Congressman Steve Israel's Call for Ahmadinejad's Arrest Is Simply a Political Smoke-Screen

As I have mentioned before, I live in the Congressional district in NY "represented" by Steve Israel, who at best is a political hack, representing the interests of Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi more often than the represents the NY 2nd Congressional district. The congressman voted for the stimulus bill even though he hadn't read it (given the timing it was impossible for him to had read it but he voted for it anyway). Then he voted for Cap and Trade, much of which was added to the bill at 4am the day of the vote, so he couldn't have read that either. He claimed to have read the Obamacare bill, but I find it hard to believe that claim. After all the bill takes away HIS health insurance for a four year period, I can't believe that he would vote for a bill that would cut off his insurance

Yesterday the Congressman wanted to show that he could still take a bold step that didn't seem orchestrated by the POTUS or Speaker. Picking something safe, the called for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to be arrested and tried for "incitement to genocide" following the Iranian president's speech Monday at the United Nations in which he tried to vilify the United States and its allies.

The Democratic congressman argued that Ahmadinejad's past calls for the destruction of the state of Israel -- specifically his call in 2005 for Israel to be "wiped off the map" -- constitute a violation of the United Nations' genocide convention.

"Incitement to genocide is a punishable act and instead of giving him another platform at the U.N., he should be tried," the congressman said in a written statement.

Calls for Ahmadinejad to be hauled before an international court are not new. The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution in 2007 calling for the U.N. Security Council to charge him. Israeli diplomats have called for similar charges.

As the Congressman knows if we arrested Ahmadinejad, without UN permission, during his US visit it would have caused a major diplomatic incident and condemnation from most of the world. While most people would agree with the sentiments, the Congressmen was calling for an impossible action. And that was exactly his intention. Steve Israel's call for Ahmadinejad's arrest was just a cynical attempt to get back in the good graces of his districts Jewish voters, after abandoning the State of Israel during Obama's term as President.

Congressman Israel allowed President Obama to pressure him into lending his support to the anti-Israel group trying to pose as a pro-Israel group known as J Street (funded by George Soros). Obama wants to raise the profile of J-Street because it has very little "street cred" amongst the pro-Israel community.

During the recent "problems" between President Obama and the State of Israel, Republicans spoke out against the President's unfair treatment of the Jewish State, but Steve Israel who had never before been reluctant to speak out in support of Israel, has been strangely silent. His silence is the result of his inability to have a thought independent of the Administration.

Steve Israel's demand to arrest Ahmadinejad, proves nothing more than he remains a political hack, reluctant to take a real stand. Maybe he should run in Barack Obama's district, after all, it is Obama he is representing, not New York's 2nd Congressional District.