Friends + Interlocutors,

Herewith a Gaza update by human rights and peace activist Caitlin Johnstone. The only problem is, I don’t understand why—with respect to Israel’s predatory, homicidal actions against the Palestinians—she keeps blaming “the U.S. Empire” but not primarily Israel itself. Her outlook is as if Israel were merely an extension of the empire, and not an independent, single-minded neocolonial enterprise. 

For example: “The reason nothing has been done to prevent other Gazas from happening again is because they want other Gazas to happen again. The US empire depends on nonstop violence and abuse to maintain its planetary domination.”

True, the U.S. empire does exist and Washington is wholeheartedly supporting Israel's conquest of Palestine with ammo, bombs, money and diplomatic cover. But that does not mean Washington necessarily wants to—or because it is in America’s interest (it obviously isn't) or in the interests of the far-flung U.S. empire (again, no). Simply put, the politicians and functionaries in Washington simply have no choice. 

They have allowed themselves to be bought, suborned, co-opted. They are opportunists, flunkies and blockheads. The upshot is, Washington takes its marching orders, for all intents and purposes, from Tel Aviv and from the all-powerful American Israel Lobby which obviously acts on behalf of a foreign power. The tail wags the dog. 

Thanks to enormous campaign contributions (bribes) and non-stop intimidation, the Israel Lobby owns Washington. The conquest of Palestine is a Zionist/Israel Lobby project, not a U.S. empire project. The U.S. is assisting in a secondary capacity, as a stooge. It is being used. Americans are being taken for a ride and remain in the dark, unaware or brainwashed. This arrangement has been extant for decades. It will continue under Donald “America First” Trump.