Israel-Palestine – can be traced back to the White House, where Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel (dual Israeli-US citizen) keeps a firm grip on foreign policy. Some ex-diplomats say they have never seen power so centralized … Mrs. Clinton's own deputy, Jim Steinberg, is widely perceived as a White House enforcer, who polices even relatively minor policy statements that often leaves State Department spokesmen (sic) mouthing near meaningless talking points."86 Emanuel has been active in the Israeli military and is suspected of ties to its spy agency (MOSSAD). Steinberg is just a high powered "native born" Israel Firster, marginalizing the State Department from any alternative policies to pandering to Israel and its US Fifth Column. Hegemonized American liberals and leftists maintain their "support" for Israel on the basis of the fiction that the "bad" Israelis are the fanatical Likud party leaders while Labor and Kadima party leaders and the Israeli people want peace and a just settlement. Unfortunately for these supporters of "progressive" Zionism, the Defense Minister Barak who directed the bloody massacre in Gaza is the leader of the Labor Party and is backed by his party in support of all the new aggressive Israeli land seizures and colonial settlements. The genocidal wars and violent settlements have the support of the vast majority of the Israeli Jewish population. Public opinion polls carried out by the Israel National News published in mid-November 2009 reveals that 53.2% of Israeli's say the solution to the conflict with the Palestinian people is their forceful dispossession and ethnic cleansing – "transfer" is the Zionist euphemism for a crime against humanity.87 Such are the "just wars" receiving unconditional support by the '51' Presidents of the Major American Jewish Organizations. The point is that not even the Israeli-Jewish majority's embrace of a totalitarian final solution shakes Zionist hegemony in the US. The embrace of inconvenient positions, such as genocide approval, is not publicized in the Zionist mass media. Instead we continue to hear the chattering classes mouthing the clichés of a "dialogue" and "negotiated solution" between the expropriators and the dispossessed. The question of Zionist cultural and political hegemony, where it is even been acknowledged by non-Jews and Jews, revolves around several mistaken partially distorted conceptions. One key idea held by anti-Semites and Zionists alike is that Jews possess special qualities ("blood" or "genetic"). Many cite the importance of a Jewish historical tradition, which emphasizes education and learning. Others still, claim success and power comes from knowledge, merit and achievement. Recent studies refute the idea of a special, unique Jewish "gene pool" – as most contemporary Ashkenazi Jews are descendants of Central Asian Khazari converts to Judaism in the 8th Century A.D., who subsequently were pushed into Eastern Europe and beyond by the Mongols.88 Israelis are not descendants of the ancient Jews of Israel, many of whom converted to Christianity and later Islam and whose descendants are most certainly the modern-day Palestinians (as conceded by early Zionists myth-makers, like David Ben-Gurion). Secondly, for over one thousand years Jewish "scholarship" revolved around sterile debates and exegeses of the minutiae of the Talmud and bodies of law based on religious myths. Critical philosophers like Spinoza were looked at as renegades. The rise of scholarship and scientific thinking among Jews coincided with the growth of the Enlightenment and the establishment of liberal laws, which opened doors for promising Jewish scholars, scientists to break out of the sterile confines of the Rabbinal intellectual ghettos. Many of the great thinkers were called "Jews" because of their ancestry, like Spinoza, Karl Marx and Leon Trotsky although they did not practice Judaism nor identify as "Jews." Recognition and success of Jews came from business and financial activity as well as from occupations like money managers in the West and overseers of feudal lords in Poland.89 A Jewish authored scholarly history of the Jewish people was not written till the 19th century and even then it treated biblical legends as fact.90 Equally questionable is the notion that the rise of Jewish-Zionist hegemony is a product of "merit" or "achievement." But here we must distinguish between the mass of Jews who occupy middle or lower middle-class positions in society and those few individuals who have made major contributions. Moreover, it is important to not confuse the rise of individuals to economic power through the exploitation of labor, the extraction of rent from tenants and speculation and achievement through "merit," namely, skills applied to advancing knowledge for the greater good of working people. Zionists' "superior race" theorists lump successful Wall Street speculators with innovative scholars as examples