The US is Captured by a Foreign Entity.
OPINION.
Back in the day, writing for the university newspaper, published a piece criticizing the Iraq war. The US was in my wrathful sights, attacking the then Bush 2 administration, and Australia's prime minister, John Howard. As I was raised in the US, and knowing Australia’s liberal stance on free speech, there was zero fear that the Federal police or campus security would be exploding through the front door of my menial apartment. We were taught that discussing and/or criticizing our governments actions was a “God given Right” as expressed by the framers of the Constitution. It has become evident in the US, and in some cases in Australia, that criticizing the State of Israel is considered antisemitic and can land one in jail or placed on a plane to some dark-site- gulag for active dissidents. This is not only wrong but the opposite to the ideals of democracy, bordering on unadulterated fascism.
Like many in the US and around the planet, a Trump win in the 2024 election brought a tiny glimmer of hope. The man promised an end to the Russian/Ukraine war – in one phone call. He criticized the Biden administration for the bombing of Yemen, commenting again that conflicts like these can be handled in one phone call. The opposite has occurred in both instances. The onslaught in Ukraine continues unabated. Last week we had “Signal gate”, where the public was granted insight into a conversation between Trump appointees, gleefully celebrating the bombing of an apartment building, killing innocent people. This was based on “intelligence” that a prime Yemeni target would be visiting his girlfriend! I never thought I’d see the US using Israeli war tactics – killing a building full of women and children for the sake of one target. In fact, this is a war crime. Trump has done a 180-degree shift on his stance on foreign interventionism and war.
The US has pretty much always been a country of war. In fact, war is the country’s economic driving force. Though things seem to be getting much worse. The basic human rights of its citizens are being violated. The sacred idea in the US Constitution of free speech and freedom of the press is under attack. Ironically the right to criticize its own government is not under attack, but the right to criticize a foreign entity is being suppressed and criminalized – Israel.
The Israeli government and its lobby in Washington DC., AIPAC, has had a stranglehold on the US elected government for quite some time.
Israel is a welfare state entirely depended on US taxpayers' money to exist. Israel has been the largest recipient of US foreign aid. Israel has received about 310 billion dollars since 1948. This includes military aid in the form of weapons. The US has provisionally approved via a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to send 3.8 billion dollars per year through to 2028.
The on-going genocide in Gaza since 2023 could not have happened and continue to happen without the backing of the United States. This is a difficult pill to swallow for many US citizens. More so, it is quite painful to witness this mass slaughter of mainly women and children on social media.
Censorship.
Since October 7th, 2023, the US government have passed several laws conflating criticisms of Israel with antisemitism. On a cursory analysis of these new laws, this conflation is absurd. For one to be critical of the political ideology of Zionism does not equate to antisemitism. In fact, there are more self-proclaimed Christian Zionists than Jewish followers of this ideology. The US has been so captured by Israel that it is permitted to criticize one's own country, the US and other western democracies, but illegal to criticize Israel. The US government is forsaking their sacred 1st amendment for a foreign entity.
It has become blatantly obvious to many, that President Trump, once in office, is beholden to Israel above MAGA interests. ''Make Israel Great Again" has become the new slogan.
Free speech around the world is under attack. In Britain, Germany and Brazil, you can be sent to prison for a Face Book post. To see the US bend over for Israel and compromise their beloved Constitution is sad and terrifying at the same time.
Why?
Many concerned citizens are asking the question as to why the most powerful nation on the planet is putting a foreign entity first above their own. We should not underestimate the power of the Israel lobby, AIPAC, in Washington. They have the power to make or break a politician's career. The far Christian Right also has great sway over our politicians. I would also propose that the Intelligence Community, with their powers to compromise and blackmail is a contributing factor. It is not just a single reason but a collection of well-played politics, $$$, that have infected our democratic values.
The genocide in Gaza has lifted the mask off our governments, revealing them to be not representative of we the people, but supporting a foreign entity, the State of Israel.