90% of americans agree with mr. thomas schultz:
Letter to Karen Hughes

By Thomas Q. Schultz

Dear Mrs. Hughes;

During the last 50 years the global perception of America has changed from that of the most admired and respected nation to one that is now distrusted by more than one billion Moslems while most Europeans view our Middle East policies with concern mixed with alarm. The root cause of our decline in world opinion has been America’s unwavering support for Israel and no one, not our elected representatives nor the media, dare to question our Middle East foreign policy. Initially, America supported Israel on the basis that its survival was threatened by larger Arab armies. That rationale was no longer viable when Israel became a superior military power with American weaponry and nuclear capability. Thereafter and until the end of the Cold War America supported Israel as a bastion of “democracy” in an area susceptible to Soviet influence. Throughout these periods Israel was steadily expanding its control over Palestinian lands, natural resources and freedoms. Today, our one-sided support for Israel and the steady erosion of Palestinian rights cannot be justified by any rational foreign policy based on justice and human rights.

I’m writing to you in hopes of getting a fair hearing by someone who is both widely respected and whose counsel is important to President Bush. There are many people like me who are alarmed by America’s loss of prestige and influence in the world but can not be heard over the cry of anti-Semitism. I am not anti-Jewish but I am decidedly pro-American and anti-Zionist expansion.

I have resided in the Middle East and Europe on and off for 24 years during a 35 year career with international oil companies. I know Arabs, their hopes and ambitions, and they are just like most people. They want what we all want, peace and security to raise their families. During the last 54 years Israel has gradually forced Palestinians from their lands, constructed strategic settlements, diverted water resources and restricted free movement of the population all with political, financial and military support from America. Arab frustration under Israel’s unrelenting pressure has culminated in desperate suicidal terrorist tactics against both Israel and America.

Now, Israel has used the 9/11 attacks against America as an opportunity to accelerate plans to occupy and control more Palestinian lands while simultaneously defying President Bush’s requests to stop destroying the Palestinian infrastructure and the reprehensible killing of innocent civilians with American armor and weapons. By his actions Ariel Sharon has shown his disregard for the President’s warnings and continued his military incursions to gain even more control over the West Bank. All of this is done under the cover of “helping America fight the war against terrorism”. If Sharon really wants to stop terrorism attacks against Israel and America he would promptly vacate the West Bank settlements and return to the internationally recognized borders per UN Resolution #242. That action would remove the underlying causes of terrorism and give the Palestinians some measure of justice in an unjust situation. Unless there is a major change in the American political climate this is not likely to happen.

My pessimism stems from the control the pro-Israel Political Action Committees exert over the American election processes. Given the examples of Paul Findley, Charles Percy, Earl Hilliard, Cynthia McKinney and many others, our elected representatives, including the President, appear to be powerless to protect America’s self-interest whenever Israel is involved. America’s position as a global leader is now in jeopardy and American lives, both military and civilian, are also endangered. I worry that this political situation will continue unchecked for the foreseeable future.

As an aside to my main concerns, I’m puzzled by the media’s lack of perception in the current campaign to discredit Saudi Arabia. Out of a trained Al-Qaida force of 10 to 15,000 diverse Moslems those 14 Saudi Arab 9/11 terrorists were carefully selected for their nationality by Usama Ben Laden and used to strike blows against his two main enemies; Saudi Arabia and America. The media seems to overlook Ben Laden’s hidden agenda in their haste to condemn Saudi Arabia and drive a wedge between Washington DC and Riyadh. One has to wonder about the source of the media’s collective bias since it is in Israel’s interest, as well as Ben Laden’s, for Saudi Arabia to lose favor and influence in Washington, DC.

Part of the reason to unburden myself to you is that I have tried to express my concerns with my elected officials in the past only to be ignored. When I approached Tom DeLay on this subject his reaction was abrupt and negative. Even Condeleeza Rice has been quoted as saying that Israel is our “best friend” during a recent speech in College Station, Texas. These pro-Israel positions are not supported by facts such as Ariel Sharon’s (architect of the Sabra and Shatilla massacre) recent military actions against Palestinians despite all of President Bush’s requests and warnings, Israel’s rush to build even more Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the infamous Pollard spy case and the attempted sinking of the USS Liberty. All of these actions and more have been directly contrary to American requests and regional interests despite the consistent political and financial support America has provided Israel for over 50 years!

It is obvious that Israel will take any action it deems to be in its own self-interest. When will America start to protect its own self-interest?

