After reading the first chapter of Mearsheimer and Walt’s The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, I can say one thing with absolute certainty: These guys are major-league anti-Semites. What I can’t understand is how such ardent neo-Nazis were able to hold their tongues for decades as they infiltrated America’s elite universities and became respected members of the establishment. Seems they would have let slip some of their bigotry long ago at faculty gatherings – in vino veritas and all that. How could they suppress the sort of volcanic hatred that has finally come out in this hatey hate-athon of hate?
I feel compelled to offer some samples to quiet the skeptics, but avert your eyes if you wish to remain pure of heart:
“There is a strong moral case for Israel’s existence and there are good reasons for the United States to be committed to helping Israel if its survival is in jeopardy.”
“The lobby is a loose coalition of individuals and organizations that actively works to move U.S. foreign policy in a pro-Israel direction. As we will describe in detail, it is not a single, unified movement with a central leadership, and it is certainly not a cabal or conspiracy that ‘controls’ U.S. foreign policy.”
“Like the efforts of other ethnic lobbies and interest groups, the activities of the Israel lobby’s various elements are legitimate forms of democratic political participation, and they are for the most part consistent with America’s long tradition of interest group activity.”
“By making it difficult to impossible for the U.S. government to criticize Israel’s conduct and press it to change some of its counterproductive policies, the lobby may even be jeopardizing the long-term prospects of the Jewish state.”
Ugh. I hope you didn’t actually read any of that garbage.
UPDATE: I see that Clark Stooksbury is similarly chagrined.