The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) is a national
membership based group which describes itself as "America's Pro-Israel
lobby"
The article speaks for itself. The author Dr. Richard Benkin is
registered<http://www.thedailystar.net/2006/04/10/d6041001033.htm>as a
foreign agent with the United
States Department of Justice <http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fara/index.html>,
under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), for the Government of
Bangladesh. [Click
here<http://www.shuchinta.com/Resources/BenkinFiling.tif>to see the
registration document.]
**
*Who is Barak Obama—Really?*
*Dr. Richard L. Benkin writes from USA*
On a recent trip to Europe and South Asia, I was struck by press coverage of
the American presidential election. If I knew nothing about American
politics and used that coverage as the basis for my opinions, I would have
to arrive at two conclusions. One is that there really is no point for
Republicans to run a candidate because they have no chance of winning. And
two is that one of the two Democrats still vying for the nomination is
something of a mythical figure, something of a rock star; an individual who
is captivating America and offers the rest of the world hope for a "new"
America, whatever that means. His name is Barak Obama. To be sure, most
journalists outside the United States have only a surface understanding of
US politics at best; but the fact is that even within my country, the media
seem to have a love affair with this particular politician. And a
politician is exactly what he is.
I find it extremely difficult to comprehend why people really like this guy.
The fact is that—as has been the case throughout his political career—he is
blessed with a lot of luck. He is benefiting from the fact that many
Americans feel alienated from both political parties. Obama has come along
saying: "Vote for me. I'm not like the other guys and don't have the same
baggage [read: experience] that everyone else does. And he has captivated
the alienated, the young, and the naïve. Whether or not that translates
into the Presidency will become clear after the summer. It is then that the
campaign begins in earnest, and it is then that the sort of enthusiasm he
generates either will maintain itself or fade away. That is what journalist
should be watching come September.
I don't know if they will or if they will continue to ride the fantasy that
is Barak Obama; but unlike most of the journalists who write about Senator
Obama, I actually have some experience with him. You see, he is from
Chicago, and I am from Chicago, where I have seen his history in one of the
world's most political cities. He also represents my state, Illinois, and
therefore me in the United States Senate. And I have had some personal
contact with him on a serious human rights issue and seen that his fancy
rhetoric is so much wind. So, I believe that I have some basis for
dispelling the myths of a political messiah that have become current in a
swooning international press.
Myth #1: That *Barak Obama has done anything in his political
career*. Whenever
I ask Obama supporters to name one thing—just one—that he has accomplished
in his political career, they can't. They might titter and say that he
inspires people or brings people together, but they cannot point to anything
he actually has done. That's because there is nothing there. One of a
Senator's most important jobs is to lead by proposing and passing new
legislation. Yet, in his three-year Senate career, *Obama has not sponsored
a single bill that was passed by the **US** Senate—not one!* His name can
be found on a few procedural amendments to existing bills, honorific
resolutions, or as part of an undifferentiated mass of co-sponsors on
someone else's bill. Legislators often do those things to fulfill party
obligations or to pad their statistics. For instance, Obama's people
proposed several bills on the same day with none or almost no co-sponsors;
bills that lie dormant never to see the light of day. In contrast, Senator
John McCain, the Republican presidential candidate, has seen five bills he
sponsored become law during that same period; this in addition to his record
of leadership on major legislation outlawing torture, funding elections, and
ending a judicial impasse.
Myth #2: *That Barak Obama is a figure who brings people of both parties
together*. As a member of the Illinois legislature—the only political
office he held before becoming Senator—Barak Obama took every hard left
position that presented itself. He was a partisan who built no effective
bridges with large groups of people. Again, his rhetoric does not match his
actions. Even his election to the Senate was a fluke made possible only
because his two major rivals had to drop out due to scandals; it was not a
function of "bringing people together" as his supporters would have us
believe.
Myth #3: *That Barak Obama represents a "new" type of politician, untainted
by corruption and self-seeking behavior*. Obama's people have been working
overtime to keep the Chicago media away from their candidate. Why? Because
coming up through the political system in Chicago, Obama has some dirty
laundry that would tarnish the image he is trying to craft. An indicted
influence peddler, Tony Rezko, entered into sweetheart financial deals with
Obama that helped the candidate on his way up. That information is
beginning to surface, especially since the connection has sparked the
interest of the US Attorney. Obama also has built a political machine with
Chicago operatives. Does that make him excessively corrupt? No, but it
hardly sounds like the "new" sort of politician Obama keeps trying to
convince people he is. Back on the streets of Chicago or Philadelphia where
I came of age, we would say that Barak Obama "talks a good game" but that's
about all.
Myth #4: *That Barak Obama would not be a tremendous disaster for the **United
States**, and all peoples fighting an onslaught of Islamist terror*. This is
the most important myth of all to burst. Obama has stated numerous times
that if he becomes president, he would sit down and talk with Iranian
President Ahmedinejad and every other terror supporter in the world. Like
many of his followers, Obama totally misreads the threat of international *
jihad*. He has made it clear that he is ready to make compromises to win
over these terrorists, and he does not see them as the existential threat
they are.
While he has sponsored little legislation, one of those resolutions he has
sponsored would disallow the use of force against Iran. Fortunately, his
measure has not found a single co-sponsor in the Senate. Obama voted no on
the Foreign Intelligence Bill and did not vote at all on implementing
recommendations of a commission studying the September 11, 2001, attacks. And
he is one of only ten Senators who voted against funding for US troops in
Iraq because the legislation did not have a retreat date for the US.
Does anyone see a pattern here?
But Obama is on top of all that, a moral coward and someone who does not
have the internal fortitude to stand up for victims of Islamist terror. Since
2003, I have been fighting with some success on behalf of jailed anti-*jihadi
*Bangladeshi journalist Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury. I personally
approached about 15 percent of the US House for support in my struggle; and
either personally or through associates approached a handful of Senators. The
response was overwhelming. Everyone was supportive; everyone took public
action. As a whole, both houses have held up Bangladeshi trade legislation
as part of their response. In fact, within the span of a few days, I
approached a US Senator about as far to the political left as we find *and *a
US Senator equally far on the political right. Both responded positively
and identically. In fact, of all the Senators and Congressmen I approached,
everyone wanted to help, everyone took action. Everyone, that is except
one; that's right, Barak Obama. He was the only member of Congress who did
not take action on this human rights issue. I spoke to him twice about it,
spoke to his aides, and at their request sent them volumes of evidence. But
they did nothing. Right now, the world does not need a US President who
will cower in the fact of Islamist terror.
And that, my friends, is Barak Obama.
*Posted on 21 Mar 2008 by Root*
*Read about **The Talented Dr. Richard
Benkin*<http://www.docstrangelove.com/2007/03/12/the-talented-dr-richard-benkin/>
at:
http://www.docstrangelove.com/2007/03/12/the-talented-dr-richard-benkin/
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------------------
[* Moderator's Note - CHOTTALA is a non-profit, non-religious, non-political and non-discriminatory organization.
* Disclaimer: Any posting to the CHOTTALA are the opinion of the author. Authors of the messages to the CHOTTALA are responsible for the accuracy of their information and the conformance of their material with applicable copyright and other laws. Many people will read your post, and it will be archived for a very long time. The act of posting to the CHOTTALA indicates the subscriber's agreement to accept the adjudications of the moderator]
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chottala/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/chottala/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:chottala-digest@yahoogroups.com
mailto:chottala-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
chottala-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
