Major Test for Israel Lobby As Obama Leans to Hagel for Pentagon
WASHINGTON, Jan 5 2013 (IPS) - With President Barack Obama reportedly primed to nominate former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel to head the Pentagon early next week, the powerful Israel lobby, led by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), faces a major dilemma.
If it mounts a vigorous campaign to fight Hagel’s confirmation by the Senate, it could put at serious risk its relations with the president, who is about to be inaugurated for another four-year term.
Worse, if it loses such a campaign, the aura of near-invincibility that it has assiduously cultivated over the past 30 years – and which has translated into virtually unanimous votes on resolutions in both houses of Congress in support of Israeli policies from the Occupied West Bank to Iran – will suffer a serious blow.
Yet, if it acquiesces in Hagel’s confirmation, it will result in the placement in a critical foreign policy post of a man who prides himself on his independence.
Hagel has expressed strong scepticism about – if not opposition to – war with Iran, and, despite a record of strong support for Israel’s defence needs, has not hesitated to publicly criticise both the Israeli government and its supporters here for pursuing actions that have, in his view, harmed Washington’s strategic interests in the Middle East.
“Hagel’s nomination presents AIPAC and other like-minded groups with a tough choice,” said Stephen Walt, a Harvard professor and co-author of the 2007 “The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy.” “They may not like his reasonable approach toward Iran and his willingness to speak the truth about certain Israeli policies, but he’s a decorated war hero who is hardly hostile to Israel.”
That Hagel will indeed be nominated has not been officially confirmed, and two possible alternatives – Deputy Defence Secretary Ashton Carter and former Undersecretary of Defence for Policy Michele Flournoy – have reportedly been fully vetted for the post. Both have served under the Obama and Clinton administrations and are considered accomplished technocrats who, however, lack Hagel’s political experience and stature.
But a number of highly placed sources and well-connected journalists have reported over the past 24 hours that the former Nebraska senator, who has co-chaired Obama’s Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board since 2009, remains the president’s preferred candidate despite a furious three-week campaign led by neo-conservatives, such as Weekly Standard editor William Kristol Washington Post blogger Jennifer Rubin, the Wall Street Journal’s editorial page, and the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), to pre-empt his nomination.
Among other charges, Kristol, who also heads the far-right Emergency Committee for Israel (ECI), Rubin, and other foes have accused Hagel, a highly decorated Vietnam War veteran, with anti-Semitism and hostility toward the Jewish state.
They have also tried to enlist – with some initial success that has subsequently dissipated – the gay community in their campaign by citing, among other things, his scepticism over easing the prohibition of gay enlistment in the military and his opposition to the nomination of an openly gay ambassador in the 1990s.
Hagel subsequently apologised, and both the ambassador and most LGBT organisations have accepted his apology.
While the neo-conservatives, whose political views are close to those of the ruling Likud Party and, in some cases, the settler movement, have led the anti-Hagel drive, the involvement of the more-cautious Israel lobby – which includes AIPAC and other major national Jewish organisations, such as the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and the American Jewish Committee (AJC) – not to mention numerous Christian Zionist groups, such as Christians United for Israel (CUFI) – has been more discreet.
Early on, the long-time head of the ADL, Abraham Foxman, for example, called Hagel’s views on Israel “disturbing” but said his group would not necessarily oppose the nomination.
AIPAC itself has not commented on Hagel, although its former spokesman, Josh Block, who now heads The Israel Project (TIP) but remains close to AIPAC, has been among the most active participants in the campaign.
Despite also enlisting the support of the Washington Post’s editorial page, which also expressed concern over Hagel’s generally non-interventionist positions and support for cutting the defence budget, the no-holds-barred nature of the neo-conservative campaign has spurred a backlash.
It is particularly visible among Republicans who hail from the more-moderate, internationalist wing of the party most closely identified with Dwight Eisenhower and George H.W. Bush.
There is also resistance from retired senior military, intelligence, and foreign service officers who share a “realist” foreign policy perspective and oppose the kind of adventurism favoured by neo-conservatives, including Kristol, who led the charge into Iraq 10 years ago and are now beating the drums for war with Iran.
