Zombie fact of the day: lefties won't talk about Israel/Lebanon

The meme that liberals are unserious about foreign policy is extraordinarily irritating to me, which is why I want to briefly address charges that the "liberal blogosphere" is reticent on recent international issues. Usually this charge comes from conservatives, though it's especially frustrating when made by self-appointed "responsible" Democrats, particularly when the blogs of those doing the accusing have criticisms of Israel that closely match postings on many liberal blogs.

The fact is that there is a vibrant and diverse debate on Israel/Lebanon on the left. Yes, some high-profile blogs have refrained from in-depth commentary, but they've largely acknowledged their reasons for doing so, including the fact that it's complicated. Some people find this explanation unpersuasive, but those who have cited complexity as a reason for avoiding the topic aren't saying that they're dumb, but rather that it's not their area of expertise. If high-profile bloggers wrote extensively on the issue without experience or background on the issue, I can only imagine the criticism that would rain down. But just because Kos and Drum and others don't want to write about it doesn't mean there aren't plenty of lefties trying to make sense of a difficult -- and yes, complex -- situation. Sure, it's an intense subject and tends to evoke passionate comments (something many conservative sites avoid by, y'know, not having comment sections) but that's part of exchanging ideas and having a debate. Further, many lefty bloggers focus primarily on domestic issues, and obviously the war in Iraq is a significant domestic issue. Who the hell expects sites mostly devoted to domestic political movement and organization to weigh in on the intricacies of the Levant?

But plenty of lefty/liberal blogs are weighing in, and with a variety of perspectives, including many supportive of Israel.

So please, let's dispense with the myth of liberal blogger silence and instead acknowledge that while much of the right views the latest conflict as an opportunity for the U.S. to go to war with more Middle East nations ("Iran: like Iraq but better!"), the left continues to be the more vibrant place for foreign policy discussion and thought.