It would appear that Congressman Brian Baird is one of those very rare people in US politics who are not 'bought and paid for' by the Israeli Lobby / or friends thereof. Supporters of Israel have spent decades linking anti Israeli-government sentiments with anti-semitism, a policy which may well have helped them in the past, but today is of questionable value. Israeli politics really should stand on its own two feet and stop pulling out the anti-semitism card whenever the questions get a bit tough. The large sums of money 'donated' to prefered US political candidates and the sponsorship of their campaigns by pro Israeli groups / individuals has now become questionable too. The power that pro Israeli groups yeild is formidable and was brought into sharp focus just months ago when the Obama administratin did a complete u-turn on his initially insistant and firm approach to Israels handleing of the Palastinian issue, particularly on the expansion of Israeli settlements (illegal under international law). The seige and deliberate starvation (of funds / building material / resources / water / food / fuel) of the people of Gaza is an outrage. The collective punishment of an entire people for the actions of a few is deplorable. It will however take more than one brave congressman to break the blockade of Gaza, and it will take a complete paradigm shift for the US administration to force Israels hand in anything relating to the Palastinian issue. It is time that Israel stopped throwing mud at other countries regarding 'human rights' and 'illegal weapons programs' and looked inward. Perhaps by takling their own issues they may actually acheive what most Israelis really want - to be left alone to live in peace.

AMEN! I am finally glad to hear one politician in my country who has some sense. I am so sick of my country taking up for Israel all of the time. They have gotten us into so many situations with countries in the middle east because they feel they can bully everyone around because they have a big friend in the west. Now all we need is for our PRESIDENT to see it this way and we can start to making strides as a country.