Elliott Abrams

Dana Milbank in the Washington Post today attacks Walt and Mearsheimer's appearance in D.C. yesterday on racialist grounds, saying that they are blue-eyed and have Germanic names, and he wonders about their motivation for saying what they do about the Israel lobby. He also says they have no idea how Washington works, then dismisses the idea that the attachment among Jews to Israel is a significant factor in policymaking, because while yes, Elliott Abrams and Douglas Feith care about Israel, Bush and Cheney are fervently behind Israel, too.

I also watched Mearsheimer and Walt yesterday, speaking before the Council on American-Islamic Relations, on C-Span. I saw two smart guys sincerely engaging very difficult issues, at considerable personal risk. When Milbank argues—in an underhanded, not direct way— that talking about the Israel lobby's effects on policy is antisemitic nonsense, I wonder, Is he being sincere? Is he doing what a journalist should do, and tell us what he knows about important issues? No. He's being obfuscatory. He should take M-W's argument on genuinely, and tell us, as the big Washington insider he announces he is, just how little power he seems to believe the lobby exercises, and why.

Milbank's attack is upsetting to some who share my views. It's so snarky, so backhanded. Well, I see great progress. These issues weren't discussed a year ago. Now, thanks to M-W, the seal is broken. Many have quietly lined up behind these dudes. Who knows who else will show a little unMilbankian courage....

In a recent column, neocon Daniel Pipes openly questions the loyalties of British Muslims.

Polling indicates that a majority of Muslims perceive a conflict between their British and Muslim identities. Two polls show that only a small proportion identifies itself first as a British (7% and 12%), but they differ widely on the number who identify first with their religion (81% and 46%).

Pipes concludes, "Britain's potential terrorists live in a highly nurturing community."

His point is well taken. Terrorism is a hearts-and-minds issue. Terrorists draw strength, both in finances and in morale, from law-abiding communities. One reason I am for Islamic reformers.

Pipes's point also opens the door on my question: How important is Israel, politically/religiously, in the hearts and minds of the neoconservatives and other Jewish hawks? I think, very large. For instance, former Bush speechwriter David Frum describes America as "this new Israel," while Elliott Abrams, Bush's aide on Middle East matters, writes:

Outside the land of Israel, there can be no doubt that Jews, faithful to the covenant between God and Abraham, are to stand apart from the nation in which they live. It is the very nature of being Jewish to be apart--except in Israel--from the rest of the population....

The neocons, along with a lot of Democratic hawks, have thoroughly conflated American and Israeli interests, to the detriment of U.S. foreign policy. They honestly believe our interests and Israel's are congruent. I think they're wrong, and Americans should debate this. And if it's legitimate to talk about how Muslims identify themselves, and I think it is, it is also fair to ask how important Israel is to rightwing Jewish-Americans who have pushed for war with Iraq, Syria and Iran.

My most frequent commenter, a Mr. Anonymous, calls me a "Judenrat" for noting that Leonard Greene, the inventor who takes out ads against the killing of Muslims, is Jewish. Anon goes on:

What difference does it make what religion Leonard Greene is? In the name of fair reporting, why not report the religion of every person mentioned in every article about the Middle East—like Mearsheimer, Walt and Rachel Corrie? Maybe you can put a little yellow star next to the Jews, and a red one next to the ones with "Jewish sounding names".

Anonymous has a good point. Issues should be discussed on their merits. Whereas I'm being ad hominem, talking about the man. This is a hard one to think through. Some answers:  read more »

You have to climb the Strand's Judaica bookshelves like a ladder to get at a copy of Elliott Abrams'  read more »