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On Neo-Cons, Israel, and the Two Parties: An FR EXCLUSIVE Interview with Closet Freeper Daniel Pipes
Free Republic | 5/24/04 | Cinnamon Girl

Posted on 05/24/2004 7:24:20 AM PDT by Cinnamon Girl

As the attack on the "neo-cons" gains momentum with On-the-Fritz Holling’s paranoid rantings and now General Zinni’s interview on “60 Minutes,” I had the opportunity to talk with oft mentioned "neo-con" Dr. Daniel Pipes during his visit to LA this past week.

Even though his speaking engagement in Westwood the night before was covered by both the LAPD and private security guards, Dr. Pipes agreed to disappear into the hidden gardens of Beverly Hills with just me and some dumb questions.

It started off like a Chris Farley interview:

CG: “What did your dad teach at Harvard?”

Daniel Pipes: “Russian History.”

CG: “Wow… So your parents must have been crazy communists, huh?”

Daniel Pipes: “No.”

***(Found later, from the Boston Globe: Harvard historian Richard Pipes shaped the Reagan administration's aggressive approach to the Soviet Union. His support for confrontation over containment prefigured the Bush foreign policy of today. 11/2/2003) –(oops.)

It kind of continued along those lines for a little while as we drove up to Greystone Mansion and took a walk around the extraordinary estate.

CG: “What was that whole Fritz Hollings thing about?”

I handed him an article about the Hollings’ webpage rant, the thrust of which was that all the Jews that Hollings could think of, including members of the Mossad, were responsible for getting the U.S. into Iraq.

Truly, I was hoping for some strong words from Dr. Pipes like, “that insane Democrat clown!” but none were forthcoming. In fact, Dr. Pipes seemed consistently moderate in his tone and measured with his words. He scanned the article quickly and handed it back to me. He wasn’t surprised. He said it was the trend now, this kind of talk, and it further defined the two parties.

“The tendencies are clear—a sorting out. The Democrat party is the skeptical-of-Israel party. Republicans are more and more the pro-Israel party,” Dr. Pipes said calmly. His prediction: within the next 10 years, the two parties will be clearly defined as pro-Israel, and anti-Israel, and it will be clear to voters which is which.

It sounded as if the Democrats would become even more European in their approach.

CG: “What about Pat Buchanan? Do you think he’s a crazy anti-semite, like I do?”

Daniel Pipes: “He’s not crazy. He’s a populist. And along with many populists, he’s adopted anti-semitism.”

CG: “When I see the word ‘neo-cons’ now I think it’s just a euphemism for ‘the Jews.’”

I was looking for validation, but Dr. Pipes didn’t have the same visceral reaction to the term that I did. He explained, as we stood on the balcony of the mansion, overlooking the grassy rolling yard and the entire city of Los Angeles beyond, that the term ‘neo-con’ had been around for a while and simply referred to people who’d been known as liberals and changed over to conservative. He kind of acknowledged that it had taken on a different meaning lately, but I guess, as an historian, he was considering a much broader picture.

Daniel Pipes is 6’4 but he is not intimidating. He is quiet, but not shy. He does not use fiery language but he has a strong point of view.

As we spoke about Israel, a hummingbird came near, attending to a cluster of purple flowers. I pointed her out excitedly, especially when she sat for a moment and her wings were still. Dr. Pipes turned his attention to the miniature creation, in awe, as I was. We watched her until she disappeared.

Dr. Pipes had said something very shocking to me at his lecture in Westwood. He said that he has come to find President Bush unpredictable with regard to his position on Israel. Dr. Pipes said he just holds his breath when President Bush speaks; that he doesn’t know which way he will go. One day President Bush is supporting his friend Sharon, the next day he’s saying the “west bank” settlements are on the table.

I had thought President Bush was totally in support of Israel and just trying to be diplomatic with the Muslim countries. Dr. Pipes said he really didn’t know what President Bush thought.

Why doesn’t President Bush talk to Dr. Pipes, who was appointed by the President to U.S. Institute of Peace? I asked Dr. Pipes, be he just answered, “he doesn’t.”

The question remains.


TOPICS: Free Republic; US: California
KEYWORDS: danielpipes; israel
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The fact that in the past week more people on the left have been coming out with the "it's the Jews" attack supports Dr. Pipes' contention that the two parties are clearly defining themselves. Where does that leave Democrats who have insisted they support Israel? What will John Kerry say about all this?
1 posted on 05/24/2004 7:24:22 AM PDT by Cinnamon Girl
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To: Alouette; yonif; Yehuda; dennisw; swarthyguy; monkeyshine; UltraConservative; rantblogger; ...

Do you read Dr. Pipes' stuff?


2 posted on 05/24/2004 7:28:28 AM PDT by Cinnamon Girl
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To: Cinnamon Girl

As long as Hillary remains a Jew, the left still have their spokesperson on the matter.


3 posted on 05/24/2004 7:28:59 AM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
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To: Cinnamon Girl
Why doesn’t President Bush talk to Dr. Pipes, who was appointed by the President to U.S. Institute of Peace? I asked Dr. Pipes, be he just answered, “he doesn’t.”
The question remains.

Why should he?

4 posted on 05/24/2004 7:31:27 AM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
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To: Cinnamon Girl

Pipes has suggested that the end-game for Iraq is for the US to find a strong-man, groom him and put him in charge, and then get out. I don't know quite what to think of that, but in general I find him very solid and clear-thinking, and a major asset to this country in defining the moral clarity of our fight against Islamofascism.


