Controversy Brewing at C-Span

Atlantic's Jeffrey Goldberg is fuming about a recent C-Span program the other day during which the grossly anti-Semitic comments of a caller were not challenged by the host, who has since referred any questions about his inaction to his producer. Still, the partial transcript Goldberg ran on his piece was chilling. The caller's comments were disgusting, to be sure, and Scanlan's failure to respond revealing about not only his inadequacy as a journalist but his tacit agreement with the caller's sentiments.

However, it's the comments of Michael Scheuer, who used to head the CIA's "failed bin Laden unit," that reveal the most to me (my italics):

Scheuer: ... One of the big things we have not been able to discuss for the past 30 years is the Israelis. Whether we want to be involved in fighting Israel's wars in the future is something that Americans should be able to talk about. They may vote yes. They may want to see their kids killed in Iraq or Yemen or somewhere else to defend Israel. But the question is: we need to talk about it. Ultimately Israel is a country that is of no particular worth the United States.

Scanlan: You mean strategically?

Scheuer: Strategically. They have no resources we need. Their manpower is minimal. Their association with us is a negative for the United States. Now that's a fact. What you want to do about that fact is entirely different. But for anyone to stand up in the United States and say that support for Israel doesn't hurt us in the Muslim world is to just defy reality.

Now I'm actually in agreement that anyone who thinks our support for Israel puts us on our heels in the Muslim world is in denial. All one has to do is see the gross imbalance of resolutions against Israel in the UN while Muslim countries that abuse their citizens (Sudan) get seats on the Human Rights Council. However, to assert that Israel has no strategic value to the U.S. is mind-boggling. Resources? How about some of the best military intelligence in the world? How about some of the best technological minds in the world? How about a democracy in a world of monarchies, theocracies, and dictatorships? No value? And this guy was a leader at the CIA?

I certainly don't think Israel can do no wrong. In fact, their insistence on continuing settlements in Judea-Samaria is intentionally provocative. There are other places for these people to go. But they are a strategic partner, albeit a hot-headed one. What Rovian politics has done, however, is turn support for Israel into an issue in every primary and general election. At this point, I think it's safe to say that every presidential candidate and every president and congressional leader does support Israel's right to exist and will defend it vigorously. So let's just drop it as a political issue, OK, AIPAC? Go home and celebrate Shabbat with your families.