THE ROOSTERS DON'T MAKE THE SUN RISE:

On Israel, neoconservatism, and its discontents (Ariel Natan Pasko, June 7, 2004, Enter Stage Right)

What is all this talk about neos and paleos? Paleoconservatives, or traditional conservatives, or old-style conservatives claim that they represent "true" conservatism. They say that the neoconservatives are for the most part, escapees from the New-Old Left of the New Deal or 1960's. Paleocons say that neocons are interventionist in foreign affairs, whereas traditional conservatism is more isolationist. Paleos claim that neocons are not adverse to big government to achieve their goals, of extending American power and influence overseas. Paleocons accuse neocons of lack of interest in domestic economic issues and are more socially lenient that traditional conservatives. In that regard, for the most part, Pat Buchanan and the other paleocons are somewhat correct.

On the other hand... So what?

As I said earlier, terminology is evolving. 21st century terminology -- what's a conservative -- might not be the same as 20th century terminology, just as the term Liberal has changed its meaning in time.

In America today, there are economic interventionists and those who are for freedom from control; there are social-political interventionists and those who are for freedom from control; and there are foreign policy interventionists and isolationists. The only relevant issue is where a person, group, party, or policy stands on this triad. The current terminology blurs distinctions and labels help to muddle thinking.

Pat Buchanan, Rep. Jim Moran, Louis Farrakhan, David Duke and others, all blamed the Neo-Cons -- read Jews -- and Israel for the war in Iraq. More recently, Senator Ernest "Fritz" Hollings and retired general Anthony Zinni have also. So did elements on the far-left in America, the PC people, and the Islamists. It's true that many neoconservative thinkers are Jewish, and the war -- in theory -- benefited Israel (who doesn't like to see their sworn enemy defanged?), but many other neoconservatives aren't Jewish, and the war also benefited the entire western democratic world. Pointing out that many neocons are Jewish is the equivalent of pointing out that many Nazis or Ku Klux Klan members are white Christians. So what?

Blaming all Christians for the Klan or Nazis, just as blaming "the Jews", well I think you get the point.

The war in Iraq simply was America's attempt to suppress rogue state behavior, the spread of weapons of mass destruction, terror-supporting regimes, and reshape the Middle East, whether others understood it, agreed with them or not. Whether America should act multi-laterally, uni-laterally, or be isolationist is an issue worth discussion. But, blaming one group, "the Jews" is simply anti-Semitic. All the accusations that it's "Likudniks" -- the ruling party of Ariel Sharon in Israel -- in the White House directing policy, bemoans the fact that the Bush Administration policy toward Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking -- the roadmap process -- might in fact be on a collision course with Israel, but, more of that later.

There's a fairly simple thought experiment that can lay the whole neocon conspiracy theory to rest: just imagine for a moment that neoconservatism didn't exist but that we still had a conservative evangelical president--is there any reason to believe his policy of trying to Reform Islam and make it more like Christianity would be any different?

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 7, 2004 12:20 PM