If you can cast your mind way, way back in time, to about a month ago, you may remember Jeffrey Goldberg writing an article in the Atlantic—“Point of No Return”—in which he declared that, relying on absolutely unimpeachable sources, it was clear that the leaders of Israel were absolutely fed up with this nuclear stuff coming out of Iran, that it was an “existential threat” to the existence of Israel, and that, well, they were going to take Iran out, by hook or by crook, with America’s leave or without it.
It didn’t take smart asses like Glenn Greenwald long to point out that this absolutely serious, exquisitely sourced report was a greasy crock of propaganda, whipped up by Jeff and his buddies in Israel to convince the U.S. that Israel was going to attack Iran, and if the U.S. wanted any say in the matter, any say at all, they needed to get on board, because the train was leaving the station.
Which put Jeff’s stablemate at the Atlantic, Andrew Sullivan, in a bit of a quandary. He likes Jeff, but he doesn’t like the Likudist jive that Jeff was hawking. So Sully promised his readers that he would study the issue, very carefully, because it was very important, and produce his considered response, probably after he got back from his vacation, which, providentially enough, was just around the corner.
Well, Sully’s been back for about two weeks now, and guess what? No considered response. Which suggests to me two things: 1) Sullivan doesn’t want to get into it with Goldberg; 2) Goldberg’s attempt to gin up some kind of war fever over Iran fell flat. It seems that the U.S. has kind of had it with wars in the Middle East, at least for another year or two.
Afterwords
Sullivan’s blog (I guess it should be called “Andy and Friends,” because he has several helpers) generally makes good reading, although you tend to hear more about gay marriage, “faith,” and Sarah Palin than most people want to know. And Jeff, when he isn’t trying to start a war, has said some remarkably praiseworthy things about the not-9/11 not-mosque controversy, supporting the community center itself and its would-be founder, Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf: “I know Imam Faisal Abdul Rauf, and I know him to be a moderate, forward-leaning Muslim – yes, it is true he has said things with which I disagree, but I have never expected him to function as a member of the Zionist Organization of America.”
