Valerie Plame tweets story blaming 'America's Jews' for foreign wars
Source: The Hill
Former CIA agent Valerie Plame Wilson on Thursday tweeted an article that argued American Jews are pushing for war in the Middle East, specifically with Iran.
The article, titled Americas Jews Are Driving Americas Wars, is featured in The Unz Review, an online magazine that bills itself as an alternative to the mainstream media.
After several minutes of questions from Twitter users who were shocked by her tweet, Wilson doubled down, arguing critics should read the article and put aside any biases.
1) First of all, calm down. Re-tweets don't imply endorsement. Yes, very provocative, but thoughtful. Many neocon hawks ARE Jewish, Wilson said.
Read more: http://thehill.com/policy/international/middle-east-north-africa/351745-valerie-plame-tweets-story-blaming-americas
7962
(11,841 posts)onenote
(42,849 posts)Otherwise it's an implied endorsement.
That's the standard to which we hold trump and its the standard to which i would hold anyone else.
Lochloosa
(16,084 posts)sarisataka
(18,926 posts)'I just happen to believe it'
Of course this isn't new...
*"He's guilty of war"*
Behind the Aegis
(54,064 posts)Just another bigot who will defend her anti-Semitism and have others defend it too. Anti-Semitism: the acceptable bigotry of all sides!
IronLionZion
(45,667 posts)busterbrown
(8,515 posts)stand solidly behind Netanyahu.... He's a horrible human being. As bad as any right winger in Congress..
Yes I'm Jewish.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)The implication being American wars are being fought at the behest of Jews, Israel and Bibi. That makes it legitimate?
Behind the Aegis
(54,064 posts)People always making excuses for anti-Semites and anti-Semitism by blaming Israel. And of course, the obligatory "I am a Jew/Jewish heritage" as if that mitigates anti-Semitic remarks.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)Scurried away without owning up or explaining their implication. That's also no surprise.
grossproffit
(5,591 posts)Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)that seemed good for discussion, but apparently didn't read the whole thing (she implies).
I THINK she thought it was about the U S's priorities being skewed toward Israel's interests, out of wack w/our other priorities. With neocons being hawkish, esp about Iran. But that's not what the article is about.
She's of Jewish ancestry, so I doubt she's anti-semitic.
Link to tweet
Behind the Aegis
(54,064 posts)She didn't read the whole thing?! Did she bother to read the fucking title of the article?!
"America's Jews are driving America's wars"?
Did you seriously just repeat that?! So, do you also give racists passes if they mutter "some of my best friends are black!"?
Let's put it this way...would you bother to defend, then excuse an apology from the current piece of shit pretending to be our president?! If he had retweeted America's Jews are driving America's wars and then his defenders screeched "he can't be anti-Semitic, his daughter and grandchildren are Jews", would you defend the retweeting and/or the excuse?! Would you?!
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)That's not to say that I think the U S policy should be France-First. Or that I can't be critical of French political choices.
She made a mistake. And yes...she didn't read the title or it meant something else to her.
You know what I thought when I saw the title? I thought it meant that the U S was prioritizing Israel's goals over other goals overseas. I didn't give it deep thought....that was what I thought it meant. Maybe because the title would've been too shocking to mean anything else.
I give people the benefit of the doubt. She said she didn't read the article carefully. I accept that. Yes, I can see how she missed the title. I do it all the time.
Behind the Aegis
(54,064 posts)Ever heard the term "self-loathing"? Gay people can be homophobic. Women can be sexist. And, yes, even supposed Jews (wink, wink) can be anti-Semitic.
Defending her, defending the anti-Semitic nature of the original article is disgusting! If you thought "Americas Jews Are Driving Americas Wars" meant "the U S was prioritizing Israel's goals over other goals overseas.", then the problem lies with your interpretation and the rationale behind it!
Give her the benefit of the doubt all you want, I will not. It is just another member of the left spouting anti-Semitism then crouching behind "Israel" and "some of my best friends/I am "heritage Jew"".
If the current POS POTUS had posted this NO ONE would be defending it. Would you? I ask again since you seemed to have missed that question.
PdxSean
(574 posts)OK folks, look, I messed up. I skimmed this piece, zeroed in on the neocon criticism, and shared it without seeing and considering the rest, Wilson tweeted.
She also said she missed gross undercurrents in the post and thanked Twitter users for urging her to take another look at the articles argument.
Im not perfect and make mistakes. This was a doozy. All I can do is admit them, try to be better, and read more thoroughly next time. Ugh, Wilson added.