5 posted on 05/24/2004 7:33:09 AM PDT by Piranha
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To: Cinnamon Girl

Big time bump!


6 posted on 05/24/2004 7:34:35 AM PDT by Peach (The Clintons pardoned more terrorists than they ever captured or killed.)
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To: RedBloodedAmerican

Just to hear from an expert how he has developed his point of view on Israel. Take it or leave it, but isn't it good to be fully informed?


7 posted on 05/24/2004 7:36:41 AM PDT by Cinnamon Girl
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To: Cinnamon Girl

You must know one one thing. His father was a giant in Russian studies. An awesome guy. I've spoken to those who worked for him. Richard Pipes headed Harvard's "Russian Studies" department when the cold war was going on. Dan follows in his footsteps.

More about Richard Pipes
http://www.benadorassociates.com/pipesrichard.php

*I'm also infinitely impressed by hummingbirds. They love red, red flowers.


8 posted on 05/24/2004 7:37:32 AM PDT by dennisw ("Allah FUBAR!")
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To: dennisw; Cachelot; Yehuda; Nix 2; veronica; Catspaw; knighthawk; Alouette; Optimist; weikel; ...

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.


9 posted on 05/24/2004 7:40:24 AM PDT by SJackson (Arab leaders don't give a damn whether the refugees live or die, R. Garroway, UNWRA director, 8/58)
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To: RedBloodedAmerican

"As long as Hillary remains a Jew"

Hillary Rodham was raised as a Methodist, and married a Baptist. How this makes her a Jew I'm a bit unclear.


10 posted on 05/24/2004 7:40:57 AM PDT by doug9732
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To: Cinnamon Girl

May 3, 2004 , ADL DC dinner/Reuters photo

11 posted on 05/24/2004 7:41:09 AM PDT by NormsRevenge (Semper Fi Mac ... Become a FR Monthly Donor ... Kerry thread archive @ /~normsrevenge)
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To: Cinnamon Girl
Dr. Pipes had said something very shocking to me at his lecture in Westwood. He said that he has come to find President Bush unpredictable with regard to his position on Israel. Dr. Pipes said he just holds his breath when President Bush speaks; that he doesn’t know which way he will go. One day President Bush is supporting his friend Sharon, the next day he’s saying the “west bank” settlements are on the table.

I had thought President Bush was totally in support of Israel and just trying to be diplomatic with the Muslim countries. Dr. Pipes said he really didn’t know what President Bush thought.

Why did you think that?

President Bush is pro-Israel by contrast to the Democrats, but he has never indicated an understanding that the culture of the so-called "palestinians" is anti-Semitic and genocidal from its root and to its core.

Israel doesn't have a peace partner, it has a lethal antagonist with a lust for war and bloodshed.


12 posted on 05/24/2004 7:45:40 AM PDT by Sabertooth (Mohammed wrote: "Cut off their heads, and cut off the tips of their fingers." (Sura 8:12))
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To: Cinnamon Girl

BUMP!


13 posted on 05/24/2004 7:47:29 AM PDT by Tolik
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To: Piranha
Pipes has suggested that the end-game for Iraq is for the US to find a strong-man, groom him and put him in charge, and then get out.

An Arab Lee Kwan Yu? Those don't grow on trees.

14 posted on 05/24/2004 7:50:52 AM PDT by Carry_Okie (There are people in power who are truly gutless.)
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To: doug9732
IIRC, she made the point to tell her Jewish constituents in NY during her Senatorial election campaign that she has a Jewish bloodline.
I do not have a link handy to her statements on that. But I think Google would.
15 posted on 05/24/2004 8:01:52 AM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
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To: Cinnamon Girl

Ha! You got more face time with him once you demonstrated your naivete and innocence about his father and parents. Assuming they were commies. Quite the opposite. They fled communism.


16 posted on 05/24/2004 8:01:59 AM PDT by dennisw ("Allah FUBAR!")
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To: Cinnamon Girl

Dr. Pipes had said something very shocking to me at his lecture in Westwood. He said that he has come to find President Bush unpredictable with regard to his position on Israel.

I think he's referring to some of the public statements coming from the Bush administration (The security fence issue comes to mind)


17 posted on 05/24/2004 8:05:40 AM PDT by Valin (Hating people is like burning down your house to kill a rat)
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To: Cinnamon Girl
Good to be informed, but I don't think Bush hiring Pipes would make Bush "fully informed". Not taking anything away from Pipes, I like his writings. But it's good to get more than one counsel on the issue, which Bush is doing.

Did you ever see his (Bush) tour in Israel prior to his announcing his bid for Presidency years ago?
I fully believe he has a heart for Israel and their best interest. Just because Pipes doesn't know what to expect from him, or that Bush doesn't do what Pipes would want or expect, doesn't make Bush wrong. Does it?

18 posted on 05/24/2004 8:05:55 AM PDT by RedBloodedAmerican
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To: Piranha
Pipes has suggested that the end-game for Iraq is for the US to find a strong-man, groom him and put him in charge, and then get out.

I only see one minor problem with that - a "strong-man" usually winds up becoming an iron-fisted dictator, and eventually it comes back and bites us in the booty...

19 posted on 05/24/2004 8:08:29 AM PDT by Chad Fairbanks (You make me feel warm all over. No...wait...I'm soaking in a puddle of my own urine.)
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To: doug9732; RedBloodedAmerican

Don't you remember, when Hillary was running for Senate, it was conveniently reported that she had amazingly and recently discovered that she had distant Jewish relatives.


20 posted on 05/24/2004 8:09:05 AM PDT by agrace
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