Pronouncing Blame on the Israel Lobby

Washington Post ^ | August 29, 2006 | Dana Milbank

[West Coast Conservative]

It was quite a boner.

University of Chicago political scientist John Mearsheimer was in town yesterday to elaborate on his view that American Jewish groups are responsible for the war in Iraq, the destruction of Lebanon's infrastructure and many other bad things. As evidence, he cited the influence pro-Israel groups have on "John Boner, the House majority leader."

Actually, Professor, it's "BAY-ner." But Mearsheimer quickly dispensed with Boehner (R-Ohio) and moved on to Jewish groups' nefarious sway over Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), who Mearsheimer called " Von Hollen."

Such gaffes would be trivial -- if Mearsheimer weren't claiming to be an authority on Washington and how power is wielded here. But Mearsheimer, with co-author Stephen Walt of Harvard's Kennedy School, set off a furious debate this spring when they argued that "the Israel Lobby" is exerting undue influence in Washington; opponents called them anti-Semitic.

Yesterday, at the invitation of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), they held a forum at the National Press Club to expand on their allegations about the Israel lobby. Blurring the line between academics and activists, they accepted a button proclaiming "Fight the Israel Lobby" and won cheers from the Muslim group for their denunciation of Israel and its friends in the United States.

Whatever motivated the performance, the result wasn't exactly scholarly.

Walt singled out two Jews who worked at the Pentagon for their pro-Israel views. "People like Paul Wolfowitz or Doug Feith . . . advocate policies they think are good for Israel and the United States alike," he said. "We don't think there's anything wrong with that, but we also don't think there's anything wrong for others to point out that these individuals do have attachments that shape how they think about the Middle East."

[hsalaw]

It was quite a boner.

I don't think that means what he thinks it means.

[cripplecreek]

we also don't think there's anything wrong for others to point out that these individuals do have attachments that shape how they think about the Middle East."

I don't have any attachments that shape my thinking about the mideast. Must be a JOOOOO in the woodpile somewhere.

[goldstategop]

Yeah, it must be those Elders Of Zion running the world. Look - its a Jewish conspiracy!

(No more Olmert! No more Kadima! No more Oslo! )

[pissant]

Sounds like Uncle Pat to me.

[Intolerant in NJ]

University of Chicago political scientist John Mearsheimer was in town yesterday to elaborate on his view that American Jewish groups are responsible for the war in Iraq...watched some of Mearsheimer's performance on C-Span today - a few nitwit strawmen arguments about why the US might have supported Israel in the Lebanon war, each laid to rest with a bunch of non-sequitor logic, eventually proving that QED the only possible reason left was that Jews have too much influence in the current administration - I half expected him to argue also that they have total control of Hollywood and our banks as well - scary and outrageous stuff it were coming from some conservative, but since it's an academic spouting it, it must be okay.....

[ClaireSolt]

Go get them talk radio!

[white trash redneck]

Geez! A Dana Milbank column that actually makes sense! I guess even a blind squirrel will stumble over an acorn every now and then.

[.cnI redruM]

It takes a couple of Boners like those guys to make Dana Millbank appear reasonable.

[KingofZion]

How ironic. In reality, if these so-called "academics" knew anything, they would know that Israel would probably have asked the US NOT to invade Iraq. The only time Saddam has threatened Israel is during Gulf War I and Gulf War II.

As for Hezbollah, funny how everyone conveniently forgets Hezzbollah's massacre of 200+ US troops who were in Lebanon on a peachkeeping mission. Hezbollah is scum of the earth.

[veronica]

Classic Jewhatred.