This is a wishful reading, Steve. Olmert does invoke the name "South Africa", and warn that the situation in Israel and Palestine has the potential to evolve into a political struggle of the kind South Africa faced. But alas, he nowhere admits that Israel administers an apartheid system *right now*.

What he seems to be saying is that right now the situation is still one of Israeli occupation of *foreign* territory, not purported Israeli sovereignty over an extended Israeli territory containing a two-tiered social and political system, with two classes of Israeli residents. However, if the right insists on continuing to colonize the West Bank and succeeds in establishing Israeli sovereignty over it, then the world will have to recognize the result as truly an apartheid system: a single nation state containing a subjugated and subordinated second class of residents lacking political rights equal to those of the dominant class.

Perhaps you could also ask him how he feels about the disgraced Wolfowitz rejoining the administration.

The silence following Annapolis is almost deafening. Apart from ritual self-congratulations and pats on the back, the memory of Annapolis has fast been buried. The participants are back to business as usual. Olmert has already advised his cabinet not to expect a deal by the end of 2008: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20071202/wl_nm/palestinians_israel_dc
As Uri Avenery noted, Israelis "are experts in building roadblocks, walls and fences."

For the participants Annapolis never resonated with the hopeful symbolism of the birthing of the Constitution. For Arabs, "ana bolis" means, "I am the police," ironically consistent with Bush's "peace and security" message. It makes you wonder whether Condi & Co. intended to remind everyone that USA=cop or whether it was just another instance of this administration's chronically tin ear.

Israel's leaders should be brooding about its future. Demographics are not in Israel's favor. The balance of immigration/emigration is not positive. In fact, many, talented Israelis have taken up residence in Europe and North America. And finally, the increasing accuracy and power of small missiles virtually assures that Israel will suffer real damage the next time they decide to go on the rampage. Maybe then they'll finally start to negotiate seriously. But by then it will probably be too late.

I use to get up every morning certain that I would see news of such a huge revolt and outcry by congress, the public, the press over the absurd policies of this adm that they would be stopped. Now I get up every morning wondering what absurdity I will see today more absurd than I saw yesterday.

Rice offers Wolfowitz a job.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has offered Wolfowitz, a prime architect of the Iraq War, a position as chairman of the International Security Advisory Board, a prestigious State Department panel, according to two department sources who declined to be identified discussing personnel matters. The 18-member panel, which has access to highly classified intelligence, advises Rice on disarmament, nuclear proliferation, WMD issues and other matters. "We think he is well suited and will do an excellent job," said one senior official.

Wolfowitz, now a visiting scholar at the conservative American Enterprise Institute, will replace former senator Fred Thompson, who quit over the summer to run for president. Although officials declined to say how Rice came to choose him, Wolfowitz began his government career in the 1970s in the State Department as an arms-control expert; he forged a relationship with Rice during the 2000 presidential campaign, when they both served as top foreign-policy advisers to the then candidate Bush. But his selection has raised more than a few eyebrows within State because he'll be providing advice on some of the same issues that critics say the administration got spectacularly wrong when Wolfowitz was pushing the case for the Iraq War at the Pentagon. (One of the department sources called the appointment "amazing.") At least Wolfowitz, who did not return calls seeking comment, will have like-minded company: other panel members include Robert Joseph, the former National Security Council official in charge of Iraq WMD intelligence, and ex-CIA director James Woolsey, both strong allies during the Iraq debate.

The job doesn't require Senate confirmation.

Posted by Laura at 10:09 AM
WP's Thomas Ricks: U.S. wargames

December 02, 2007

Wolfie's Back?

by emptywheel

Bmaz sent me Isikoff's latest, which thankfully does more than report on events from his past as if they were news. It reports the frightening news that Condi's about to appoint Paul Wolfowitz to an advisory position at State.

Nearly three years after Paul Wolfowitz resigned as deputy Defense secretary and six months after his stormy departure as president of the World Bank�amid allegations that he improperly awarded a raise to his girlfriend�he's in line to return to public service. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has offered Wolfowitz, a prime architect of the Iraq War, a position as chairman of the International Security Advisory Board, a prestigious State Department panel, according to two department sources who declined to be identified discussing personnel matters. The 18-member panel, which has access to highly classified intelligence, advises Rice on disarmament, nuclear proliferation, WMD issues and other matters. "We think he is well suited and will do an excellent job," said one senior official.

They don't yet have Wolfie listed on the website, so maybe there's some time to embarrass Condi out of putting Wolfie in an advisory position again. I suggest we start an embarrassment campaign by focusing on two issues.

Condi, someone committed a security indiscretion to give Wolfie's girlfriend a job at State. Are you sure you should repeat the mistake by giving Wolfie more access to classified information?

Remember that when people started complaining that Wolfie was giving Shaha Reza preferential treatment at the World Bank, his "solution" was to set her up at State? Remember Sidney Blumenthal's description of how unusual Reza's security clearance process was?

Riza was unhappy about leaving the sinecure at the World Bank. But in 2006 Wolfowitz made a series of calls to his friends that landed her a job at a new think tank called Foundation for the Future that is funded by the State Department. She was the sole employee, at least in the beginning. The World Bank continued to pay her salary, which was raised by $60,000 to $193,590 annually, more than the $183,500 paid to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and all of it tax-free. Moreover, Wolfowitz got the State Department to agree that the ratings of her performance would automatically be "outstanding." Wolfowitz insisted on these terms himself and then misled the World Bank board about what he had done.

[snip]

Riza, who is not a U.S. citizen, had to receive a security clearance in order to work at the State Department. Who intervened? It is not unusual to have British or French midlevel officers at the department on exchange programs, but they receive security clearances based on the clearances they already have with their host governments. Granting a foreign national who is detailed from an international organization a security clearance, however, is extraordinary, even unprecedented. So how could this clearance have been granted?

