<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: A Must Read for All Americans
Review: Andrew Hurley puts into print what many people have known or suspected for many years. The extent of power that the AIPAC holds is mindblowing and a threat to democracy. Hurley does an incredable job of presenting the facts, both sides of arguement and then his opinion. This book is a must read for all Americans. We need to learn why our governments foreign policies, specifically in the middle east, has been such a failure.
Rating:
Summary: This Book Too Valuable to Ignore
Review: As it says in the Preface: "This book is concerned with the Israeli-Palestinian crisis and the threat it poses to the survival of Israel and to world peace. It is not primarily intended as a literary work-- but rather as a means of advancing a plan for peace in the Middle East." I found this book to be a valuable resource toward my understanding of the Middle East and why our U.S. Congress is so actively and financially pro-Israel.
Rating:
Summary: This Book Too Valuable to Ignore
Review: As it says in the Preface: "This book is concerned with the Israeli-Palestinian crisis and the threat it poses to the survival of Israel and to world peace. It is not primarily intended as a literary work-- but rather as a means of advancing a plan for peace in the Middle East." I found this book to be a valuable resource toward my understanding of the Middle East and why our U.S. Congress is so actively and financially pro-Israel.
Rating: 
Summary: This book is simply a waste of precious trees
Review: I found this book totally enthralling because it tells us a story that is crying out to be told, particularly in the United States. It tackles so many of the questions that have arisen over the years with regard to the Middle East and which can never be satisfactorily answered by a press and, dare I say it? An entire US population, that is not allowed to speak of things as they really are.Hurley writes superbly and never rants. He doesn't need to: a calm, factual telling with credible documentation is all that's required. He speaks of how the original, more idealistic vision of Ben Gurion (albeit ably abetted by the terrorism of Begin & Shamir's bloody gangs) was later hi-jacked as these two entered politics as the Likud in 1977 and the entire future of Israel was jeopardized for the pseudo-religious dream of a "Greater Israel"; holding onto captured territories whatever the cost to ordinary Israelis, Palestinians and Americans (and it is great - to all!). Hurley shows how virtually the entire US Congress is under the control of AIPAC, the huge Israeli lobby group; how successive administrations have been hamstrung by AIPAC in their efforts to achieve peace. AIPAC virtually makes US policy in all matters relating to Israel and this policy may often be against the interests of Israel AND, ominously, against the interests of the people of the United States. The most chilling revelations, for me, come when Hurley speaks of Israeli espionage in the USA. According to him, the US foreign policy-making and military research establishments are fully penetrated by Israeli intelligence: often, a new and top secret weapon will have hardly left the drawing board before Israeli defense experts are at the Pentagon asking for it. Sometimes acquiring it ahead of the US military. Hurley sees Israel as being on a path to destruction and urges that it is the duty of the USA to demonstrate `tough love' and deny Israel's extremist leaders, and especially AIPAC, the free hand they now have. He points out that AIPAC claims to represent all US Jewry but that many dissident voices have been suppressed under dire threat of social and career consequences. If these voices could only speak out loud and clear, Hurley says that the race to destruction could be halted. Two deficiencies appear in the book. The first is that Likud is squarely blamed for Israel's taking the path to destruction, yet there were ten years following the six-day war and the subsequent election of Begin in which the Labor party was in power and could have avoided this. The second deficiency is that most of the book dwells in the late 1980s and we hunger for an update yet, as we read, we realize that things have changed very little and we see shadowy events of those times in bright sunlight today! If and when ever America awakens to these undeniable realities, things will go badly for Israel and AIPAC will have much to answer for. This book should be read with an open mind by everybody who cares about the future of the US and Israel.
Rating: 
Summary: March of Folly
Review: The title of Hurley's initial chapter, "The March of Folly" is really the most fitting overview of this interesting, yet seriously flawed book. Herein, Hurley attempts to describe the awesome power of the Israeli lobby in American government and its impact on the state of Israel. The behind the scenes machinations of such organizations as AIPAC are well documented, and the points made in that regard are well taken. But, with that solid grounding, the author then proceeds to blame the government of the United States for the ongoing Middle East quagmire. This logic is sort of like that employed by the abusive husband who blames his wife for provoking him. Throughout the book, Hurley describes the insanity of the Likud party policies and the real and present danger of the religious radicals who seem to exercise influence over that gangster party and their apologists in the United States. But then he reverts to the astounding conclusion that the paranoia of Israel is justified in terms of the myth of the six million Jews who supposedly died at the hands of the Nazis in World War II. In this, the double-mindedness of the author is shocking. But therein, I believe lies the insanity of the zionist positon, which this book rather clearly defines. Two stark criticisms are necessary. One is that the absence of an index makes this a less than useful reference. The other is a rather astounding omission in the author's rendering of early Jewish history. He recounts the division of the nations of Israel and Judah, the Babylonian and Assyrian captivities, the reign of Herod, the Roman occupation, and some fair detail around first century Jerusalem. In this account, one key character is somehow missing. That character is Jesus Christ. The omission can only have been intentional. Given that the entire system of ordering how we keep track of time in Western Civilization is based on the life of Christ and that Hurley seems to intentionally avoid any recognition of His influence, we can only conclude that Mr. Hurley has tried, and failed, to describe a most momentous aspect of our current world situation without paying any attention to the most important character to ever grace this fallen world. This omission can not have been accidental and deeply tarnishes this work.
