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| Fifth Column |
| Creeping Antisemitism Watch |
| 2007-09-22 |
| Ronald Bailey, Reason Magazine "Hit & Run" Blog Washington Post columnist and former Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson takes a hard look at The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy by Harvard's Stephen Walt and University of Chicago's John Mearsheimer and finds creeping anti-semitism. According to Gerson, Walt and Mearsheimer argue that the "Israeli government and pro-Israel groups" have shaped President Bush's "grand scheme for reordering the Middle East." As a former Bush insider, Gerson doubts that the "Israel lobby" had much influence on Bush Administration policy. He does offer what I think is a very nice rejoinder to the assertion by Walt and Mearsheimer that "the U.S. has a terrorism problem in good part because it is so closely allied with Israel." Gerson retorts that statement is "the equivalent of arguing that Britain had a Nazi problem in the 1930s because it was so closely allied with Czechoslovakia." Gerson goes on to ask why Americans and our country's policymakers tend to support Israel. To wit: Perhaps many Americans actually prefer Israel's flawed democracy to the aging autocrats and corrupt monarchies of the region. Yes. Perhaps they root for a reliable ally that is surrounded by nations still committed to its destruction. Yes. Perhaps many Americans recall that the Jews, just six decades ago, lost one-third of their number to genocide and believe that this persecuted people deserves a secure home and sanctuary. Yes.
Communism was the greatest source of 20th century evil, but anti-semitism was a pretty close second. Gerson ends: Every generation has seen accusations that Jews have dual loyalties, promote war and secretly control political structures. True, all too sadly true. I'd say there's about a 50% chance that we'll see an openly anti-Semitic speaker in prime time at the Yes, I know that Jews are a traditional and still significant Dem constituency. Just look what happened to Joe Lieberman. The "nutroots" are flaming anti-Semites. So is Jimmy Peanut. |
| Posted by:Mike |
| #4 Yes, I know that Jews are a traditional and still significant Dem constituency And that still remains one of the most self-destructive and stupifying situations in the world. |
| Posted by: mcsegeek1 2007-09-22 16:55 |
| #3 I'd say there's about a 50% chance that we'll see an openly anti-Semitic speaker in prime time at the antiwar party Democrat convention next summer. Oh? Jimmah Speaking? |
| Posted by: Redneck Jim 2007-09-22 13:25 |
| #2 Agreed, Mike. And when that happens, those Jewish Democrats who speak up will be accused of being oversensitive. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2007-09-22 13:14 |
| #1 You ain't seen nuthing yet! |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2007-09-22 10:08 |