Still extremely disappointing, though.
underpants
(183,043 posts)Thanks
grossproffit
(5,591 posts)She's a vile, piece of shit.
LeftishBrit
(41,219 posts)I must say that a professional agent (or even former one) should really have been more careful in the first place - it's not as though tweets were long dissertations; but at least she's now admitted that the tweet was wrong.
mountain grammy
(26,676 posts)but wow! She's way too smart to do this, but she'll get a pass from me, not that that matters at all.
Behind the Aegis
(54,064 posts)She didn't "sober up", she "doubled down". The article's title, Americas Jews Are Driving Americas Wars, should have been enough of a deterrent without reading the entire article, and knowing the title, she could have posted a disclaimer before posting anti-Semitic swill, not after getting caught!
busterbrown
(8,515 posts)Have a strong distaste for them.. Yes I'm a Jew!
Behind the Aegis
(54,064 posts)If she was "talking about Netanyahu Supporters" then she should have said "Jewish Netanyahu Supporters", but she didn't. So why are you trying to make excuses for her lack of judgement and defend something which is obviously anti-Semitic?
JI7
(89,289 posts)leftynyc
(26,060 posts)Trying to excuse this twit by complaining about bibi supporters is very disturbing. So want if she was? I'm going to ask you a second time since you must have not noticed the first time, how does that excuse blaming Jews, Israel and Bibi for American wars? Your claim that you're Jewish doesn't mean a fucking thing so no need to repeat it again.
busterbrown
(8,515 posts)considered a hero back when she went after the Bush Administration.. All of sudden she becomes the enemy because she made a mistake which she apologized for... If you don't consider Netanyahu and all his Ultra Right Wing supporters in Israel and the U.S. a threat to peace, thats up to you.. Please explain your "So want if she was" Can't figure it out..
Couldn't care less about your tough guy rhetoric....I'm wondering what your opinion of the manner in which Israel has attacked and destroyed the Gaza Strip for decades?
Here you go...A good summary of why you shouldn't be so sure of yourself.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2017/09/22/why-people-care-about-valerie-plame-and-her-anti-semitic-tweet/?utm_term=.7f659a06a518
LeftishBrit
(41,219 posts)Most American Jews are Democrats.
azureblue
(2,158 posts)And the rush to try to smear her with this point is quite telling here. The right has been looking for anything they can use the bring her down, and she made this very factual statement. Which, the right being the right, they took it, created a half truth and spun it into a blanket condemnation of all Jews. And the people who fell for it and supported it and passed it on are blindingly stupid. Like Trump level stupid.
PdxSean
(574 posts)The title should have been a huge red flag, especially at a time when Nazis are comfortable marching in the streets.
brush
(53,978 posts)long before Libby and Cheney got to her.
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)People of integrity and maturity, like Plame-Wilson, own up to their mistakes, accept responsibility, and then make amends and necessary changes.
It's the polar opposite of latter-day KGOP republicanism, Inc. beliefs and practices.
Downtown Hound
(12,618 posts)Last I checked, the majority of folks who wanted to invade both Iran and Iraq were Christians.
Eliot Rosewater
(31,150 posts)went with that, I accept her apology.
I am not Jewish, though. So time will tell.
grossproffit
(5,591 posts)She got caught. I do not accept apologies from racists or bigots.
LeftishBrit
(41,219 posts)A Ron Paul fan, and frequent contributor to the American Conservative. He opposes most 'foreign wars' (as I do too!), but not for any pacifist reason, but because he's a xenophobic isolationist. Predictable that he'd blame the joooooooooos for wars. People like that often do. And other people should be letting his tweets die on the vine, and not re-tweet them.
IronLionZion
(45,667 posts)not sure what being Jewish has to do with any of it
Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)She should have checked the source of the original tweet.
vkkv
(3,384 posts)the U.S. to pay for it with U.S. taxpayer money and lives.
Face the fact, Israel and the rest of the M.E. aren't exactly best buddies.
Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)Israel isn't "the Jews". It isn't synonymous with Jewish identity, the world's Jewish communities, the religious tenets of the various strains of Judaism.
The conflict comes from Israel being the product of a nationalist movement that has always been in territorial conflict with the other nationalist movements of the area.
thesquanderer
(12,001 posts)...same as here. We as Americans wouldn't all want to be brandished as automatically endorsing Trump's policies. Likewise, there are many Jews (in Israel and elsewhere) who disagree with Netanyahu and the rest of the Israeli right.
Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)n/t.
garybeck
(9,942 posts)Last edited Fri Sep 22, 2017, 08:44 AM - Edit history (1)
We have to remember that always. We can't judge another country by it's leaders any more than we can our own
brush
(53,978 posts)Last edited Thu Sep 21, 2017, 07:46 PM - Edit history (1)
an anti-Semite.
vkkv
(3,384 posts)fact that they are supported by the U.S. and are not well-liked in the M.E. may have nothing to do with their particular religion. You tell me....?
LanternWaste
(37,748 posts)No, it's not a tightrope. It's actually rather simplistic. Go after the idea, the policy, or the law. Leave personality out of it.
Or, just maintain your fictional pretense and hope your narrative continues strengthened by it.
All the coming-soon-to-a-theater-near-you rationalizations aside, it' your own choice. No one else's.
Demit
(11,238 posts)brush
(53,978 posts)Do you consider criticizing warmongers in Israel who want us to bomb Iran being anti-semitic?
IMO Netanyahu's war-favoring policies are not the same as the Israeli people.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)right in the title blames American Jews. Why is bibi even part of this conversation?
brush
(53,978 posts)Of course not.
And btw, the post I was responding to was about Israeli warmongers.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)this conversation? Especially when the VAST majority of neo-cons and warmongers (your word) are NOT Jewish. Why is being Jewish even referenced at all? And the article in question was about American Jews - leave Israel out of it.
brush
(53,978 posts)of the OP.
And you still didn't answer the question.
And as I said, the post I responded to originally introduced Israel to the thread.
Here's a link to it since apparently you didn't see it:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1871144
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)is given as the REASON for behavior, then it COULD BE anti-semetic as that often leads to the age old dual loyalty canard. It really is a case by case basis. I sure don't see anyone referencing Christians in that way.
brush
(53,978 posts)being anti-Semitic?
I say no, and I also say that one can criticize a warmonger for encouraging war, even if he/she is Jewish.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)is not that the person has a dual loyalty to Israel, then I agree with you. ANYTIME anyone brings Israel or bibi into it - it's absolutely nothing but Jew hatred. And again I'll ask - why is the person's religion referenced AT ALL? And why only when they're Jewish? Perhaps these are questions you should be asking yourself.
brush
(53,978 posts)And pls, criticizing warmongers of any faith is not a bad thing.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)criticizing warmongers is perfectly within the realm of an excellent argument - UNLESS religion or Israel is brought into it. It's like blaming all Muslims for jihadists and that's something you would never see on DU or any other respectable board. Why is it so different when it comes to Jews?
brush
(53,978 posts)leftynyc
(26,060 posts)Either I'm woefully bad at explaining myself or you're purposely dancing around the point. It's like saying if someone is Muslim, they MUST sympathize with the jihadists - that would be the equivalent argument that if someone is Jewish they MUST sympathize with bibi. In either case, the person's religion is being used as a weapon for haters. This isn't Plame's first problem with a Jew bashing tweet so I'm done giving her the benefit of the doubt.
brush
(53,978 posts)Christian, Jewish, Muslim, atheist...whoever.
The warmonger issue is the point, not what faith they are.
At least that's my point. The OP introduce the tangential issue of faith.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)SPECIFICALLY says AMERICAN JEWS. Nothing about bibi, nothing about Israel and yet you insist on defending Plame (when this isn't her first time engaging in blaming Jews as a group). There is a blind spot on DU about this and frankly, I'm tired of it. If this were about Muslims, there would be hundreds of posts about blanket blame.
brush
(53,978 posts)Just criticizing warmongering.
Pls get that straight.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)while she engages (not for the first time) in anti-semitism.
brush
(53,978 posts)Plame.
Here's the url again of the post in the thread I first responded to. There is no mention of Plame.
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1871144
Is there a comprehension problem.
I take great offense that you are saying I'm defending anti-semitism.
Get a grip.
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)which was merely a warning to be careful HOW to blame the Jews and nothing more. Not sure why you keep pointing to it in defense.
brush
(53,978 posts)Jewish might get one called an anti-Semite, which is just what you're doing.
Now I guess warmongers if they're a certain faith can't be criticized in your opinion.
This reminds me of the Bill Clinton campaign slogan back in the day "It's the economy, stupid."