For example, four former national security advisers, including Brent Scowcroft (Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan), Zbigniew Brzezinski (Jimmy Carter), Gen. James Jones (Obama), and a former Reagan defence secretary, Frank Carlucci, as well as several former chiefs of the U.S. Central Command (CentCom) have signed letters in support of Hagel.
Many observers close to the Pentagon believe that Hagel’s views, particularly regarding the folly of attacking Iran and the damage inflicted by Israel’s continued occupation of Palestinian lands on Washington’s strategic position in the Middle East, reflect those of much of the serving military brass.
Four former U.S. ambassadors to Israel have also backed his nomination, as has most recently Ryan Crocker, who was widely praised by neo-conservatives during his tenure as ambassador to Iraq and Afghanistan and who has also served as Washington’s top envoy to Lebanon, Kuwait, Syria, and Pakistan.
The sharpness of the neo-conservative campaign – particularly its allegations that Hagel is anti-Semitic and anti-Israel – has evoked charges of McCarthyism from his defenders, adding to the discomfort of the Israel lobby’s main organisations. Even CUFI, sometimes described as more Zionist than the Jewish organisations, disassociated itself from some of the charges.
Thus far, only three Republican senators have said they will oppose Hagel if he is nominated, while several others who have traditionally been close to the lobby, including Sens. John McCain and Lindsay Graham, have voiced strong reservations but refrained from committing themselves. Some Democrats have also quietly expressed concern.
But most observers believe that, if nominated, Hagel, who also heads the influential Atlantic Council think tank, will be confirmed by a solid – if not overwhelming – majority of senators. That makes the lobby’s position even more delicate.
During his two terms as senator, Hagel, a consistent conservative on social and domestic issues, was personally popular with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle.
“Americans are sick and tired of the smear tactics that Hagel’s main opponents have used, and going all-out against him would reveal that AIPAC cares more about Israel than it does about U.S. interests,” Walt told IPS. “Plus, why spend political capital on a former senator whose colleagues on the Hill are going to confirm him anyway?”
AIPAC and like-minded groups will no doubt be influenced by the views of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose right-wing coalition is favoured to win elections later this month.
The major U.S. Jewish organisations and AIPAC have historically given great weight to the policy preferences of Israel’s elected leadership, even as they have privately urged them to take a different course.
But for Netanyahu, who has been sharply criticised by retired senior officials of Israel’s national-security establishment for allegedly endangering the Jewish state’s strategic ties with the U.S. by repeatedly defying Obama, the stakes are also high.
If he is seen as backing any effort to defeat Hagel’s anticipated nomination, his ties with the White House – already tenuous given his scarcely veiled support for Mitt Romney in the November presidential campaign – will likely only worsen.
*Jim Lobe’s blog on U.S. foreign policy can be read at http://www.lobelog.com.
This article was originally published at IPS News.
Read more by Jim Lobe
- Groups Decry Obama’s Failure to Close Guantanamo – January 3rd, 2013
- US Senate Passes New Sanctions on Iran – December 1st, 2012
- Israel Ranked World’s Most Militarized Nation – November 14th, 2012
- 50th Anniversary of Cuban Missile Crisis Offers Lessons for Iran – October 22nd, 2012
- Gloomy News, Prognosis Out of Afghanistan – September 26th, 2012
Major Test for Israel Lobby As Obama Leans to Hagel for Pentagon - Unofficial Network
January 4th, 2013 at 8:04 pm
[...] View original article. [...]
MvGuy
January 4th, 2013 at 10:50 pm
I hope JR is right in his enthusiasm for this Republican Politician.. He seems way too comfortable as a Republican Senator to elicit any fervor in me. … I signed the White House petition (as per request of JR) …….but I just cannot muster any positive excitement.. Too many THs & TWs like "O"… Too many G-ddamm dead children during his tenure,,,,,, I think America is N0.1 in this ignoble race too, Not just debt and invasions …. O.K. O.K., I'm tryin to think lesser of the evils…. .!!! I'm werkin on it…
#PALESTINE NEWS | Jan 5, 2013 | Occupied Palestine | فلسطين
January 5th, 2013 at 12:23 am
[...] Major Test for Israel Lobby As Obama Leans to Hagel for Pentagon http://original.antiwar.com/lobe/2013/01/04/major-test-for-israel-lobby-as-obama-leans-to-hagel-for-… [...]
the lion
January 5th, 2013 at 12:34 am
Whar we could be seeing is a President so sick of Israel treatment of the its benefactor the United States being treated with the open contempt that Netenyahu and Aipac are showing that he is going to become more Nationalistic in how it treats Israel itself, I can see even a possibility of AIPAC being forced onto the Foreign Lobbiests register! That done it would negate a large amount of its activities, especially if it also includes other Israeli groups as well!
