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August 3, 2006
Is Alan Dershowitz A Closet Neocon?
Topics: Political News and commentaries
COgirl at Hang Right Politics says if she didn't know better, she might think that Alan Dershowitz is moving to the right politically, and refers to an article by him today at the NY Daily News on the roots of terrorism in the Middle East.
As she notes, his piece is a concise look at the facts in which he makes the point that "world opinion" claims occupation in Israel is the reason for terrorism. However, that's simply not true:
First, Palestinian terrorism began well before there was any Israeli occupation. It started in 1929 when the grand mufti of Jerusalem ordered a terrorist attack against Jewish residents of Hebron, whose families had lived in that Jewish holy city for generations.Continue reading "See Terror's True Roots."Second, terrorism against Israel got worse after Israel ended its occupation of southern Lebanon and Gaza, as these unoccupied lands became launching pads for rockets, missiles and kidnappings.
Third, other occupied people, for example the Tibetans, have never resorted to terrorism against innocent Chinese civilians, though their occupation has been longer and more brutal than anything experienced by the Palestinians.
Fourth, while it may be that a brutal occupation can increase the number of people willing to become suicide bombers, it is also true that no suicide bomber ever sent himself. They are sent by well-educated, affluent leaders like Osama Bin Laden, who do not live in occupied areas.
Fifth, Islamic terrorists have sworn to continue terrorism even if Israel were to end its occupation of the West Bank. They regard all of Israel as occupied.
So, is Alan Dershowitz a closet Neocon? He's begining to sound like he's coming around to being a "coming out" closet neocon in the area of foreign policy - but after all, that's what happens to free-thinking liberals when they awaken from their long slumber.
For example, read his commentary in the Washington Times offering his strong support of John Bolton. And then there's even a hint of the "moral" aspect of neoconservativism creeping in such as in his piece at the HuffPo on moral equivalence, albeit rather specifically placed. However, he did criticize the hard left for attacking Larry Summers at Harvard. He's not quite at the stage of winning the cigar, but he's getting closer. After all, when it comes to being tough on terrorism, Alan Dershowitz is in the front of the pack - if you doubt that, read his book titled, "Preemption," which JWR calls "vastly important."
The premise of his book is that in this age of terror, there is a potential need for such devices as profiling, preventive detention, anticipatory mass inoculation, prior restraint of dangerous speech, targeted extrajudicial executions of terrorists and preemptive military action including full-scale preventive war.
Related: What does a Neocon believe?
Neoconservatives generally advocate a free-market economy with minimum taxation and government economic regulation; strict limits on government-provided social-welfare programs; and a strong military supported by large defense budgets. Neoconservatives also believe that government policy should respect the importance of traditional institutions such as religion and the family. Unlike most conservatives of earlier generations, neoconservatives maintain that the United States should take an active role in world affairs, though they are generally suspicious of international institutions, such as the United Nations and the World Court, whose authority could intrude upon American sovereignty or limit the country's freedom to act in its own interests.
Posted by Richard at August 3, 2006 10:59 AM
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- Is Alan Dershowitz A Closet Neocon? - Aug 03, 2006
