AIPAC

AIPAC, the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee (also known as The Lobby), is considered as the rainmaker in Washington D.C. It is widely accepted that no one can win an election at the national level without its support.
AIPAC has been very successful not only at controlling the U.S. Senate and House, but it has also managed to position key people in all branches and at all levels of the government.

Despite constant pressure to do so, it refuses to disclose its funding and has successfully fought off law suits on this matter.
It has also been successful in avoiding registration as a foreign agent, as required by the Foreign Agent Registration Act.

In 2004, some of its members were accused of receiving information from a U.S. Defense Department employee spying for Israel. The AIPAC offices were raided by the FBI, but no further legal action was taken.

AIPAC is an important facilitator for the Military Industrial Complex when it comes to arms sales to Israel. It contrast, it has never seriously made any effort to bring peace to the people of Israel.
As of October 2007 the following information can be found on its web site, which summarizes best the core of its activities.

The House on June 21 passed the fiscal year 2008 foreign aid bill (H.R. 2764) by a vote of 241-178 that includes $2.4 billion in military aid and $40 million in refugee assistance to Israel. The Senate passed the bill on September 6 by a vote of 81-12. The proposed aid for Israel represents the last year of a 10-year plan between Israel and the United States to phase out economic aid to Israel while gradually increasing the amount of military aid. Please thank members of the House and Senate who voted for the foreign aid bill and urge members who voted against it to support it in the future.

An excellent Salon.com article (link below) gives some impressive figures: 500 meetings between AIPAC representatives and members of Congress in one day!

Below are articles with more information on AIPAC:

The organization and its influence:

Wikipedia: the basics about AIPAC.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Israel_Public_Affairs_Committee

Antiwar.com: Where did AIPAC come from?
http://www.antiwar.com/orig/gsmith.php?articleid=11727

Salon.com
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/03/16/aipac/

AIPAC’s status with the Federal Election Commission:

Law suit brought against APAIC:
http://www.law.cornell.edu/supct/html/96-1590.ZS.html

The spying case:

Wikipedia: the Lawrence Franklin espionage scandal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_Franklin_espionage_scandal

The American Conservative:
The lobby argues that good Americans spy for Israel.
http://www.amconmag.com/2007/2007_05_07/article.html

Bloomberg.com:
Pro-Israel Lobby Weathers Espionage Allegations, Gains Support
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aqKsV0UlPXng&refer=us

Antiwar.com: an article on the activities of AIPAC.
http://www.antiwar.com/cole/?articleid=3467

Wikipedia: David Steiner and his conversation with Haim Katz.
David Steiner, former president of AIPAC, brags about his political influence.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Steiner_(AIPAC)

This article has the transcript of the taped telephone conversation between Haim Katz and David Steiner.
http://www.whatreallyhappened.com/AIPACClinton.html

Secretary of State Rice Subpoenaed in AIPAC spying case.
Defense argues that AIPAC is regularly used for backchannel foreign policy.
http://www.jta.org/cgi-bin/iowa/breaking/105057.html

AIPAC influence:

George Soros: On Israel, America and AIPAC.
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/20030

The Christian Science Monitor:
The hidden cost of free congressional trips to Israel
http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0126/p09s01-coop.html

Counterpunch article by John Walsh:
Why is the peace movement silent about AIPAC?
http://www.counterpunch.org/walsh04172007.html

Stopaipac.org.
A web site dedicated to fight AIPAC.
http://www.stopaipac.org/