Dark Crusade: Christian Zionism and US Foreign Policy

Clifford A. Kiracofe

May 2009 · I.B.Tauris

About this ebook

Despite its efforts to promote peace and instil democracy in the region, America is viewed by many in the Middle East as a dishonest broker waging a ‘dark crusade’ against its enemies: in covert collaboration with Israel. The crucial hostility to Arab and Palestinian interests of the so-called ‘Zionist lobby’ in the US has long been recognised. But it is another less familiar element in US politics that increasingly calls the shots on Capitol Hill, directing the course of American foreign policy there and beyond: Christian Zionism. Clifford A. Kiracofe, Jr, shows to what degree Christian Zionists have now thoroughly infiltrated the Republican Party, and how they also wield enormous influence over both the White House and Congress - an influence that is unlikely to diminish during a Democratic Presidency. Protestants with a feverish anticipation of the end of the world, these hardliners have long made common cause with the most extreme political elements in the state of Israel. But why? Jews and fundamentalist Christians hardly look like natural allies. Adhering to a biblically-derived apocalyptic ideology, that of ‘premillennial dispensationalism’, Christian Zionists have nevertheless come to believe that restoration of the entire Holy Land of the Bible - geographical Palestine - to the Jewish people will result in the thousand-year reign of Christ, as well as their own ‘rapture’ or bodily removal to heaven. During his eleven years working in the Senate, the author observed first hand the deep-seated influence of Christian Zionism on American foreign policy, and is uniquely qualified to assess its significance. Dark Crusade offers the most nuanced analysis and history yet written of this dangerous and complex phenomenon, which is arguably one of the most powerful obstacles standing in the way of a lasting peace settlement in the entire Middle East.

About the author

Dr. Clifford A. Kiracofe, JR. holds a BA, MA, and Ph.D. in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia. He is a former Senior Professional Staff Member of the United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. He has taught international relations at Washington and Lee University and at Virginia Military Institute. He has also taught at China Foreign Affairs University (Beijing). He is a columnist for Beijing Review (Beijing) and China Focus (Beijing) and has written for Global Times (Beijing). He has been a Knight Journalism Fellow which supported research and travel to Russia, Mexico, Panama, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Uzbekistan. He has been a member of the National Conference of Editorial Writers (now Association of Opinion Journalists) and was on its International Affairs Committee.