A concerted effort by Aipac and the Israel firsters of Congress will show Americas Public that there is in fact a Lobby, Exists!
Andron
January 5th, 2013 at 12:39 am
I am at a loss to understand why The US of A needs to obtain the approval of AIPAC or any other lobby group to the appointment of the head of the Pentagon?
OOPS . I'm sorry I forgot that the United States Of America was a lackey State of The State Of Isreal.
MIKE
January 5th, 2013 at 2:57 am
Tell the Israeli LOBBY to GO straight to HELL. THEY DON'T RULE THIS NATION. PERIOD
peter vojta
January 5th, 2013 at 3:22 am
Power of Zionist lobby groups in US /and around the World/ is unbelivable and even if I keep "fingers crossed" for Mr. Hagel. for sure Evil , Colonial and Fanatical Ideology of Zionism with its only "child – place called Israel" will found the way how to deal with OPPOSERS to their destrictive ongoing reign of terrorism and injustice motivated by ENDLESS GREED, RASISM and SADISM…..
They mastered brainwash large Earth population that God was some kind of Realestate agent and many uninformed people accept it!!!!!, while God fearing Truth Judaism can show anybody from Scriptures, that place called Israel is probably last blashemy against God from this terrorist mob. These kind of people only worshiped MAMMON, POWER OVER OTHERS so God "kicked them out disapora"!!!!!!! …till apointed times…But they dont give a dam for truth from scriptures,or truth Judaism, they simply translated and transformed Torah / Old Testament records to suit "THEIR WAY OF LIVE"!!!! And as scriptures repeat again and again, with their father Satan behind – They ve succeded!!!
"One Hagel is just a little Kennedy for them"…..peter czech
Humble Truth Judaism is religion of God fearing Jews – rejecting "shortcut to promised land" through unbiblical creation of Israel. Colonial, political and brutal ideology Zionism is "most perfect universal unchalenged criminal enterprice" based on lies, deception and brutality and only pile of "bodies, destruction, horrors of wars" follow their ideology.
Nothing good came out of most tragig vote in UN history 1946 for mankind, thats why Israel does not fit in ME. Not now, not ever with their Zionist masters…. Holy Books speek about
S P I R I T U A L J E R U S L E M for whole of humanity in the future and not about some present world citi with criminal gang running the "most horrible show" with Illegal, undeclared arsenal of WMD in their pockets…..
JohnWV
January 5th, 2013 at 4:32 am
Since Imperial Rome, it has happened again and again. Jews enraged their neighbors and repeatedly suffered disastrous pogroms. Excesses of Weimar Germany's monied Jewish minority led to the most recent which Israel promotes, actually advertises, as justification for its apartheid malevolence. “Never again” is lost on Netanyahu's Israel. Blind to history, its paranoid pursuit of invulnerability, territorial conquest and supremacist empire in, and beyond, the Mideast ensures “again” on a far grander scale. Abandoning and aggressively isolating the Jewish state could force it abandon its grandiose aspirations and thereby avert its destruction. There is no greater or kinder support that America could render to both the Mideast and its “inseparable Mideast ally.”
Mark
January 5th, 2013 at 4:38 am
IF Hagel get the nomination and IF his confirmation hearing rises to the level of public awareness anywhere near the level of Clarence Thomas or Robert Bork, it will bring the foreign policy issue and how it's tied to Israel to the fore.
