Remember when everyone used to worry about inflation? Now the problem is conflation. The Miami Herald reports that, campaigning for the Jewish vote for John McCain in Florida, Joe Lieberman has linked hawkish U.S. activities in the Middle East with Israel’s interests, and Jewish interests.
”The Democratic Party, I believe, respectfully, has left the strongest
roots of its foreign policy and national security,” Lieberman said,
adding that McCain “has always believed that Israel is our natural
ally, from the beginning of its modern existence to this day in the war
against Islamic extremists and terrorists.”
So support for Israel’s side in the cycle of violence with the Palestinians is the "strongest roots" of our foreign policy. Once again, an American Jewish public figure conflates Israel’s interests and our own. (And what if you don’t think that Israel is a great democracy–because Arabs can’t serve in the Israeli army? And what if you think our support for these policies has angered and radicalized the Arab world?)
The Miami Herald article is interesting in 2 other ways. First, John Mearsheimer, author of a "controversial" book, is quoted fairly. About time. Though controversial is a smear. What about all the neocon war manuals? Are they controversial now? Were they ever?
Also, note that the Herald devotes 1200 words or more to the Jewish voters in Florida, and good for the Herald; we are sure to see this sort of story echoed in the Times once the general campaign begins. Jewish voters. The fight for Jewish voters in battleground states. But not a word about Jewish money, when it is the battle for Jewish financial support that is crucial to any number of political campaigns. No; the word money is an antisemitic canard…
