AIPAC CUTOUT: THE RISE & FALL OF THE WASHINGTON INSTITUTE FOR NEAR EAST POLICY

[Jefferson23]

By M.J. Rosenberg - April 11, 2010, 10:04AM


I already wrote once about Bob Satloff and the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. It is, and always has been, an extension of AIPAC, created by AIPAC. Stephen Walt takes on the issue of it's ersatz independence here

In my piece yesterday, I pointed out that I was in the room when the plan for WINEP was first drawn up. I was working at AIPAC and it was Steve Rosen who cleverly came up with the idea for an AIPAC controlled think-tank that would put forth the AIPAC line but in a way that would disguise its connections.

There was no question that WINEP was to be AIPAC's cutout. It was funded by AIPAC donors, staffed by AIPAC employees, and located one door away, down the hall, from AIPAC Headquarters (no more. It has its own digs). It would also hire all kinds of people not identified with Israel as a cover and would encourage them to write whatever they liked on matters not related to Israel. "Say what you want on Morocco, kid." But on Israel, never deviate more than a degree or two.

So why does it matter?

It matters because the media has totally fallen for this sleight of hand and WINEP spokespersons appear (especially on PBS) as if WINEP was not part of the Israel lobby. David Makovsky is a terrific commentator but he is an American who emigrated to Israel and is now back at WINEP which is an AIPAC cutout. As much as I like David, and as much as I think his voice is worth hearing, some truth-in-labeling is necessary.

This is especially true at critical moments like the continuing US-Israel conflict over settlements.

remainder here: http://tpmcafe.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/04/11/is_israel_preparing_for_transfer_why_the_aipac_was/#more