Prof. Eliot Cohen, of Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International Studies, discusses Harvard's John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt's paper "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy":
"Oddly, these international relations realists -- who in their more normal academic lives declare that state interests determine policy, and domestic politics matters little -- have discovered the one case in which domestic politics has, for decades, determined the policy of the world's greatest state. Their theories proclaim the importance of power, not ideals, yet they abhor the thought of allying with the strongest military and most vibrant economy in the Middle East. Reporting persecution, they have declared that they could not publish their work in the United States, but they have neglected to name the academic journals that turned them down.
Inept, even kooky academic work, then, but is it anti-Semitic?"
He goes on to dissect some of the papers more obvious faults, omissions, and double-standards, then sums up:
"If by anti-Semitism one means obsessive and irrationally hostile beliefs about Jews; if one accuses them of disloyalty, subversion or treachery, of having occult powers and of participating in secret combinations that manipulate institutions and governments; if one systematically selects everything unfair, ugly or wrong about Jews as individuals or a group and equally systematically suppresses any exculpatory information -- why, yes, this paper is anti-Semitic."
A fair summation, by my reading. Dan Drezner thinks that calling this anti-Semitism is "patently false, then goes on in the next breath to state that:
A) They fail to demonstrate that Israel is a net strategic liability;
B) They ascribe U.S. foreign policy behavior almost exclusively to the activities of the "Israel Lobby"; and
C) They omit consderation of contradictory policies and countervailing foreign policy lobbies.
Having concurred on all of Cohen's key points, Drezner's judgment is entirely contradicted by his diagnosis. This isn't just poor social science, and the combination of consistency in the bias and clear signs of ill-will can't be brushed away by his hand-waving. Drezner calls them "empirical problems." The term he's looking for here is "deeply and systematically dishonest" - or more aptly, "dishonest conspiracy theory" - but he can't use them, because then he'd have to ask why.
On the bright side for Harvard, their professors' paper won David Duke's endorsement as "a modern Declaration of American Independence." He adds that "I have been documenting and stating the same essential thesis of the paper on davidduke.com and in numerous published articles for many years...." Swell.
As ex-punk Dr. Frank noted, in another post:
"The weird thing is, writers for publications like the New Statesman don't seem to have any clue that positing Jewish conspiracies isn't the most convincing way of establishing your bona fides where anti-Semitism is concerned. It sounds, at minimum, a bit "off" to us; it sounds just fine to them. "Come, come, my dear fellow! I say! I was merely stating the simple fact that the Jew lurks in the highest echelons of power and has a stranglehold on the American media, crushing dissent with merciless claws. What's all the fuss about?"
It's tempting to laugh, but Winds has covered the growth of modern anti-Semitism Britian, Europe, and America, and noted the intellectual currents it is now firmly a part of. And somehow, I'm finding it difficult to laugh, despite the efforts of good folks like Evan Coyne Maloney.
As one commentator puts it:
"Today the world is awash with the twin rumors that Israel supposedly controls the lone superpower's hated foreign policy, and that 'the Jews' supposedly control the mainstream Western media. Few people seem to think that there is anything too alarming in such beliefs, despite their having the same basic structure as the Black Death accusation which led to anti-Jewish exterminations in the fourteenth century, and despite being practically identical to the Protocols of Zion accusations, which led to anti-Jewish exterminations in the twentieth century. The Jewish people certainly do not appear to think that they are on the eve of another catastrophe, just as they also didn't want to believe the worst prior to the Nazi genocides in which 5 to 6 million European Jews were annihilated. But from the historical perspective the current climate should be alarming in the extreme."
To begin to hear the lies whispered again, at levels high and low, and to see the most blatant dishonesty employed in the process, is to see a very old movie playing itself out all over again. Truly, "every age begets the anti-Semitism that most suits it."
UPDATES:
- Hmm, just noticed that the paper itself isn't linked here. Presenting "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy" [PDF format]. Also available in HTML format.
- Alan Dershowitz has a longer critique of this paper [PDF Format]. In general, I don't like Dershowitz' style, but he has clearly put the effort in.
- Andrew J. Lazarus recommends Tom Segev's critique in the Israeli paper Ha'aretz: The protocols of Harvard and Chicago. I've read it, and am not sure "critique" is exactly the right word here despite the title, but you have the link if you're interested.
