<\/p>\n
In a stunning betrayal of the Constitution of the United States, which obligates the United States to conform to the UN Charter and international law, the US Senate has before it a resolution that commits the nation to support Israel militarily, diplomatically, and economically should it decide to attack Iran \u201cin its legitimate self-defense\u201d, where every action Israel has ever taken\u2013from the Six Days War to its incursions into Lebanon\u2013has been deemed by the American government to be \u201cin its legitimate self-defense\u201d.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n The resolution <\/span>state<\/span>s<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n If the Government of Israel is compelled to take military action in legitimate self defense against Iran\u2019s nuclear weapons program, the United States Government should stand with Israel and provide, in accordance with United States law and the constitutional responsibility of Congress to authorize the use of military force, diplomatic, military, and economic support to the Government of Israel in its defense of its territory, people, and existence.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n As M.J. Rosenberg has observed,<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n [T]he \u201cself-defense\u201d limitation is no limitation at all. The United States has deemed all major Israeli military actions as \u201cself-defense\u201d (most recently two Gaza wars) with the <\/strong><\/span>oft-repeated<\/strong><\/span> statement<\/strong><\/span> <\/a>that the United States is \u201cfully supportive of Israel\u2019s right to defend itself.\u201d Couple that with President Obama\u2019s language ruling out containment of a nuclear Iran and it\u2019s pretty clear that any attack by Israel on Iran will be deemed self-defense by the United States.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Rand Paul (R-KY) has been doing what he can to tone down the resolution, but whether he can prevail is yet to be seen. \u00a0While this is a non-binding resolution that does not have the force of law in committing the nation to support Israel under these circumstances, it does express \u201cthe sense of the Senate\u201d. While the President is obligated by the Constitution to seek its \u201cadvice and consent\u201d, this commitment violates international law and the UN Charter and therefore the Constitution itself.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n At the very least, AIPAC should be required to register as a \u201cforeign agent\u201d. Its virtually complete domination of American foreign policy has led wits to describe the US as \u201cthe United States of Israel\u201d. \u00a0The problem is that this is not a joke, where \u201cour gallant ally\u201d is drawing us deeper and deeper into a conflict which has enormous potential to precipitate World War III. \u00a0It is a positive sign that Russia has intervened in Syria. \u00a0It will not stand idly by while Israel and the United States attack Iran.<\/span><\/p>\n