Yours truly,

Courtesy of and © 2002 by Thomas Q. Schultz

90% of americans agree with mr. thomas schultz:
Letter to Karen Hughes

By Thomas Q. Schultz

Dear Mrs. Hughes;

During the last 50 years the global perception of America has changed from that of the most admired and respected nation to one that is now distrusted by more than one billion Moslems while most Europeans view our Middle East policies with concern mixed with alarm. The root cause of our decline in world opinion has been America’s unwavering support for Israel and no one, not our elected representatives nor the media, dare to question our Middle East foreign policy. Initially, America supported Israel on the basis that its survival was threatened by larger Arab armies. That rationale was no longer viable when Israel became a superior military power with American weaponry and nuclear capability. Thereafter and until the end of the Cold War America supported Israel as a bastion of “democracy” in an area susceptible to Soviet influence. Throughout these periods Israel was steadily expanding its control over Palestinian lands, natural resources and freedoms. Today, our one-sided support for Israel and the steady erosion of Palestinian rights cannot be justified by any rational foreign policy based on justice and human rights.

I’m writing to you in hopes of getting a fair hearing by someone who is both widely respected and whose counsel is important to President Bush. There are many people like me who are alarmed by America’s loss of prestige and influence in the world but can not be heard over the cry of anti-Semitism. I am not anti-Jewish but I am decidedly pro-American and anti-Zionist expansion.

I have resided in the Middle East and Europe on and off for 24 years during a 35 year career with international oil companies. I know Arabs, their hopes and ambitions, and they are just like most people. They want what we all want, peace and security to raise their families. During the last 54 years Israel has gradually forced Palestinians from their lands, constructed strategic settlements, diverted water resources and restricted free movement of the population all with political, financial and military support from America. Arab frustration under Israel’s unrelenting pressure has culminated in desperate suicidal terrorist tactics against both Israel and America.

Now, Israel has used the 9/11 attacks against America as an opportunity to accelerate plans to occupy and control more Palestinian lands while simultaneously defying President Bush’s requests to stop destroying the Palestinian infrastructure and the reprehensible killing of innocent civilians with American armor and weapons. By his actions Ariel Sharon has shown his disregard for the President’s warnings and continued his military incursions to gain even more control over the West Bank. All of this is done under the cover of “helping America fight the war against terrorism”. If Sharon really wants to stop terrorism attacks against Israel and America he would promptly vacate the West Bank settlements and return to the internationally recognized borders per UN Resolution #242. That action would remove the underlying causes of terrorism and give the Palestinians some measure of justice in an unjust situation. Unless there is a major change in the American political climate this is not likely to happen.

My pessimism stems from the control the pro-Israel Political Action Committees exert over the American election processes. Given the examples of Paul Findley, Charles Percy, Earl Hilliard, Cynthia McKinney and many others, our elected representatives, including the President, appear to be powerless to protect America’s self-interest whenever Israel is involved. America’s position as a global leader is now in jeopardy and American lives, both military and civilian, are also endangered. I worry that this political situation will continue unchecked for the foreseeable future.

As an aside to my main concerns, I’m puzzled by the media’s lack of perception in the current campaign to discredit Saudi Arabia. Out of a trained Al-Qaida force of 10 to 15,000 diverse Moslems those 14 Saudi Arab 9/11 terrorists were carefully selected for their nationality by Usama Ben Laden and used to strike blows against his two main enemies; Saudi Arabia and America. The media seems to overlook Ben Laden’s hidden agenda in their haste to condemn Saudi Arabia and drive a wedge between Washington DC and Riyadh. One has to wonder about the source of the media’s collective bias since it is in Israel’s interest, as well as Ben Laden’s, for Saudi Arabia to lose favor and influence in Washington, DC.

Part of the reason to unburden myself to you is that I have tried to express my concerns with my elected officials in the past only to be ignored. When I approached Tom DeLay on this subject his reaction was abrupt and negative. Even Condeleeza Rice has been quoted as saying that Israel is our “best friend” during a recent speech in College Station, Texas. These pro-Israel positions are not supported by facts such as Ariel Sharon’s (architect of the Sabra and Shatilla massacre) recent military actions against Palestinians despite all of President Bush’s requests and warnings, Israel’s rush to build even more Israeli settlements in the West Bank, the infamous Pollard spy case and the attempted sinking of the USS Liberty. All of these actions and more have been directly contrary to American requests and regional interests despite the consistent political and financial support America has provided Israel for over 50 years!

It is obvious that Israel will take any action it deems to be in its own self-interest. When will America start to protect its own self-interest?

Yours truly,

Courtesy of and © 2002 by Thomas Q. Schultz