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I'D LIKE TO THANK THE SENATE ARMED SERVICES COMMITTEE
Posted By Stephen M. Walt Friday, February 1, 2013 - 11:26 AM
In The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy (2007) John Mearsheimer and I wrote:
The bottom line is that AIPAC, which bills itself as 'America's
Pro-Israel lobby' has an almost unchallenged hold on Congress ... Open
debate about U.S. policy toward Israel does not occur there, even
though that policy has important consequences for the entire world.
(p. 162)
After discussing the lobby's efforts to influence the executive
branch, we noted:
There is an even more obvious way to shape an administration's policy:
the lobby's goals are served when individuals who share its
perspective occupy important positions in the executive branch. . .
.[G]roups in the lobby also try to make sure that people who are seen
as critical of Israel do not get important foreign policy jobs. (pp.
165-66)
And after a lengthy discussion of the lobby's efforts to police public
discourse and smear those who disagree with them with the charge of
anti-semitism, we concluded:
The various strategies that groups in the lobby employ ... are
mutually reinforcing. If politicians know that it is risky to
question Israeli policy or the United States' unyielding support for
Israel, then it will be harder for the mainstream media to locate
authoritative voices that are willing to disagree with the lobby's
views. If public discourse about Israel can be shaped so that most
American have generally positive impressions of the Jewish state, then
politicians will have even more reason to follow the lobby's lead.
Playing the anti-Semitism card stifles discussion even more and allows
myths about Israel to survive unchallenged. Although other interest
groups employ similar strategies in varying form. most of them can
only dream of having the political muscle that pro-Israel
organizations have amassed. (p. 196)
I want to thank the Emergency Committee for Israel, Sheldon Adelson,
and the Senate Armed Service Committee for providing such a compelling
vindication of our views. As Rosie Gray amd Andrew Kaczynski of
Buzzfeed noted, at yesterday's hearing on Chuck Hagel Israel was
mentioned 166 times, and Iran (a problem closely linked to Israel) 144
times. Afghanistan was mentioned only 20 times, and the problem of
suicides of U.S. troops only twice. Glad to see that those Senators
have their priorities straight. No wonder Mark Twain referred to
Congress as "the smallest minds and the selfishest souls and the
cowardliest hearts that God makes."
I am sometimes asked if I have any regrets about publishing our book.
As of today, my only regret is that it isn't being published now.
After the humiliations that Obama has endured at the hands of the
lobby and now the Hagel circus, we'd sell even more copies and we
wouldn't face nearly as much ill-informed criticism.
http://walt.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/02/01/id_like_to_thank_the_senate_armed_services_committ ee?wp_login_redirect=0
From: Baghdasarian
Posted By Stephen M. Walt Friday, February 1, 2013 - 11:26 AM
In The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy (2007) John Mearsheimer and I wrote:
The bottom line is that AIPAC, which bills itself as 'America's
Pro-Israel lobby' has an almost unchallenged hold on Congress ... Open
debate about U.S. policy toward Israel does not occur there, even
though that policy has important consequences for the entire world.
(p. 162)
After discussing the lobby's efforts to influence the executive
branch, we noted:
There is an even more obvious way to shape an administration's policy:
the lobby's goals are served when individuals who share its
perspective occupy important positions in the executive branch. . .
.[G]roups in the lobby also try to make sure that people who are seen
as critical of Israel do not get important foreign policy jobs. (pp.
165-66)
And after a lengthy discussion of the lobby's efforts to police public
discourse and smear those who disagree with them with the charge of
anti-semitism, we concluded:
The various strategies that groups in the lobby employ ... are
mutually reinforcing. If politicians know that it is risky to
question Israeli policy or the United States' unyielding support for
Israel, then it will be harder for the mainstream media to locate
authoritative voices that are willing to disagree with the lobby's
views. If public discourse about Israel can be shaped so that most
American have generally positive impressions of the Jewish state, then
politicians will have even more reason to follow the lobby's lead.
Playing the anti-Semitism card stifles discussion even more and allows
myths about Israel to survive unchallenged. Although other interest
groups employ similar strategies in varying form. most of them can
only dream of having the political muscle that pro-Israel
organizations have amassed. (p. 196)
I want to thank the Emergency Committee for Israel, Sheldon Adelson,
and the Senate Armed Service Committee for providing such a compelling
vindication of our views. As Rosie Gray amd Andrew Kaczynski of
Buzzfeed noted, at yesterday's hearing on Chuck Hagel Israel was
mentioned 166 times, and Iran (a problem closely linked to Israel) 144
times. Afghanistan was mentioned only 20 times, and the problem of
suicides of U.S. troops only twice. Glad to see that those Senators
have their priorities straight. No wonder Mark Twain referred to
Congress as "the smallest minds and the selfishest souls and the
cowardliest hearts that God makes."
I am sometimes asked if I have any regrets about publishing our book.
As of today, my only regret is that it isn't being published now.
After the humiliations that Obama has endured at the hands of the
lobby and now the Hagel circus, we'd sell even more copies and we
wouldn't face nearly as much ill-informed criticism.
http://walt.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2013/02/01/id_like_to_thank_the_senate_armed_services_committ ee?wp_login_redirect=0
From: Baghdasarian