of "Jewish superiority" justifying or "explaining" hegemony. Zionist race theories, which claim a homogeneous 'Jewish' people bound by common history and horizontal and vertical ties, is more an ideological manifesto ignoring profound class and even ideological divisions (at least in the past and perhaps emerging today). Jewish-Zionist hegemony in the US is the result of a supra or meta-historical mythology with mystical religious foundations in the Old Testament. The rise of American Zionism is tied to a virulent exclusivist tribal religious loyalty to Israel as the "mother state." The driving force of US Zionism is the subordination of US civil society organizations and the instrumentalization of the US military and economic resources to service Israeli colonial expansion and projections of power in the Middle East. What needs to be understood is that the present subjection of our Middle East policy to the Zionist Power Configuration is a result of the latter's accumulation of power and political-cultural conditions within the US, which weakened the articulation of alternative values and policies and a defense of American working class interests embodied in a democratic foreign policy. The Decline of US National Identity and Working Class Politics The rise of Zionism, as a virulent form of tribal-religious identity linked to a foreign state and its successful exercise of hegemony within US society, has been facilitated by the abdication by the US ruling class 'establishment' of any 'national' identity and its interlocking economic ties with Zionist power brokers in strategic economic sectors. The "globalization" of US capitalism, the process of world wide empire building, has shifted the focus of the US ruling class toward international issues, as the center of its concerns, even as it intervenes in domestic economic policies to secure state protection, subsidies and bailouts, none which trespass on Zionist priorities. Going "global" and the emergence of "global consciousness" has worked against challenging the Zionist pursuit of the colonial agenda of the state of Israel. The ZPC has filled a 'power vacuum' left by the 'globalized elite' and has been able to instill and impose a Zionist conception of US "national interest" relatively uncontested. The rise of the Zionist business elites into the top echelon of investment banking, financial institutions, real estate and insurance led to the inter-mixing of Zionist and non-Zionist members of the ruling class, in which one side had a deep and abiding political commitment to Israel, while the other sector gave exclusive primacy to the accumulation of wealth and guaranteeing that state economic policy ensured profits, a deregulated financial sector and bank bailouts, policies which they shared with their Zionist partners. Given the low salience of Israeli politics, the non-Zionist sectors of the ruling class were not willing or able to engage in a fight with their Zionist financial colleagues.91 However, there are divisions, both in government and within policy advisory bodies, over Zionist control. As mentioned earlier, the 16 major intelligence agencies issued a report on Iran's nuclear program in late 2007, which debunked the Israeli-Zionist claims of an active Iranian nuclear weapons program. Likewise a Pew Foundation Study of the Council on Foreign Relations, taken between October 2-November 16, 2009, found that over two-thirds of its members (67 percent) believe the US favored Israel too much – yet the same percentages claimed Obama is "striking the right balance" and "Iran is a major threat to US interest."92 What is striking about these 'dissident' opinions within the policy elite is that they have had no impact on Obama's subservience to Israel on all major issues promoted by the ZPC. Whatever the CFR "really thinks" has not "really" affected the power of the ZPC to shape policy via its stooges in Congress and its assets in State (Clinton) and Treasury (Stuart Levey). In other words, Zionist power at the top is uncontested and free to work the lower echelons of the political system and class structure for its own interest. This includes the wholesale purchase of political parties and the retail buyout of congressional politicians on key foreign policy committees. The latter is facilitated by the success of the Israel First Political Action committees (PAC) which promotes the selection of Zionist Congress people to key committee posts. Four of the top fifteen Congress people funded by Wall Street speculators are Zionists. Eleven of the top fifteen are Democrats, who receive 60% of their contributions from Zionist multi-millionaires in Los Angeles, New York, and south Florida and other metropolitan centers.93 The political class, party leaders, executive and congress people, have also eschewed pro-American working class economic policies, endogenous growth and the avoidance of foreign entanglements (interventionism). The political