Hagel wrong choice for defense secretary

The Island Now

With rare exceptions, Republicans in Congress are far more pro-Israel and far more pro-U.S. security than Democrats are.  The differences have grown wider in recent years. For instance, 54 Democratic congresspersons signed the infamous “open Gaza” letter which demanded that dangerous “dual use” (rocket-building) materials be allowed into Gaza.  

The “Gaza 54” letter was full of falsehoods such as its false claim that Israel was denying medicine to Gaza.  (Israel actually sends truckloads of humanitarian supplies to the very people who dedicate themselves to Israel’s destruction.)  No Republicans signed this shameful letter.

The recent respective party platforms also reflect these differences. This year’s Democratic platform deleted (and never restored) language calling Israel the US’s “strongest ally” in the Middle East, deleted (and never restored) condemnation of the Hamas and Hezbollah terrorist groups and calls for international isolation of Hamas, and deleted (and never restored) opposition to a Palestinian “right of return” to destroy all of Israel.  The 2012 Democratic platform also referred to the “global war on terrorism” as mere “internationally-divisive rhetoric.”   

By contrast, the recent Republican Party platform continued to condemn Hamas and Hezbollah and called for these terrorist organizations’ international isolation; affirmed that Israel’s security is a vital U.S. security interest; and strongly reaffirmed Israel’s rights to exist as a Jewish nation with secure defensible borders, and declared: “Israel should not be required to negotiate with entities pledged to her destruction.” The 2012 Republican Party platform also rightly condemned the Obama administration’s weakness in the face of the proliferation of transnational terrorism.

However, former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel is a rare and unfortunate exception to the usually favorably-positioned Republican public servants. Hagel’s hatred of Israel and dedication to gutting American military strength is equal to Obama’s animosity towards the Jewish state and a strong American military. Hagel believes in paring down the Pentagon, is a “blame America-firster,” opposes meaningful sanctions and action against Iran to stop the Iranian nuclear threat, and refuses to condemn terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.  Hagel’s hostile-to-Israel stances have won praise from Hamas-affiliated U.S. groups such as the Council of American-Islamic Relations.

According to a congressional aide quoted in a Huffington Post article, Hagel was “solely responsible” for blocking a 2008 Iran sanctions bill which passed the House of Representatives with bi-partisan support, and which had 72 co-sponsors in the Senate.  

In 2007, Hagel was one of only 12 senators who refused to ask the European Union to declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization.  Hagel was one of only four senators who refused to sign a Senate letter in support of Israel in 2000. 

In November 2001, Hagel was one of only 11 senators who refused to sign a letter urging President Bush not to meet with Yasser Arafat until Arafat ended his sponsorship of violence against Israel.  (This was in the midst of the Palestinian “intifada” in which Palestinian terrorists murdered and wounded thousands of Israeli civilians in bus bombings, hotel Seder bombings and similar attacks.)   

In 2006, in contrast to the Bush administration, Hagel opposed Israel’s efforts to push the Hezbollah terrorists back from positions in Southern Lebanon which Hezbollah was using for rocket attacks on Northern Israel.   

The news that Hagel is Obama’s front-runner for our next Secretary of Defense is frightening. (It’s a clever move by Obama:  Obama pretends to engage in “bi-partisanship” while nominating someone who actually thinks the same way that Obama does.)  

The president of the Center for Security Policy, Frank Gaffney, Jr., put it bluntly:  Hagel is a “dangerous choice” for secretary of defense.   

Former New York City Mayor Ed Koch noted that Hagel would be a “terrible appointment.” 

The Zionist Organization of America issued a lengthy press release detailing Hagel’s abysmal record.  The press release is worth reading (see http://www.zoa.org/sitedocuments/pressrelease_view.asp?pressreleaseID=2264).  

The press release summed it up: “Hagel’s record is one of being a frightening and dangerous apologist for terrorist groups like Hamas and Hizballah, as well as for the terrorist regime of Iran, while being arguably one of the most vicious and hostile critics of Israel.”  

The Jerusalem Post’s brilliant columnist Caroline Glick sarcastically noted there is a silver lining to President Obama’s potential selection of Hagel:  It may finally wake more American Jews up to Obama’s hostility towards Israel.  If only.

All of us should take action to try to head off this dangerous appointment.  Please call and write to our Senators from New York, Chuck Schumer (202 224-6542) and Kirsten Gillibrand (202 224-4451) to urge them to lead the way in opposing Senate confirmation of Hagel’s potential appointment. Senator Schumer claims that, because his last name means “guardian” in Yiddish, he is a guardian of U.S.-Israel interests.  He should be asked to keep his word.  (Calls may take some patience by the way.  I was placed on hold for 15 minutes and then cut off by Schumer’s office and kept getting busy signals at Gillibrand’s office.  But it’s important to keep trying.)  Also please call and write to our outgoing and incoming Congresspersons, Gary Ackerman ((202) 225-2601) and Steve Israel (202 225-3335), to urge them to speak out on this issue.

And while we’re on the subject of Obama’s upcoming cabinet appointments, Senator Kerry’s apologist record would make him a miserable Secretary of State.  I’ll need to write another article on this one.  Meanwhile, please examine Kerry’s record and urge our Senators to also oppose his confirmation.

 

Elizabeth Berney, Esq.

Great Neck

Share this Article