This is what passes for Middle East expertise
Sad but true. This is what passes for Middle East expertise these days.This morning at the Aspen Ideas Festival, New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman reportedly explained that – and this is a quote- “Netanyahu is [the] Mubarak of Israel.” At first this seems like a counterintuitive statement. The defining feature of Mubarak’s regime was its 30 years of autocratic rule, whereas Netanyahu has been elected by the Israeli electorate twice and enjoys the support of the Israeli public. Insofar as there’s any analogy to be asserted, it’s almost certain to confuse and confound – to conflate likes with unlikes – rather than to clarify.Read the whole thing. Maybe Friedman is just a well-paid fool.
But let’s keep in mind that Friedman is, as Barry Rubin pointed out while bemoaning the lack of adult supervision over Middle East policymaking, recognized as an expert on the region. He certainly packed the room at Aspen before dispensing this morning’s wisdom. He’s considered an expert despite how he (wrongly) declared in 2010 that Palestinian Prime Minister Fayyad was consolidating and solidifying power, an impression Friedman picked up (predictably) from a few anecdotes he heard in the West Bank. He’s considered an expert despite how he simultaneously admits the Palestinians aren’t interested in peace but still insists we should tilt the diplomatic playing field away from Israel, our last stable Middle East ally. So maybe there’s a really striking and provocative insight buried inside this “elected Israeli officials are just like unelected Egyptian generals” comparison.
Labels: New York Times, Omri Ceren, Tom Friedman
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 1:40 AM
5 Comments:
Not sure what this convention was where Friedman spoke, but I am sure that the people who came to hear him speak, for the most part were those who agreed with him anyway.I doubt he converted anyone in the room as they were his tuchas-leckers to begin with.
Friedman is a creature of the Lame Stream Media..just like Al Sharpton, which is interesting and proves that the LSM supports and props up any antisemite that they can.
There are fools up and down the status ladder, in high places as well as low, not least the elitest of well coiffed intelligentsia. A high class idiot preaching to the credulous choir of soi disant "opinion makers". Not unlike our President.
He's an ignorant and dangerous fool. His bon mots aren't enlightening about the real Middle East. And to compare Israel's democracy with Egypt's unelected dictatorship is nothing short of outrageous. But that's vintage Tom Friedman!
What could go wrong indeed
Man! Mark Levin was on fire because of Freidman's insulting and insane remarks on the Charlie Rose Show." Friedman called Israel's current government "inbred" and "unimaginative." And, get this, that Obama is not anti-Semite nor anti-Israel. The godling is simply, "trying to do the right thing." Well now, isn't that special?
But boy did Levin let that elistist-Obamabot fool of a Limosuine Lib have it!
It was awesome!
You are in Mark Levin's video:
http://www.carolineglick.com/e/2011/07/tom-friedman-double-whammy.php
Post a Comment
<< Home