Although the influential CAP think tank pretends that it provides the US public with an unbiased "objective" scholarship, there is something rotten about the censorship of Israel-related issues it has imposed upon its writers, US journalist and author Glenn Greenwald points out.
"Leaked internal emails from the powerful Democratic think tank Center for American Progress (CAP) shed light on several public controversies involving the organization, particularly in regard to its positioning on Israel. They reveal the lengths to which the group has gone in order to placate AIPAC and long-time Clinton operative and Israel activist Ann Lewis — including censoring its own writers on the topic of Israel," Greenwald wrote in his article for The Intercept.
However, "the group is likely to become even more influential due to its deep and countless ties to the Clintons," he remarks.
Indeed, CAP's founder John Podesta is the Chairman of the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign, while CAP president Neera Tanden is known as Hillary Clinton's confidante and adviser.
Interestingly enough, while many Democrats have become disenchanted with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his antagonistic stance on the Iranian nuclear deal, CAP is openly demonstrating its favorable attitude toward the Israeli official. "On November 10, the Center for American Progress will host a moderated conversation with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and CAP President Neera Tanden," the group's official website states.
Curiously, back in 2012 CAP's Neera Tanden cracked down hard on her own staff writers, lambasting them for criticizing Israel.
"I just got off the phone with Ann Lewis who continues to be adamant that a real problem is that our blog seems anti-Israel because — and I'm just reporting in — while it seemingly takes every opportunity to criticize Israel, it takes no opportunity to actually say Israel is doing the right thing," Tanden wrote in a 2012 leaked email, as quoted by the US journalist.
According to Greenwald, CAP also prohibited its writers from criticizing American Jewish groups, such as AIPAC (the American Israel Public Affairs Committee) "under any circumstances."
"At first glance, CAP's devotion to AIPAC and Netanyahu may seem strange given that it is so plainly at odds with the Obama White House's interests," Greenwald remarked.
He cited Hillary Clinton's recent op-ed which reads: "I have stood with Israel my entire career…. As president, I will continue this fight… I will do everything I can to enhance our strategic partnership and strengthen America's security commitment to Israel, ensuring that it always has the qualitative military edge to defend itself."
There is not a shadow of criticism regarding Israeli attacks against Palestinians and no notion of the US commitment to the 'two-states' concept in Hillary's op-ed, according to the US journalist.
"In that context, CAP's servitude to AIPAC and pandering to Netanyahu makes all the sense in the world. It may conflict with the Obama White House's preferences, but it very clearly serves its new primary goal: advancement of the Hillary Clinton campaign," Greenwald concludes.
