Now, the Republicans are gunning for President Obama’s defense secretary nominee Chuck Hagel. The attack on him was initially slightly surprising since Hagel himself is a Republican. The charges against him are even more spurious than those against Rice and reflect an ugly strain in American politics. Hagel once mistakenly referred to the ‘Jewish lobby’ when the politically correct term is ‘Israel lobby’ and he has been an occasional and mild critic of Israel and its settlement policy. Hagel has also taken a decidedly moderate — by US standards — position towards Iran, outright opposing war and being lukewarm on sanctions. For this, he incurred the wrath of not just the Republicans but the very powerful Israel lobby. Advertisements have been taken out against his nomination and he is being vilified in the media.
The Democrats currently hold 55 seats in the Senate and only 51 votes are required to confirm a nominee, which means that Hagel’s appointment should be a done deal. However, the power of the Israel lobby is so widespread and its ability to propogandise against politicians it dislikes so legendary that both parties are loath to cross it. Thus, you have Democrat senators like Chuck Schumer of New York, a state with significant numbers of Jewish voters, already speaking out against the Hagel confirmation. At the very least, Hagel’s confirmation hearings will be bitter and bloody, while in a worst case scenario he will be shot down as defense secretary. Even some liberal groups, unwittingly aiding the Israel lobby, have opposed Hagel for some homophobic remarks he made 15 years ago and subsequently apologised for.
The strangest aspect of the Hagel controversy is that by the president he is being appointed to serve has been reliably hawkish in his first term. President Obama has imposed tougher sanctions on Iran than even his predecessor George W Bush. He has been complicit in the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists and has refused to rule out war with Iran. He has also, a few words about settlements aside, been as strong a supporter of Israel as any other US president. Since policy will ultimately be set by President Obama and not Hagel, this whole affair has likely been a lot of sound and fury signifying nothing.
The whole point of creating this hue and cry over Hagel goes beyond opposing just one nominee. It is a warning to any other politician who may consider ever speaking against Israel that they will be hounded for the rest of their political lives. A chilling effect takes place whereby politicians see their contributions dry up and television advertisements aired against them if they go against the wishes of the Israel lobby and the military-industrial complex.
President Obama should fight to the mats for Hagel’s nomination to avoid this very scenario. Hagel is far from the perfect nominee but his defeat would move the political landscape in the US even further to the right. It will embolden Israel to become even more aggressive in pursuing settlements and waging war on the Palestinians and it will make war with Israel slightly more likely. A conservative-realist Republican senator is possibly the last person you would expect to become the face of the anti-war movement but US politics creates strange bedfellows.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 9th, 2013.
COMMENTS (8)
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I will remind the Editor that the Democrats had control of both the House and the Senate when Obama took office - despite not needing a single Republican vote Obama couldn't get his own party to pass his "legislative goals".
Let us not change the subject or give udue credit to the American administration or the democracy per say. American system is based on checks and balances, it works at times and it does not. The supreme court building depicts the statue of Moses holdig scriptures in his hands. Though shall not kill is God's Commandment and America is number one killer of humans today and under the current administration it has lost all its credibility in the world.
Chuck Hagel is a decent man from the old guards, and if he follows the extra judicial killing policy of his new boss and the current calabrian Mafiosi then he is going to end his career in disgrace the same way as the many before him. He is not a liberal but sincere in the values for which the America stood once. I admire him and am confident that he along with the new boss of the state dept. another Vienam veteran are the last hopes in the American Everglades.
Rex Minor
All this criticism proves the democracy and free speech is alive and well. It is a lesson for Pakistanis that a civilian (there was a draft in Vietnam War and everybody had to serve) career politician is appointed as defense sec by the elected president. Despite his top credentials his past and present would be openly discussed and interrogated by the elected senators. Only after the approval and satisfaction of the senators he would be confirmed. The generals do not promote themselves and their cronies to the head of defense or CIA. Despite all the hue and cry Chuck is going to be confirmed albeit after a contentious hearing and slamming an integral part of democracy. In the US unelected leaders do not descend upon the people as their next leaders.
" ...it will make war with Israel slightly more likely." You mean war with Iran!!!!
"It will embolden Israel to become even more aggressive in pursuing settlements and waging war on the Palestinians and it will make war with Israel slightly more likely."
The second sentence should read war with Iran slightly more likely. ET editors are slacking off.
The administration needs only a few republican votes to break the filibuster in the senate, and it already has. Hagel will be confirmed after the usual grilling.
All administrations will initially send in a patsy candidates to sense the political climates for subsequent nominee and Ms. Rice was one of those casualties due to events of the time which is beyond anyone's control.
Federal judges and ambassadors nominations are the usual sacrificial goats for the congress.
Despite what may be perceived, Obama administrations have succeeded what they wanted, either in spending, borrowing, or taxing in domestic politics and solidified the US position in international politics better than Bush administrations.
PAK should worry about the drones as both nominees are in tune with its usage and so is congress.
There is One word to describe Chuk Hagel, DECENT! One of the most powerful senator who should not be underestimated. Obama is clever and sharp, not the first democrat President to nominate a republican senator for the defence job, Bill Clinton did the same before him. His decision to bring Hagel, the Pentagon vietnam heroe, as part of the team since he was to preside on the senate committee to decide on the reduction in military budget.
Yes there will be protests from powerful Israeli lobbyists such as Senator Grahm, Maccai an Lieberman, and the media but this is normal Israeli proxy who put up a show every now and then. Brenon is the man to watch who suported torture of prisoners and drone army. I expect that chuck Hagel has the chance to outsmart the afroam boss, suggest an alternative to policies of voodu wars and guide smoothly the Gringos out of the muslim lands.. He has the abilitiy and the character to do it.
Rex Minor
A very informative article. I thought Chuck's appointment would be a slam dunk, but it seems like that is not the case.