More evidence that the neocon moment is over.
David Schenker has lately left his post as “the Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, and Palestinian affairs adviser in the office of the secretary of defense” (to become—of course—a senior fellow in Arab politics for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy). Penning an article in the Weekly Standard, Schenker now complains at length about his erstwhile bosses’ policy re Syria, and concludes:
Despite the administration’s rhetorical campaign against Syria, Washington is in no rush to up the ante with Damascus.
George Ajjan, a Republican politician in New Jersey and a Syrian-American, first blogged this story. His interpretation:
Schenker’s article basically admits to the neo-cons’ political base: Look guys, we’ve bitten off more than we can chew, and sorry, but our plan to change the whole Middle East is just not realistic. Some of his colleagues will be furious at such a revelation. This is a proto-concession speech.
Well, the neo-con plot was never realistic to begin with. As the Bush Administration’s policies, shaped by this misguided vision, continue to play out in the Middle East, we should definitely expect more such frustration expressed, and continued infighting from within the neo-con ranks.
Phil,
Thank you for the link. Despite whatever disagreements both you (as a leftist) and I (as a Republican) have with the past-and-present superiors of Mr. Schenker, his analyses are quite well-reasoned. His recent testimony before Congress regarding the Syria Accountability Act and continuing US Sanctions against Syria was largely in harmony with his co-panelist: former US Ambassador to Syria and long-time State Department operative Ted Qattouf.
What remains to me seen from my point of view is how the ideology associated with those commonly called "neo-cons" will play out in the context of the 2008 Primaries on both sides.