Later work Merrill McPeak

1 later work

1.1 israel

1.1.1 mcpeak s response


1.2 political activities
1.3 east timor

later work

following air force career, mcpeak entered private sector consultant , business executive. has been on boards of directors twa, ecc international, served several years chairman, tektronix, sensis corporation, gencorps, , other corporations. mcpeak , wife elynor reside in lake oswego, oregon. served member of lake oswego city council.

mcpeak appointed in july 2010 american battle monuments commission. tenth chairman (and first airman) lead commission.

in 1992, san diego state university gave first ever lifetime achievement award general mcpeak. in 1995, george washington university honored him distinguished alumni award, george. in 2005, on occasion of 150th anniversary of founding of sigma chi fraternity, selected 1 of 150 members of hall of fame. among initial 7 inductees oregon aviation hall of honor.

in may 2012, mcpeak published hangar flying, first volume of aerial view trilogy, 3 memoirs document career in air force. book followed volume 2, below zone, in november 2013.

israel

mcpeak harshly criticized american spectator journalist robert goldberg comments , writings has made regarding israel.

goldberg begins piece saying mcpeak has long history of criticizing israel not going 1967 borders part of peace agreement arab states. in 1976 mcpeak wrote article foreign affairs magazine questioning israel s insistence on holding on golan heights , parts of west bank.

goldberg writes [in] recent years mcpeak has echoed mearsheimer-walt view american middle east policy being controlled jews @ expense of america s interests in region. goldberg quotes mcpeak responding question cause lack of progressing in getting israelis , palestinians together: new york city. miami. have large vote -- vote, here in favor of israel. , no politician wants run against it.

goldberg wrote mcpeak claims combination of jews , christian zionists manipulating u.s. policy in iraq in dangerous , radical ways. support claim, goldberg quotes mcpeak published interview: let s 1 of abiding concerns security of israel opposed purely american self-interest, make sense build dozen or bases in iraq. let s born-again christian , think armageddon , rapture happen minute , want retrace steps think laid out in revelations, makes sense. there number of scenarios here lead in direction. radical....

mcpeak s response

more 30 years ago, ... wrote, , foreign affairs published, article being circulated in blogosphere evidence of alleged anti-israel point of view. commentators reach farther, suggesting since have been active supporter of barack obama s presidential bid he, too, anti-israel. both these assertions fall flat after objective reading of historical record.


i long-time admirer (and think myself friend) of israel. in 1970s, played key role in getting advanced weaponry released israeli air force -- capabilities later put active use. during period, made many official visits israel , established close relationships there. these contacts turned out useful during operation desert storm, when, chief of staff of u.s. air force, worked israeli counterparts defend israel iraqi scud missile attacks.


i vocal opponent of george w. bush administration s decision invade iraq, strategic blunder made worse slapdash execution. have seen, star-crossed action took our eye off ball in afghanistan, breathed new life moribund al qaeda, , enhanced iranian influence in critical region -- outcomes damaged both united states , our ally israel.


it view , hope israel have our continued support. wish every success. of course, israel regards success decide. friends me, success means secure israel @ peace neighbors recognize , respect existence. so, should maintain our special relationship , israel keep qualitative military edge.


as article, has changed in 32 years , has not. essential argument holds: no set of realistically achievable geographic borders produces safety israel. rather, security requirement of territory taken in six-day war , given part of peace settlement should demilitarized. of course, sinai peninsula returned egypt long ago in way, resulting in relative quiet along israel s southern border , creating fundamental shift in regional balance of forces. opportunity not skillfully exploited, result has been cold peace. nevertheless peace , has served interests of both sides.

political activities

in 1996, mcpeak served oregon state chairman bob dole president campaign. during presidential election of 2000 mcpeak endorsed george w. bush , served co-chairman of oregon veterans bush. military , foreign policy of bush administration coalesced, however, mcpeak expressed strong objections, regard 2003 invasion of iraq. mcpeak later openly campaigned howard dean s nomination, , when dean withdrew, acted adviser john kerry campaign. 1 of twenty-seven signatories statement of committee of diplomats & commanders change calling bush administration failure @ preserving national security , calling bush not re-elected.

mcpeak co-chair of barack obama s 2008 presidential campaign. generated controversy following comments made @ campaign appearance in medford, oregon implied former president bill clinton had appeared question obama s patriotism: 1 37 years proudly wore uniform of our country, m saddened see president employ these tactics. of people should know better because target of same kind of tactics. mcpeak compared former president s comments mccarthyism: grew up, going college when joe mccarthy accusing americans of being traitors, ve had enough of it.

east timor

according journalist allan nairn, general mcpeak oversaw delivery of advanced u.s. fighter planes suharto s government not long after november 1991 shooting of pro-independence demonstrators known dili massacre.