Tag Archives: United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

| Criminal Hypocrisy of Kerry: From dove to hawk!

Posted on by
5

“Criminal Hypocrisy”: Vietnam John Kerry -vs- Syria John Kerry ~ Christopher Matar, YouTube Video.

42 years after Vietnam testimony, Kerry returns to Congress with Syria plea. In 1971, a young Naval lieutenant named John Kerry pleaded with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to stop a war. Four decades later, Kerry will return to that same committee table, this time as Secretary of State, to advocate for U.S. military action in Syria.

 August 09, 2013

 ________________________________________________________________________

42 years after Vietnam testimony, Kerry returns to Congress with Syria plea ~ , MSNBC.

John Kerry, 27, testifies about the war in Vietnam before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington, April 22, 1971. (Photo by Henry Griffin/AP)

John Kerry, 27, testifies about the war in Vietnam before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington, April 22, 1971. (Photo by Henry Griffin/AP)

In 1971, a young Naval lieutenant named John Kerry pleaded with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to stop a war. Four decades later, Kerry will return to that same committee table, this time as Secretary of State, to advocate for U.S. military action in Syria.

Kerry will be joined Tuesday by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel–the two men both military veterans who served for years together on the senate panel that will hold hearings on Syria and President Obama’s quest for Congressional approval of military action there. The chairman of the joint chiefs, Gen. Martin Dempsey will also testify. Kerry will testify before the House Foreign Affairs committee Wednesday.

Tuesday’s testimony will be a significant marker in a career that began for Kerry in that same Senate room 42 years ago. Kerry became a national figure at age 27 when he testified in uniform before the committee. He seemed to captured the national sentiment of a country growing weary with the Vietnam War when he asked senators: “How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?” Kerry was awarded the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts for his service.

Recalling those formative experiences in Vietnam, a much older Kerry noted in remarks last week that his country is tired of war. Yet he has quickly emerged an outspoken advocate of a hard-line approach against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The U.S. government has said it has evidence that indisputably shows the Assad regime ordered chemical attacks against civilians in a Damascus suburb on Aug. 21, killing more than 1,400, including hundreds of children.

During his confirmation hearing in January, Kerry commented on how the world had changed from the Vietnam War era to the current fight against terrorism.

“Nearly 42 years ago, Chairman Fulbright first gave me the opportunity to testify before this committee during a difficult and divided time for our country,” Kerry said. “Today I can’t help but recognize that the world itself then was in many ways simpler, divided as it was along bi-polar, Cold War antagonism. Today’s world is more complicated than anything we have experienced.”

In two speeches last week, Kerry called the chemical attack “a moral obscenity,” and “a crime against humanity.” He told a war-weary nation, and a skeptical world arena, that “fatigue does not absolve us of our responsibility.”

Then on Saturday, Obama said he would seek congressional approval before launching a military campaign in Syria that he described as limited in scope and duration.

Asked what direction the president would take if Congress fails to authorize military action, Kerry said on NBC’s Meet the Press Sunday, “I do not believe the Congress of the United States will turn its back on this moment.”

“The challenge of Iran, the challenges of the region, the challenge of standing up for and standing beside our ally, Israel, helping to shore up Jordan—all of these things are very, very powerful interests and I believe Congress will pass it.”

The White House sent Congress a draft resolution and officials quickly called for an unclassified meeting with members of Congress as part of a “flood the zone,” strategy to gain support. But Democratic Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that lawmakers would amend the administration’s draft proposal for the action, saying that it is currently too broad in scope.

Republican Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina—both outspoken advocates for tougher military measures against Syria—met with Obama at the White House over Labor Day. The two senators have faulted Obama’s proposal as too little, too late, and have urged him to intervene further on the side of the rebels.

“We cannot in good conscience support isolated military strikes in Syria that are not part of an overall strategy that can change the momentum on the battlefield, achieve the president’s stated goal of Assad’s removal from power, and bring an end to this conflict, which is a growing threat to our national security interests,” McCain and Graham said in a joint statement.

