Crosspost from http://www.liquidnixon.com
In an
opinion piece posted this morning on the website of the Greater Phoenix Jewish News, the editors, at least one of which has contributed to the Jim Pederson campaign, point out that U.S. policy in the Middle East has hurt American credibility in the region, and thus hurt Israel.
If the only issue for the American Jewish voter is what's truly best for Israel, then an absolute priority must be a strong U.S., with the diplomatic capital to promote change in the Middle East and help protect Israel from the hostile governments that surround her. Given that priority, the current administration is failing Israel, and Republican Jon Kyl, as one of the staunchest Bush supporters in the Senate, is a contributing factor.
The editorial continues stating that clearly, Israel is not and cannot be the only priority, even for American Jews. There are too many other important issues such as stem-cell research, the environment and immigration reform. On all of these and other issues, the paper's editors state that Kyl's positions are wrong for Arizona and the U.S.A, and thus, wrong for Israel
Jews have a long, proud history in the U.S., grounded in our values and traditions, that has helped shape the nation's character. Are we really to turn our backs on that history and vote as if in some kind of myopic haze? Whatever happened to the rational approach that allows us to consider all the factors at work?
Whether you're choosing a U.S. senator based on what's best for Israel or what's best for the U.S., the answer is the same: Jim Pederson.
It is good to see the editors of the Greater Phoenix Jewish News come out strong in favor of Jim Pederson even at this late date. Of course, a good portion of the Jewish community in Arizona is made up of senior citizens, those who are most likely to have voted early, so I am unsure of how much affect this editorial will have, but I have to agree with the analysis completely; what is good for America is good for Israel, and Jim Pederson is good for America.