State Department officials familiar with the details of this matter confirmed to me that Shaha Ali Riza was detailed to the State Department and had unescorted access while working for Elizabeth Cheney. Access to the building requires a national security clearance or permanent escort by a person with such a clearance. But the State Department has no record of having issued a national security clearance to Riza.

So, after turning State Department into a scam to allow Wolfowitz to break ethical rules and expose US secrets to a foreign national with no apparent clearance, Condi now wants to use a State advisory board to give Wolfie clearance himself.

Condi, aren't you a little ashamed at the way Wolfie used your agency the last time?

Condi, is it a coincidence that so many people responsible for gaming the intelligence to get us into Iraq are on your advisory board?

Isikoff helpfully points out that Wolfie's not the only embarrassing name on the board.

Other panel members include Robert Joseph, the former National Security Council official in charge of Iraq WMD intelligence, and ex-CIA director James Woolsey, both strong allies during the Iraq debate.

But Isikoff lets both these men off easy--way too easy. Bob Joseph is the guy who put the Niger claim into the SOTU, apparently pressuring Alan Foley to keep it in there after Foley objected. Condi is protecting Joseph (and he's protecting Condi) by refusing to show up at Waxman's committee to admit she knew the Niger claim was bunk before it went into the SOTU.

And Woolsey was personally responsible for introducing at least three of Chalabi's INC exiles to DIA--and these just happened to be three of the ones who told the biggest lies to get us into war. Without Woolsey providing a way for the INC's liars to bypass Valerie Wilson's group, which vetted such exiles much more carefully, we might not have had the war.

As for Wolfowitz himself, he was responsible for lying us into war in several different ways. He famously promised that American soldiers would be greeted with flowers. He scoffed at those who suggested we'd need hundreds of thousands of troops for the invasion. And he set up Dougie Feith's propaganda shop, the Office of Special Plans. And this is the guy she wants to advise her on WMDs?

Furthermore, it's not like Wolfie's actually a good risk to give a security clearance. We know Wolfowitz, believing the NIE and the January 24 excerpt of the NIE to be classified, leaked it to the WSJ on Scooter Libby's orders. Is Wolfie going to leak this information to any neocon who instructs him to leak it?

In any case, I think Condi should be shamed into getting rid not just of Wolfowitz, but also the other two thugs who helped lie us into war.

see --
http://thenexthurrah.typepad.com/the_next_hurrah/2007/12/wolfies-back.html#more

I have said everything there is to say about Isr'Merica and Palestine a thousand times.

It all boils down to this. If you want to change things in the Isr-Pal occupation you first have to change the US Israeli congress. END THE MONEY, VOTE OUT the Israeli/AIPAC loyalist in our US government and you end the Israeli occupation and a large part of US problems in the ME.

IB85066
Israel: U.S. Foreign Assistance
April 26, 2005

Download Locations: U.S. Department of State
United States Diplomatic Mission to Italy
University of North Texas Libraries
Federation of American Scientists

Summary:

Israel is not economically self-sufficient, and relies on foreign assistance and borrowing to maintain its economy. Since 1985, the United States has provided $3 billion in grants annually to Israel. Since 1976, Israel has been the largest annual recipient of U.S. foreign assistance, and is the largest cumulative recipient since World War II. In addition to U.S. assistance, it is estimated that Israel receives about $1 billion annually through philanthropy, an equal amount through short- and long- term commercial loans, and around $1 billion in Israel Bonds proceeds. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu told a joint session of Congress on July 10, 1996, that Israel would reduce its need for U.S. aid over the next four years. In January 1998, Finance Minister Neeman proposed eliminating the $1.2 billion economic aid and increasing the $1.8 billion in military aid by $60 million per year during a 10-year period beginning in the year 2000. The FY1999 through 2005 appropriations bills included cuts of $120 million in economic aid and an increase of $60 million in military aid for each year. U.S. aid to Israel has some unique aspects, such as loans with repayment waived, or a pledge to provide Israel with economic assistance equal to the amount Israel owes the United States for previous loans. Israel also receives special benefits that may not be available to other countries, such as the use of U.S. military assistance for research and development in the United States, the use of U.S. military assistance for military purchases in Israel, or receiving all its assistance in the first 30 days of the fiscal year rather than in 3 or 4 installments as other countries do. In addition to the foreign assistance, the United States has provided Israel with $625 million to develop and deploy the Arrow antimissile missile (an ongoing project), $1.3 billion to develop the Lavi aircraft (cancelled), $200 million to develop the Merkava tank (operative), $130 million to develop the high energy laser anti-missile system (ongoing), and other military projects. In FY2000 the United States provided Israel an additional $1.2 billion to fund the Wye agreement, and in FY2002 the United States provided an additional $200 million in anti-terror assistance. For FY2005, the United States provided $360 million in economic, $2.22 billion in military, and $50 million in migration resettlement assistance. [For more information, see CRS Issue Brief IB82008, Israel-United States Relations.]

IB82008
The United States and Israel concluded a free-trade agreement in 1985, and the United States is Israel's largest trading partner. Since 1976, Israel has been the largest recipient of U.S. foreign aid. The two countries also have very close security relations. Current issues in U.S.-Israeli relations include Israel's military sales to China, inadequate Israeli protection of U.S. intellectual property, and espionage-related cases. See also CRS Issue Brief IB91137, The Middle East Peace Talks and CRS Report RL33222, U.S. Foreign Aid to Israel.

RL33222
Congress is interested in the peace talks because of its oversight role in the conduct of U.S. foreign policy, its support for Israel, and keen constituent interest. Congress has repeatedly endorsed Jerusalem as the undivided capital of Israel, and many Members seek sanctions on the PLO and PA.