query -Abramoff

[ir]

Can someone give a brief explanation about the gist of Jack Abramoff ? I read some of the headlines, but not sure I get the full scope. <br>He is considered Bibi Netanyahu's ex best friend. I also read that Adam Kidan, his partner, is an Israeli. <br>I know he was connected to DeLay also. But it seems there is more to this affair than what is being published ? <br>----<br>specifically, connection to Israel except the obvious. anything ? should this be of interest to Israeli readership?<br><br>if this an ignoramus/idiotic question, a good link will also be appreciated. <br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[hanshan]

<br><br>links for the linkless re: Jack & friends<br><br><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.madcowprod.com/archive.html" target="top">www.madcowprod.com/archive.html</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><br><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://search.blogger.com/?as_q=Jack+Abramoff&ie=UTF-8&ui=blg&bl_url=firedoglake.blogspot.com&x=38&y=5" target="top">search.blogger.com/?as_q=Jack+Abramoff&ie=UTF-8&ui=blg&bl_url=firedoglake.blogspot.com&x=38&y=5</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[*]

<br> I seem to recall he funneled some of his ill-gotten gains to a school in Israel, but the only mention of anything jewish in this article is the quote posted below:<br><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://bellaciao.org/en/article.php3?id_article=9359">As many as 60 U.S. Congressmen may be implicated in Bribery scandal</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><br><br><!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>While the Republican lobbyist has so far only been indicted in the Florida case, and has not yet been convicted of any crime, the details flooding out into the media demonstrate the extraordinarily corrupt alliance of Christian fundamentalists, Jewish ultra-Zionists, anti-tax zealots and rabid neo-conservative ideologues in the service of corporate America.<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[ir]

Tal1, the article you linked to is good, and kind of explains the gist of it. One part about ISrael was already published, that some of the money ripped off from a certain Indian tribe landed in the west bank, in the hands of several very extreme right wing anti-disengagement activists. However, I don't think this sums it up, with regards to Israel. The reason I was asking for info is my sense of a "deal" between ISrael/USA governments to cover up ISraeli contribution to this scandal and concentrate on the Americans. In return, I suppose Israel might have provided incriminating info. (this was the MO in Pollard case, eventually, if you remember, it was material provided by the ISraeli government that enabled the US attorney to prove the case in court and get a fat guilty verdict). There seems to be fingerprints of a larger "deal" of this kind. This could be OK for US interests, of course, but very bad for ISrael (citizens, not the government). It leaves our public in the dark, and gives our criminals immunity, which means they can go on with their gangsterism freely. I wonder if the American public is able to make the distinctions and form an opinion about it. Not just in this case, or ISrael, but the general trend.<br>These deals are very bad for the long term interest of justice, because it leaves the MO in tact, namely, that US government can always count on "extraterritorial" insulation of information, supposedly under the guise of "we have to deal with OUR people"... <br> <p></p><i></i>

[*]

<!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr>I wonder if the American public is able to make the distinctions and form an opinion about it<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br> Collectively, the American public is as likely as your average 2-year-old, to "make distinctions". You can't expect much more from people whose opinions have been shaped by the mainstream media. <br><br> Here's another link from WSWS which mentions the funding of an Israeli sniper school:<br><br><!--EZCODE LINK START--><a href="http://www.wsws.org/articles/2005/nov2005/abr2-n29.shtml">WSWS</a><!--EZCODE LINK END--><br><br><!--EZCODE QUOTE START--><blockquote><strong><em>Quote:</em></strong><hr><br><br> "More sinister is Abramoff’s apparent connection to efforts to train ultra-right Zionist settlers in Israel in how to kill Palestinians. The New York Times made one cryptic reference to this on November 4, in an article which noted in passing that Abramoff’s private charity, the Capital Athletic Foundation, “has come under scrutiny by Senate investigators since the foundation was used to underwrite overseas travel by members of Congress and senior government officials, as well as a Jewish day school that Mr. Abramoff had established and paramilitary training for kibbutz residents in Israel. Mr. Abramoff’s e-mail messages describe the training program as a ‘sniper school.’”<hr></blockquote><!--EZCODE QUOTE END--><br><br><br> You could try googling Abramoff Israel which returns 447,000 hits<br><br> <p></p><i></i>

[ir]

yeah, see what you mean about public not making distinctions...<br>the biggest crimes of the USA in foreign policies is encouraging corruption in other nations, by boosting criminals and making them leaders and rulers. israeli gov does that to Arab communities/towns, they nominate a criminal for a school headmaster or such like social services and elevate criminals, and this "does the work" better than any direct oppression which would entail criticism. The USA does the same with societies it wishes to exploit. <br>And then, in the name of "friendship" with that nation, they don't prosecute those involved in crime in US territoriy but send them back home.... very clever move on behalf of all PTB's because it will always be supported by public opinion AND it diverts the anger in the worst case towards the entire nation/group, making it more dependent then on the administration.<br>WHen I read about the situation in Canada, with the liberals getting in deep corruption affairs, it also came to my mind that it might be accelerated now, if Bush is intent to gain more control. Corruption is also harder to fight than any direct pressure to comply with a foreign country. <br>===<br>I think the interesting part about the Abramoff case, for me, is the alliance with Christian right wing. THis is the most bizarre phenomenon and I still can't understand it. <br> <p></p><i></i>

[chiggerbit]

This is a very involved crime, with many tentacles, so I can sympathesize with the media....somewhat....in trying to explain all the dimensions of it to a very dumbed-down public. I suspect there is much to be uncovered yet, too. <p></p><i></i>