New Middle East Director at the NSC in the White House

This has become the norm since 1990s.  That the director of Middle East affairs at the White House's NSC should not be a Middle East expertise. Nothing terrifies the Zionist lobby like Middle East expertise in foreign policy making.  So instead, they bring in advocates.  This new guy is no exception: he did not study the Middle East and does not know a Middle East language (although his supporters would argue that he did consume Falafil sandwiches on occasions--which is the extent of expertise for Elliot Abrams).  (thanks Laleh)