| Washington, D.C. (June 2, 2008) -- The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) reiterated its position today that Sen. Barack Obama must remove Gen. Merrill "Tony" McPeak as national campaign co-chairman and military advisor. "General McPeak has espoused the view that American Jewry is to blame for the lack of progress in the Middle East peace talks. Today, General McPeak said that he supports the same dangerous and naïve foreign policy approach as Senator Obama. It is unfortunate and disappointing that Senator Obama continues to keep General McPeak as an official advisor to his campaign when McPeak has clearly expressed not so veiled anti-Semitic bias," said RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks.
In a Washington Times article today, Gen. McPeak said that "the whole idea that we shouldn't talk to the Cubans, or the North Koreans or the Iranians because they're not nice boys. I would think by now people would have figured out that is not helpful... This whole idea that diplomacy is attending cocktail parties with your best friends, that's kind of dumb."
In a 2003 interview with The Oregonian, Gen. McPeak was asked whether the problem in solving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict originated with the White House or the State Department. McPeak replied, "New York City. Miami.
We have a large vote -- vote, here in favor of Israel. And no politician wants to run against it." On March 26, 2008, McPeak told the same paper that he "stood by his position that U.S. policy in the Mideast is influenced by pro-Israeli voters."
"Rather than putting the blame where it belongs -- on the Palestinian leadership and their continued reliance on terror, General McPeak finds it more convenient to blame American Jewry and their perceived influence. General McPeak blamed American Jews in 2003 and he blames them still today. It is painfully clear he does not understand the offensive nature of these comments. The Jewish community should be wary when Senator Obama continues to seek advice from advisors like General McPeak. It begs the question: why Obama doesn't sever ties with them? " said Brooks.
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