I finished Alfred Lilienthal's book What Price Israel? recently. A very interesting thesis, especially in light of other knowledge that I previously possessed concerning some of the author's assertations.

Several things stuck in my mind. This book was written in the early 1960s, yet most of the author's comments concerning the influence of well-heeled minority special interests upon the U. S. Congress and Presidency are as accurate today as they were then.

Several names repeatedly came up in an unflattering manner. Menachem Begin, Ariel Sharon and Moshe Dayan. Later, all three were promoted up the political ladder in Israel. Hmm.

There was mention of Zionists and how they abetted the Holocaust. A terribly cynical way to move one's political agenda forward. And, then have the audacity to criticize the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem for effectively the same kind of behavior.

Apparently, if the author's thesis is correct, the U.S. has been played by Israel. Played bad. Not a very flattering picture of a country which thinks that it has been running as the world's "number one" since WWII.

As an aside, Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich is an avowed supporter of Israel. The biggest contributor to his PAC is an avowed Zionist as well. Is Israel attempting to parlay Newt's narcissistic self-revisionism into an Israeli toadie as U.S. President? Interesting.