The Power of Israel in the United States [Paperback]

James F. Petras (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 26, 2006

This book is a chapter-by-chapter analysis documenting the power of Israel via the pro-Zionist lobby on US Middle East policy. It explores the extraordinary extent of US political, economic, military and diplomatic support for Israel along with the means whereby such support is generated and consolidated. Contending that Zionist power in the US ensured unconditional backing for Israeli colonization of Palestine and its massive uprooting of Palestinians, it views the interests of Israel rather than those of Big Oil as the primary cause of the disastrous US wars against Iraq and threats of war against Iran and Syria.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Jim Petras is one of the best informed political scientists of his generation." -- Tom Brass, Editor The Journal of Peasant Studies

"This is an eye-opening, must-read book for every advocate of democracy and every opponent of imperialism" -- Michael Parenti, author of The Culture Struggle and Superpatriotism

From the Publisher

Publication of "The Israeli Lobby" in The London Review by two distinguished American academics, Mearsheimer (University of Chicago) and Walt (former dean, John F. Kennedy School of Government,Harvard), opened the door to discussion of the extent of Israeli influence upon American decision-making, and the means and processes whereby this occurs. The catastrophic Israeli assault on Lebanon, the war in Iraq, and threat of deepening US descent into the quagmire by an attack on Iran--with all that this portends for the well being of Americans and the American infrastructure--has heightened public interest in US Middle East policy, and readiness to question received norms. A CBS poll finds that 80 percent of Democrats believe the United States should have stayed out of Iraq, and more than 60 percent want US troops home as soon as possible. As for Lebanon, there is a widening consensus that Israel has blundered. The time is ripe for a re-assessment of American Middle East policy.

Despite academic awareness of the influence of Israel and the "Jewish" lobby (so-designated by Israeli politicians) in America, there are surprisingly few scholarly works addressing this particular topic. This book is highly documented and rigorously argued. The author has eminent standing in the progressive/left community, with long involvement in social justice struggles in Latin America. He is among the few American academics who enjoy an iconic status among progressives similar to that of Noam Chomsky. Petras challenges Noam Chomsky concerning his treatment and interpretation of Israel's influence in the U.S. This will spark a major debate among progressives, given the stature of both parties.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 191 pages
• Publisher: Clarity Press, Inc. (September 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0932863515
• ISBN-13: 978-0932863515
• Product Dimensions: 3.5 x 0.4 x 2.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #732,569 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

365 of 409 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Facts you won't see in the controlled-media November 28, 2006

By S. Swink VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

This book by a left-of-center author analyzes and documents of the power of Israel via the Israeli, Jewish and Pro-Zionist Lobbies on US Middle East policy. It questions the primary beneficiary of US policy, and its destructive results for the United States. It explores the extraordinary extent of US political, economic, military and diplomatic support for the state of Israel, along with the means whereby such support is generated and consolidated. Zionist power in America ensures unconditional US backing for Israeli colonization of Palestine and its massive uprooting of Palestinians. It contends that the interests of Israel rather than those of Big Oil are the primary cause of the disastrous US wars against Iraq and threats of war against Iran and Syria. It also explores the AIPAC spying scandal and other Israeli espionage against America. It questions the inability in America to sustain or even formulate a discourse related to the subject of Israeli influence on the United States. Finally, it calls for a review of American Mid East policy with a view to reclaiming US independence of action based upon enlightened self-interest and progressive principles.

278 of 314 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Spectacular Accomplishment December 6, 2006

By Drew Hunkins

Format:Paperback

Petras seems to cover it all in this scathing and incredibly well informed analysis of Zionist control over United States decision making regarding the Middle East. He proffers a myriad of statistics augmenting his point that the Jewish Lobby is ultimately in the driver's seat when the Pentagon, State Department and Executive Branch deliberate on Middle Eastern policy, and carry out their policy objectives in that region of the world. The Power of Israel in the United States is such a scholarly and well sourced book that it's hard not to laugh in the face of those who scream accusations of anti-Semite at anyone who happens to be toting the book about.

It does an excellent job in explaining how the Jewish Lobby in Washington greatly desired a fragmented Iraq which would pose no threat to Israel's continued ethnic-cleansing of Palestinians and Israel's illegal land grabs into the occupied territories. The Israel-Firsters have pretty much gotten exactly what they wanted: Iraq is indeed turning into a fractured state which will likely end up a tripartite entity virtually powerless to effect change in the Middle East -- cheers from the Israel-Firsters are no doubt echoing from Tel Aviv and AIPAC headquarters.

Naturally Petras points out how the Jewish Lobby is acting consistently on behalf of a foreign power that is outside the reach of American voters. He explains the truism (a truism to anyone garnering information outside major United States media channels) about how the U.S. Congress is completely subservient to Israel and how both Republicans and Democrats are major recipients of the campaign cash emanating from the coffers of the Israel Lobby. Democratic congressional candidates receive roughly 60% of their campaign contributions from Israel-Firsters while GOP candidates receive approximately 35% of their total campaign contributions from the Jewish Lobby. To believe either party on Capitol Hill will buck this stranglehold is delusional.

Petras is truly dedicated to world peace; he explains that one critical step in curbing Middle Eastern violence is for Israel to relinquish its colonial occupation over Palestine. Clearly mainstream media sources will stay as far away from this book as possible given Zionist power over most major media outlets in America. Petras' seminal work should be on the bookshelf of every citizen who considers themselves well informed, and vast passages should be duly highlighted.

145 of 163 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must Read January 10, 2007

By Andrew Burroughs

Format:Paperback

Given American's unprecedented military involvement in the Middle East- we have invaded a soveriegn Arab nation based on contrived false assumption, we have allowed Israel (our supposed ally) in invade Lebanon, decimate Gaza and to further colonize the West Bank regardless of the consequence to US strategic interests, it is time to ask "why." Recently we have seen several courageous, credible Americans put forth theories that US Middle East policy has been highjacked by a highly organized political lobby made up of pro-Israeli Jews and so-called Christian Zionists. The works of Professors Mearsheimer and Walt and President Jimmy Carter come to mind. Petras paints a picture of an international organized pro-Israeli lobby that has one mission- advancing the strategic political and military interests of a foreign power. This is without precedent in American history. Although we had other "ethnic based" lobbies (the pro-Taiwanese Chinese lobby of the 1950s, the Cuban lobby in Miami, and the pro-IRA lobby of Irish-Americans), non of these has been able to so capture the entire regional policy of the United States. In fact, Petras argues that the Jewish lobby bears direct responsibility for the Iraq war and the current effort to manipulate the United States to attack Iran and Syria. Sadly, the facts are on Professor Petras' side. One interesting fact that I did not know and was not reported in the US media was the so-called Danish cartoon controversy was caused by a Ukranian, Mossad connected Jew who went by the phony name of Flemming Rose. Petras documents that this was part of a deliberate strategy to further isolate the Muslim world from the West. It is interesting to note that most of the anti-Muslim diatribes being printed in the US media are for the most part written and produced by individuals with close, known pro-Israeli proclivities and generally Jewish. These are indisputable facts the Petras supports with solid references. Petras warns us to beware! Excellent, easy to read, well documented work.