If Obama is able to gain their support, the resolution to authorize military action in Syria would stand a greater chance of passage in the Senate.

Kerry worked much of Labor Day to persuade fellow Democrats to vote with the president. In a Monday conference call, Kerry reportedly told House Democrats that they face a “Munich moment” as they weigh whether to approve striking Syria, two sources with knowledge of the call told NBC News.

Kerry was referencing the 1938 Munich Pact which ceded control of part of Czechoslovakia to Nazi Germany—a moment that history has harshly judged as an appeasement of Adolf Hitler that strengthened him ahead of World War II.

_______________________________________________________________________

Wrongfoot2

Related articles

HypocrisyPainful

| 10-7: US Senate committee passes resolution to strike Syria!

Posted on by
2

Senate committee passes resolution backing strikes in Syria ~ Stephen Dinan, The Washington Times.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a resolution Wednesday granting President Obama limited authority to conduct military strikes on Syria, after nearly an hour of wrestling over the details of war planning and trying to make sure the conflict doesn’t spiral out of control.

The measure squeaked through on a bipartisan 10-7 vote that helps build momentum for Mr. Obama, though bigger hurdles lie ahead with a full Senate vote and similar action in the House, where one lawmaker said there are not currently enough votes to act.

SEE ALSO: Senate-crafted Syria resolution riddled with loopholes for Obama

Three Republicans joined seven Democrats in backing the measure, while two Democrats opposed it along with five other Republicans, signaling how deeply the questions split both parties.

Senators will bring the resolution to the Senate floor next week.

The resolution still prohibits “combat troops” from being deployed, but analysts said that still leaves open room for other American troops to be used in Syria, either as special forces or search and rescue missions.

An effort by Sen. Tom Udall, New Mexico Democrat, to specifically limit attacks to naval or air power outside Syria was defeated overwhelmingly.

“We start down this road, we are going to be running the campaign from here, and as smart as we are, I don’t think we are that smart,” said Sen. John McCain, Arizona Republican and former Navy pilot, who led opposition to the Udall amendment.

Still, senators said they wanted there to be no mixed signals and said they don’t want to see American troops committed to the fight in Syria.

SEE ALSO: Obama makes fiery case for action in Syria

Across the Capitol, top administration officials were making their case for strikes to the House Foreign Affairs Committee, where they faced an even broader range of opinions, from those who wanted a deeper U.S. involvement to those skeptical that any action will work.

Rep. Steve Stockman, who is on the committee but was traveling oversees in the Middle East, released a statement saying that as of now, the administration still lacks the votes to win approval in the House, and saying he expects the lobbying to grow more intense over the next week.

“As it stands currently, President Obama does not have the votes to approve military action against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad,” he said.

_________________________________________________________________________

crosshairs2_op_800x483

| POTUS drops Hagel for Kerry + caves in to ziolobby – again!

Posted on by
5

John Kerry Nominated to Succeed Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State ~ ,  and , ABC News Network.

 

President Obama said today that he has nominated Sen. John Kerry to be his next secretary of state, succeeding Hillary Clinton if confirmed by Congress.

With the senator and wife Theresa Heinz-Kerry standing beside him, the president said Kerry’s “entire life has prepared him for this role.”

“As the son of a foreign service officer, he has a deep respect for the men and women of the State Department; the role they play in advancing our interests and values; the risks that they undertake and the sacrifices that they make along with their families,” he said.

Obama said the senator’s service as a Vietnam veteran taught him the “responsibility to use American power wisely, especially our military power,” and the personal responsibility of sending troops into harm’s way.

Kerry, 69, the Massachusetts Democrat who was his party’s nominee for president in 2004, chairs the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which makes him a logical pick for the post. And he is unlikely to face fierce opposition from senators across the aisle.

The president credited Kerry with having played a “central role” in foreign policy debates for the past three decades, including ratification of the START nuclear treaty with Russia.