- Christopher Hitchens, who believes the creation of Israel to be a mistake, steps in: "The essay itself, mostly a very average "realist" and centrist critique of the influence of Israel, contains much that is true and a little that is original. But what is original is not true and what is true is not original." He, too, addresses the consistent pattern of dishonesty throughout the article.
- Martin Kramer of Sandstorm shows us what a genuine realist-school analysis looks like. The contrast serves only to create far deeper questions re: why Mearsheimer and Walt's "realist" analysis misses every one of these arguments. Simple carelessness? Not a credible explanation.
Of course the strongest attacks on Mearsheimer and Walt's paper have come from the left. All those people who were shouting "no blood for oil" are furious at the paper's assertion that the war was about not oil, but Jews. They are picketing Harvard as we speak.
I commend to your attention a much less hysterical (and more persuasive) critique of the study written by Tom Segev for Haaretz.
There is something terribly disingenuous about turning a discussion of the Israel lobby into automatic anti-Semitism. What exactly are groups like AIPAC and JINSA, if not collections of American Jews who hold strongly Zionist views, more royalist than the king to judge by the most recent Israeli election, who attempt to influence the policy of the US government with respect to the Middle East? Now, the phrase "Israel lobby" is something of a misnomer, as these groups are not by and large composed of Israelis, but they are certainly a lobby. They are not a hidden conspiracy: their beliefs are right out there in the open. Their members, or persons who share their views, are most certainly represented in the Bush Administration (and in many others) all out of proportion to the number of Jews in the American population. Are we suddenly ashamed of that?
Now, the recent policy of these organizations has been bad for both the US and Israel (IMHO). As I have written before, what differentiated the charlatan Ahmad Chalabi from a dozen of other exile leaders was his con job of promising an Iraq that was pro-Israel. (Always tell the mark what he wants to hear.) The influence of Chalabi on our Iraq policy, even preceding the Bush Presidency, was malevolent: the WMD nonsense was in large part the creation of liars trained and paid by the American taxpayer with Chalabi's INC as a conduit. I wonder how JINSA feels about their Iraqi friend now?
A commenter says "There is something terribly disingenuous about turning a discussion of the Israel lobby into automatic anti-Semitism."
It is anti-Semitism because it is based on lies and logical fallacies. No one is objecting to a debate, they are objecting to calumny. Mersheimer et al have refused to respond to critics so the failure to "discuss" is on their part.
Why have Mersheimer et. al. not defended their paper against the many critics? Because the critics are right, and their paper is indefensible.
Read Dershowitz's critique
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/research/working_papers/dershowitzreply.pdf
Mersheimer et al say:
The existance of a lobby itself is proof that its agenda is counter to US interest, but they ignore AARP, NAACP, Saudia Arabian lobbying etc etc.
They say al Quaeda attacked the US because of our support for Israel when in reality al Quaeda attacked the US because we came to Saudia Arabia's aid and had troops in that country since the first Iraq war.
They incorrectly say Israeli citizenship is based on blood relationship when in reality 1/4 their population are not Jewish and who vote in the only democracy in the Middle East.
In fact the US started supporting Israel only when we came to see that they could defeat Soviet clients not because of the Israel lobby. Other countries in the middle east would accept aid but not support our interests.
They misquote founders of Israel to give meanings to statements that had opposite meanings.
They say the US invaded Iraq the first time because of Israeli pressure but in fact, in that situation it was the US who exerted pressure on Israel to refrain from responding to Iraqi missle attacks.
In fact, people in presidential administrations say that the Israel lobby did not have any influence on that administrations policy.
The convergence of Israel and US interests can be explained by the geopolitical realities that affect liberal democracies.
Again, Read Dershowitz's critique
http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/research/working_papers/dershowitzreply.pdf
If you think there is something to discuss, make your point with facts not allegations of "turning a discussion".
When someone (especially academics who should have their facts straight) publishes a tract with many many incorrect statements and which accuses Israel and Jews with controlling the world's only superpower what else can it be but anti-Semitism? Are you saying these academics wrote a paper riddled with accidental mistakes?
Why don't you proove your point by rebutting the critics? The anti-Semitic label is based on accusations of inaccuracies in the tract so you can easily prove it isn't anti-Semetic by rebutting the critics claims of innacuracy.
