Jews for War

The Jewish neocons are outliers, like, say "Jews For Jesus"

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Jews for War
by MJ Rosenberg
03-Jul-2010
 

One hoped that the neoconservatives would have disappeared after George W. Bush left office and the Iraq War they worked so hard to engineer proved to be a disaster. All those dead, nothing accomplished except the establishment of Iran as the main player in Iraq.

But they are still around and still pushing for a war with Iran, which they want even more than the last one. Everywhere you look there's Elliot Abrams, Richard Perle, John Bolton, John Podhoretz, Douglas Feith, Danielle Pletka, The Washington Post editorial page, Frank Gaffney, Charles Krauthammer, Max Boot, The Wall Street Journal, Daniel Pipes, New Republic, Liz Cheney and a host of others who, undaunted by the Iraq debacle, are gung-ho about taking out Iran. (Then there is AIPAC, which is the war party's headquarters.)

Check out the Commentary website, and you'll see one piece after another urging the United States to allow Israel to attack Iran. (Commentary, once the house organ of the American Jewish Committee, is now neoconservatism's Pravda.)

Until the 1967 Arab-Israeli war, Commentary was a fairly progressive magazine (except on race, Podhoretz admitted to a real problem with African-Americans). After that, it became the mouthpiece of the lobby and the Likud party.

Its editor Norman Podhoretz invented the term "neoconservative" to describe those, like himself, who were liberals on every issue except those related to Israel. But they have evolved into right-wingers on everything, understanding that they would not have real cred with the right on the Middle East unless they pretended to be anti-choice, anti-environment, anti-regulation, anti-poor people, deficit hawks, unsympathetic to minorities, etc). It kills them to have to fake liking Jeff Sessions more than Elana Kagan but it's what they have to do. (Like 1930's Communists and the Soviet Union, they follow a line faithfully and without deviation).

Anyway, Iran is not the only issue the Commentary neocons care about. They also vehemently oppose any pressure on Israel about anything. Basically there are two neocon mottoes: "Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran" and "Settlements R Us."

Here are a few gems from recent Commentary pieces that provide some insight as to what the neocons are all about these days.

My personal favorite comes from lead Commentary writer/blogger, Jennifer Rubin. She provides the intellectual heft at Commentary now that Podhoretz has retired.

[Israel]...will at some point be forced to take military action, War is a horrid prospect, as is the potential for massive loss of life -- but not as horrid as that of a nuclear-armed Iran. unless [the Obama administration] undergo[es] an epiphany and reverse[s] course.

Yes, war is "horrid." And so is "massive loss of life..." But they constitute a price Rubin -- and all her chickenhawk friends -- are willing to pay to prevent an Iranian bomb. (She'll pay, of course, with other peoples' kids, but, hey, whatcha gonna do?) One thing she won't do with Iran is engage in diplomacy.

Here's more from Rubin. In this one she wonders if Israel can "quite literally" survive the Obama presidency:

These are trying times for Israel, and the most seasoned officials find it difficult to both preserve their credibility and avert a blow-up with the Obama administration. [Israeli Ambassador Michael] Oren is plainly striving to walk a very fine line and navigate through the thicket of domestic critics and rivals. He certainly has his work cut out for him, as does the entire Israeli government, which must figure out how (quite literally) the Jewish state is to survive the Obama presidency.

Rubin on J Street:

They are also in favor of carving up Jerusalem and lifting the Gaza blockade -- and opposed to sanctions against Iran and statements, however bland, in support of Israel's right of self-defense. But [Jeff] Goldberg doesn't bother with all that. Nor does he address why it is that J Street hosted a confab filled with apologists for the mullahs.

Rubin on missing George W. Bush:

It's not just many Americans who miss him, but Coptic Christians, the Green Movement, ravaged masses in Darfur, brutalized women of the Middle East, Egyptian democracy protesters, and scores of others who no longer have a forceful voice in the White House or an American foreign policy which considers them a high priority.

I don't know about any of that, although, no doubt, Rubin is in closer contact with Coptic Christians, the Green Movement and the ravaged masses in Darfur than I am.

But I do know one group that misses George W. Bush: the neocons. And they miss him primarily for one reason -- he followed their advice about Iraq (their guy, Douglas Feith, was actually the No. 2 in the Pentagon, manipulating the intelligence right there at DoD!) They thought they could railroad Bush into supporting an Israeli bombing attack on Iran.

But they couldn't. Bush actually rebuffed that idea when Vice President Dick Cheney (the ultimate neocon favorite) asked him to let Israel do it just prior to Obama's inauguration. To their deep regret, Bush said no. Having once been pushed into a war by this gang (the war that destroyed his presidency), Bush was not having it.