class – particularly its dominant sector – favors military driven empire building – undermining any popular democratic definition of 'national interest'. Moreover, the military nature of empire building resonates with the Zionist-Israeli projection of regional military power and hegemony. Military-driven imperialism weakens any effort to develop alternative US overseas economic interests and policies, especially with Moslem and Middle East oil countries, to counter Israeli-Zionist policies designed to privilege Israeli military expansion and colonial interests. If the majority of the US ruling class has surrendered to the Zionist definitions of US Middle East policy, and facilitated the rise of Zionist hegemony, the decline of the values embedded in working class solidarity and defense of republican virtues and interests has opened the door for the minority of Zionist cadres to influence mass culture and civil society organizations and divert American trade union pension funds to Israeli investments with no opposition. For decades, predominantly Afro-American and Hispanic female workers in garments, textiles and related activities have been members of trade unions run by Zionist functionaries, who channeled hundreds of millions of member pension funds and dues into purchasing Israel bonds, rather than building co-operative housing as was done previously when the union workers were mostly Jews. Many current (minority) leaders of trade unions and Afro-Hispanic ethnic organizations have been co-opted by the ZPC though junkets to Israel and subject to propaganda campaigns promoting Israeli interests. In universities, municipal politics, professional associations, Israel Firsters operate to stifle any debate, let alone criticism, of Israeli war crimes. Zionists in America are the most pernicious force eliminating debate on American democratic foreign policy options in the Middle East and favoring unconditional submission to Israel. Millions of individuals, who may question the "Israel First" option, are frightened, intimidated and/or unwilling to face the onslaught of organized, zealous Zionist-Jewish notables, who can and will influence their employers and jeopardize their jobs and promotions. Conclusion: Alternatives to Zionist Hegemony In other countries, especially where independent class conscious trade unions, autonomous and organized anti-Zionist professional and academic groups exist, Zionist power in civil society is contested, challenged and its heinous blackballing of critics is weakened. Where internationalist movements are strong, as in support for Palestinian resistance to Israeli colonialism, the local ZPC has not been able to use their economic power and media ownership to impose their hegemony over civil society. This is especially true in those locales where the international solidarity movement is active in impacting society. While there are pockets of international solidarity among some universities and trade unions in the US, especially the dock and warehouse workers in San Francisco, the major potential counterweight to Zionist Israel First hegemony in the US would be in a revival of patriotic working class consciousness. America's "special relation" with Israel has been at an enormous cost to the working class, amounting to over $1.5 trillion dollars in foreign aid, loan guarantees, hijacked technological innovations, lost overseas investment opportunities, not to mention the wars on Israel's behalf and the lost lives in fighting Israel's war in Iraq. There is a 'material base' for a mass patriotic working people's revolt against the crass submission of the entire political class to the ZPC and its patrons in Tel-Aviv. But today, tens of millions of Americans are disillusioned with "patriotic" appeals, whose purpose is to promote imperial wars (including ironically wars for Israel) at the expense of their living standards. Right wing pro-capitalist politicians use patriotic rhetoric to deflect attention from the domestic failures of capitalism and the massive transfers of wealth to Goldman-Sachs and other Wall Street speculators. The devaluation of "patriotism" is evident in the right wing's perverse manipulation of 'nationalism' to turn native born workers against immigrant workers, instead of against the ZPC's costly pro-Israel agenda. This, in turn, hinders the growth of a national popular movement against the Wall Street speculators at home and the wars for Israel and Empire abroad. What is striking about the lack of mass based movements against Wall Street is the fact that literally less than 5% of the population even trusts the financial sector. A vast outpouring of letters and protests denounced Obama's initial bank bailout plan, forcing a temporary postponement. Unorganized mass resentment persists and is smoldering, waiting for effective popular organization. Likewise, family and relatives of the Zionist power configuration, in and out of the government, who