So why exactly is Israeli slaughtering protesters?

[Zevico]

Alby -

No. But Congress is, sadly, heavily influenced by AIPAC (which is perfectly legal and open in its actions. I just don't have to like its success),

Not completely correct. Americans tend to support Israel; AIPAC can do no more than put forward what it thinks is a pro-Israel view to the public. Congressional support for Israel is influenced by American support for Israel. AIPAC gets into the question as it voices American pro-Israel views. So Congress is reflecting the views of a majority of Americans with whom you happen to disagree.

AIPAC's "success" is a doubtful for a number of reasons. Firstly, as any historian will tell you, the Israeli-American alliance grew from the 70's onwards. Before then the relationship was not so strong. It grew because it was useful to the US, rather than as a consequence of any particular partiality towards the Jewish state. AIPAC's influence stems from its ability to prosecute the case for an alliance with Israel. That influence is a function of broad present-day American support for Israel and the force of its arguments. Even so it was not and has not been a decisive factor in American foreign policy. Every American Administration has chosen to undertake at least some policies that were adverse to perceived Israeli interests and has acted in its own interests.

Congress is not "out of step" with the views of the American public in its partiality towards the Jewish state; as opinion polls consistently demonstrate, it is quite "in step", as about 60% of Americans view themselves as pro-Israel. AIPAC's influence today stems from this simple fact.