I mean, even he had to think about US interests sometime.

Will Obama fall for their lies? I doubt it. But one never knows. In a city where absolutely everything is about politics and getting campaign donations, one never knows, does one? But know this: the neocon lobby's #1 priority these days is not preserving the Gaza blockade, or even the occupation, it is getting a shooting/bombing war with Iran going. As Jennifer Rubin says, the "massive loss of life" would be "horrid" but "not as horrid as a nuclear armed Iran."

Funny, she doesn't feel that way about Pakistan or North Korea. And she celebrates Israel's 200 nuclear bombs. But, in the case of Iran, she's ready to have innocent kids die. But that would be "horrid." Indeed.

Neoconservatives, as Keith Olbermann would say, "the WORST people in the world."

FOR the record, the term neoconservatives, although invented by the still-neocon American Jewish Committee by way of its then magazine Commentary does not only apply to Jews. One, there are 6,000,000 Jews in America, 78% voted for Obama, and probably more than that number are anti-war liberals. Neocons and Israel-firsters are not representative of the Jewish community which, according to every poll, is the most liberal community in the United States, with the exception of African-Americans. Foreign policy (i.e,Israel) is not even among Jews' first five voting issues.

At the most, there are 200 neocons. They are not all Jewish although many are, and that number includes the leadership of AIPAC, the American Jewish Committee and some of the other major organizations (which, all together, have memberships representing 5% of all Jews).

What distinguishes neocons from normal people is their relentless dedication to what they perceive (incorrectly) as Israel's best interests, their contempt for Muslims, and their reckless desire to involve America in wars that have little, or nothing, to do with US interests. The archetypal neocon -- and probably the one who did the most damage -- is Douglas Feith, who was recruited by fellow neocon, Richard Perle, to serve as undersecretary of the Department of Defense in the second Bush administration. He used that position exclusively to push war with Iraq, which is why Perle put him there.

But, for the record, it is insulting to Jews to suggest that the neocons represent them. Nobody chose them. Rather they glommed on to the community the way Al Sharpton glommed on to he African-American community.

The truth is that if any political community is to be legitimately connected to American Jews, it is the progressive left, in which Jews have played a wonderfully disproportionate role throughout American history. There is hardly a left or progressive cause that has not been disproportionately Jewish. Why? The combination of the dictates of our faith (see the Prophets, any of them) and the long history of right-wing anti-Semitism (culminating in Nazism) have made Jews fear and understand the chauvinist right more than most others do. The Jewish neocons are outliers, like, say "Jews For Jesus" or "Jews for Palin."

First published in HuffingtonPost.com.

AUTHOR
MJ Rosenberg is Senior Foreign Policy Fellow, Media Matters Action Network.

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NASSER SHIRAKBARI

Neoconservetism

by NASSER SHIRAKBARI on Sat Jul 10, 2010 06:02 PM PDT

It appears that you have the same identity problem with "Jewish" as we do with "Iranian".  A minority of Jews in the United States have engaged in their despicable behavior of war mongering that everyone knows and afraid to say it for being labeled and anti semitic.  Equally, a minority Shia Muslims have taken over the government of Iran and with their crimes against our own people, ignorant statements about Holocaust, and causing anxiety in the Middle East with their incoherent Nuclear Program, Having given the world the wrong impression of Iranians.  The recent anti government demonstrations in Iran has to a great degree rectified our problem.  The distinction of who the Iranians are and who is ruling them has been made.  You have your work cut out for you.  You must continue writing such informative articles to let everyone know that the Neocons do not represent the Jewish community as a whole.


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bushtheliberator

I don't know the Books of the Bible that well.

by bushtheliberator on Tue Jul 06, 2010 07:07 PM PDT

dear Fooladi,

Bozo didn't just 'complain' to the Russians, he INSULTED their leadership by suggesting that they were so spineless that they let the USA drive Russian policy.That was rude.

There was a poster," Koranist" @ Foreign Policy a few days ago under' No Shia,No Sunni' who seemed to me to have laid out the "struggle" so clearly that even a simple,country Christian could understand it.

As for me, I've got just enough understanding to pick a side.I need a Green Montezeri T-shirt.

 

 

 


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Onlyiran

well said Majid

by Onlyiran on Mon Jul 05, 2010 08:06 AM PDT

well said...good response to one of the most abusive name callers on this site.


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Rosie.

Majid,

by Rosie. on Mon Jul 05, 2010 03:23 AM PDT

spread the love.