Rating:
Summary: March of Folly
Review: The title of Hurley's initial chapter, "The March of Folly" is really the most fitting overview of this interesting, yet seriously flawed book. Herein, Hurley attempts to describe the awesome power of the Israeli lobby in American government and its impact on the state of Israel. The behind the scenes machinations of such organizations as AIPAC are well documented, and the points made in that regard are well taken. But, with that solid grounding, the author then proceeds to blame the government of the United States for the ongoing Middle East quagmire. This logic is sort of like that employed by the abusive husband who blames his wife for provoking him. Throughout the book, Hurley describes the insanity of the Likud party policies and the real and present danger of the religious radicals who seem to exercise influence over that gangster party and their apologists in the United States. But then he reverts to the astounding conclusion that the paranoia of Israel is justified in terms of the myth of the six million Jews who supposedly died at the hands of the Nazis in World War II. In this, the double-mindedness of the author is shocking. But therein, I believe lies the insanity of the zionist positon, which this book rather clearly defines. Two stark criticisms are necessary. One is that the absence of an index makes this a less than useful reference. The other is a rather astounding omission in the author's rendering of early Jewish history. He recounts the division of the nations of Israel and Judah, the Babylonian and Assyrian captivities, the reign of Herod, the Roman occupation, and some fair detail around first century Jerusalem. In this account, one key character is somehow missing. That character is Jesus Christ. The omission can only have been intentional. Given that the entire system of ordering how we keep track of time in Western Civilization is based on the life of Christ and that Hurley seems to intentionally avoid any recognition of His influence, we can only conclude that Mr. Hurley has tried, and failed, to describe a most momentous aspect of our current world situation without paying any attention to the most important character to ever grace this fallen world. This omission can not have been accidental and deeply tarnishes this work.
Rating:
Summary: All Americans Must Read This Book
Review: Theorists like this one have repeatedly charged that Israel intentionally and knowingly attacked a US spy ship, the USS Liberty, during the 1967 Six Day War. They claim to have uncovered new evidence, but the charges directly parallel demonstrably false charges leveled in earlier books and "reports." None of these charges are credible--at all.
Anyone taken in by them should at least consult Michael B. Oren's magnificent article on the USS Liberty in the Spring 2000 issue of Azure--available online. He debunks them entirely, both there and in his new book, Six Days of War. Additionally, A. Jay Cristol's new Liberty Incident blows this theory out of the water.
On the absolutely key point of motive, many conspiracy theorists charge that Israel attacked the Liberty on June 8th, 1967 to prevent the US from knowing the extent of Israeli victories in the war and to prevent the imposition of a cease-fire:
Their theory falls apart, however, in the face of the facts: The very DAY of the Liberty attack, June 8, 1967, banner headlines in the New York Times literally screamed the news: Israelis Rout the Arabs, Approach Suez, Break Blockade, Occupy Old Jerusalem; Agree to U.N. Cease-fire; U.A.R. Rejects It (New York Times, June 8, 1967). Some secret.
Does anyone really think those clever Israelis somehow prevented the President and his advisers from noticing these headlines? Please.
Furthermore, Israel accepted the U.N. cease-fire while the U.A.R. (ie, Egypt and Syria) rejected it.
Other passages hinting at extreme animus for Israel perhaps explain why this and other conspiracy theorists would publish such nonsense. Numerous apparently careless errors undermine their believability.
Merely consulting old newspapers demolishes these patently false theories. Case closed.
--Alyssa A. Lappen
Rating:
Summary: Very good book, should be read by all
Review: This book is such a great book. I read many books about Israel becase i am Israeli and i just love this book. It is at the top of my list along with others. This book should be read not only Israelis or Jews but by all. This can get you more in-depth in the bible. It shows you the past and what may happen in the future. It shows the strugle of the Israeli people throughout the years. Very important book to read by all.
<< 1 >>
| 