Mr. Lobe breaks down the dynamics of how it has played out so far, in fine style. However, his "inside the beltway" analysis is totally alien to probably 80% of the American population. I'm talking about the majority that is more interested in reality tv shows, their fantasy football team and what's on their I-Pod. What a raucous confirmation hearing would do would be to make these otherwise disinterested parties take notice to the fact that the SecDef must show fealty to another country to be confirmed. Even the most clueless among them know, at the gut "Og hungry" level of thinking, that's wrong. The sleeping masses might suddenly give a dang and that could drown the Israel Lobby for good.
blutopie
January 5th, 2013 at 5:57 am
I think Obama is going to take the Neocons OUT – just like he did to Romney and Netanyahu over the last several months.
The method he will use – is using – is to let the enemies momentum just carry them past the point where they could have landed their blows and where there is no turning back. Then he strikes.
It is a martial art for Obama – an ambush – a jujutsu-move
Obama is invisible – there is no Obama ‘there’ – and then his opponent is suddenly destroyed, almost as if by himself
I think Obama has handled this brilliantly – he has let all the Neocons come out of the woodwork to try to bully and bum-rush the nomination out of contention. He has let his enemies assemble themselves all bunched up together in his ambush zone – and he has kept all his powder dry.
He has done nothing but watch it all and let everybody see for themselves that the Israeli Lobby has precisely NOTHING on Hagel – he has let the Israeli Lobby make fools of themselves – just like Israel was given the time and opportunity and highlights to see Netanyahu as a madman last Fall
Does everybody remember what Obama did to Romney during the debates when Mitt thought he had him with Benghazi issue? – and as he set up his best laid attack he hears the fateful words ‘Please proceed governor’ – with Obama nodding as he watches Mitt go past the point of no return in his candidacy? Then the quick slash and cutting him off at the knees? It was masterful…
Does everyone remember what Obama did to Netanyahu last fall? – letting Netanyahu commit himself past the point of no return until all the wise men of Israel itself (Dagan, Diskin, Gantz, etc) were on the verge of a general’s revolt and trying to commit Bibi to an insane asylum themselves? – and then and only then, like with Romney, the quick slash and cutting Netanyahu off at the knees? It was likewise masterful…
Another one of the Israeli Lobby mouthpieces, David Gregory, pronounced it ‘over’ for Hagel a couple of weeks ago- as his Meet the Press hit on Hagel using his ‘Lobby Regulars’ – Andrea Mitchell, Chuck Schumer, Lindsay Graham, and Joe Lieberman (on Cnn) – all magically appeared at once and did the Cheney-Era ‘neocon echo chamber’ number on Hagel
I think the Neocons just don't even know they've lost yet – this article being a case in point.
Haaretz already has an article up calling a battle royale confirmation fight a LOSE/LOSE for the Israeli Lobby.
This is going to be FUN!
didi
January 5th, 2013 at 6:19 am
Would you be so kind as to document the "excesses of monied Jews of the Weimar Republic" because I believe that your statement is nonsense. My dad, a German Jew, was not monied but survived 12 years of jail and concentration camp among which were Dachau, Buchenwald, and Auschwitz-Monowitz. My mom who was not Jewish spent nine month in the Dutch concentration camp Vught because we had given shelter to non-monied Dutch and German Jews in our apartment. I believe that I am therefore allowed to give you a brief lesson in history and expect you to apologize, if you can.
Adolf Hitler and his cronies did not persecute Jews because of "excesses" but because they needed a scapegoat for the defeat of Germany in 1918 and the terrible depression of the 20's. Since antisemitism had been a staple of German politics for centuries the Jews were an easy target.
Lastly, I am not a "friend of the governments of Israel". In fact, it was in 1945 that I refused to go to Palestine to "drive the Arabs out".
richard vajs
January 5th, 2013 at 6:21 am
Blutopie,
Hope that you are right. The Lobby has been like Wily Coyote standing on thin air for too long. Sooner or later, average Americans are going to ask why – if our government is deep in debt, why are we funneling money to Israel which is relatively wealthy itself? Especially as their treatment of some of its inhabitants is contrary to everything America is supposed to stand for.
AIPAC and the TEA Party – both born too stupid to survive long by their wits alone.
didi
January 5th, 2013 at 6:23 am
The "obsession" of Americans with the "Holy Land" has always been overwhelmingly based on the expectation of the second coming of Christ. In that context it was only a secondary issue who was in command of the holy places of Christianity. Eventually Jews were given thumbs up over Arabs. As long as that is the case a majority of our nation will favor Israel. I am not in that group.