First and foremost do any of the commentators believe there is an Israeli Lobby? If you believe there is and it operates within the legimate boundaries of American politics then to question it and its motives even if badly done is not anti-Semitism.
Get over calling it anti-semitism because you do not want its operations shown the light on day.
If this remarkable statement were true, tens of thousands of donors have given tens of millions of dollars for nothing. That would make AIPAC—a Political Action Committee—the least effective lobby in history. Sure. I have a nice bridge I want to sell you.
I already presented one theory of mine: Ahmad Chalabi's success relative to other Iraq exiles (which is a fact) is attributable to his bold and unique stroke of suggesting that an INC-governed Iraq would be pro-Israel (which is also a fact). It's a known fact that the US Government was split over Chalabi's value and that many of his champions (Perle, Feith, Wolfowitz, Hadley) were affiliated or close to AIPAC, JINSA, etc. (Cheney, too; they weren't all Jewish.) I don't think my theory is very unreasonable.
Your tone, by the way, bespeaks exactly the hysteria I don't like. Yes, Walt and Mearsheimer have misunderstood the history and dynamic of the situation and, yes, that's surprising and disgraceful in academics of their stature. But lies? Are all mistakes lies? Next step they call for Concentration Camps? I think not. Perhaps the faux outrage here is over the fact that, as Segev pointed out, AIPAC and JINSA's preferred policies haven't been very smart for either the USA or Israel.
I think it is the assumption that an Israeli lobby must be somehow more insipid than, say, CAIR or any other lobbying group which is repugnant. Somehow when you combine jews, money, and influence there is (in some circles) and assumption that something bad most be afoot. To claim that being jewish, spending lobbying money, and having influence must equate to an undue and undeserved level of power in our government may well be antisemetic. Simply proving that these three factors do indeed exist doesnt add up to the Israel lobby therefore running American policy (not to mention whatever global webs involving Chalabi and anybody else).
When the Chinese or Japanese lobbies (Irish, Saudi, you name it) spend money and garner influence, nobody (worth speaking of) assumes they have some untoward control over our policy, much less some sort of global conspiracy. That has been a particular blood libel against the jewish people since time immemorial, and that is why it is a sore spot.
Simply demonstrating that the Israelis lobby here and our policies are closely tied to Israel doesnt prove a jewish cabal any more than the fact that Mexico lobbies here and we've bent over backwards to bail them out of trouble proves there is a Mexican cabal.
In the "now I've heard it all" dept.: Andrew J. "Bush Lied!" Lazarus sits here asking us "are all mistakes lies?"
Ahem.
I have a theory of my own about Chalabi: he's a pretty good politician, as evidenced by his rise to status in Iraq without (indeed, despite) Washington. That's part 1. Part 2 is that Chalabi's intelligence reported what many Iraqi generals - and indeed, Saddam himself - believed to be true.
Having said that, I find his introduction to this debate odd. It's really the standard leftist diversion game, so this is the last I'll be discussing it.
Cohen is right about Mearsheimer and Walt's paper, and the presence of all these things together is neither a "mistake" nor a coincidence:
This isn't a "mistake," it's a world-view, and that world-view both displays bigotry and fits a long and dangerous pattern of same. David Duke denies that, of course, using terms and arguments that are pretty much identical to those used by the paper's defenders. I'd say "the paper's authors," but oddly they seem to have taken a vow of solience or something and refused invitations to debate.
Perhaps they've hired Yale's public relations firm? Though if they ever need a press agent, I guess Yale's "Taliban Man" could use some pin money on the side...
Robert M...
Um, no. Let's take the example of the civil rights movement. There was one. It operated within the legitimate boundaries of American politics. While questioning of its motives was possible without being racist, this does not mean that ALL questioning of its motives receives a free pass.
When that questioning is more than badly done - when it is systematically dishonest, paranoid, and conveniently fits classic racist tropes... then Occam's Razor says you're looking at a bigot.
Right, because thse Jewish cabal things rely on secrecy in corrupting decent society. You know, repeating the trope probably wasn't exactly an ideal follow-up given the point you think you were trying to make.
Readers of this article may also find this story of interest,
The Man Who Changed the World
Having read all of the "New Testament" and over half of the "Old Testament", seeing films, stories, first hand experiences told to me by Jews,--etc.
