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The Chutzpah of Bernard Lewis
A small group of Middle East studies academics, led by Bernard Lewis, have formed a new professional group, the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa, according to InsideHigherEd. Their stated reasons for establishing the group are "the increasing politicization of these fields, and the certainty that a corrupt understanding of them is a danger to the academy as well as the future of the young people it purports to educate." Funny, that, because Lewis, from his perch at Princeton, is probably the country's greatest practitioner of Mideast studies in the service of politics. A few of Lewis' greatest hits:
- Participated in a pre-9/11 "study of ancient empires, sponsored by [Donald] Rumsfeld's office, to understand how they maintained their dominance," according to the Times.
- Became one of the earliest and most public proponents of war with Iraq soon after 9/11, writing op-eds for the Wall Street Journal, including "A War of Resolve" and "Time for Toppling."
- In a series of personal meetings after 9/11, helped disabuse Dick Cheney of "his former skepticism about the potential for democracy in the Middle East," according to Time.
- Earlier this year, received standing ovation after defending the Christian crusades in his speech accepting the Irving Kristol Award at the American Enterprise Institute.
The new association rounds out its apolitical "Academic Council" with U.S. News columnist Fouad Ajami, National Review writer Victor Davis Hanson, and former Secretary of State George Schultz.
—Justin Elliott
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hey, a smear job! I thought only the right did that.
On to the specific points.
1) It is not unusual for the US to want to continue to dominate. I see nothing wrong with the idea of a powerful, leading America, though I disagree with their ideas of how to gain this.
2)The war was idiotic. Lewis was, at worst, horribly naive in this capacity. Inside of every Iraqi isn't a democracy-loving American waiting to jump out (this Truth has both foreign policy and immigration consequences). Culture matters, and Lewis shouldn't have naively thought that switching the government would chance the culture overnight.
3)He believes muslims like democracy too. What an evil bastard. No, wait, he is just naive (and wrong).
4) The crusades are among the most PC'd historical events. They were not "good" or "bad" full stop, but a little of both and tons of grey.
But lets not forget. The muslims pushed to Vienna, and as someone who has lived in the muslim world, I'm damn glad they didn't get to sit tight and spread their "faith" by the sword in Austria. I know, I know, for the left the idea of defending European civilization from the Proud and Noble Muslim is about as heretical as one can get, but to you leftists who think this way (especially the women, minorities, gays etc) I'd suggest you move to al-Kuwait for a year and see what the future could have been.
This just shows the influence of the Zionists on the Administration and America. Say no to Zionism. Say no to the occupation. Free Palistine.
And yet another ziono-fascist is dredged up from the depths of the sewer into the light of day.
So, then Jews aren't very popular among leftists then, eh? "filthy judeo-cons". Quite incredible that you feel that is appropriate for a public forum.
Brock, your comment demonstrates that you are a facist. There is no room for facists amongst true intellectuals.
Which comment was that?
Which comment demonstrates that I am a "facist"?
Brock you are dumb
Isn't George Shultz dead? Oh, maybe intellectually.
Bernard Lewis has for years denigrated the Middle East under the rubric of "Orientalism." His anti-Palestinian stand has found him favor with the Zionists who now run Israel. For many years Edward Said was able to counter Lewis's bombast and bluster, but Said is dead now, and there is hardly anyone who will take on the wily old right-winger who views any criticism of Israel's policies as anti-Semitism.
Brock, your comments are right and honest. Pay no heed to the lobotomized automatons. Europe may yet get another chance at being incorporated into dar al islam, though. Give the current immigration policies another 40 years, and the victories of Charles Martel and Barbarossa will have been for naught. And you're right; should that come to pass, liberal intellectuals will promply find themselves in green gulags.
So, I'm a "facist" and "dumb". Hey, god bless American culture. Idiots who can only call names but not even spell these names right or explain why they used them.
I'd like to point out that Jerry misspelled fascist twice (facist, facists) and then referred to himself as a true intellectual. Priceless! Also, if you google "facist" under news.google.com you find examples of other idiots leftists using it to shout down their opponents.
As Darth said "all too easy".
Anyhow, I've read most of BL's books. He is hardly a fascist or such. He writes well and cites his work very well. If you want to understand the history of Islam you will read him IN ADDITION to Orientalism and such. Perspective, you douchbags, doesn't come from only reading those with whom you agree.
Bernard Lewis is an extremist, like David Duke, and no progressive pays attention to either of them. Let us not waste our time on extremists and their supporters(e.g. Brock). Read some of Norm Chomsky's work or Gore Vidal's, or Israel Shahak's.
Now, this is just so typical of the left.
In not one case has any of BL's work been criticized but the man has been called a "facist" and compared to a white supremacist. I'm quite sure if this went on much longer the "H" word would quickly be used.
Do you people have anything under your hood? Do you have any computing power in any way/shape/form? Is it possible for you to go a day without misusing discourse for means of mind control?
Lastly, aren't you embarrassed to be you? You should be.
Mother Jones is one of my favorite mags. I read it every chance I get. I also read The Economist, The Nation, Reason, Time and Vanity. This helps me develop a well balanced perspective on the world. If I only read one publication I would only have one side of the story and then would walk around like talking like an idiot (see Charles).
BL does not manufacture history. Read his book IN ADDITION to books that have a different spin on the events in question. If you are unwilling to do this, kindly piss off.
Finally, you leftists have to stop misusing language to silence people. Not everybody you douchbags disagree with is a fascist, white supremacist, nazi, hitler, extremist or racist/sexist/homophone/bigot etc etc. Why don't you try criticizing arguments on the validity of those arguments? But I suspect that Charles, Frank and Jerry are little more than freshman sociology students who haven't yet hit the critical analysis portion of their undergrad education.
Brock, get with the program. Either follow, or get out of the way. We are progressives and moving forward. Greens Demand Transparency from Israel on Nuclear Weapons
WASHINGTON - July 8,2004 - Green Party leaders are calling on the Bush Administration to put pressure on Israel to open up its nuclear weapons program to international scrutiny.
Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the United Nations' International Atomic Energy Agency, has demanded that Israel cooperate with the effort to rid the Middle East of nuclear weapons, but the Israeli government has refused to acknowledge that it possesses such arms.
"Israel may already have as many nuclear warheads as Great Britain," said Julia Willebrand, co-chair of the International Committee of the Green Party of the United States. "Israel is not formally listed among the countries which have acquired WMDs. Western governments have allowed Israel to maintain its 'nuclear ambiguity' stance too long, provoking suspicions that the U.S. might have shared nuclear technology with Israel."
Israel's treatment of Palestinians -- those who are Israeli citizens as well as those in the territories -- is comparable in many ways to South African apartheid, and has resulted in a cycle of violence and lack of security for both Israelis and Palestinians," said a member of the Green Party of Wisconsin. "A stable and just resolution of the conflict requires the full realization of the human rights of Palestiniansand Israelis." Real environmentalists and progressives vote Green.
He also doesn't like Armenians very much, accusing us of "attempts to use the Armenian massacres to diminish the worth of the Jewish Holocaust."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Lewis
Get with what program? I made no statement about Israel. I only mocked you "progressives" and your inability to discourse without calling names.
When you assume, you make an "ass" out of "you" and "you". Right?