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humanbeing

majid

by humanbeing on Mon Jul 05, 2010 01:21 AM PDT

your comment reminded me of the funny scene from woody allen's annie hall (of course play it again sam is the best, but okay)

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaPBhxXhprg

from the other side of the counter. so see, if we all share an obsession, there's room for rapprochement.


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Majid

Hello Mr. this, Hello Mr. that

by Majid on Mon Jul 05, 2010 12:01 AM PDT

OK....every one got it! you have seniority here! so WHAT?

What in the hell did you accomplish in the past 2 years and so many weeks? other than spewing your bull crap and hatred towards anything and everyting other than your filthy Arab a@@ kissing?

As soon as someone mentions June or July or jewelry your ears perk up thinking they are talking about Jews! and you show up and spit your usual filthy venom!

You and your ilk are a broken record you know!

There's a life out ther, GET IT. 


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Niloufar Parsi

dedicated to

by Niloufar Parsi on Sun Jul 04, 2010 11:30 PM PDT

bush the fascist


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fooladi

"struggle within Islam "

by fooladi on Sun Jul 04, 2010 10:59 PM PDT

Bush: Can you please elaborate on above?

I agree with rest of your comments. I think so long as we Iranians are so deeply fractious, any foreign country will come in and take advantage of the situation. Not because they are enemies, simply because they are following the norm, their own national interests.

Was ahmadinezhad missing this basic law of foreign policy when he complained about Russia (entezar nadashtim!!!) backing UN sanctions? I mean really is he that naive?


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bushtheliberator

Welcome Fooladi, the Battle is Before You !.

by bushtheliberator on Sun Jul 04, 2010 07:07 PM PDT

Dear Fooladi,

     I see the struggle within Islam as the most crucial dynamic in the ME, and it is nowhere more clearly defined than in Iran.Why does it get so little attention here at I.com ? Maybe its because many of the visitors reject Islam,and just "don't get it".And,The Circus of Jew-Baiting.et al,may be more satisfying than the bitching hard,and frustrating effort of liberation.

The Iraqis hung their "tin pot dictator ", and Iran's Thugs have lost The Mandate of Heaven,and shrink before the people's will.

Progress is being made, and I don't think it's blasphemy to say

God Bless the Net. !


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benross

Sorry Fatollah, it didn't

by benross on Sun Jul 04, 2010 06:27 PM PDT

Sorry Fatollah, it didn't come out as well in any other language (that I know). It basically says "those who kill each-other the most, are those who resemble the most".


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Fatollah

benross-e aziz

by Fatollah on Sun Jul 04, 2010 06:13 PM PDT

please translate?


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benross

Ceux qui s'entretue le plus,

by benross on Sun Jul 04, 2010 05:57 PM PDT

Ceux qui s'entretue le plus, sont ceux qui se resseblent le plus.


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Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi

We are Aryans: The Arabs and Jews are Semites

by Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi on Sun Jul 04, 2010 05:46 PM PDT

 

But Iranians prefer to kill each other...any day.


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fooladi

No, your enemies are not arabs

by fooladi on Sun Jul 04, 2010 05:36 PM PDT

Nor Jews

Your enemy is any tin pot dicator who exploits you and your country's resources, and brainwashes you into believing that your enemy is an outsider, be it a jew or arab or whatever.

Just look at the title of this blog and you see how your enemy operates. "Iranians" arguing with each other over arabs and Israel while Iran itself is going down the drain..... 


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pars35

Our enemies are still the Arabs

by pars35 on Sun Jul 04, 2010 05:28 PM PDT

The Arabs have been brought up to hate us. Ask any Arab who lives in USA what he thinks of Iranians and Isrealis. They will opnely tell you they despise Iranians . They do not dare to bad mouth Israel (even the palestinians)

Israel also knows Iran is the only
friend they have in the region. Iran is only nation that see Jews as
cultural equal to themselves in the region.

This is all
gamesmanship by the stupid Mullahs to draw Israel into a fight. I will
bet the Arab Streets will be cheering the Israelis not us.There was a protest against Iran's involvment in Gaze in Egypt recently by student.

We need to avoid a fight between an Arab Mullahs in the name of Iran with our 2000 year old friend.


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Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi

همه چیز سخت و کاراست

Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi
Sun Jul 04, 2010 04:08 PM PDT

 

At his age it shouldn't be too hard.

I take my vitamins every day, sweetie.


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Rosie.

Okay, kiddies. Fun's over.

by Rosie. on Sun Jul 04, 2010 02:40 PM PDT

Time to start barking at each other again.


