Comments on: The Washington Post Can’t Stop Talking About Jewish Power (and Walt and Mearsheimer)

By: Richard Witty

Richard Witty — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

"Wisse at least mentioned them plainly, though she writes, unfairly, that they say American foreign policy is controlled by a "Jewish cabal"--an antisemitic canard. "

They disavow that there is a "Jewish cabal" when addressing the question directly, but then refer to the "lobby" as coherent elsewhere.

They have no thesis at all if the lobby is only a diverse amalgam, with the only common thread, a sentiment of support for Israel.

The assertion that the lobby manifests in any way "Israel right or wrong", fails, without the presumption of coherence, a singular voice.

By: e.t.

e.t. — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

"The assertion that the lobby manifests in any way "Israel right or wrong", fails, without the presumption of coherence, a singular voice."

Richard, this sentence doesn't seem to mean anything. What are you trying to say?

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Sort of off topic for this particular post of Philip's, but on topic for Philip's earlier calls for Jews to oppose war with Iran. Latest to join in the calling war with Iran folly is none other than NYC Major Michael Bloomberg. Bloomberg is quoted in Newsweek saying:

"You've got to stop nuclear proliferation, but I don't see any rational case for invasion or bombing. I've always thought that you should talk to everybody. Now I am not saying that the president of the United States should be talking to the president of Iran, but there ought to be back channels, ways of engaging."

Here is a link to a Google cache of the article with quote highlighted:

http://64.233.167.104/search?q=cache:www.newsweek.com/id/68113/output/print+%22You%27ve+got+to+stop+nuclear+proliferation,+but+I+don%27t+see+any+rational+case+for+invasion+or+bombing.%22

By: Tammany

Tammany — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

Philip – Quick run down to City Hall and make sure that Bloomberg is not providing a different perspective than the right wing jews you loathe. Heaven forbid there should be a diversity of opinions in the jewish community on foreign policy matters. Why, that would ruin your entire thesis that Jews are a cabal and not just like any other ethnic group in the USA.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

"...the pro-Israel people are gathered in the elitist turrets, ready to release boiling oil on the masses."

But if oil does not settle it they might as well start throwing the Richard Witties to the enraged volk whilst entoning their usual elite-jew choir of "we are victims!".

In fact the Richard Witties would better act as good jews: throw themselves to the masses in innocent lamb fashion and spare elite-jews from the ordeal of having to silence future Weissmandls.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

This may interest if any of you are in the Washington DC area next week. It is a discussion of "Kinship and Diasporas in International Affairs" by Yossi Shain, an Israeli academic who spends a lot of time writing about Jewish diaspora politics. I understand this talk will focus, as a case study, on the American Jewish diaspora.

http://events.georgetown.edu/events/index.cfm?Action=View&CalendarID=349&EventID=53836

The field of "diaspora politics", the field Shain and his peers study, is summarized in this Wikipedia article:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diaspora_politics_in_the_United_States

By: Defenestrator

Defenestrator — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

"The assertion that the lobby manifests in any way 'Israel right or wrong', fails, without the presumption of coherence, a singular voice."

There need be no coherence of voice. The ASPCA and PETA both want there to be humane treatment of animals, and can be lumped into "animal rights activists" . Yet, there is no coherence between them.

By: Ben

Ben — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

It would be interesting to see a piece that answers Philip's question: "How much power do Jews have in the new establishment?" It would take significant guts on the part of the Washington Post.

I do remember that the Washington Post did publish a major research piece on the influence and structure of the "Israel lobby" back in July 2006. It was a real contribution to the debate as it did deal with facts.

Glenn Frankel. "A Beautiful Friendship? In search of the truth about the Israel lobby's influence on Washington." The Washington Post. July 16 2006.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/12/AR2006071201627_pf.html

By: David

David — Mon, 29 Nov 1999 23:00:00 +0000

An interesting note from Steve Clemons: He notices that Chuck Shumer's switcharoo on the Mukasey vote has some similarities to his performance during the last Bolton confirmation, when he said (behind the scenes) that "a vote against Bolton is a vote against Israel."

Clemons suggests that Shumer and Feinstein's break with the Democratic ranks just might have something to do with their "idiosyncratic involvement with the nominee."