In a recent column, neocon Daniel Pipes openly questions the loyalties of British Muslims.
Pipes concludes, “Britain’s potential terrorists live in a highly nurturing community.”
His point is well taken. Terrorism is a hearts-and-minds issue. Terrorists draw strength, both in finances and in morale, from law-abiding communities. One reason I am for Islamic reformers.
Pipes’s point also opens the door on my question: How important is Israel, politically/religiously, in the hearts and minds of the neoconservatives and other Jewish hawks? I think, very large. For instance, former Bush speechwriter David Frum describes America as “this new Israel,” while Elliott Abrams, Bush’s aide on Middle East matters, writes:
The neocons, along with a lot of Democratic hawks, have thoroughly conflated American and Israeli interests, to the detriment of U.S. foreign policy. They honestly believe our interests and Israel’s are congruent. I think they’re wrong, and Americans should debate this. And if it’s legitimate to talk about how Muslims identify themselves, and I think it is, it is also fair to ask how important Israel is to rightwing Jewish-Americans who have pushed for war with Iraq, Syria and Iran.
