I think a good litmus test for conspiracy theorists is the use of Richard Perle as the boogeyman. Perle was not in the government during the planning and execution of the war in Iraq. Yet he is often brought up as some sort of Svenagli who has masterminded the war. Why? Perhaps, because..he is Jewish?

His name is brought up by conspiracy theorists who seem to mention him (and often Bill Kristol — publsiher of The Weekly Standard) as two of the key players in deciding to wage war.

Lawrence Wilkerson provides a model in the Baltimore Sun (hat tip: Powerline).

First, it was Mr. Perle and people such as he who put us where we are today, not the terrorists of 9/11. A somnolent Congress assisted — a Congress that, as Democratic Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia said as the Senate failed to debate in the run—up to the Iraq war, was "ominously, ominously, dreadfully silent."

Second, people such as Mr. Perle do not represent the bulk of Americans, who are anything but radical. Instead, they represent the Robespierres and Napoleons of this world, the neo—Jacobins of today. Robespierre was a leader of the reign of terror. [emphasis edded]

"Do not represent the bulk of Americans"—that is a term of art that seems to be fraught with shades of dual loyalty and anti—Semitism, no?

There was an NPR segment regarding the Walt/Mearsheimer paper and Larry Wilkerson that ran on 4/21. Wilkerson seems to have enough respect for the Walt/Mearsheimer thesis (labeled anti—Semitc in an op—ed in the Washington Post and in numerous other media outlets) to have his college students read the paper for his classes.

Ed Lasky   4 23 06