Paul Findley

Paul Findley (born June 23 1921) is a former United States Representative from Illinois, representing its 20th District. A Republican he was first elected in 1961. Findley lost his seat in 1982 to current United States Senator Dick Durbin. Findley attended Illinois College and was a member of Phi Alpha Literary Society. He is a cofounder of the Council for the National Interest, a Washington advocacy group, and a board member of If Americans Knew. [ [http://www.ifamericansknew.org/about_us/whoweare.html If Americans Knew] ] He resides in Jacksonville, Illinois.

Criticism of US-Israel Relations

Paul Findley is a frequent critic of U.S. foreign policy regarding Israel.

In 1985, Findley wrote the best selling book "" in which he claims that the pro-Israel lobby, notably AIPAC, has vast undue influence over the United States Congress. He refers to the lobby as "the 700-pound gorilla in Washington". [" [http://events.stanford.edu/events/46/4696/ Paul Findley Speaker Profile] ", Stanford University, January 16, 2005] The "Washington Post" said "former congressman Paul Findley's message is straightforward and valid: Israeli influence in the United States, including in the inner sanctums of government, is very strong." [" [http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/138708102.html?dids=138708102&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS&fmac=&date=Jun+23%2C+1985&author=By+Peter+Grose&desc=Measuring+the+Political+Influence+of+Israel+in+America Measuring the Political Influence of Israel in America] ", Peter Grose, Washington Post, June 23 1985, accessed April 28, 2006] The New York Times described the book as "an angry, one-sided book that seems often to be little more than a stringing together of stray incidents". [ [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9901EFDE1738F937A25754C0A963948260 In Short: Nonfiction] , Adam Clymer, New York Times, July 14, 1985]

A year after the September 11 attack, Findley published an article saying that this attack would never have occurred were it not for uncritical U.S. support of Israel. [Paul Findley, [http://www.arabnews.com/?page=9&section=0&article=18530&d=12&m=9&y=2002 Liberating America from Israel] , Arab News, September 12, 2002] In that same article, he wrote that "U.S. policy on the Mideast is made in Israel, not in Washington," and that "once beloved worldwide, the U.S. government finds itself reviled in most countries because it provides unconditional support of Israeli violations of the United Nations Charter, international law, and the precepts of all major religious faiths."

Findley blames the Israeli lobby for contributing to his defeat in 1982. "In seeking gains for Israel, they rigorously stifled dissent and intimidated the entire Congress. They still do. They defeat legislators who criticize Israel. Senators Adlai Stevenson III and Charles H. Percy, and Representatives Pete McCloskey, Cynthia McKinney, Earl F. Hilliard, and myself were defeated at the polls by candidates heavily financed by pro-Israel forces. McKinney alone was able to regain her seat in Congress." [ [http://www.rescuemideastpolicy.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=52 The Peril in U.S. Middle East Policies] , February 8, 2005]

Findley has claimed that the 2003 invasion of Iraq was launched primarily to benefit Israel, at the behest of pro-Israeli U.S. interest groups. [" [http://www.huffingtonpost.com/paul-findley/our-israelcentric-foreig_b_2378.html Our Israel-centric Foreign Policy] ", Paul Findley, Huffington Post, June 09 2005]

Findley spoke to NPR about the publication of Mearsheimer and Walt's controversial 2006 working paper, "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy" : "You can't imagine how pleased I was [...] I think I can pose as a foremost expert on the lobby for Israel, because I was the target the last three years I was in Congress." [ [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5353855 Paper on Israel Lobby Sparks Heated Debate] , Deborah Amos, NPR, April 21, 2006, accessed April 29 2006]

Findley has supported the efforts of CAIR, the Council on American Islamic Relations to improve the image of Muslims in America. [http://www.arabnews.com/?article=84122]

Dubai Port Deals

Findley was opposed to criticism Dubai Ports World deal, claiming that opposition to the sale was due solely to racism, Islamophobia and a Zionist media that villified Arabs and Muslims.Fact|date=March 2008

Recognitions

Human rights " [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1590080017 Silent No More: About the Author] ", Paul Findley, Silent No More] :
* 1977 Elijah Lovejoy Award
* 1986 Human Understanding award by [http://www.eaford.org EAFORD]
* 1992 Alex Odeh Memorial Award
* 1981 Human Rights award, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
* 1993 Human Rights award, Syracuse chapter of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee
* 2000 Malcolm X National Human Rights award, American Muslim Alliance.

Foreign policy :
* 1976 Estes Kefauver Memorial Award for promoting international federation, presented by Vice-President Nelson Rockefeller
* 1978 Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany: Commander's Cross class.

Bibliography

* "Silent No More: Confronting America's False Images of Islam". 2001. Amana Publications. ISBN 1-59008-001-7
* "They Dare to Speak Out: People and Institutions Confront Israel's Lobby." 1985, 1989, 2003 editions. Lawrence Hill Books. ISBN 1-55652-482-X
* "Deliberate Deceptions: Facing the Facts About the U.S.-Israeli Relationship" 1983. Lawrence Hill Books. ISBN 1-55652-239-8
* "Abraham Lincoln: The Crucible of Congress." 1979. Outlet. ISBN 0-517-53436-

ee also

* American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC
* Council for the National Interest

References

External links

* [http://www.cnionline.org/ Council for the National Interest (CNI)] , Paul Findley is the Founding Chairman.