Mismatch

Earlier today, Deacon noted that a left-wing academic named Juan Cole accused Iraq the Model of “astroturfing,” i.e., being secretly funded by American “neoconservatives.” This afternoon, Dafydd ab Hugh took Cole and Cole’s source to task in an email. When Dafydd goes after a marginally talented lefty, the result isn’t pretty. It’s funny, though:

The charge of “astroturfing” against Iraq the Model begins to crumble the moment it’s actually examined.
First, Professor Juan Cole — who is a raving lefty I’ve encountered before, insisting (based on his “authority” as a professor of history) that Iraq had absolutely no connection whatsoever with any member of al-Qaeda — did not originate the charge; it came from the aptly named website Martini Republic, http://martinirepublic.com/item/979 , run by one Joseph Mailander, who actually is one of those “anonymous bloggers” who won’t tell you a thing about him:

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