PHOTO: Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry, D-Mass., leads a hearing on the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya, Dec. 20, 2012.
J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo
Senate Foreign Relations Chairman John Kerry,
John Kerry Aims International Zingers at Mitt Romney Watch Video
John Kerry Full Speech at DNCWatch Video
Kerry Says Classified Leaks Are ‘Unacceptable’ Watch Video

“I’d say that one of the more exceptional things we’ve seen in recent decades was when John helped lead the way, along with folks like [Sen.] John McCain and others, to restore our diplomatic ties with Vietnam,” he continued. “And when he returned to the country where he and so many others had fought so long ago, it sent a powerful message of progress and of healing.”

It was during Kerry’s presidential campaign in 2004 that Obama gave the keynote address at the Democratic National Convention widely attributed to helping launch his Senate and presidential career. The president thanked him for that opportunity, and the career path that followed.

“I was proud to serve with him on the Foreign Relations Committee, under the tutelage of Joe Biden, and where we all became friends,” Obama said.

Kerry also served as Mitt Romney’s stand-in during the 2012 campaign’s debate preparations. It was an experience that solidified their friendship, Obama concluded.

Secretary Clinton was not present for the announcement, as she recovers from a concussion she sustained from fainting. The president acknowledged the secretary and his national security team for transitioning the country through two wars and an expanded presence in a surging Asia.

“Over the last four years, Hillary’s been everywhere — both in terms of her travels, which have seen her represent America in more countries than any previous secretary of state, and through her tireless work to restore our global leadership,” he said.

In a written statement, Clinton said her relationship with the Massachusetts lawmaker began decades ago. “John Kerry has been tested — in war, in government, and in diplomacy. Time and again, he has proven his mettle,” it reads. “I remember watching young Lieutenant Kerry’s testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee many years ago and thinking that I had just seen a man of uncommon courage and conscience.”

Kerry’s nomination is the only one expected from the White House this afternoon, although other cabinet members, including Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, are expected to leave the administration in the coming weeks.

John Kerry Aims International Zingers at Mitt Romney Watch Video
John Kerry Full Speech at DNCWatch Video
Kerry Says Classified Leaks Are ‘Unacceptable’ Watch Video

An earlier possible State Department nominee, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice, withdrew from consideration for the position when Republicans began to mobilize against her. At issue was Rice’s involvement in the Obama administration’s response to the deadly Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya.

Kerry’s nomination will place a respected statesman and party elder in a high-profile cabinet position. But it will also create an opening in the Senate.

Sen. Scott Brown, the moderate Republican who lost his bid for re-election in November to consumer advocate Elizabeth Warren, is expected to consider a run for Kerry’s seat.

_________________________________________________________________

American OstrichC

Related articles

SlaveToIsraelAslaveryA

| Scamming US taxpayers: Israel’s nuclear weapons render it ineligible for US aid!

Posted on by
2

AIPAC-Drafted US Aid to Israel Illegal ~ , Antiwar. 

Israel’s nuclear weapons render it ineligible for US aid.

The Israel lobby’s biggest and longest-running Washington boondoggles are the massive annual weapons and economic packages to Israel. Tightly coordinated campaign contributors (both individuals and political action committees) and the Israeli government’s own quiet demands manifest themselves within AIPAC-drafted foreign aid legislation. The U.S.-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012 forces Americans to fork hard-earned tax dollars over to Israel’s coffers on the pretext that it is in eminent danger. Yet declassified documents reveal that even the current prime minister once worked inside the state’s clandestine nuclear arms smuggling rings. Transferring foreign aid to the Middle East’s sole nuclear weapons state — which can obviously take care of itself — is not just unseemly and unnecessary. It is illegal.

