Republicans and Israel

New forms like the Tea Party will also mean new attitudes toward Israel. History presents us today with rising paradigms. After Sept. 11 and the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan, the options have changed entirely for Israel and America. Paul is “non-interventionist” everywhere but reserves particular venom for Israel and American foreign policy on Israel.

But that should not necessarily reflect on the Tea Party movement. If the Nashville conference was any indication, this group is patriotic and loves America. It should be noted that most American soldiers are from the heartland, where the Tea Party has its roots. Commenting on the vote at CPAC, conservative leader William Kristol said that in his observation, Ron Paul is not representative of the Tea Party people.

But Sarah Palin is. Kristol expressed disappointment when she endorsed Rand Paul, son of Ron, in his Senate race in Kentucky, possibly because of Rand’s father’s attitudes toward Israel. Palin clearly does not share these attitudes.

In her campaign with McCain she said she supported the two-state solution in Israel. But she was fresh out of Alaska and overnight was being prepped by mainstream Republican handlers to mainstream positions. She hadn’t had time to look at it in depth herself and as a regional politician in Alaska, her job and her inclination didn’t take her to foreign policy.

Her comments on Iran last week suggest a new approach. They were interesting from two points of view. First, her interest in Israel seemed to be genuine. Second, she appears to be reading Daniel Pipes’s writing calling for the bombing of Iran. She has had time this year and is getting to the center of things.

Palin is the only mainstream politician who shares the opinion of Daniel Pipes, an advocate for Israel as an Israeli state. Mainstream Republicans like Dick Cheney and cultural critics like The Washington Post’s Anne Applebaum quickly rose to denounce Palin.

It has been said, correctly, that there are many voices in the Tea Party movement. It is yet volatile and unformed, as are all organic beginnings. But it is becoming formidable. Palin no doubt reflects at least part of the constituency. It is increasingly important to see what others think, people like Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Ted (“Cat Scratch Fever”) Nugent, who were there at the Alamo last April 15 when this movement first awakened.

What does Uncle Teddy have to say? In an essay in Human Events a year ago he wrote: “Israel must defeat utterly the rabid, voodoo vermin known as Hamas. After launching more than three thousand rockets and mortars into Israel within the last year, Israel has every right and obligation to destroy Hamas. No nation can be expected to tolerate such a bombardment.”

Visit Mr. Quigley’s website at http://quigleyblog.blogspot.com.