Dr.Khan
January 5th, 2013 at 6:38 am
One step closer to save America.Keep it up Obama and keep Drones Down sir.
Jaime
January 5th, 2013 at 7:04 am
Apparently they do if we look at the record. Look at your Congresspeople jump at the sole order of the Jewish Lobby. And in general American politicians are terrified to oppose AIPAC. I wonder why thta is.
omop
January 5th, 2013 at 7:40 am
The first step in America becoming unshackled…is it time hopefully to say, "free free at last?" and put the lie to:- "America is something that can be easily moved. Moved in OUR direction. They will not get in OUR way." According to a quote from Bibi.
Given a quote in his book Mr. Hagel in 2008 wherein he said, "I'm not an Israeli senator. I'm a United States senator." Its as an American with only one allegiance that one applauds Mr. Hagel's appointment and service as Sec. of Defense.
MvGuy
January 5th, 2013 at 7:55 am
Nice post John….. It's near precisely the way I see the situation too… A sad never-ending story of the abused becoming the abusers…… Only thing is that I am less optimistic than you…. I see the train out of the station and headed full throttle towards the light at the end of the tunnel. The light is the politicos torching their crack-pipe of full spectrum dominance……. Their dream of satellite/drone total control of the entire planet and every soul alive, their every move…. even their every THOUGHT…… A Neo-totalitarian vision of domination beyond the pale or any past supremacist delusions… One that pits the so few against the so many that it can never succeed. One so devoid of real creativity that it has recycled the Third Reich's fever dreams…. and more telling… its ENTIRE play book. From disputed election through the Reistag/911 fires..Patriot/Enabling acts… bifurcated military extensions of Poland/Afghanistan Czechoslovakia/Iraq… and the activation of the old colonial rats in a Neo-willing coalition/axis to re-coloinze the carbon resources that remain while protection the Neo-fatherland of supremacist control…. But I'm sure I will awake from this seizure of spirit to find Good Morning in America…. And the sunshine of life illuminating brightly over Obamalandia and our radiant Neo-topia….s of Detroit and Newark and Buffalo, Clevelands…. of our vast techno-innovation of computer games with actual blood of children bug splats and bases worldwide to spread our LIGHT of 'Do what we say, not what we do'…ism …… In post rule of law America…. Good Night great land…!!!
There is no happy face Obama's handlers can project for us…. Just more of their course of moral and social decline, but ever rising American conquests and militarism.. official secrets and permanent detentions no trial… All on a scale only madmen would want……. End play the Fuhrer's wet dreams cum tru….???
Wolfgang9
January 5th, 2013 at 9:08 am
Thank you, that's a great article, explaining much background if not all to me,
Wolfgang
goldhoarder
January 5th, 2013 at 10:10 am
I do think Obama has set a political trap here for AIPAC. He lost bad in his first term and he has been doing the "rope a dope" like you describe. I am not sure it is for the better though. The empire needs more room to maneuver in the ME. It won't be able to do this with Israel hanging around its neck.
AIPAC and Likud took things too far and now it looks like there is going to be a bit of payback. I don't think this necessarily means better things for the people of the ME. The continued weakening of the position of the US in the ME is a good thing for the people there not a bad thing.
Major Test for Israel Lobby As Obama Leans to Hagel for Pentagon ~ Jim Lobe « Stop Making Sense
January 5th, 2013 at 10:11 am
[...] FULL ARTICLE @ ANTIWAR [...]
abe
January 5th, 2013 at 10:54 am
Mr. Lobe is Jewish I believe and I can not understand why only Jews can speak of israel's horrors.
I want to get in there and throw a few punches myself; some haymakers to the chin of Neocons and AIPAC. Call me anti-semite I do not care a twit. I have a heavy bag with Bibi on it. I punch harder seeing that bastards face.
