I think a lot has changed, especially the ease in which opponents of Israel can bash the Jewish state. But what's especially interesting is how Mearsheimer and Walt have been co-opted by Israel's enemies across the ideological spectrum and across the globe. That's quite an accomplishment. That said, some fellow writes this passage below, from the comments at Foreign Policy, which is so true. Walt's response would be that the majority of supporters want the wrong policies for Israel --- and that's not going to change no matter the evidence thrown at the Israel-bashing academic egghead:
Walt, this is the "Israel Lobby:" http://www.gallup.com/poll/126155/support-israel-near-record-high.aspxThe American people support Israel by an over 4:1 margin. If it wasn't for this fact, the influence of AIPAC and similar groups would be marginal at best. The truth is that the American people respect and empathize with Israel and wish it to survive as a prospering, Jewish, democratic state in an exceptionally hostile environment. They also realize that Israel has, since the 1979 peace treaty with Egypt, made huge concessions for peace with the Palestinians, giving away Gaza and most of the West Bank and allowing them to govern themselves, but generally has only gotten intifada, rockets, missiles, and suicide bombings in return. I know these facts are such a shock for you, but not everyone is some out-of-touch leftist academic. In fact, they are evidently are more realistic than the supposed "realist."