AIPAC’s publicly available tax return [.pdf] reveals it has now become as seamlessly linked to its foreign principal as its parent organization — the American Zionist Council — was when it was finally ordered by the Kennedy administration to openly register as an Israeli foreign agent in 1962. AIPAC spent $1,541,572 maintaining its Jerusalem office. The office, led by Wendy Senor Singer, is described as the official location for daily meetings with senior Israeli government officials. It is also used to coordinate the visits of supplicant U.S. politicians with funding from a mysterious captive charity of no employees claiming to be an educational organization [.pdf]. The Israeli government’s desires are seamlessly transcribed into legislation at AIPAC’s headquarters in Washington — raising the perennial question why AIPAC is not registering as Israel’s foreign agent.

In relation to the sheer volume of American taxpayer dollars it transfers to Israel, on paper AIPAC is a rather thinly-funded and top-heavy organization. In its latest schedule of contributors, filed in late April and just obtained by special request from the IRS, AIPAC reported that only 1,949 individual contributors provided 61% of its $64 million in total contributions and grants.* The top-tier donors each gave on average $20,206, with the top donor chipping in an impressive $6,610,181. Although contributions to 501(c)(4) organizations like AIPAC are not tax-deductible, corporations and partnerships can write off contributions as a business expense. One AIPAC donor, an attorney in New York City whose confidential data the IRS didn’t successfully scrub, presumably paid AIPAC with funds from his law partnership, which AIPAC listed as the contributor’s address.

AIPAC claims in mandatory disclosures filed with the clerk of the House of Representatives over the same time period that it spent approximately 4% of its total budget on actual lobbying. AIPAC’s core lobbying mission hasn’t changed much since AIPAC’s founder left his Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs post in New York in 1951. Isaiah Kenen’s mission was to obtain U.S.-taxpayer-funded weapons and aid by lobbying from a Jewish Agency funded front group of “concerned Americans” rather than working openly as Israel’s officially registered foreign agent. In Kenen’s day, Israel first obtained massive amounts of surplus WWII conventional weapons simply by stealing or purchasing [.pdf] them to be scrapped and instead smuggling them from the United States in violation of the Arms Export Control and Neutrality Acts. The smuggling networks were established and funded by small numbers of wealthy Zionists who were curiously immune from criminal prosecution. When less enfranchised citizens later demanded warranted prosecutions, the Justice Department simply ignored them, establishing a policy that has held fast to the present day.

The AIPAC-sponsored U.S.-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012, signed into law by President Obama on July 27, 2012, makes unprecedented demands on U.S. taxpayers and diplomats. It mandates American economic largess to Israel via high technology, agriculture, medicine, health, pharmaceutical, and energy transfers. It demands funding for Israel Aerospace Industries (a corporation only recently linked to Israeli espionage activities against the U.S.) missile-defense programs and air-refueling tankers and munitions Israel could use to unilaterally set off a wider war with Iran. Israel even won a detour of used weapons from U.S. forces departing Iraq. The aid law extends already generous loan guarantees to Israel.

However, the package also requires the U.S. president to issue to the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations and House Committee on Foreign Affairs a report on the status of Israel’s “qualitative military edge” by Jan. 23, 2013. It is finally time for some hard truths. An honest presidential response to this AIPAC-mandated reporting rider would wipe clean all current and future U.S.-taxpayer-funded obligations to Israel. A truthful presidential assessment would finally tell the American people the following: “Israel has deployed a clandestine nuclear arsenal with some components and materials stolen from the United States. Our foreign aid laws therefore make Israel ineligible for further taxpayer dollars.”

Such a truthful declaration would turn the tables on AIPAC and its small group of donors now pushing Americans to steal from themselves by systematically violating the Symington and Glenn amendments to U.S. foreign aid laws. Ending aid would disentangle unwitting Americans from Israel’s unending conflicts, illegal settlements, systematized abuse of Palestinians, and clandestine nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.

*As reported in 2011, in previous years AIPAC filed contributor schedules with the IRS that improperly listed only two donor entries. After numerous complaints were made to the IRS, AIPAC has apparently been forced to again file proper schedules listing every contributor donating more than $5,000.

Read more by Grant Smith

__________________________

 

 

Related articles