promote US wars for Israel in the Middle East, are rarely to be found in the Armed Forces, least of all at the frontlines (or for that matter in any war zone). If we exclude non-Zionist Jews – mostly immigrants from the former Eastern Bloc and USSR – the figure would be one-thirtieth of one percent. It is a biting irony that more American Zionists are more eager to join the Israeli 'Defense' Forces than to put on an American uniform. Yet Zionists in public office, in the Pentagon, executive branch and the White House, who design and promote war policies and military-driven sanctions, are in the forefront of shedding American working class lives, especially now when jobless American workers, including many minorities, are forced to seek employment in the military. A soldier's anti-war movement could be organized and energized under the banner: "A Zionist war is a not the American workers' fight" if the left and pacifists were not so beholden to their Jewish colleagues 'sensibilities." The anti-war leaders have been reluctant to raise the issue of the Zionist/ Israeli influence in promoting US war policies. Genuine patriotic solidarity is weak at the top and bottom, lacking any meaningful recall of our anti-colonial, anti-slavery, anti-imperialist and anti-fascist identity. In contrast, the Zionist fifth column is driven by a powerful mythological-tribal race-driven identity, which in some cases is religious driven and in others embedded in a deep-rooted secular sense of racial superiority. Israeli hegemony, embedded in a Zion-centric cultural universe, has not been challenged by Anglo-America's flaccid intellectuals. Their intellectual cowardice is covered by a thin veneer of "cosmopolitan" impotence. Their pusillanimous silence and even complicity is intended to 'protect the sensitivities' of their Zionist colleagues regarding any forthright critique of Zionist power in America. Only a revived working class movement, which recovers its historical memory of class solidarity and inspires the popular imagination with an independent American republic free from foreign dictates, will be able to displace Zionist hegemony and Wall Street pillage.94 Our study raises several central questions that need to be addressed by Americans concerned about Zionist power and hegemony over public debate regarding US wars for Israel in the Middle East. Can we oppose Israeli war crimes and expansion and US government support of Israel by confronting the ZPC? Can we open a debate on US, Middle East policy by fighting Zionist authoritarianism, witch hunts and hate crimes? Can we discuss and propose a democratic foreign policy, which opposes military intervention, sanctions and economic blockades, by tackling American militarists and Israel's foreign agents? If we answer in the affirmative, what can be done? What practical measures can be pursued and supported? We can educate the American public about the Obama regime's charade – of talking peace to the American people while supporting the Israeli war machine; of talking about an evenhanded Middle East policy while appointing committed Zionists to top policy positions. We can demand the Justice Department enforce the Foreign Agents Registration Act toward the '51 Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations' and especially AIPAC. We should oppose all dual citizens' appointments to key policy-making posts. We should demand that Undersecretary of Treasury and Israel Firster Stuart Levey be investigated and prosecuted for gross malfeasance of office for his refusal to investigate the illegal billion-dollar money laundering operations by US Zionists in the funding of illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank and for his promotion of economic sanctions against trade with Iran, which have cost US workers thousands of jobs and the crippled US economy billions of dollars in lost trade. We should oppose military and economic aid to Israel, especially when the average per capita income of Israeli's exceeds that of 40% of Americans. We should demand the end of trade privileges for Israel in light of the US' multi-billion dollars trade deficit with Israel, which has destroyed tens of thousands of American jobs in industry and services. We should combat widespread Zionist hate propaganda, organized and publicized by the ZPC, against Muslin Americans and Arab American, their cultural foundations and charities. We should demystify Zionist claims that the Jews' ancestral homeland is Israel, rather then North Africa and Central Asia, and that there is no historic basis for the Right of Return. We should support the class and popular struggle against finance, real estate and insurance billionaires (Wall Street) for their pillage of the American economy and exploitation of American workers and for their corruption of American politicians to serve their interests and US and Israeli war aims.
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