Posted on 08/29/2006 5:21:46 PM PDT by Sabramerican
US scholars: Israel planned Lebanon war in advance
The two US scholars, who stirred controversy several months ago after claiming that US foreign policy is skewed in favor of Israel due to the work of the pro-Israeli lobby, are now accusing the lobby of leading the administration, Congress and public opinion to support Israel's actions in Lebanon against America's best interests.
Profs. Stephan Walt and John Mearsheimer also claim that Israel had planned the war in Lebanon in advanced and used the kidnapping of its soldiers as a pretext to launch the operation.
At an event here sponsored by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Mearsheimer, of the University of Chicago, said the "Bush administration policy in Lebanon was not in the best interest of the US" and that Israel did not benefit either from the "green light" it got from the US to continue the operation.
He further claimed that by backing Israel, the US has weakened its position in dealing with other regional challenges - terror, Iraq and Iran.
The original paper, published in the London Review of Books in March, opened a debate in the US over the role the pro-Israeli activists play in shaping the US foreign policy. The two scholars claimed that by putting pressure on lawmakers and by the work of pro-Israel individuals in the administration, academia and the media, the Israeli lobby managed to shift US foreign policy toward supporting Israel unconditionally in a way that contradicts American interests.
Walt and Mearsheimer were attacked by Jewish and non-Jewish activists, some blaming them of being anti-Zionist and even anti-Semitic and others arguing the paper was sloppy and full of factual errors.
In their public appearance in Washington Monday, a rare event in itself, the two found a supportive crowd and were even awarded by one of the activists with a pin carrying the slogan: "Fighting the Israel lobby."
Walt, of the Kennedy School at Harvard University, stressed that he is not blaming all Jews in high positions in the US of being "some kind of secret cabal" and said he does not claim the activities of Jewish Americans in favor of Israel are disloyal or inappropriate.
Yet when talking about the people who influenced the administration to launch the Iraq war, the two scholars mentioned Paul Wolfowitz, Doug Feith, Elliott Abrams and David Wurmser, all Jewish officials in the administration. Later they added John Bolton, who is not Jewish, to the list.
Mearsheimer claimed Israel had planned the Lebanon war in advance and that it used the Hizbullah attack as a pretext to launch its war plan. He went on to say that Israel informed the US of its plans months before the war broke out.
"It now seems clear that Israel has been planning to strike at Hizbullah for months before the July 12 kidnappings and that key Israelis had briefed the administration about their intentions," Mearsheimer said, "The available evidence indicates that the Bush administration enthusiastically endorsed Israel's plans for war in Lebanon."
David Siegel, spokesman for the Israeli Embassy, called Mearsheimer's claim an "outrageous argument," adding that "the only reason for the Lebanon war was the Hizbullah's attack on Israel."
The two scholars also contended that the Israeli lobby is responsible for muting any kind of criticism on Israel's actions during the war.
Mearsheimer said President George W. Bush stopped calling on Israel to refrain from undermining the Lebanese government following pressure from the pro-Israel lobby. He also ridiculed the actions of the Israel lobby in the case of Congressman Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), who called for an immediate cease-fire and then retracted his criticism against Israel after coming under pressure of Jewish groups.
CAIR and anti Semite conspiracy loons- perfect together.
Too bad the politicians didn't listen to the generals.
Of course they planned it in advance. Just like we have plans to attack China, NoKo, and Iran. All competent militaries have pre-planned against thier enemies, especially ones right across the border.
Profs. Stephan Walt and John Mearsheimer also claim that Israel had planned the war in Lebanon in advanced and used the kidnapping of its soldiers as a pretext to launch the operation
Yes. And?
Isn't that what military planners do? Or do they stand around playing pocket pool until the balloon goes up? Something like that.
Academics still think you can plan a war in detail then wait for an excuse to launch it, they haven't
gotten around to reading Boyd yet, the Israelis have.
I hope that our intelligence folks are inside the CAIR organization. These are some radical Mooselimbs who some regard as a charitable organization. They funnel more cash to the Hezzies than we can count. They want to rule this nation. ANY means to prevent this must be utilized.
Yes, that is correct.
Here you go:
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,203166,00.html
Scholars? I thought you had to talk out of your mouth, not out your a$$hole, to be called that.
Thanks
"Walt and Mearsheimer were attacked by Jewish and non-Jewish activists, some blaming them of being anti-Zionist and even anti-Semitic and others arguing the paper was sloppy and full of factual errors. "
Ahh... Democrats/
Did England have a war plan for Germany before Hitler invaded Poland? Yes. Did the U.S. have a war plan for Japan before Pearl Harbor? Yes. Are these two professors idiots? Yes.
There's just not enough worthwhile liberal causes for them to work on. These overschooled, undereducated, overpaid "scholars" are a joke.
You know where CAIR can go.
Our colleges are full of alledged scholars who arent worth the powder and shot to blow them to hell.
We ned to give all colleges in the USA a good enema to flush out this bogged up anal canal they call liberalism.
I thought there is a plan for war with Canada too. I wouldn't be surprised if there was one for Massachusetts too... just in case! (and i'm from MA)
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel.
also Keywords 2006israelwar or WOT [War on Terror]
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I knew this, most of us scholars did.
I certainly hope so!
It has been my experience that most “scholars” speak out of their anal openings.
Right, like we need two scholars to tell us planners plan. Military planners plan for every scenario they think possible and then some. I imagine the U.S. has some very interesting plans in the cabinet.
On Planet Whackademia, where retards are tenured professors.
Agreed. I'd use an enema or a stick of dynamite, whichever would produce the best results. i kinda like the dynamite solution - longer lasting.
Of course they have. It shows that these two scholars are quite naive.
You can be educated without being intelligent.
You can have intelligence and not have an ounce of common sense.
Of course they planned it in advance, it is called war contingency planning, and all countries do it, or at least those with a modicum of sense.
The problem is that old Olmert didn't let the military go with the plan, he micromanaged the heck out of it and fried it and lost the battle for Israel.
It hasn't lost the war yet, but hopefully Israel will come to her senses and drop the twit.
BADLY planned!
So in typical liberal double-speak anyone & anything can be blamed if they DONT have a plan (incompetent)!! and they CAN be blamed too if they DO (those wicked people planned for a war all along eh!).
Juan Cole has spread the same smear.
These are not academics if they are saying this cr*p.
They are radicals with tenure.
Time to abolish tenure IMHO.
If you abolish tenure, the professors will be telling you what you want to hear.
Some "brilliant" scholars we've got there. You mean to tell me the military plans ahead for possible action against a terrorist state living next door? Unbelievable - conspiracy! Proven to be a conspiracy! by the fact they acted on it when an act of war was committed against them!
No, just time to abolish the radicals with tenure.
If it was planned months ahead, it was pretty poor planning.
"He further claimed that by backing Israel, the US has weakened its position in dealing with other regional challenges - terror, Iraq and Iran."
I could not read any further.
Preposterous statements do not deserve any readers attention.
About all I need to hear......
Walt and Mearsheimer were attacked by Jewish and non-Jewish activists, some blaming them of being anti-Zionist and even anti-Semitic and others arguing the paper was sloppy and full of factual errors.
Oh, that's brilliant. Play into their hands. Give them something to work with. Mob them, turn them into sympathetic figures. CAIR thanks you.
And what will happen to people like Stephan Walt and John Mearsheimer, if Islamic fascists manage to kill tens of thousands of Americans in further attacks? IMO, it will be worse for them and quite a few other enemy sympathizing propagandists than it was for Nazi war criminals.
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