Needlenose

General Petreaus says:

“enduring hostilities between Israel and some of its neighbors present distinct challenges to our ability to advance our interests in the area of responsibility.” AND “Arab anger over the Palestinian question limits the strength and depth of U.S. partnerships with governments and peoples [in the region]“

Uh – ya think?  More bluntly – our AIPAC-formulated Israel policy is the dead albatross around our neck that is dooming our Middle Eastern foreign policy.

Forget neocons, when it comes to Israel you’re dealing with ultracons.     Whatayahoo is back, now in a coalition government with ultranationalist Avigdor “Loyalty Oaths for Arabs” Lieberman, who is already turning up the rhetorical heat:

“Whoever thinks that he will achieve something by way of concessions – no, he will only invite more pressure and more wars,” Lieberman said. “If you want peace, prepare for war.

Sad thing is that he’s probably got a hot line to our Lieberman, you know, the one who is part of the AIPAC ‘family,‘ as well as to god knows how many other US Congressional leaders.

I doubt US policy re the cis-Jordan will change in any substantive fashion and the status of the Arabs in the Occupied Territories will continue to deteriorate.  Avigmentum?

*Update* Man I had no idea what a fucking rat bastard that Israeli Loserman is – I hope he’s just a loudmouth, and not a potential Butcher of Sabra II

More evidence that our foreign policy is behind held hostage by extreme pro-Israeli nationalists – Chas Freeman is forced to withdraw from his appointment to head the National Intelligence Council due to AIPAC pressure on influential senators.  Greenwald has some good updates to the story.  I haven’t been able to figure out why they singled this guy out, I haven’t seen any stridently anti-Israel statements in a modest amount of googling.  He did chair some outfit called Middle East Policy Council, but that doesn’t look like some pro-Palestinian front or anyting.