Mearsheimer and Walt were the first to provide a clear and concise report on the extent and impact of the Israel Lobby in the U.S. As would be expected, given America's unofficial, yet very effective, publication ban on the subject of Israel, they were unable to publish the article in the States (despite an initial interest by Atlantic Monthly). The London Review of Books (LRB) not only published it but also provided the links for an unedited version of the article. Both versions are well worth reading. The main point of the article is that U.S. foreign policy is directed by domestic politics and the Israel Lobby. To show this they note that Israel not only receives (and has since 1976) the most aid, one-fifth of the foreign aid budget, but also receives it in one lump sum at the start of the year without any stipulations. They then show that Israel is a prospering country that really requires no aid, since it has little strategic value for the States. To sum up their analysis, and really prove their case, they present a short history of the Lobby and its rise to such significance.
A few months after its release Mearsheimer and Walt were interviewed concerning the article:
In this interview they discuss the various accusations made against them, e.g., being anti-semitic and in league with David Duke, and the extent of Israel's role in forming American foreign policy.
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