But what is this “other side”? The reality is that even Safire and Krauthammer now believe that a Palestinian state is a necessity. And as the professors themselves say, the moderates are well represented (and by no less influential voices than Thomas Friedman and Richard Cohen). What Walt and Mearsheimer do want, it seems clear from their own conclusions, is that the op-ed pages of American newspapers consistently print critiques of Israel that paint its actions as immoral and America’s relationship to it a strategic liability (as they themselves believe). If this is their idea of balance it seems to me it would only add fuel to an already enflamed conversation. Walt and Mearsheimer realpolitik view of the world might divide it up into either pro-Israel or pro-Palestinian camps, but that’s not a necessarily realistic idea of how editors see things, nor what op-ed pages should strive for.

Walt and Mearsheimer have written a terribly wrongheaded book, and their sloppy analysis is no more misguided than when they look at the media. Those who work at newspapers would find the notion of inside agents of the lobby (which is effectively what they are describing) as laughable. No columnist can pull off just spouting propaganda. They live and die by the intelligence of their argument. And, it should be remembered, just as a newspaper’s audience is affected by what they read, so are newspapers a reflection of their audience. There are many reasons why the American people support Israel. Walt and Mearsheimer undermine our intelligence by assuming that we are simply being manipulated. If more columnists support Israel it’s partly because most Americans do. That’s not the work of any lobby.

And, just to close by stating the obvious: If the lobby is so influential over the media, how were Walt and Mearsheimer given such space in every major news outlet in the country to express their “dangerous” views? You want to tell me that a force that can impel us to got to war in Iraq can’t find a way to censor two academics? Not much of a lobby, now is it?