THE LEFT AND THE ISRAEL LOBBY (tags)
There are still debates over the role of the dominance of the Israel lobby — or even alternately trying to cover-up the lobby's dominance -- in U.S. foreign policy, militarism and U.S. wars in the Middle East, or even elsewhere in the Muslim world (like the overthrow of Qaddafi in Libya), and even in the far-flung world in some very surprising countries, when it comes to Israel's interests, as well as in U.S. domestic politics. This is still a good time to cross-post this analytical commentary, below, from Dissident Voice about the left and the Israel lobby.
THE LEFT AND THE ISRAEL LOBBY – by Joseph Anderson, Dissident Voice (tags)
Now that Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer have broken the taboo in the mainstream American media establishment of not only pointing out that the Israel lobby exists, but actually analyzing it from their perspective, the only place that open discussion, analysis and debate about the lobby remain firmly taboo is, ironically, ON THE LEFT! It’s a taboo imposed on the left by certain leftist icons and their suppression – if not censorship – of free expression and debate on this topic in progressive venues (lectures, panels, press or broadcast). Even some Palestinian-Americans have been forced to knuckle under to these leftist icons’ denial of the power of the Israel lobby in exchange for those icons’ or certain progressive/leftist groups’ political support. For example, as of this writing, where is an informed rebuttal to Noam Chomsky's dismissive position on the Lobby or at least an honest, open debate about the lobby on the national radio program Democracy Now? So, I wanted to incisively debunk at least some of the major arguments used by certain Left icons in denying the power and influence of the Israel lobby in U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East and in suppressing discussion of its power domestically. Now, some people will bring up a red herring list of other possible influences in U.S. Mideast foreign policy to deny my analysis, but here I am dealing with THE ISRAEL LOBBY and how leftist icons respond to that topic. My ultimate position is: whatever our positions on the lobby, do we get to honestly discuss and debate it in formal public settings? Please read more:
The Left and the Israel Lobby (tags)
by Joseph Anderson
Stress.