Juan Cole locates himself in the political spectrum

This is all in one relatively brief post. We learn, for instance, that Stephen Walt's opponents are "fascists":

The techniques of smearing and pressure politics deployed against his appearance can only be described as a form of Zionist-fascism (whether deriving from Christian Zionists or Jewish ones), which is a much more potent danger to open intellectual inquiry in the United States than is usually realized.

We learn that speakers are "disinvited" at Harvard "apparently on grounds of disagreeing with Alan Dershowitz." The David Project is called "Likudnik" (the biggest insult in the Cole lexicon) and its name put in quotes. Criticism of Jewish Israel-bashers is called "a form of anti-Semitism." (Juan, we didn't know you cared!) Solidarity is expressed with Norman Finkelstein, and a George Bisharat op-ed is recommended. Finally, we learn that "Gaza is the worst outcome of Western colonialism anywhere in the world outside the Belgian Congo." The imprecision and vagueness of this last statement actually helps. Tempers the extremism.

Crossposted on Soccer Dad

Tags: Juan Cole, Norman Finkelstein, Israel, Walt and Mearsheimer,