Prof Stein takes a stand
(h/t Postwatch) One of the frustrating aspects of the Walt-Mearsheimer paper is that there was little interest in the MSM that two respected scholars had crossed a line in their paper about the “Israel Lobby.” When the paper was covered and mention was made that some people objected to it, the objecters were treated as eccentrics who were way too sensitive. Walt and Mearsheimer crossed a line and they never paid a price for it. Those who will shun them will be looked at as being too close to Israel. Prof Kenneth Stein has taken a step to see that ex-President Carter doesn’t get a similar free ride. He has terminated his (diminishing) connection to the Carter Center as per an e-mail circulating and picked up by Powerline. Of particular interest, Prof Stein wrote:
President Carter’s book on the Middle East, a title too inflammatory to even print, is not based on unvarnished analyses; it is replete with factual errors, copied materials not cited, superficialities, glaring omissions, and simply invented segments. Aside from the one-sided nature of the book, meant to provoke, there are recollections cited from meetings where I was the third person in the room, and my notes of those meetings show little similarity to points claimed in the book. Being a former President does not give one a unique privilege to invent information or to unpack it with cuts, deftly slanted to provide a particular outlook.
It’s not just the bias in the book that Stein objects to, but to Carter’s dishonesty in writing it. “Copied materials not cited” is a charge of plagiarism. Seeing the deference shown Carter by Tim Russert the other day, it’s encouraging to see that someone has taken a stand. I have no idea if the MSM will report this or if they will continue showing the ex-President respect he does not deserve.
Others commenting of Prof Stein’s stand include Jewish Current Issues, Boker Tov Boulder and Abu Wabu (who cites John Podhoretz).
Crossposted on Israpundit and Soccer Dad.Blogdigger tags: Jimmy Carter, Kenneth Stein, Israel.
Also, Stein’s resignation letter is printed (not just referred to) on Amazon by Michael W. Perry in Perry’s Dec. 5 review of Carter’s book. (Great place to put the letter, eh?)
Comment by soren
— December 6, 2006 @ 2:25 pm
This was reported on Fox today.
Comment by Shelley
— December 7, 2006 @ 4:49 am
The objections do not address Carter’s main points that the settlements and their infrastructure are illegal, counter to Israeli committments to the US, and apartheid-like in the territories. And that this oppressiveness feeds Muslim hatred of the US because the US does not sufficiently oppose it.
Plagarism, errors, etc. are red herrings designed to raise ad-hominem issues. A fairly pitiful counterattack. Is Carter also perhaps unfaithful to his wife? Is anyone checking?
Comment by RobertHume
— December 7, 2006 @ 3:15 pm
Yeah, RobertHume, Really - What does truth have to do with errors, inventions, inversions, ommisions, and such the like anyway? [/sarcasm]
Comment by RandyTexas
— December 7, 2006 @ 3:46 pm