Walt & Mearsheimer appeared yesterday before the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) in Washington, D.C. to discuss their theory that “neocons” (specifically “Wolfowitz” and “Feith”) misled U.S. foreign policy, and that an “Israel Lobby” prevented a “more flexible” Iran policy.
Their analysis was exemplified by Walt’s assertion that the United States ended up with Hamas because — beholden to Israel — the U.S. gave Mahmoud Abbas “nothing.” That’s what the man said, “nothing.”
Neither of them mentioned the fact that George W. Bush formally endorsed a Palestinian state (assuming the Palestinians built a “practicing democracy” with leaders “not compromised by terror”), nor the fact that the U.S. — while waiting in vain for Abbas to meet his initial Road Map obligation of “sustained, targeted, and effective operations aimed at confronting all those engaged in terror and dismantlement of terrorist capabilities and infrastructure” — nevertheless (a) pressured Israel into releasing 900 prisoners to help Abbas (a step not required in the Road Map); (b) supported Sharon’s plan to simply give Abbas all of Gaza (under the mistaken assumption it would generate popular support for Abbas); (c) supported Abbas financially with tens of millions of dollars in handouts, and with pledges of billions more; (d) watched without protest as Abbas took the money and padded the public payroll with “security forces,” instead of building schools or hospitals or houses for refugees; and nevertheless (e) continually supported Abbas as a “man of peace.”
But even with diplomatic support, money, prisoners, land, and an exemption from his Road Map responsibilities, Abbas couldn’t control even his own terrorists in the Al Aska Martyr’s Brigade, nor eliminate the rampant corruption in his own party (even with his famous committee). And then the Palestinians, without consulting the neocons, elected Hamas.
But Walt & Mearsheimer blame the “Israel Lobby” for giving Abbas “nothing.”
Such scholars.