Philip Zelikow

”Why would Iraq attack America or use nuclear weapons against us? I'll tell you what I think the real threat (is) and actually has been since 1990 -- it's the threat against Israel,” Zelikow told a crowd at the University of Virginia on Sep. 10, 2002, speaking on a panel of foreign policy experts assessing the impact of 9/11 and the future of the war on the al-Qaeda terrorist organization. Zelikow made his statements about ”the unstated threat” during his tenure on a highly knowledgeable and well-connected body known as the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board (PFIAB), which reports directly to the president.

Zelikow was part of the transition team between the Clinton and Bush administrations. During this period he briefed incoming security advisors, including Dr. Rice, on issues such as Iraq and al-Qaeda. Zelikow was executive director of the 9/11 commission.

( Richard Clarke testified in the 9/11 commission hearings that Zelikow was present at the meetings where Rice and other Bush appointees were briefed by outgoing Clinton officials on terrorism. Zelikow was therefore a direct participant in the events that the commission was investigating.)

According to Bush Advisor Karen Hughes, "Mr. Zelikow was recruited by the administration to brief us during the transition because he was one of the foremost experts in the world on al-Qaeda." The bulk of Zelikow's academic research, however, has been concentrated on the Cuban Missile Crisis and the American presidency and he has not published any articles or books directly relating to al-Qaeda or Middle Eastern terrorism.

Director of the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, Zelikow is also a general editor of the Center's Presidential Recordings Program, which transcribes presidential telephone conversations and meetings recorded during the fifties, sixties and seventies. The transcriptions, however, have been found by former Kennedy Library historian Sheldon Stern to have at least 100 key errors, none of which have yet been updated in the publicly available transcripts. Zelikow has attributed the delay in these important updates to his work on the 9/11 Commission. (Note to self: BushCo goes beyond the Peter Principle)

Last month Philip Zelikow, special adviser to Condoleezza Rice, secretary of state, was tasked to lead the new-speak effort as head of a 10-member US committee. Talks began in London and Paris in June with the blessing of the White House. Mr Zelikow's goal, according to a US official who asked not to be named, was to "develop and implement a comprehensive strategy to discredit and demystify extremists' ideology and promote moderate Islamic voices".

Zelikow is behind the feel-better speak of "struggle against violent extremism," the new strategy to turn unbearable "war" logo into tussle hugs. No doubt the warm Parisian nights, French wine, and a thesaurus gave him struggle. It's the rightwing attempt to sing Kumbaya my Lord to a populace exhibiting signs of misgiving about Bush's war-on.

To avoid the appearance that Judeo-Christians blame all Muslims (or Brazilians), Zelikow will lead the new "outreach program," in search of dialogue with moderate non-extremists Islam. With Zelikow, Wolfowitz, Libby, Abrams, Chertoff, Dov Zakheim, Zoellick, Perle, Feith, Bolton, and others too numerous to mention, Jewish experts will work diligently on discrediting and demystifying the world's Arab problem. Surely, after promotion of moderate Islam, the world will be as safe as Tel Aviv. Now don't you feel better?