Neo-con very well may have once referred to something else (ie. liberals who moved to the right), but over the last few years it has basically come to be applied to those who are perceived to be a part of fulfilling or carrying out the whims of "the Jewish lobb(y/ies)". Things such as Iraq, the war on terror, etc. which are perceived to have been forced on the US or which the US was influenced into partaking in by the Jewish lobby.Are you saying the term neo-con has become a negative code word for the jews? Because I have never had that impression from anyone using the term, until I read your post just now. I always figured it was neoconservatists such as Bush, Cheney, and Condo-sleaze-a Rice who ambitiously intervene in other countries' affairs in order to acquire what they they think is in the best interest of the nation. I never figured it had anything to do with Jews.
Who says it is solely a religious notion? Sure, there are Christians who have religious reasons for backing Israel, but the modern state of Israel is the furthest thing from a Christian nation, and the governments can't be said to have ever been particularly religious themselves.But of course. What bothers me is this idiotically religious notion that Isreal must be protected at all costs. Bush backed it up, with a guise of righteousness for the holy land that I don't buy any more than I buy the utterly insane claim that God wanted Bush to go into Iraq. That's another reason Bush can suck my dick. Not only did he feel the need to lie about the motives of the war, he had to manipulate the heavily Christian population of the US into backing him up. What would Jesus bomb?
The fact is that Israel has been a key ally in the region when the US had no others. While the US was talking about the Soviets, Israel was battling for their existance against the Soviet's middle eastern proxies. Israel put itself in danger by not lifting a finger - at the request of the US - when Saddam was raining missiles down on Tel Aviv, so as not to upset their precious Arab coalition (who did nothing during the war). They have always put their money where their mouth is when it comes to being the US' ally.
Israel is also on the cutting edge of technology and science, intelligence, etc. and has benefitted America and Americans in many ways. It is truly a most loyal ally, maybe the truest ally the US has (even when the US isn't acting as such a great ally to Israel).
And as much a religious zealot as some want to make Bush out to be, he is the first president to push as hard as he has for another Arab (Palestinian) state. He is responsible for pushing for the Arab (Palestinian) elections which legitimized Hamas. His team was responsible for the premature cease fire which kept Hezbollah from tasting utter destruction. It is because of he and his team that Israel waited for three years (or longer) of rockets to build up before finally responding.
No Christian zealot would ever call for Israel to hand over historic Judea and Samaria (so-called West Bank) for a concept (peace), which the Arabs would have no obligation to live up to in order to keep their end of the deal (land).
Bush may have been a politician, or a scum bag, or whatever you want to call him, but I don't put any stock into the notion that his foreign policy has been dictated by religion. Some of his policies at home? Perhaps.
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