The Israel Lobby,? by John J. Mearsheimer of the University of Chicago and Stephen M. Walt of Harvard?s John F. Kennedy School of Government, was one of the most controversial articles in recent memory. Originally published in the London Review of Books in March 2006, it provoked both howls of outrage and cheers of gratitude for challenging what had been a taboo issue in America: the impact of the Israel lobby on U.S. foreign policy. Now in a work of major importance, Mearsheimer and Walt deepen and expand their argument and confront recent developments in Lebanon and Iran. They describe the remarkable level of material and diplomatic support that the United States provides to Israel and argues that this support cannot be fully explained on either strategic or moral grounds. This exceptional relationship is due largely to the political influence of a loose coalition of individuals and organizations that actively work to shape U.S. foreign policy in a pro-Israel direction. Mearsheimer and Walt provocatively contend that the lobby has a far-reaching impact on America?s posture throughout the Middle East?in Iraq, Iran, Lebanon, and toward the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?and the policies it has encouraged are in neither America?s national interest nor Israel?s long-term interest. The lobby?s influence also affects America?s relationship with important allies and increases dangers that all states face from global jihadist terror. Writing in The New York Review of Books, Michael Massing declared, ?Not since Foreign Affairs magazine published Samuel Huntington?s ?The Clash of Civilizations?? in 1993 has an academic essay detonated with such force.? The publication of The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy is certain to widen the debate and to be one of the most talked-about books of the year.
Intellectually Dishonest November 23, 2008 1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I got as far as page 85 but had to stop when the polemics of the book were far to much for me to bear. It is true that Israel has received far more aid and diplomatic leeway then any other country but the book doesnt put any reason into perspective, instead commenting that by a random set of occurrences they are given an endless pot of gold. They are an ally, just as South Korea was when we almost started World War III to defend them. I found it surprising that this book refused to even acknowledge even one iota that the Arabs may in fact be anti-Semitic like the most of the world. Their hatred has increased by Americans involvement, which is true, but they also have been driven by anti-Semitism and a desire to exterminate Jews as well. All of their anger was not the byproduct of Israel, it is well documented that Muslims have long resented people of the book since the inception of their religion. The Arab world provoke a Myth that the rise of Zionism crated anti-Jewish feelings, then why were Jews and Christian given the option of conversion or Death? These Dhimmis were regulated by the Pact of Umarya, a document that originated in 720ce. In America after the civil war; Northern Conquers gave blacks "equal" rights. Southern states then imposed their own mandates of separate but "equal" status for Negros. Just look at PBS they have made a living showing whites only bathrooms and blacks only drink fountains. But Islam has judged the worth of the Jew, of the Christen, of the Pagan with the same Hammer that Jim Crow saw fit to sentence blacks. The natives of Middle Eastern lands had to rise from their seats when Muslims wished to sit, these Christens and Jews were forbidden to ride horses and had to suffer on donkey's without saddles. This sadly was only the beginning, as Hitler wished to distinguish Jews with Gold Stars the Abbassid Caliph Al-Raschid decreed in 807ce that all Jews wear tall comical caps and the aforementioned Gold Belt of the Jew. The stunning aggregate of subjugation (of course) was met by catholic ingenuity who ejected Jews from their European lands, stole their property and at the 4th Lateran council Pope Innocent III in 1215ce awarded all good Jews the original Gold Star, leaving them open to mockery or attack. In 1948 the Arabs were given an Arab state. There never was a Palestinian people, and instead of taking an Arab State, the Arab armies decided to kill all the Jews that survived the holocaust and take all the land for themselves. If they resented the partition plan on simple diplomatic means why did they act in the way they did? "The Arabs did not attempt to destroy Israel in anyone of those three wars [1948]"..then what did they aim to accomplish? The 6 day war isn't described in the book as yet another means for Nasser and Pan Arab power, or even once again a way to invade and slaughter the Jews but some sort of happenstance. The same with Sadat in the Yom Kippur war. To truly give some perspective I think it has to be acknowledged that the Arabs in the area engulfed in anti-Semitism before American insurgence, wanted the Jews dead, proclaimed they would kill them, and went about it, with many unsuccessful wars. They wanted the land for themselves. Israel has done things for Arabs after the War of Independence that the Arab world would never do for them. In 1949 the Israeli government, accepted 100,000 refugees, with thousands of more arabs resettled in Jewish lands. They instituted a policy of reuniting families, when the arabs left Israel to deal with their own people. Where in the most militant Arab lands is Judaism practiced peacefully, Christianity for that matter? As soon as the Palestinians got more land the 1st thing they did (besides destroy all the public works) was place rockets to fire into Israel.
