Andrew Sullivan might have saved himself three years' mental labor by reading Walt and Mearsheimer in March 2006. He writes:
I took neoconservatism seriously for a long time, because it offered an interesting critique of what's wrong with the Middle East, and seemed to have the only coherent strategic answer to the savagery of 9/11. I now realize that the answer – the permanent occupation of Iraq – was absurdly utopian and only made feasible by exploiting the psychic trauma of that dreadful day. The closer you examine it, the clearer it is that neoconservatism, in large part, is simply about enabling the most irredentist elements in Israel and sustaining a permanent war against anyone or any country who disagrees with the Israeli right. That's the conclusion I've been forced to these last few years. And to insist that America adopt exactly the same constant-war-as-survival that Israelis have been slowly forced into. Cheney saw America as Netanyahu sees Israel: a country built for permanent war and the "tough, mean, dirty, nasty business" of waging it (with a few war crimes to keep the enemy on their toes).
But America is not Israel. America might support Israel, might have
a special relationship with Israel. But America is not Israel. And once
that distinction is made, much of the neoconservative ideology
collapses.
But America is not Israel. America might support Israel, might have
a special relationship with Israel. But America is not Israel. And once
that distinction is made, much of the neoconservative ideology
collapses.
Honorable. And of course Sullivan has apologized for his support for the Iraq war. Andrew, move on to: Who propagated "Radical Islam" and why? and Marty Peretz, what did you feed me in my cradle?
P.S. Jeffrey Goldberg attacked his friend Joe Klein when Klein made a similar charge about the neocons last summer. Goldberg attacked Walt and Mearsheimer, saying they blamed all wars on Jews. Will he go after Sullivan? I say no; this battle's lost. And that's a great sign in itself. Some day this will be the conventional wisdom.
(Phil Weiss)
