The brilliant ‘n bold Tony Judt has again put it all together. In the latest London Review of Books, he demonstrates how the liberal intelligentsia have provided crucial support and cover for Bush’s misadventures in Iraq and the “war on terror.”
In today’s America, neo-conservatives generate brutish policies for which liberals provide the ethical fig-leaf. There really is no other difference between them.
Judt traces the malady in part to its obvious source, a liberal “blind spot” about Israel.
Historically, liberals have been unsympathetic to ‘wars of choice’ when undertaken or proposed by their own government. War, in the liberal imagination (and not only the liberal one), is a last resort, not a first option. But the United States now has an Israeli-style foreign policy and America’s liberal intellectuals overwhelmingly support it.
Apart from Judt’s intellectual leadership, the piece seems to me remarkable on two points. First, it lists New Yorker editor David Remnick in the ranks of those Judt calls “useful idiots.” Which is very gutsy for a writer to do. Second, he describes all of Israel’s wars with the exception of the Yom Kippur war as wars “of choice.” ’67? That, too. Even gutsier.
good job sonder, good job.
The Israeli War of Independence is the best example of a war "of choice". It is obvious to any student of history that Israel was the aggressor and the Israeli lobby has been covering this up ever since, I am so glad the this blog is so informative.
Keep up the good work, you and the The Observer are doing a wonderful job uncovering all of these conspiracies.
I am surprised that this blog is not more popular with your readership. They must be learning so much as you learn and we all learn together.
When Hezbollah kidnaps two of its soldiers, Israel like any army in the world has to retaliate. Then Hezbollah was bombing the city of Haifa. Israel has the right to protect its citizens. I once again ask publsiher Jared Kushner and editor Peter Kaplan to spare the world this drivel.
Does the Hamas gov't have the right to devastate Israel with bombs? After all, the IDF has killed 250 Gazans over the past three months?
Can you see beyond your ethnic blinders?
No. Then you are no different than any unthinking nationalist anywhere. Not my country right or wrong (you do criticize America). But my people right or wrong.
Keep it up Phil.
henry cattans "the palestine question" said the same thing, that all of israels wars were offensive except that one.