Obama appoints another pro-Israel extremist for Near Eastern Affairs

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By ATHEO NEWS

Barack Obama on Wednesday nominated Jeffrey Feltman as the assistant secretary for Near Eastern Affairs of the State Department. Obama said he believes that Feltman will "serve the American people well as we work to keep our nation safe at home and abroad."

Feltman assisted Martin Indyk in the sham peace negotiations under Clinton in 2000. He was subsequently named U.S. Consul-General in Jerusalem in 2001.

Feltman applauded Syria’s retreat from Lebanon after the Cedar revolution as a significant victory and said Iran and Syria have attempted to undermine Lebanon’s democracy, a strategy, Feltman says, that is "destined to fail." Feltman is fiercely critical of the "terrorist" group Hezbollah, which he views as a threat to democracy.

Feltman has expressed "deep concern" with the Iranian government’s treatment of its citizens and its "malign" influence in the region. "Iran poses multiple, multiple threats to U.S. interests," he said at a 2008 Congressional hearing. "It destabilizes its neighbors, it is the world's number one state sponsor of terrorism, [it] continues the oppression of Iranian civil society, and I add [that] Iranian-funded militias, Iranian-funded weaponry are killing our troops and diplomats in Iraq."

Feltman is opposed to Iran’s "attempts to procure nuclear weapons." He supports a two-track strategy towards Iran’s nuclear ambitions, stressing diplomacy along with sanctions. Feltman also called Iran a major threat to stability in Iraq, saying that Tehran undermines Iraq’s elected officials by supporting violent Shiite militias.

Feltman has decried Iran’s treatment of its citizens as a human rights abuse. "The regime regularly commits torture and other forms of inhumane treatment on its own people, and restricts the basic freedoms of expression, press, religion, and assembly in order to discourage political opposition," he said at a 2008 Congressional hearing.

Franklin Lamb reports: 03-31-09


Feltman Warns Lebanon

In his opening statement, Feltman, strongly discouraged any attempts by foreign powers to influence Lebanon’s elections, noting that "decisions on the shape and composition of the next government can and should be made by the Lebanese themselves, for Lebanon, free from outside interference, political intimidation and violence."

His very next statement nullified what he had just said and he emphasized that the polls, with US help, “would provide an opportunity to continue the process of reinforcing Lebanon's independence." Feltman then labeled the US backed March 14 group the "pro-independence" bloc, while highlighting March 8's association with Hezbollah, Syria and Iran as the most serious danger to Lebanon and the Region. He added that the US would support any dialogue between Lebanon and Israel.

Feltman then launched his zinger which shocked some people internationally but not many in Lebanon: "We anticipate that the shape of the United States' assistance programs in Lebanon will be evaluated in the context of Lebanon's parliamentary election results and the policies formed by the new cabinet."

The House Subcommittee chairman who introduced Feltman, Representative Gary Ackerman (D-NY), provided a similar analysis in his prefatory remarks, listing US interests in Lebanon as "sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity."

"The US cannot and should not interfere in the election, but neither should we be impassive," he added (read: ‘watch what we will do not what we say’): "There is much we can do and should do on the outside to demonstrate that Lebanon's future is not dependant on either militias or mullahs."

Whether or not Ackerman distinguishes Lebanon from Afghanistan or knows Lebanon does not have “Mullahs” with the cameras running and AIPAC very likely writing or at least vetting and editing his remarks, ‘Mullahs with all its pejorative connotations in Ackerman’s Brooklyn District was surely the politically correct term for him to use regardless of what the Lebanese, a country with no Mulluhs, thought about it.

Ackerman also voiced support for the some military aid to Lebanon, noting the "pressing mission is battling terrorists activated and armed by foreign powers." (read: it might be necessary to use armed forces against Hezbollah).

Rarely missing a chance to expound on issues of interest to Israel, U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) submitted her questions and comments in writing and rather hysterically opined: “what happens in Lebanon in June can affect the US in July. Iran is stepping up efforts to assist extremist groups, like Hezbollah, operating in the Western Hemisphere. It is no surprise that our military and defense officials are now confirming that direct connections exist between Hezbollah and narcotraffickers”.

Interestingly, Ros-Lehtinen holds the record in Congress for authoring or co-sponsoring the most resolutions adopted by the House which claim a direct threat by Iran’s presence in the region poses to U.S. security. She and Ackerman are essentially tied for the record of post-9/11 anti-Palestinian, anti-Arab and anti-Muslim House resolutions.

On hearing reports of Feltman’s comments, some Lebanese strongly objected. Maysam, a pro March 14 student at the American University of Beirut explained:

“How dare he (Feltman) try to bribe us! Each new Israeli aggression against Lebanon, every Israeli border crossing into Lebanon, harassment of shepherds along the blue line, mock aid raid, invasion of Lebanese airspace, theft of our fertile soil and our Wazzani river waters, each captured Israeli spy and threat to destroy Lebanon again or of more population transfers from Israel, every single new cluster bomb casualty and refusal to hand over land mine maps means more and more support for Hezbollah and their allies. If the Americans really cared about Lebanon or if they were smart they would put a stop to these Israeli crimes. But Washington is clueless. Lebanon does not need US Zionist projects anymore. As much as I care, let the Americans stop interfering in my country, pack up and go back and rebuild New Orleans! I am furious!”

Feltman to Hezbollah

Regarding Hezbollah, Feltman said the US would not follow the United Kingdom's example by opening contacts with the group's political wing. He called the group a domestic and regional "threat," adding "our position on Hezbollah remains as it was when the group was first designated a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 1997."

Yet, he offered Hezbollah an opportunity for much better relations with the US declaring that if Hezbollah would “Renounce terrorism—both in Lebanon and abroad—and submit to the rule of law and the authority of the Lebanese state, we would reconsider this status," he said in reference to Britain's decision to start contacts with the Hezbollah.

Presumably Feltman is aware that Hezbollah’s position has long been known regarding its theatre of operations against Israel. They were repeated this week when Hezbollah vowed that it would deter any possible Israeli aggression but would not carry out any military operation outside the country. MP Mohammad Raad told a funeral gathering in Sujod that: "We will not carry out any operation outside our Lebanese territories, but we will not accept after today that the Israeli enemy stages any assault against our land," adding that “they will pay the price for any possible attack on Lebanon, and will receive the proper response."

As for the Western attempts to open dialogue with Hezbollah, Raad said "Hezbollah welcomes this gesture,” but "it is a mistake if we assume the United States will abandon Israel for the sake of the Arabs…The United States' project is with Israel, and the US foreign policy will not change."

Earlier Feltman had stated that there was no difference between Hezbollah military and political wing and wondered how the UK could possibly speak only with Hezbollah’s Political wing since its leadership must be one for the whole Party. When asked about this point one Hezbollah member, who teachers at a high school in Haret Hreik advised:

"I think I can help American officials understand the difference. The military wing of Hezbollah, by which I mean, military resistance to Israel, is just about 5% of what makes up Hezbollah. But that is all that westerners mainly know about from their biased media. The political, social, economic, educational and medical wing of Hezbollah makes up the nearly 95%. Explained impolitely, the military wing is the wing that kicked Israel’s ass out of Lebanon and will keep it out until the political wing can help the Lebanese army do the job and, inshallah (God willing) achieve Middle East peace by returning the true owners to Palestine."

Posted by JNOUBIYEH at 12:17 PM