I'll Bet a Franklin on That

In an article that I would like to think is a follow-up to my recent post on Israeli espionage (http://zarathustrasoldman.blogspot.com/2008/04/festering-problem-of-our-time.html), James Bamford (http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/opinion/columnists/guests/s_565660.html) points out that the spies of today are more likely to be tempted by "ideology and 'divided loyalty' -- loyalty to both the U.S. and another country." And he gives, as an example, Lawrence Franklin, who is in prison for spying for -- guess who -- Israel. In addition, two "Israeli lobbyists" are awaiting trial in the same case. Franklin worked for Douglas Feith, "one of the key neoconservative architects of the Iraq war", and the "lobbyists" worked for none other than AIPAC. Please note that Douglas Feith is still at large, even though he exerted "key" influence on the Bush administration's decision to attack Iraq and get us into the current debacle. Please note also that AIPAC is not only still going full tilt, but that many of our leading politicians -- e.g., Dick Cheney and Nancy Pelosi -- make frequent trips to AIPAC meetings where they lead pep rallies, that remind me of nothing so much as Nuremberg, in favor of things like attacking Iran.

And besides, what exactly is this "divided loyalty" thing, anyway? As Joe Sobran says, "if only", i.e. if only their loyalties _were_ divided, because they seem invariably to tilt toward Israel and away from any conceivable interest of the United States. It strikes me that, logically, you simply cannot have divided loyalties. The best you can have is a preference -- say for Country A -- and a secondary preference for Country B, other things being equal. If you prefer Country A on one day, and Country B on the next, they each have a right to throw you in jail. If you prefer Country A but pretend to prefer Country B, then Country B has a right to throw you in jail, which is basically what happened in this case, except -- wait a minute! -- I thought American and Israeli interests were identical. That's what our politicians are always saying. So, again, I say -- why is Franklin in jail? Or alternatively, why is AIPAC allowed to stay in business and Cheney and Pelosi not impeached? None dare call it treason...