Neocon, for many, has become shorthand for neocon-Zionist conspiracy, whatever that may be, although probably involving some combination of plans to exploit Iraqi oil, bomb Iran and apply U.S. power to Israel’s benefit. ~Roger Cohen
It has nothing to do with conspiracies, but, in point of fact, prominent people who still call or have called themselves neoconservatives have said that we should exploit Iraq’s oil (it was going to pay for the war and reconstruction, remember?), bomb Iran (see Norman “I hope and pray that we will bomb Iran” Podhoretz) and apply U.S. power to Israel’s benefit (“This is our war, too,” said Kristol the Lesser of Lebanon). The thing is that these are compliments to such people, which is why it never ceases to amaze me that they become offended when it is pointed out that this is what they support.
When neocons are winning, they call themselves neoconservatives, brag about their intellectual tradition, and make a point of showing their moral superiority to paleoconservatives and realists. When they’re losing and their stupid projects are failing, they deny their own existence, jump ship, pin blame on others, and otherwise act like a bunch of irresponsible, dishonorable trouble-makers. They are the most arrogant, mistaken crew I’ve seen in a while. Other groups do this as well in other contexts; we’re not supposed to know who is and isn’t a Jew, for example, unless they want to call us anti-Semites.