It's the warmongers, s _ _ _ _ d
leftynyc
(26,060 posts)And the whining about being called an anti-semite is pathetic when I did no such thing. I called PLAME an antisemite and since this isn't her first go-around retweeting crap about the Jews, I have more than backed up. You were trying to be cute and got caught - just like Plame. When you start retweeting anti-Jewish memes like Plame does, I'll call you an antisemite also.
brush
(53,978 posts)And I'm still upset at you hinting that I'm and anti-Semite.
You've seen my screen name on this site for years, just as I've seen yours.
You should know better.
LeftishBrit
(41,219 posts)brush
(53,978 posts)Here's a link to what I responded to:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1871144
I'n trying to get across in this back-and-forth with this other poster that I am not defending Plame or anti-Semitism.
He doesn't seem to get it and keeps insisting I am when all I'm doing is critiquing warmongering no matter what faith the warmonger happens to be.
Jose Garcia
(2,612 posts)vkkv
(3,384 posts)to separate my relating comment.
Bradical79
(4,490 posts)vkkv
(3,384 posts)referring to the Middle East's issues with the nation of Israel -and vice-versa.
Bradical79
(4,490 posts)Behind the Aegis
(54,064 posts)Check out the comments here, at the site of this article, and the original article. Lots of people love anti-Semitism when it is there side doing it, and only have a "problem" with it when it is the "other" side engaged in it.
Ken Burch
(50,254 posts)Stuart G
(38,458 posts)From the Hill......what she wrote later............
OK folks, look, I messed up. I skimmed this piece, zeroed in on the neocon criticism, and shared it without seeing and considering the rest, Wilson tweeted.
She also said she missed gross undercurrents in the post and thanked Twitter users for urging her to take another look at the articles argument.
Im not perfect and make mistakes. This was a doozy. All I can do is admit them, try to be better, and read more thoroughly next time. Ugh, Wilson added.
busterbrown
(8,515 posts)who support that horrible war monger Benny Netanyahu .....
She should have mentioned the millions of American Jesus Lovers also support..Netanyahu and company .
Stuart G
(38,458 posts)then she should forget what she said completely.......................................
....This one is not supposed to be stupid, like the other one.....well, maybe she is "stupid like the other one"
oberliner
(58,724 posts)Which is: "Americas Jews Are Driving Americas Wars"
Or the first paragraph?
Which includes: "...we all know its American Jews with all their money and power who are supporting every war in the Middle East for Netanyahu"
Jose Garcia
(2,612 posts)Podkayne K
(145 posts)WTF? This is a woman who was a spy. She had to closely pay attention to detail, to seeing the big and little picture, to reading the entire situation, article, intercept, et. Al. So she sends this crap outand on Rosh hashanah no less! She had to know what it would lead to and whom it would affect.
Not that TrumNazis need any reason to heil their Fuhrer. Stuff like this endorsed by a former, well-known government agent gives the haters even more excuses and legitimate reasonsat least in their eyes--to terrorize temples, synagogues, Jewish Community Centers, etc. and to push their vitriol on American Jews. I dont buy her damn apology or excuse for a beat. This is a disgusting, hateful, low life move, period.
Oh, and the some of my best ancestors were Jewish meme. Who gives a shit? And what does that matter? People areor should bejudged by their own actions. And actions such as this pretty much tell everything about whom someone is and what is truly in their heart and psyche.
busterbrown
(8,515 posts)Also I think she was talking about Netanyahu Supporters..
I'm celebrating Rosh hashanah tonight with friends... So I say this as a Jew.. Fucking Benjamin Netanyahu is a Fucking War Monger who insulted our President.. I can't stand anyone who wants to stamp out indigenous civilizations.
Response to Jose Garcia (Original post)
tenderfoot This message was self-deleted by its author.
William the Drunkard
(20 posts)by this guy:
vkkv
(3,384 posts)I too, would try to hide my face if I was him.
Solly Mack
(90,803 posts)Podkayne K
(145 posts)For all those expressing Anti-Netanyaho sentiment. I couldn't agree more.
But do you really think the TrumNazi's give a crap about nuances? Articles like this just fuel the book burning. Subtlety and shade will find no place in their reasoning or their vicious responses.
Response to Jose Garcia (Original post)
Post removed
Mike Nelson
(9,990 posts)...and said she did. It's gotten to a point where I won't repost unless I read it all - and look an the other articles from the same site. I wasn't always so careful. I think you are "agreeing" with a repost unless you add something saying you don't agree.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)She just had to read the title and the first paragraph.
Edit to add: Also, she's tweeted articles from that site before.