Peter W
January 5th, 2013 at 10:55 am
Kudos to Jim Lobe for another lucid piece. I am no Obama fan. I find him both cowardly in principle, and tyranical in his evisoration of our constitution. However, this is the first and faintest whiff of backbone from the Obama presidency. The Israeli lobby has absolutely dominated and dictated american foriegn policy for decades. That policy has been disasterous to America and her interests. While I still find Obama vile and repugnent, I am behind him in standing up to this lobby of fifth columnists backed by a foreign government. America has the right to pick its own leaders. AIPAC, J Street and all the other iterations of the Israel Lobby should be forced to register as agents of a foreign government. The many espionage cases against them should be relentlessly pursued. Enough is enough. Our politicians should be concerned with america, first, second , and third.
Mark Thomason
January 5th, 2013 at 10:58 am
You are quite right about the consequences to their influence of a failed effort to block Hagel.
You do not mention the other side, the consequences to their influence of a successful effort to block Hagel. They would terrify the bureaucracy into even more total compliance. The President would deal with Netanyahu on N's terms.
It would be catastrophic for the interests and well being of the US. We would be in another war, one far worse than our present two put together, and with devastating consequences for the world economy.
This is become a serious fight for the future. It is a very dangerous situation. Normally, facing such a cusp, Obama has backed down. They may well be expecting that, and gambling even more because they anticipate a bluff.
This is shaping up to be very dangerous.
Mark Thomason
January 5th, 2013 at 11:00 am
I hope so. I fear more for the outcome. I wish we were depending on someone who had not already caved so often and so completely.
David James Vickery
January 5th, 2013 at 11:53 am
Oh, but they do when it comes to determination of foreign policy relevant to the Middle East. Maybe this is the time to begin to send them packing?
David James Vickery
January 5th, 2013 at 12:12 pm
From reading all the other comments, I come away with the impression that we can all just about agree that the nomination/confirmation of Hagel as U.S. Secretary of Defense is an important turning point in U.S.-Israel relations.
Huge consequences both ways, if he is confirmed or not confirmed.
David James Vickery
January 5th, 2013 at 12:33 pm
Now, 13 minutes later, I'm reading a sobering article by Glenn Greenwald in The Guardian titled "The 'war on terror' – by design – can never end" dated Jan. 4th. http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/…
We know how Hagel feels about Israel and AIPAC etc…but do we know how he feels about continuing America's endless wars of conquest? In that regard is he any different from Panetta?
Weekend News | Zephyr Global Report
January 5th, 2013 at 2:11 pm
[...] Obama to Pick Hagel in Major Test of Israel Lobby [...]
Outraged in Omaha
January 5th, 2013 at 4:08 pm
Hagel is a Jew hater, a homophobe and a war monger. Notice the recommendations from the generals at Central Command. He owned the voting machines that got Bush elected and reelected. No one wanted to work for him in the Senate and his turnover rate was 100% per year. He approved the increased defense budget from $200 billion to $700 billion a year. He blocked lawsuits against the VA by disabled veterans. He tried to close down the USO. Hagel is a bad, bad choice. He is a typical worthless POS Repuke.
WashingtonDC Goddamn
January 5th, 2013 at 5:29 pm
We know how Obama's Clinton clone nominee John Kerry for Sec of State feels about the never-ending WOT.
TRUTH ALLOWED
January 5th, 2013 at 5:34 pm
To bad America and much of the world stand for nothing,but greed and illegal wars.At least NATOS governments not all the brainwashed people.I hope Obama does 1 good thing and make AIPAC register as a forighn lobby as we all no they are.If he does that he will not end their and Americans will expect the same from future Presidents.Obamsa chance to actually make a CHANGE for the better the greater good in America and the world.
TRUTH ALLOWED
January 5th, 2013 at 5:44 pm
Hopefully he was just being smart and letting Israel dig it's own grave witch it has been doing since 1948.I dought it but,if he was the president to do that and other great things like get rid of the FED not audit it,he would go down as one of Americas greatest presidents.Than he can stop illegal immigration and worrie about the large problems at home,Israel and NEOCON Zionists being number 1.Imagine he has just been playing chess and wins LOL,what a great man he would be.I dought it though he has been responsible for many murders in illegal war and by drowns.Can their be a greater good to make that worth it.I dought it expecially to the famillys and people killed.He can change historys course and stop future actions like America has been continueally involved in since almost it's inception.
