House Minority Leader John Boehner got a standing ovation when he voiced his continued support for the war in Iraq at AIPAC’s annual conference today. When his counterpart, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, dared to criticize the war, she heard boos.
“Any US military engagement must be judged on three counts–whether it makes our country safer, our military stronger, or the region more stable,” Pelosi told 5-6,000 AIPAC supporters. “The war in Iraq fails on all three scores.” First came light applause, followed by catcalls and boos, The disrespect toward Pelosi is all the more remarkable given that House Democrats yesterday bowed to AIPAC’s wishes and removed language from the Iraq supplemental spending bill prohibiting President Bush from attacking Iran without Congressional approval, as I reported earlier today.
AIPAC’s continued support for the war in Iraq proves how disconnected the organization is from mainstream Jewish Americans. According to a recent Gallup poll, Jewish Americans oppose the war in Iraq more vigorously than any other religious group in the US. Seventy-seven percent of US Jews (and 89 percent of Jewish Democrats!) believe the war in Iraq was a mistake.
By speaking to AIPAC, Pelosi is giving the organization legitimacy that it doesn’t deserve.
