One lesson of Jeffrey Goldberg's continued platform in the New York Times to preach to Americans about Amalek and the Holocaust on the eve of Netanyahu's visit is that there is a war inside the Times between progressives/realists and neoconservatives/liberal hawks.
Yes Goldberg has been given room, several times now, and Benny Morris too. But the evidence of the war is Helene Cooper's surprisingly open-minded piece in the Times yesterday, anticipating Netanyahu's visit, speaking openly of "America's Israel lobby," and suggesting that Obama really is of a different mind on Israel/Palestine from his predecessors. Cooper's achievement here is that she quoted Ali Abunimah, Dan Levy and Chas Freeman. Wow. And you say the game hasn't changed! What a strong political combination those three represent. Freeman gets the last word:
“You can’t really tell anything by what happened to me and the fact
that he didn’t step forward to take on the skunks,” he said, referring
to his own appointment controversy and Mr. Obama’s silence amid
critics’ attacks. “The first nine months, Nixon was absolutely horrible
on China. In retrospect, it was clear that he had every intention to
charge ahead, but he was picking his moment. He didn’t want to have the
fight before he had to have the fight.”
I hope what happened to Chas Freeman was just Obama waiting and picking his time but somehow I doubt it. The neocons have come a long way since Nixon and they're not about to disappear into thin air and let Obama destroy their hold on the US decision making. Further evidence is the first contact with Syria by Jeffrey Feltman. Why send someone who openly criticizes Syria to try and mend relations unless the message you're trying to send is "business as usual". Even if he realy wants to "change", Obama has a lot of mine fields to cross and the neocons will be there waiting with their chant "yes we can".
Neocons are overrated, big time losers. They not only started two wars they couldn't finish, but also picked a fight with 'realists' who wound up cleaning their clocks. But nothing surpasses the politicization and stupidity of their rough handling of diplomats, spooks, uniformed services and long suffering career civil servants in the various agencies of the national security state. The fools started a 'war in heaven' they were destined to lose too. Obama has many enemies, even within the ranks, but neocons are the least of his worries. As a matter of fact, nothing helps him more than when one opens its mouth, like Goldberg for instance.
Freeman's remark was an unjustified slander….of skunks.
Rather tame to me. Its interesting the man doesn't just fade away never to be heard again.
Freeman quoted as referring to a respected political group as "skunks". I know you think that is shining light. I think it is gutter politics, by a "statesman".
Respected? By whom? Their fellow skunks?
RE: "Helene Cooper's surprisingly open-minded piece in the Times yesterday" GOMER PYLE SEZ: “Shazam!”, “Gaaw-aawl-ly” and “Surprise, surprise, surprise!”
“I sense that Obama is picking his moment,” says Freeman. "I sense" is another way of saying, “I have no intimate knowledge of the situation or contacts among Obama’s closest advisors,” and raises the question in a reader’s mind why he is even being quoted in the first place. Why is wishful thinking by a longtime critic of U.S.-Israel policy treated as if it offers real insight into Obama’s thinking?
You're always sanctimonious, Richard. That is one of your many repellent traits.
I sense that Obama is stalling.