Monday, April 24, 2006
Lynn B. does a great comparison. (And congrats on the LGF link)
The Israel Lobby’s power flows from its unmatched ability to play this game of interest group politics. In its basic operations, it is no different from interest groups like the Farm Lobby, steel and textile workers, and other ethnic lobbies. What sets the Israel Lobby apart is its extraordinary effectiveness.
-- "The Israel Lobby, " p. 16
Moreover, the art of directing masses and individuals by means of cleverly manipulated theory and verbiage, by regulations of life in common and all sorts of other quirks, in all which the GOYIM understand nothing, belongs likewise to the specialists of our administrative brain. Reared on analysis, observation, on delicacies of fine calculation, in this species of skill we have no rivals, any more than we have either in the drawing up of plans of political actions and solidarity.
-- Protocol 5, Paragraph 4
Not too off-topic, Christopher Hitchens replies to Tony Judt's NYT Op-Ed in support of Walt and Meirsheimer:
To the Editor:
Tony Judt says that I characterized the work of John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt as "slightly but unmistakably smell." But I was not referring to their criticism of Israeli conduct in the occupied territories: criticism that I stipulated was weaker than that policy deserves.
I was challenging their two further assertions that Israel (a) has induced the US government to intervene in Iraq and (b) has brought the wrath of Al Qaeda on the US.
Mr. Judt himself does not defend either of these highly dubious propositions. If an Israeli "lobby" were covertly manipulating our foreign policy, we would have intervened first in Iran. And if Osama bin Laden were moved principally by the suffering of the Palestinians -- rather than by his demand to impose a caliphate on Afghans, Iraqis, Turks, Egyptians and others -- then he would be at least morally right.
That last assuption probably deserves a much stronger condemnation than the word "smelly."
Christopher Hitchens
Washington, April 19, 2006
I guess there are some would say this is evidence that Hitchens is completely under David Frum's pro-Israel neo-con thrall. (Just kidding)