Here is Rahm Emanuel sounding neocon themes of regime change and Israel-first, right after the Lebanon war started in 2006. In this speech on the House floor, he justifies Israeli militarism:
in Lebanon have militias affiliated with those governments. So those
are democracies. [obviously sarcastic] They are not truly democracies, they are totalitarian entities with militias and terrorists acting as democracies.
As we talk about bringing democracy to the Mideast, understand that
that button should be paused for a second and understand the
consequences here. That what has happened is Saudi Arabia, most
importantly, Egypt and Jordan, have brought peace and have come to a
peace agreement with Israel. Those who have violated that peace are,
quote-unquote, democracies, as we spread democracy in the Mideast.
Understand what that means here, and the consequences of what has
happened here, is that you cannot allow this violation of
internationally recognized borders, three soldiers to be seized, and
think there will be no act of war. That is what has broadened, and yes,
many of its citizens will be hurt.
I want to see an end to the violence that is engulfing Israel and
Lebanon, but it will not end this violence at the ballot box. It will
only end with the emergence of true partners who recognize the
importance of peace and the end of terrorist regimes founded on hate.
Comment. True partners: This is all you need to know about Israel/Palestine. On the basis of this test of humanhood, the Palestinian right to self-determination has been nullified by American Jews for 60 years (with scant but yes noble demurral), even as bloodstained Pakistan, India, and Kosovo were granted their godd–n states without any such test. And how can Israel call itself a democracy when 4 million Arabs have lesser or no representation. This is a source of great rage across the Arab world, and Emanuel's likely next boss knows that. And as Ian Lustick has shown, Israel's militarism has helped to inflame the whole region in militarism.
