So much for first impressions. After a long-awaited launch, Al Jazeera America’s very first guest was conspiracy theorist Professor Stephen Walt.
He’s best known for co-authoring The Israel Lobby, a discredited book which accuses Jews of manipulating American foreign policy. (Osama Bin Laden’s endorsement was a plug Walt could’ve done without.) Walt’s pre-Arab Spring observations rank among The 3 Dumbest Things Written By Intellectuals Visiting Libya. And his response to the 2011 Itamar massacre was cold — shockingly so.
Walt concluded his thoughts on Egypt’s turmoil by telling AJA viewers that US aid to Cairo isn’t really a significant strategic American interest, but it mollifies Israel. Watch the video.
I can’t wait to see who else fills out AJA’s roster of talking head experts. Henry Siegman? Abdel Bari Atwan? Geneive Abdo?
How about Neve Gordon, the Israeli professor too radioactive for Walt?
I’m almost afraid to ask: What will Al Jazeera America do for an encore?
(Hat tip: Washington Free Beacon)
© Divuach Ne’eman R”A, 2025
