My blogging friend, Phil Weiss, has a good post up today about The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy:
This book is too powerful, and the ground has been prepared by Jimmy Carter’s book. So it will be passed around, it will be taught. Serious people will press it on other serious people. Political aides will hand it to other political aides. It may have to wear brown-paper covers in Congress, at the State Department and at Hillels, but it will be read hungrily. Young progressive Jews will read it. Arabs will translate it into Arabic. It will go like lightning around Europe. Israelis will snap it up (the book is actually very respectful of Israel; it’s America that has the big problem), and someday it will come out in Hebrew. It will work on people. It will show what independent people ought to do when they form ideas, and others will chime in. A politician will finally speak out, with Walt and Mearsheimer as his or her role model.
The most important thing the book will do, it is doing: legitimizing the discussion.
The publishers are sending me a copy but I haven’t read it yet. I have read the earlier essay version and agree with Phil that it was an important statement. Not having read the actual book, I don’t know that I’d endorse his ringing affirmation of its eternal value in the literary firmament. But there’s no doubt that this is an important book and one that anyone with any interest in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should read.
The fact that it is important is indicated by the fierce reaction against the book by the actual Israel lobby organizations like the ADL. Abe Foxman wasted at least a few days of his life penning a venomous screed attacking both the book and Jimmy Carter’s and Tony Judt. I’m delighted to note that The Israel Lobby is #33 in Amazon ranking while Abe’s shmate, The Deadliest Lies: The Israel Lobby and the Myth of Jewish Control (the title alone is a hoot and indicative of the fearmongering at which Foxman is so adept), is # 2,400. Though I can’t quite figure out why there are any people interested in reading his book. I did once note that the ADL website is ranked quite highly by Alexa and they have a solid rank and file membership to whom the group is probably flogging the book like crazy. I guess some people will read just about anything.
“Polls show far, far more Americans support Israel than the Palestinians. That is what politicians are going to pay attention to…”
U.S. troops would be withdrawing from Iraq if the U.S. Congress were genuinely respectful of the views of the American people. (Remember the elections last year?) But I’ll concede that you are probably right with respect to those Republicans who are in bed with the “Christian Zionist” crowd.
The average U.S. Congressman looks at what happened to Paul Findley, and to Charles Percy, and to Earl Hilliard, and to Cynthia McKinney, who all crossed “the Lobby” and are now out of office, and says, “I don’t want that happening to me!” THAT’S what he pays attention to.
What exactly is the “popularity” of this book supposed to prove, anyway? Let’s say that all the Muslims in the US and their supporters go out and buy the book. Is this supposed to indicate some sort of shift in American attitudes towards Israel? Polls show far, far more Americans support Israel than the Palestinians. That is what politicians are going to pay attention to, not Amazon’s top sales lists.
That Tikkun Magazine title just about says it all, doesn’t it?
#18–I like it! UPDATE: Just checked & it’s at #14. But “Honest” Abe’s book is at 1,400. UGH!
Richard,
The Israel Lobby is now number 18 on Amazon. A real phenomenon. I ordered my copy a few days ago and did not even ask for expedited delivery. It was delivered today. Richard your publisher’s copy is late!!!
And why so reserved? These guys are doing a lot for our cause. Here is how I see it.
link to palestinechronicle.com
Cheers,
Ira
the currrent issue of Tikkun, has an article on AIPAC. I haven’t read it yet, but the title is: “AIPAC: bad for the US, bad for Israel, bad for the Jews.”
ellenr
very nice story i will read this book to see if what is being said in it is true, everywhere you look today someone is talking about israel first americans or israel.
link to antiwar.com
Syria and Iran: The Threats That Aren’t
by Michael Scheuer
In reference to coercive British rule, Tom Paine once told Americans that there is something absurd about the idea that the entire continent of North America should be forever ruled by the little island of Great Britain.