To quote Ralph Bunche The Arab states had forcefully opposed the existence of a Jewish State in Palestine in direct opposition to the wishes of two thirds of the members of the assembly. Nevertheless, their armed intervention had proved useless. The Mediators report was based solely on the fact that Arab States had no right to resort to force and that the united nations should exert its authority to prevent such a use of force.
If one believes that Israel should exist it is undeniable that the Arabs are the ones that instigated the drive to destroy it, and have for years. Peace for the Middle East, in Arab eyes is the dismantling of Israel, nothing short of that is out of the question. Heck even the French and English escape blame in this book for the Suez Crisis, from their fear of Canal nationalization to make it look like an Israeli conquest for territory. I am an open minded person but there was just to much in this book for me to take it seriously or continue. There was no mention of the Jewish exodus from Arab lands or even acknowledgement of any type of violent atmosphere besides Israel's attempts to dismantle Arab Authority at every turn. The Arabs breaks of Harmony in the area is never mentioned. Now Israel is guilty of many ills in that area that is certain, but to say the Arabs are pawns to Jewish power and control, is almost as outlandish as the Canterbury Tales or the aforementioned Protocols of the Elders of Zion.
Fast delivery, great book November 9, 2008 2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I hope everyone who is interested in Israel will read this book as well as other countries' lobbist. There is a lot to learn from these.
wonderfully worded, honest, accurate, and up to date. November 1, 2008 5 out of 6 found this review helpful
A well done tretise opening a long overdue discussion regarding a sensitive, timely subject. We need to open this up!!
New protocols October 31, 2008 2 out of 19 found this review helpful
This is a new libel with an old bitter taste. In the 19th century there was the protocols...now you can find this piece of crp....same kind of paranoia with new arguments,Mankind does not change.it is not woth a star...I dont know how this jew- haters have the courage to publish this...and people write praises to it...we must be in serious deranged times.
Sensitive Issues October 25, 2008 6 out of 7 found this review helpful
This book takes on highly sensitive issues and it deserves credit for doing so in a thoughtful manner. The authors make it very clear that the Israel lobby is not monolithic, it is not conspiratorial and its activities have been and are perfectly legal. M&W endeavor to explain how the lobby has influenced US foreign policy, mainly since the Carter administration. I find their case rather persuasive, though the chapters on Iraq and Iran feel unresolved, which is understandable, with Iraq currently under US occupation and the issue of Iranian nuclear capability being arguably too current to sort out well. At some point I need to reread at least the Iran chapter and I will try to get a better grasp on the issues therein. The authors also address the painful issue of anti-Semitism and the difficulty (sometimes) of correctly identifying when that is present. They agree that the American people are pro-Israel quite naturally. In other words, Americans don't need much, if any, prodding to be favorably disposed towards Israel. However, they note that ironically there is greater freedom to criticize Israel in Israel than in the US. The authors suggest that the lobby has been somewhat heavy-handed in its efforts to shape both public opinion and foreign policy, sifting practically everything through the lens of whether it is 'good for Israel'. Here again we encounter irony: it's debatable whether our post-9/11 neoconservative policies have actually helped Israel or just unleashed a lot of negative unintended consequences, chief among them an Iran with more regional sway. The authors argue that the constant use of a pro-Israel litmus test is an impediment to US policy. Here I quote Carter's infamous recent book: "...there is little doubt that the lack of a persistent effort to resolve the Palestinian issue is a major source of anti-American sentiment and terrorist activity throughout the Middle East and the Islamic world." Many Americans reacted to the despicable 9/11 attacks by wondering Why do they hate us? Maybe a better question is Why are many Americans so uninformed? No, really, the Israel lobby cannot be blamed for that.
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