My conclusion is this!---You guys are the religious "Fox in the Henhouse"!
I congratulate your cult on it's success of evil towards man on this planet. Not that I go along with the program of blowing up synagogues and people, I do feel you guys need your own planet to control, and this does not mean planet Earth!
Maybe the planet Haydes!
Ah, yes, Sondra, Henry Ford. The Ford Foundation remains active to this day in a few causes that would do their Jew-hating founder very proud indeed.
JT, too, continues the tradition. Nice to have another big fan of Mearsheimer and Walt's paper on site....
Hey Joe!
Could you comment on a few things, so I have it straight in my head. I just hate being on the "wrong" side of the coin when it comes to Good and Evil.
The Spartacus revolution in the Weimar republic.
The Katyn massacre. Jewish NKVD!
The Bodies of Lemberg on German war films. Rumor has it,--they didn't do it! But they found the collaborators! Innocent Jewish citizens at it again huh?
The Romanov executions?
The list goes on Joe! I will wear my fingertips down to the bone if I were to list every single one of these evils perpretrated on the world.
Type in on the internet
Patton-then Jew
Ullysses s. Grant-then Jew
Mark Twain-then Jew
Communism-then Jew
Organized crime-then Jew
Christ-then Jew
Antichrist-then Jew
America-then Jew
Palestinians-then Jew
South Africa-then Jew
Hollywood-then Jew
Pornography-then Jew
John F. Kennedy assasination-then Jew
USS Liberty-then Jew
Blood ritual-then Jew
Carpetbaggers-then Jew
Eisenhower-then Jew
The "David Cole at Auschwitz" video was very revealing. Imagine a fellow Jew exposing the fact that there were never any gas chambers.
Masters of the Grand deceit!
Haydes?
One Final Question Joe!
Is the abolishment of all evil---
Antisemetic?
Hey JT,
Google
Jesus-then Jew
Bible-then Jew
Quantum physics-then Jew
Philosophy-then Jew
Literature-then Jew
Thank God this is America where nutballs like you are a lunatic fringe who can, for the most part and uless they get any power, be safely ignored.
Google this one!
Quantum physics, Einstein, Jew, Uranium, Uranus-God of the Underworld, then the destruction of mankind!
Bible, Jesus, execution, then the Talmud supercedes all!
Ariel Sharon, Mass Murderer, Nobel Peace Prize!
Greeks, Philosophy, Jewish Hollywood!
Literature--Shakespeare,--Did he not expose a few things?
Back to Haydes Again?
My point is Fred!
Your religious culture is too infiltrated with evil, and it has been exposed time and time again.
So Jews! Stop trying to be the foot over the stool of Christianity, and let Christianity take over! You guys are too corrupt to be our world leaders, your culture has confirmed that throughout the ages.
Purge yourself and accept the truth no matter what the source!
All Jews out of Government!
Dual Loyalty can never be trusted!
You have a nice day now!
Was this bash-the-Jews day again?
I hate it when I miss out on those.
But it's not all negative, JT. Just think of all the good songs made for Jews.
"Jews make me feel like dancing"
"Jew light up my life"
I'm just glad we can all get along.
Songs made for Jews!
That brings up a point Daniel!
Diamonds for Jews, Gold for Jews, Political Power for Jews, Jews for Jews, Worship for Jews, the Earth for Jews, special food for Jews, Special privelidges for Jews.
All Countries for Jews!
All riches for Jews!
All Newspapers for Jews!
All Politicians for Jews
All Movies Pro-Jewish
All Articles Pro-Jewish
All opinions Pro-Jewish,--or they get sent to Prison for years!
All morality Pro Jewish
If not, then we subvert and destroy the countries and ruin the careers of anyone to expose our game!
Excellent Job! You guys have succeeded where all else have failed. 100% Deception works doesn't it.
If it's capitalistic,--let's control it!
If its socialistic,---let's control it!
If it's communistic---let's control it!
If it isn't ours,--let's take it!
If it has a higher sense of morality,--let's corrupt, divide, infiltrate, and make plans to take it at a later date!
When we get in charge of every possibly thing we want, which is everything, we can mesh it all together and call it it the "New World Order"!
