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Why Richard Perle Fought U.S. Détente With The Soviet Union
Among Richard Perle's previous accomplishments were successful fights against Kissinger's (Nixon) attempts to normalize relations with Russia in the 1970's, and his successful drafting of the ill conceived Jackson Vanik Amendment. This Law which Congress hopes to finally kill this year, applied extreme economic pressure to force the Soviet Union to expedite the emigration of millions of Russian Jews into the United States.
This 1997 George Washington University interview with Mr. Perle provides insights into why Perle believes Israel and the United States share the same destiny.
"Interviewer: The Yom Kippur War of 1973 followed very sharply after the Watergate Committee hearings. You have a particular view of the importance of Israel in relation to American interests, what exactly is that view?
Richard Perle: We believed very strongly that Israel was the only country in the Middle East with whom we could identify philosophically and in terms of values. that the Israelis were willing and basically able to defend themselves if they got diplomatic and political and eventually some financial support from the United States. That they were a bulwark against the expansion of the Soviet Union in the region, although we recognized that they were also invoked as a justification for the involvement of the Soviet Union in the region. But there was no other ally that we could turn to who was as consistent and reliable as Israel, and in any event, we thought that we could not conceive of standing by if Israel was extinguished by totalitarian forces around them. So it wasn't a difficult conclusion to come to, we were very much for Israel and for strengthening Israel and for off-setting, if we could, the influence and the real power that the Soviets acquired in the region, by virtue of its forging something of an anti-Israeli alliance."
Entire 1997 interview:
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/coldwar/interviews/episode-19/perle1.html
"Interviewer: The Yom Kippur War of 1973 followed very sharply after the Watergate Committee hearings. You have a particular view of the importance of Israel in relation to American interests, what exactly is that view?
Richard Perle: We believed very strongly that Israel was the only country in the Middle East with whom we could identify philosophically and in terms of values. that the Israelis were willing and basically able to defend themselves if they got diplomatic and political and eventually some financial support from the United States. That they were a bulwark against the expansion of the Soviet Union in the region, although we recognized that they were also invoked as a justification for the involvement of the Soviet Union in the region. But there was no other ally that we could turn to who was as consistent and reliable as Israel, and in any event, we thought that we could not conceive of standing by if Israel was extinguished by totalitarian forces around them. So it wasn't a difficult conclusion to come to, we were very much for Israel and for strengthening Israel and for off-setting, if we could, the influence and the real power that the Soviets acquired in the region, by virtue of its forging something of an anti-Israeli alliance."
Entire 1997 interview:
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/coldwar/interviews/episode-19/perle1.html
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The Jackson-Vanik amendment pertains to all Communist countries, not just Russia. In addition, not just Jews are covered by this law. Christian Russians also make use of this law, although the number of Russian Christians who have come to the U.S. under this law is very limited.
Perle's stated goal for the amendment was to facilitate immigration of Russian Jews to Israel from every nation in which Jews were persecuted, and to provide U.S. funding for this immigration. Yitzhak Rabin and earlier Israeli Prime Ministers grew increasingly alarmed at the high Palestinian birthrate in Israel and desired to use U.S. economic might to force Communist and other nations to expedite Jewish immigration to Israel.
Unfortunately for Israel, a very large percentage of these immigrants viewed immigration to Israel as only a stopping off place for ultimate settlement in the U.S, forcing Israel in the 1980's to broaden its definition of Russian "Jews" which can emigrate to Israel as Jews.
It is doubtful that "millions" of Russian Jews have emigrated to the U.S. under this law, as the entire Russian emigre community in the U.S. is less than two million. It has been estimated that approximately 100,000 Russian Jews per year have entered the U.S. since 1974 under this law.
Members of Congress have attacked this law because it has interfered with normalized trade relations between the U.S. and other nations, not because of any impact on immigration. Even Bush wants it repealed. It will not be scrapped because AIPAC's position is that this is a desirable law.
Perle's stated goal for the amendment was to facilitate immigration of Russian Jews to Israel from every nation in which Jews were persecuted, and to provide U.S. funding for this immigration. Yitzhak Rabin and earlier Israeli Prime Ministers grew increasingly alarmed at the high Palestinian birthrate in Israel and desired to use U.S. economic might to force Communist and other nations to expedite Jewish immigration to Israel.
Unfortunately for Israel, a very large percentage of these immigrants viewed immigration to Israel as only a stopping off place for ultimate settlement in the U.S, forcing Israel in the 1980's to broaden its definition of Russian "Jews" which can emigrate to Israel as Jews.
It is doubtful that "millions" of Russian Jews have emigrated to the U.S. under this law, as the entire Russian emigre community in the U.S. is less than two million. It has been estimated that approximately 100,000 Russian Jews per year have entered the U.S. since 1974 under this law.
Members of Congress have attacked this law because it has interfered with normalized trade relations between the U.S. and other nations, not because of any impact on immigration. Even Bush wants it repealed. It will not be scrapped because AIPAC's position is that this is a desirable law.
Richard Perle was previously able to suppress several previous FBI investigations and grumblings in Congress by charging his opponents with anti-semitism.
It was only due to enormous American and European public criticism of Perle's leading the neo con charge to use U.S. military to destroy Iraq, Syria and Iran on behalf of Israel that this man was finally brought down.
Anti war protests specifically naming Perle made otherwise wobbly politicians like Conyers brave enough to finally challenge this Israeli spy within our government.
This is a multimillionaire who urged boycotts of France because of its opposition to the Iraq war, while refusing to stop his "jet set" and party trips to his summer home in France.
If there ever was such a thing as an American who secretly worked only for the benefit of Israeli, while professing loyalty to the United states, Richard Perle is it.
He should not be investigated for his wrong doing, he should be extradited to Israel.
It was only due to enormous American and European public criticism of Perle's leading the neo con charge to use U.S. military to destroy Iraq, Syria and Iran on behalf of Israel that this man was finally brought down.
Anti war protests specifically naming Perle made otherwise wobbly politicians like Conyers brave enough to finally challenge this Israeli spy within our government.
This is a multimillionaire who urged boycotts of France because of its opposition to the Iraq war, while refusing to stop his "jet set" and party trips to his summer home in France.
If there ever was such a thing as an American who secretly worked only for the benefit of Israeli, while professing loyalty to the United states, Richard Perle is it.
He should not be investigated for his wrong doing, he should be extradited to Israel.
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