The Neocons

I'd like to take a minute here to expand on something that MJ Rosenberg wrote over at TPM Cafe about Charles Krauthammer. Rosenberg writes:

But here's the beauty part. Krauthammer doesn't care about the Jews either. He wants a ground war and if it kills 500 Israeli soldier boys, so be it. Can you imagine. Usually, you can count on Krauthammer to weigh in about Jewish losses at every opportunity. In fact, the mean-spirited Krauthammer only cares about Jews. Or so I thought.

Actually I should have known better. About three years ago, I saw Krauthammer flip out in synagogue on Yom Kippur. The rabbi had offered some timid endorsement of peace -- peace essentially on Israel's terms -- but peace anyway. Krauthammer went nuts. He actually started bellowing at the rabbi, from his wheel chair in the aisle. People tried to "shush" him. It was, after all, the holiest day of the year. But Krauthammer kept howling until the rabbi apologized. The man is as arrogant as he is thuggish. Who screams at the rabbi at services? For advocating peace?

So I was wrong about Krauthammer. He doesn't give a damn about Israel. Yes, he moved to the right on foreign policy because he thought that was good for Israel. He endorsed a hardline US foreign policy because he thought that was good for Israel.

But then, with advancing age, he forgot the original reason for becoming a hawk. He actually became an American rightwing (not Israeli rightwing) hawk who believes that Israel's purpose is to send its men to bleed and die in support of some sort of American global anti-Arab crusade.

The Iraq war is more important to him than Israel. And even more important than that is that we fight a war with Iran.

He wants Israel to be the first army in the field. When Olmert seems timid about sending 18 year old Israelis to fight for the Bush doctrine. Krauthamer and company are furious. How dare he defy NeoconInc.

Bottom line. Mearsheimer and Walt have it wrong. The neocons are not loyal to Israel.They are not guilty of "dual loyalty."

Their only use for Israelis is as mercenaries.And they care no more about the Israelis who will die in their imperial adventures than they care about the dead Americans who have.

Don't ever accuse Krauthammer, Kristol, Steve Rosen (of AIPAC) etc of "dual loyalty." Because, in fact, that is giving them credit for 200% more loyalty than they actually possess.

It's not that I don't think Rosenberg is right, It's that I don't think that he is right enough. They're asking Israel to give up a lot more than 500 soldiers, a lot more indeed. You see, since the start of this confrontation the neocons have been pushing Olmert for an escalation into Syria, and I don't believe that they have Israel's interests at all in mind while doing so.

The problem with an escalation into Syria is that the Syrians maintain a healthy arsenal of chemical weapons that they use as a deterrence against the far better outfitted Israeli army including Sarin, Tabun, Mustard Gas, and weaponized VX. If Israel would launch a full scale military assault on Damascus, these chemicals would rain down on Israeli cities via missile delivery systems.

I actually believe the neocons hope that this happens, really. Mark my words that if it does happen that very day you will hear these word coming directly out of their mouths. You see, these aren't Assad's chemical weapons, they're Saddam's. We were right. We told you. That sneaky bastard had moved them from Iraq to Syria before the war started. We waited too long to attack, if Bill Clinton would have attacked Saddam we could have contained these weapons but we didn't and the poor dieing souls of Israel are all the Democrats fault.

Now, there isn't a whiff of truth to that, but you'll hear it getting screamed at you on a nightly basis, and for a reason more than pitying Israel's dead.

You'd never know it listening to them, but the neocons credibility has been stained by the Iraq fiasco. In fact, the dog has pissed the carpet yellow. To clean this stain the neocons have to justify their last failure to have any chance of the American people letting them proceed to their next failure, Iran. They're more than happy to let a few thousand Israeli citizens prove to be that cleanser.

Let me as well give you some advise Mr. Olmert. On matters of national security, it's best not to listen to someone who's feet don't touch the fucking floor when sitting at the adult table. France tried that once, well actually twice. Didn't work out so well for them. It won't for you either. (Just to be clear here I'm talking about Kristol, not Krauthammer who is apparently disabled)