In the 1960s the US was far from blindly supporting Israeli interests in the Middle East.
![The CIA believed nuclear material stolen from the US in the 1960s was shipped to Israel's Dimona nuclear research centre [AFP/Getty Images]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/201493144915599580_20.jpeg?resize=270%2C180&quality=80)

Philip Giraldi is a former military intelligence and Central Intelligence Agency officer who has worked on counter-terrorism in Europe and the Middle East. He is currently Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest.
In the 1960s the US was far from blindly supporting Israeli interests in the Middle East.
![The CIA believed nuclear material stolen from the US in the 1960s was shipped to Israel's Dimona nuclear research centre [AFP/Getty Images]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/201493144915599580_20.jpeg?resize=270%2C180&quality=80)
The US government continues its efforts to clamp down on leaks of classified information.
![The US has imposed strict rules on defence and intelligence employees to preclude information leaks [Reuters]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/20145248392422734_20.jpeg?resize=270%2C180&quality=80)
The Israel lobby demonstrates its power but is it in decline?
![AIPAC's influence in Washington has been diminishing, argues the author [AFP/Getty Images]](https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/201431122852586734_20.jpeg?resize=270%2C180&quality=80)