And thus send troops, instigators, politicians throughout the rhealm to hold our "Sacred Cause"!
And the only loss is Goy Blood, which is nothing to us and our "Super Supreme" Lambs of God!
How many flaming bushes are there in Haydes?
In Epilog Daniel!
The world just can't get along unless you guys have supreme power. 1933 World Jewish Congress
declared war on Germany, Put the half Jew Eisenhower in charge of the combined forces, covered up and blamed Jewish-Soviet Bolshevism war attrocities on the Germans, and then made Zyklon B the mass exterminator, in which a gas chamber was manufactured after the war to convince the Allies! Jews died from Typhus in your so-called extermination camps. David Cole and his movie exposed that!
Do you want me to send you a few DVD'd copies?
Hitler was no Saint by any means, but then he was up against you guys.
Evil Tribal Loyalty will only get you thrown into the "Eternal Bush of Fire"!
The same bush where Moses received the Ten Commandments, and then went on to Massacre everbody that wasn't Jewish, or "Pro Jewish"
History seems to repeat itself doesn't it!
Only a strategic fool would overlook the fact that for a people of such brilliance, they are not capable of sending a Jewish baby unto the Pharoahs family, have it loved and brought to
divine heights, and then tell him he is Jewish!
It got you out of Jail didn't it!--In jail for the same bullshit you are pulling today.
Excellent work!
I'm sure the Flaming Bush of Haydes is pleased----------------------------------
Let me see if I get this straight, JT.
Instead of people having random genetic mutations, you are saying that certain sets of mutations must be considered "Jews?"
And that people who have this special genetic makeup are somehow controlling the world?
Sounds very interesting, JT. This race of supermen must obviously be stopped at any cost, before they find the secret of Kryptonite and...
Sorry. Wrong comic book.
Hey I like it fine. If you put some flying monkeys in there it might sell better. Maybe some kind of ray gun too. This super race can have special mind-reading powers. And this DVD marketing campaign sings too. But given the intellectual range of the material, I suggest you deploy your message to something more appropriate, like a Speak-n-Spell. Or a coloring book. But even that might be a little high-brow for your target audience.
Daniel,
I think we're wasting our time responding to JT, he's obviously unhinged. Although you have to marvel at the ingenuity of a mind that can connect Greek, philosophy, and Jewish Hollywood.
Yeah. I should know better than to feed the troll.
You're right of course, Fred.
Oh Daniel!
The Troll comment hits it right on the nose! Being of Ture "Nordic" descent, and which the Nords did invent "Trolls", I'm fully in tune with your comment.
Yes Indeed!, The Vikings conquered a major portion of society in their heyday. The difference between their conquests and your "Jewish" conquests is that they did it all by themselves, and didn't use and manipulate "Host"
governments with scandals, bribes, and corruption, like sending Esther unto the "King Of Persia, to change his mind against Haman. History repeats itself again doesn't it! Moses,--now Esther! Excellent work guys! A total strategic work of art, unparalleled in evil, timeliness and --You name it! Total thumbs up!
But I don't think those American Soldiers wounded and mamed in Iraq will have my same enthusiasm as I do towards your unholy achievements!
As far as Superman goes,--he was a "Jewish" invention that told of the "Hidden" Jewish superhero amongst us fighting for "Truth" Justice", and the American way!
As far as this conversation over the net goes, I have to admit, you guys are getting your "asses" kicked! Don't you have anything else to throw at me?
As far a Genetic Mutations,--You guys came up with the Jew-Gentile differences in your "Unholy"
scriptures of corruption! Which condoned the theivery of inheritance!
CLOWNS!
I see the "Winds of Change" Jews in charge of this website have somewhat mysterically made this branch of their ultimate guidance not as avalable as before!
All Heil the Troll!
Why does JT remind me so much of the Black Knight in "Holy Grail"???
A.L.
Really.
It's just a flesh wound.
Come back here and fight like a man! I'll bite your kneecaps off!
Nah!
Not Monty Python's Holy Grail!
More like "Mad Max" Beyond Thunderdome!
That's where the little Jew rides on top of the
Big white dummy of World politics!
Master Blaster!
Well!
Looks like the Goy won!
We can't fool em all.
Luckily there are still idiots like President Bush who believe everything we say, and thus
give their countries to us.
Bye, JT.