TRUTH ALLOWED
January 5th, 2013 at 5:50 pm
Start with their over 70 broken UN resolutions more than the entire Mid East combined,and include the Lavon Affaire,The King David Hotel Bombings,The USS Lyberty,and their involvment in 9/11.The wild thing is that would just be a start and would include many criminals in the American government,past and present.
TRUTH ALLOWED
January 5th, 2013 at 5:58 pm
Nothing great ever comes from being cowards and not faceing harm.Americans would wake up to the fact israel has been controlling Americas policys for years and may cause a civil war if the Government works for Israel and not America.People are waking up I have about 4 years ago,so no disreaspect to people that are brainwashed,but you've no been told and are guilty if you don't look into it and do something.By control of Hollwood,The Banks,MSM,GOVERNMENTS AND MUCH MORE THEY HAVE EASLY LIED TO THE MASSES.NO MORE.
Evil Empire/Paul Qaeda/Obama Nation/Clintonista Round Ups: So Illuminati Conspiracy Theories Have Some Point Edition « Zionism's Survival: Surviving Under The Coming Nazi Regime
January 5th, 2013 at 8:35 pm
[...] that Antiwar.com is being rather selective and hypocritical they want someone as anti-Israel and pro-Red China as Chuck Hagel to be our Secretary of [...]
richard vajs
January 6th, 2013 at 7:32 am
When and if Hagel's appointment comes up in the Senate; hopefully, everyone calls or writes their Senators and demands confirmation. This is one battle that we can win -being for freedom for Palestine is a 100% good and decent cause and will eventually prevail.
And when you call your Senator's office, be aware that certain interest groups "volunteer" their services to answer phones for Congress as a "public service". You just may get a dedicated Zionist on the line – it has happened to me (it really gets me angry and I let the smart-alec know it).
MarketingFile
January 6th, 2013 at 11:30 am
Mark – you get a point . I hope it is political trap to bring all those rats out .
But again ; their time is coming anyway .
Outraged in Omaha
January 6th, 2013 at 3:44 pm
Hagel was on the Intelligence Committee in the Senate. He approved the hundreds of billions a year, so Franks, Petraeus, Hayden and McChrystal could wage their senseless wars of choice. I noticed that hundreds of the worthless generals and admirals that Hagel confirmed are now recommending him for the SecDef job. Go figure.
mojo
January 6th, 2013 at 4:58 pm
Obama is a artist for sure, thus far his been mimicking Dr. Martin Luther King fooling middle class democrats to pay for the ticket…, but I wait and see what Mr. Haggle is capable of When it comes to AIPAC. Having said that:, would Mr. Haggle possibly ask Israelis government from now on to pay for arms that are supplied to Israel for free…, second would he, as potential defense secretary, be able to ask state department where Mr. Kerry is going to lead the department to stop the support for terrorism in Middle East including ones that are created and supported by Israel.., and if so would state department possibly say yes we will…, ? Look: orchestrated politics that what it is, sharing and compromising politics that's what it is, beside that nothing will change.. Because the only friend of U.S of A in Middle East is Israel, if anything that U.S wants to do or change in Middle East the Obama or before him Cheney and Bush regime-government needed to ask two source, one Saudis kingdom and the Israelis; therefore you have AIPAC with Paul Wolfowitz leading the idea behind Obama and his idea in changing the world for the empire and for Saudis to implementing Paul's idea in Syria and elsewhere in Middle East. I am pointing out Middle East because both departments, pentagon and state dealing with U.S foreign affairs and policies.., so don't be so sure about the matters yet.., but I don't think anything will change nor Obama will have to change them…, which is the reason for him being an artist manipulating matters.
Major Test for Israel Lobby as Obama Leans to Hagel for Pentagon | Politcalanguage
January 6th, 2013 at 5:29 pm
[...] http://original.antiwar.com/lobe/2013/01/04/major-test-for-israel-lobby-as-obama-leans-to-hagel-for-… [...]
heath
January 6th, 2013 at 5:59 pm
Lindsay Graham is pushing a Interesting line, describing the opposition to Hegel as a "pro Isreal' lobby, not the "Jewish" lobby.