Saturday, February 5, 2011

Neocons At Odds With Israel

The so-called Neocons are at odds with Israel regarding Egypt. They are perfectly willing to take a chance on ending Mubarak's rule and bringing "democracy" to Egypt. Of course the risk won't be their own, but instead they will be taking a chance with the lives of Israelis. This should finally dispense with the notion that the neocons are Zionist agents. In fact they have revealed themselves to have a reckless disregard for the security of Israel. Not that this will convince the rabid anti-Semites and Israel-haters who will still conflate neocons with Israel.

Via Israpundit:
Hosni Mubarak splits Israel from neocon supporters


By BEN SMITH & JOSH GERSTEIN, POLITICO | 2/3/11

As Israeli leaders worriedly eye the protests and street battles in neighboring Egypt, they’ve been dismayed to find that the neoconservatives and hawkish Democrats who are usually their most reliable American advocates are cheering for Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s fall.

The Egyptian autocrat has kept his side of a chilly peace agreement with Israel for thirty years, permitting an era of relative stability in the Jewish state. And as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made clear in a cautious speech to the Knesset Wednesday, Israel is deeply worried what will happen to that relationship when Mubarak departs.

“We expect any government of Egypt to honor the peace. Moreover, we expect the international community to expect any government of Egypt to honor the peace. This must be clear, along with the discussions about reform and democracy,” he said.

Other prominent Israeli voices are wondering why President Barack Obama didn’t back Mubarak against massive protests that – while not focused on Israel – featured some signs depicting Mubarak with a Star of David on his forehead.

“You should have also thought about Israel before hurrying to call upon Mubarak to go,” Dov Weissglass, a former advisor to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, wrote, addressing the Obama administration. “It is difficult to think of more serious harm to Israel’s security than the collapse of the peace accord with Egypt.”

But while a few American conservatives like former U.N Ambassador John Bolton share the same qualms as Weissglass, many of Israel’s most prominent supporters – some of whom are regularly accused of putting Israel’s interests before those of the U.S. – dismiss those worries.

In particular, neoconservatives such as Weekly Standard Editor Bill Kristol, Bush National Security Council official Elliott Abrams, and scholar Robert Kagan are essentially saying good riddance to Mubarak and chiding Obama mainly for not making the same sporadic push for democracy as President George W. Bush.
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2 comments:

Ex-Dissident said...

Can't stop people from delusions of wishful thinking. I also think that Mubarak is beyond help.

NormanF said...

We can't do anything about people who refuse to live in the real world and acknowledge democracy doesn't work everywhere.

As the old saying would have it, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

That has never been more true than here.