Saturday, March 2, 2013

Annual AIPAC Powerfest


Speaking and attending the annual AIPAC meeting is in a critical event for America's political leaders.  AIPAC's website states the following elected leaders will participate:


Members of Congress

  • The Honorable Shelley Berkley, Former Member, United States House of Representatives
  • The Honorable Eric Cantor (R-VA), Majority Leader, United States House of Representatives
  • The Honorable John Cornyn (R-TX), Republican Whip, United States Senate
  • The Honorable Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Vice Chair, Democratic Caucus; Member, Foreign Affairs Committee, United States House of Representatives
  • The Honorable Ted Cruz (R-TX), Member, Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate
  • The Honorable Ted Deutch (D-FL), Ranking Member, Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia, United States House of Representatives
  • The Honorable Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Member, Foreign Affairs Committee, United States House of Representatives
  • The Honorable Eliot Engel (D-NY), Ranking Member, Foreign Affairs Committee, United States House of Representatives
  • The Honorable Marcia Fudge (D-OH), Chairwoman, Congressional Black Caucus, United States House of Representatives
  • The Honorable Steny Hoyer (D-MD), Democratic Whip, United States House of Representatives
  • The Honorable Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Chairman, Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Middle East and South Asia, United States House of Representatives
  • The Honorable Peter King (R-NY), Chairman, Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism and Intelligence, United States House of Representatives
  • The Honorable Michael McCaul (R-TX), Chairman, Committee on Homeland Security, United States House of Representatives
  • The Honorable Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Chairman, Foreign Relations Committee, United States Senate
  • The Honorable Ed Royce (R-CA), Chairman, Foreign Affairs Committee, United States House of Representatives
  • The Honorable Brad Sherman (D-CA), Rannking Member, Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation and Trade, United States House of Representatives

Top issues include 1) more war. 2) more war and 3) money for more wars. The session kicks off in earnest tomorrow.  Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak will meet with U.S. Defense Chief Chuck Hagel after AIPAC.

Update 3-9-11:  This year's AIPANDER results included one House and two Senate bills.  House bill would support an Israeli strike against Iran's suspected nuclear weapons program.  One Senate bill called on the U.S. to logistically support Israel should it feel "compelled" to strike Iran to stop its suspected bomb-making, while the other created a new "super ally designation" for Israel, confirming its 51st state status.

Update 4-19-13:   Jerusalem Post reported  "An overwhelming majority of the US Senate approved a resolution on Monday that stated the intent of Congress to support the “legitimate self-defense” of Israel, with American diplomatic and military power, if the Jewish state chooses to move ahead with a strike on Iran."