May 27, 2008

Obama Advisor Accuses Jews of 'McCarthyism'

Ed Lasky
A foreign policy adviser of presidential candidate Barack Obama, Zbigniew Brzezinski, accused members of the American Jewish establishment of "McCarthyism" in its attitude towards critics of Israel. He called the pro-Israel lobby "too powerful" and accused American supporters of Israel as being too ready to use the slur of "anti-Semitism" against critics of Israel.

He also misrepresented the facts, stating that AIPAC, the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee has "consistently opposed a two-state solution and a lot of members of Congress have been intimidated and I don't think that is healthy". In fact, AIPAC does indeed support a two state solution. Congressmen Artur Davis (a Democrat) and Eric Cantor ( a Republican) are just two critics who have refuted the allegation that Congress is intimidated or pressured by the "Israel Lobby" . He offered further criticism    

It's not unique to the Jewish community -- but there is a McCarthy-ite tendency among some people in the Jewish community. They operate not by arguing but by slandering, vilifying, demonising.

They very promptly wheel out anti-Semitism. There is an element of paranoia in this inclination to view any serious attempt at a compromised peace as somehow directed against Israel."


Brzezinski has wholeheartedly endorsed Barack Obama for President and was one of the first well known foreign policy experts to do so. Barack Obama has also been very forthright in his praise of Brzezinski as "someone I have learned an immense amount from", and "one of our most outstanding scholars and thinkers".    

American supporters of Israel have expressed concern in the past regarding the involvement of Brzezinski in Barack Obama's campaign  and some have called for the Obama campaign to separate itself from Brzezinski..

He has long been one of Israel's fiercest critics in America. He has also been an outspoken supporter of Stephen Walt and John Mearsheimer whose book on the putative "Israel Lobby" has been roundly faulted across the political spectrum for its factual flaws and bias (indeed, a Washington Post op-ed called it "anti-Semitic."). American Thinker was among the first to offer its readers its own analysis of the working paper upon which provided the genesis of the book, written by myself and my colleague Richard Baehr.   

Brzezinski is just one of several experts and advisers who are close to Barack Obama who have concerned American supporters of Israel. Robert Malley was recently forced to separate himself from the campaign due to his pro-Palestinian views.  American Thinker has just been one of many critics of Malley and questioned his role in the campaign. Samantha Power was Obama's top foreign policy adviser. She also was recently forced to "resign" from the campaign and was a fierce critic of Israel who had an array of ideas regarding America's approach towards the Middle East that took a very harsh view of Israel and the American-Israel relationship. She also was critical of American Jews stating that criticism ! of Barack Obama all involved "what is good for the Jews" .

Obama campaign co-chairman and top military adviser Merrill "Tony" McCpeak has "echoed" the views of Walt and Mearsheimer regarding the influence of American Jews in the foreign policy debate. . During an interview he was asked about the source of the failures of the peace process in the Middle East. The interviewer asked McPeak: "So where's the problem? State? White House?"

McPeak replied: "New York City. Miami. We have a large vote -- vote, here in favor of Israel. And no politician wants to run against it."  

As journalist Robert Goldberg wrote in the American Spectator, McPeak also claims that a combination of Jews and Christian Zionists are manipulating U.S. policy in Iraq in dangerous and radical ways: "Let's say that one of your abiding concerns is the security of Israel as opposed to a purely American self-interest, then it would make sense to build a dozen or so bases in Iraq. Let's say you are a born-again Christian and you think that Armageddon and the rapture are about to happen any minute and what you want to do is retrace steps you think are laid out in Revelations, then it makes sense. So there are a number of scenarios here that could lead you in this direction. This is radical...."  

Of course, Pastor Jeremiah Wright-who Barack Obama has called his "moral compass", "sounding board" and "confidant" and whom he has had a twenty-year relationship with-has views towards America, white people, and Israel that are similarly problematic, if not scathing,

American Thinker has been in the forefront of expressing qualms about the candidacy of Barack Obama for President. An increasingly large number of experts, journalists, analysts, media outlets and-most importantly-voters have also called into question the views and readiness of office of Senator Obama. Zbigniew Brzezinski's latest outburst will only further stoke concerns about Obama's views and the problematic views of his closest advisers towards not just Israel, but also American Jews.

UPDATE:

It gets better (or rather worse). Brzezinski has an op-ed in today's Washington Post.  He writes that any military attack against Iran would harm American interests-whether done by Israel or America.

Absurdly he also states that the all carrots approach-which, in effect he argues for-may lead to Iran returning to its long-standing and geopolitically natural pre-1979 policy of cooperative relations with Israel.   Brzezinski also writes than Iran has a hostility towards Al Qaeda-without mentioning that the regime provided a haven for AQ terrorists. He also blames American sanctions on Iran for increasing the price of oil in America.  

Obama: Brzezinski is someone I have learned an immense amount from", and "one of our most outstanding scholars and thinkers".