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bushtheliberator

" Mission Accomplished " in Iraq..Let's Roll !

by bushtheliberator on Sun Jul 04, 2010 02:32 PM PDT

In six years Iraq has transformed from one of the world's most brutal dictatorships into a one man,one vote democratic process in an open society> Some fighting was required , that's OK,we're good at it.

I would like to offer my part of my nation's apology to Iraqis for  Papa Bush's failure to remove Saddam in 1991.. BIG f-up !Our Bad,sorry.

Oh,and again, there's no war coming.The Chattering Classes always give too much importance to each other.


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humanbeing

nobel peace prize

by humanbeing on Sun Jul 04, 2010 02:25 PM PDT

for rosie! thinking out of the box. loved the link of that blog. never saw it. i'm only here since april. (mola would know the weeks and days count :) ).

pleasant dreams of peace and love to all...


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Rosie.

Oooh, I dunno, Human Bean. I don't think Ayatollah needs

by Rosie. on Sun Jul 04, 2010 03:47 PM PDT

a whole batallion of female Zionist stormtroopers. I think one should do him just fine. And then they can get rid of all the missiles pretty quickly. At his age it shouldn't be too hard.

If you know what I mean.

//iranian.com/main/blog/rosie-roxy-roshan/towards-peaceful-solution-middle-east-0

 


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humanbeing

touche rosie!

by humanbeing on Sun Jul 04, 2010 01:24 PM PDT

but maybe we can give ayatollah as a consolation prize a batallion of zionist female stormtroopers. with a codicil: he has to win their consent, and be able to fulfill the requirements imposed on the man in the jewish marriage contract.


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Rosie.

Beauty contest

by Rosie. on Sun Jul 04, 2010 01:11 PM PDT

Ayatollah doesn't stand a chance.

Rosie will win.

//jasonjeffrey.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/rosie051.jpg

 


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humanbeing

ayatollah

by humanbeing on Sun Jul 04, 2010 12:53 PM PDT

i beg to differ.

but hey, you know what, instead of fighting it out between israel, the palestinian, iraq, iran, whatnot, with stupid missiles, why don't we settle it with a beauty contest?

you want to participate in the swimsuit competition?


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Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi

Zionist female stormtroopers

by Ayatollah Mesbah Yazdi on Sun Jul 04, 2010 12:25 PM PDT

 

You have to give the Israeli women conscripts their due...they are cute!

//coedmagazine.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/is...

Jewish women are not known for their looks, however.


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default

Waldo has a good point

by Doctor X on Sun Jul 04, 2010 08:24 AM PDT

There was no direct mention of any nationality in the muslim world. We do have genocidal muslim governments and there is no question about that, and taking a stand against them would not make anyone a racist by a long shot.

The nature of crime does not change based on which government is committing it.

 

 


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Rea

homo sacer

by Rea on Sun Jul 04, 2010 05:07 AM PDT

Thx for wishing us welcome.

Not that I care much, mind you. ;o)


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Niloufar Parsi

waldo

by Niloufar Parsi on Sun Jul 04, 2010 04:00 AM PDT

what are you talking about? if you mean that palestinians are not human beings, then you can claim that israeli crimes are light compared with others'. but then that would make you an outright racist, wouldn't it?


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waldo

Why is there such an obsession with Jewish people

by waldo on Sun Jul 04, 2010 02:30 AM PDT

and Israel on this website? I don't get it. The real cancer in this world are the despots in the Muslim world. There are dozens of despots in the Muslim world. If Israel didn't exist these brutal depots(whose human right abuses make Israel look tame by the way) would have to invent it to distract their own people from their own brutal policies. OK now I'm ready for people to call me a Zionist agent.(ooooh, evil am I).


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Anonymous8

Thanks MJ,

by Anonymous8 on Sun Jul 04, 2010 12:58 AM PDT

great work.

we Iranians have our own tiny minority of crazy neocons. just like yours, many of ours are jewish.

we feel your pain!


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homo sacer

Mola,

by homo sacer on Sat Jul 03, 2010 04:44 PM PDT


God forbid! Did this “3-weeks 4-days” old new-kid-on-the-block disrespect your legacy? Dignitary status? Your turf? Did I suggest that you are anything but an original charismatic Iranian character –an icon? (Don’t ever assume that I do not know the difference between an icon and a neo-con.)

Have I told you that your pen name reminds me of my yesteryears of preadolescence, when I read your stories and laughed and thought that I was smarter than you were.

We may have moved on, Mola. But believe me, I haven’t forgotten our roots. You are still a legend to many of us, even though your time has passed.


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