WinkyDink
(51,311 posts)Dave Starsky
(5,914 posts)I'm actually starting to wonder if the Internet isn't an actual fucking cesspool of manufactured "facts" and testimonials from people who may or may not really exist. I'm starting to wonder if we aren't all actually enthralled to a massive bullshit engine directed by people who have the money, the power, and the means to control it.
I'm thinking that maybe I should put the Internet away every once in a while and just read a good book. Then call up some friends or, better yet, go see them, and talk about it.
grantcart
(53,061 posts)"frequently go to a Synagogue" is going to be filled with a whole bunch of idiocy and she should have known that, especially as an operations officer.
Disappointing. Her response was good but still a major error of judgement if not a revelation of bias.
MousePlayingDaffodil
(748 posts)Link to tweet
Note that the underlying story she was passing along in 2015 was by the same author (Philip Giraldi) and appeared in the same online publication (Unz.com) as with her most recent "American Jews" tweet.
She knew what she was doing.
JI7
(89,289 posts)Last edited Thu Sep 21, 2017, 09:45 PM - Edit history (1)
There is always bigotry behind it.
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)concern, and neocon hawks pushing wars, so that's apparently an interest of hers, naturally. Esp the neocon Cheney.
JI7
(89,289 posts)not that it would make much difference in how offensive it was.
just like ben carson being black didn't make referring to slaves as immigrants any less worse.
still_one
(92,526 posts)eyebrows.
Even her excuse, she just "skimmed" the article doesn't hold water. When the title of the article she is linking is:
"Americas Jews are Driving Americas Wars.
That is some awfully fancy "skimming" she is doing
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/valerie-plame-can-claim-whatever-she-wants-but-her_us_59c43736e4b0b7022a646944
LeftishBrit
(41,219 posts)Clarence Thomas is of African-American descent; that doesn't mean that his Supreme Court votes are not racist.
One of the most right-wing people in UKIP, and editor in chief of Breitbart in London. is called Raheem Kassam, which is not exactly a standard white British name. Doesn't mean that Breitbart isn't racist.
In any case, it is possible that she was not antitsemitic, but just incredibly careless with her tweets.
beachbum bob
(10,437 posts)oberliner
(58,724 posts)Can you elaborate?
beachbum bob
(10,437 posts)emulatorloo
(44,274 posts)beachbum bob
(10,437 posts)JI7
(89,289 posts)still_one
(92,526 posts)have anti-semitic content?
Response to Jose Garcia (Original post)
jg10003 This message was self-deleted by its author.
oberliner
(58,724 posts)And frightening.
still_one
(92,526 posts)http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/valerie-plame-can-claim-whatever-she-wants-but-her_us_59c43736e4b0b7022a646944
,,,,,,,,
"I mean, who wouldve thought an article titled, Americas Jews are Driving Americas Wars, might have anti-semitic content. This kind of mistake couldve happened to anybody.
The truth is, Plame obviously read the piece, agreed with it because she has a burning hatred of Israel (which she has tweeted about in the past, including approvingly commenting on this very same author before), and re-tweeted it thinking she was making some incredible point about evil Zionists. Except she got much more backlash than she expected and eventually cried uncle."
Thats why her so-called apology rings hollow. She clearly meant everything she said initially and only backtracked when the Twitter pitchforks got too hot for her liking. But Im not fooled and Id wager neither is anybody else."
Blue_Tires
(55,445 posts)you agree with is a DU tradition... Hell, just yesterday someone I won't name linked to a Lew Rockwell blogger...
Reading the entire piece, checking the sources and glancing at the other 'stories' on a given news site is passe, I guess
Jose Garcia
(2,612 posts)Sen. Walter Sobchak
(8,692 posts)I'm not a big fan of Israel while they think we should let Netanyahu target and launch our Minuteman missiles.
Naturally this means if I were alive during World War Two I would have collaborated with the nazis.
Cold War Spook
(1,279 posts)about the preplanned attack on the USS Liberty on June 8, 1967 by Israel because of bad intel. Israel military thought that the spy ship had Hebrew linguists aboard who were monitoring the Israeli military when only Russian linguists were aboard. Israel wanted to take the Golan Heights before the US knew about it. Why was I upset? Besides being in the US military at the time, I am Jewish and born on June 8, 1943. My sources were people I had worked with. I was a Russian linguist for, at the time, a very secret government agency. This post isn't about the article, but about your post about your family. I hope it doesn't sound derogatory, I don't mean it that way, just curious.