Mearsheimer: likes cesspool he's living in, putting up wallpaper

Via David Bernstein at Volokh:

Lots of folks couldn't believe that John Mearsheimer, distinguished international relations professor at the University of Chicago, would endorse an anti-Semitic book by fringe kook anti-Semite Gilad Atzmon. Perhaps he was misquoted, or simply blurbed the book without realizing what he was doing? Surely he would retract once a public controversy erupted?

Nope. Blogger Adam Holland: ...

Mearsheimer (infamous co-author of this screed) is clearly proud of this endorsement.  I'm sending you to the links for the details.  Credit where it's due.

See also, Jeffrey Goldberg (who provides a lot of background on Atzmon).


Update (9/27):  More from Bernstein here (via DG's Mideast Media Sampler)

Mearsheimer actually defends Atzmon from the charge of anti-Semitism. So here's my challenge to Prof. Mearsheimer: I will give you space on the Volokh Conspiracy to explain how you can absolve Atzmon from anti-Semitism after reading this excerpt from an interview with Atzmon, not coincidentally hosted on the website of notorious anti-Semite "Israel Shamir".

Here are a few brief samples Bernstein did not quote (there's just too much there):

"They try to call me an anti-Semite, I'm not an anti-Semite. I've got nothing against the Semite people, I don't have anything against people - I'm anti-Jewish, not anti-Jews.

"I think Jewish ideology is driving our planet into a catastrophe and we must stop."

And then there's this.

"The Nazis were indeed . . . evil. They did things that were disastrously inhuman and unacceptable. But this doesn't mean the Jewish ideology is correct, because in fact Jewish ideology and Nazi ideology were very similar."

Atzmon is a sad, sick little man whose main claim to fame is the extreme nature of his delusions.  Which is why there's understandably some surprise that an academic of Mearsheimer's stature would chose that particular wagon to hitch to. 

Bernstein's thoughts, and a challenge.