As I suspected, the neocon columns have brought out every flavor of protest. Lots of complaints that this is too dull for words and I should drop it. Fair enough on that score, that’s partly my point. These distinctions are incredibly inside-baseball and people who claim to understand what neocons are and use the word glibly to describe everyone from Tom Delay and Newt Gingrich to Irving Kristol and Ramesh Ponnuru usually reflect their own ignorance or their own agendas.
But let me also say in my own defense that you asked for it. When I asked readers for FAQ-questions “explain neoconservatism” was one of the most popular queries.
It’s also bleached the scummiest anti-Semites out of the woodwork. I always think about revisiting my policy of posting email addresses whenever I get this sort of thing. But I think I have to have the policy for everyone.