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Mark Wilson / Getty Images file
Defense nominee Chuck Hagel is a decorated Vietnam combat veteran.
ANALYSIS
TEL AVIV, Israel — Even before he was nominated to become the next U.S. secretary of defense, the bad-mouthing of former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel had already begun.
Warnings flew like salvos across the U.S. media and beyond: Hagel is soft on Iran and no friend of Israel. Tea Party and Republican critics of the moderate and pragmatic Hagel smelled blood.
Ted Cruz, a freshman senator from Texas, said that Hagel "would make war with Iran more likely because he's too nice to Iran."
Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said Hagel would be "the most antagonistic secretary of defense towards the state of Israel in our nation's history."
So you would expect to see the vitriol flowing here in Israel, especially just days before a crucial parliamentary election — on Jan. 22 — in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is struggling to head off a late populist surge by an even more right-wing candidate.
But there have been no anti-Hagel protests outside the U.S. Embassy and no angry Israelis heard on radio talk shows. In fact, reaction to all the uproar back home has been muted.
'Dark cloud'
It's true that Israelis in general aren't happy with the nomination. "It represents a dark cloud over the relationship between the two countries, and it borders on hostility," said Simon Schiffer, a political analyst with the Yediot Ahronot daily newspaper.
Hagel's willingness to engage with Iran and its client, Hamas, upsets most Israelis, Schiffer noted. But he went on to say that “U.S. policy towards Israel is set in the White House, and there you can find today a president who has a very warm approach to Israel but at the same time a very angry and cold policy towards Netanyahu and his government.”
Related: Hagel — a man without a party
So far, Israeli government reaction has been minimal and mixed. Reuven Rivlin, the powerful speaker of Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, told The Associated Press he is worried about Hagel "because of his statements in the past and his stance toward Israel."
But Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, wrapping up a trip to the U.S., told a group of major Jewish organizations that he personally knew and worked with Hagel and found him to be "a decent and fair interlocutor who believes in the natural partnership between Israel and the United States."
Until Sunday there had been not a peep from Netanyahu himself, whose "iron fist" approach to Iran, Hamas and the Palestinian territories seems diametrically opposed to Hagel's instinct for dialogue.
"I do not interfere in the political appointments of the U.S. president. It is his prerogative,'' Netanyahu told Israel's Army Radio. "Congress decides and confirms, and we will work with whoever is chosen.''
One Israeli official told NBC News that Netanyahu's silence doesn't mean he's not angry.
After making the mistake of “backing the wrong horse — [Gov. Mitt] Romney — during the last U.S. election, he's not willing to play that game again,” said the official, who was not authorized to speak on the record about policy matters.
'Revenge' for Romney?
Sever Plocker, an influential Israeli commentator, went further by suggesting that Obama picked Hagel as “revenge” for Netanyahu's public support for Romney.
Hagel hasn't yet defended his positions before the U.S. Senate, but he has faced the court of public opinion, emphasizing in recent days his "unequivocal support for Israel." On Iran, he told Defense Department officials Wednesday that he also strongly "supports multilateral sanctions against Iran and that Tehran must be prevented from acquiring nuclear warheads."
Hagel may have gotten into some hot water with a comment — made years ago in Washington — that “the political reality is that …the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here.” But on Monday one of the largest and most active of those "Jewish lobbies" -- the National Jewish Democratic Council -- released a statement saying it believes Hagel “will follow the president's lead in providing unrivaled support for Israel — on strategic cooperation, missile defense programs and leading the world against Iran's nuclear program.”
The consensus here is that Netanyahu may enjoy watching Hagel fight for his nomination in Washington, but staying out of the fight is probably a smart move.
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Ya know I don't really care if Hegel was nominated to the post or not, what I will be watching is how he handles the Iran, Israel situation and if anyone here has been keeping track of what Iran has been saying for years you would know that they have been saying that they will destroy the Jews in Israel and the United States as well.
Now I don't know about any of you but if a Nation was making the claim that they are going to destroy another Nation as Iran has been doing I sure would not stick my head in the sand and ignoring what they say because that just leaves our collective rear-ends hanging in the wind for a really nice target.
Another thing you should do is look at the history of the Nazis in WWII and pay close attention to what Iran is saying.
Hey chicken little, no one is saying ignore Iran.
Israel is the last country in the world that should be talking about our political decisions.
Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. They only exist because we let them.
Yeah John well it is obvious that you have not been hearing all the News that comes out of Iran and their claims about Destroying the Jews and the United States because the only way that the Islamic extremists will live in peace is when everyone else that does not agree with them is dead so I say Israel has as much right to talk if not more so, due to the fact that it is the Jewish People that have a target painted on their backs from Iran and the surrounding areas. Or do you believe that the Nazis of WWII should have won the war? Because that is what Iran and other Islamic Nations are wanting to do now, finish what the Nazis could not! And that leaves me wondering just where your head is at.
sleepwalker, are we talking about Israel or Iran? Surely you know that they are not the same country, right?
First off Tex2c2 I know the difference between Israel and Iran, Israel is but a Nation measuring around 8,000 square miles as compared to 636,374 square miles which is the square mileage of Iran. Population of Iran is 74,798,599 people as compared to Israels population of only 7,765,700 as of 2011 now when you take into account the difference between the square miles of both Nations and the amount of population between the two can you see the difference between both and ask the question, why can't Iran or any of the other Islamic Nations even bother to allow Israel to continue to exist with a homeland that has been theirs for over 5000 years even though they have been defeated many times only to come back into their land over and over again and again? Is it pure hatred of anything Israel or is it greed?
a homeland that has been theirs for over 5000 years
Please prove this statement. You can forget about the bible which we all know is the origin of propaganda in the area.
Is it pure hatred of anything Israel or is it greed?
I think we can all recognize that it is pure hatred of Israeli greed.
Netanyahu is doing what his PR firms in America - the Israeli lobby -- told him to do. "Shut Up", they said, "We are so much more experienced at getting US politicians to do our bidding than you are, so let us do the jobs you've paid us to do."
Lindsey Graham is a traitor to America, as are all of the bible-thumping shock troops who put Israeli above their own country.
.
Lindsey needs to be recalled.
Brand new Senator from Texas Cruz is aligning himself with Mccain and Graham didn't know that those two needed any more stupid but now they are the three stooges
If Israel were England, we would have put them in their place a long time ago.
Is there a Jewish Lobby? Let's say yes on that one, just for argument sake. Would this Jewish Lobby want to think that their efforts would "intimidate"(influence) member of Congress? Let's say yes again. Why is it so bad that Hagel points that out? "Hagel may have gotten into some hot water with a comment - made years ago in Washington - that “the political reality is that…the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here.”
Is it that stating facts in and around Congress is not appreciated? Don't let Hagel confuse you with the truth? Oh yes, being politically correct is preferred to honesty. It seems like everything these days has to be "in between the lines" so that the message, or its interpretation, can be changed as needed.
I keep hoping that sanity will return to politics but I keep being disappointed. Our world is becoming a more violent and unfriendly place as pockets of greedy, power hungry, megalomaniacs get into positions of power in too many governments of countries throughout the world. The real problem nowadays are the arsenals that come with the positions. It's madness and I am not sure if anything short of a world catastrophe will be able to reverse it.
As usual our tax dollars going to Zionist government who decides and dictates --who can ,or who cannot be our elected representative and our choice . instead through zionist owned media outlets and financial institutions the most powerful lobby (AIPAC) in the universe governs us.
How many settlements have we bought?
Probably enough to merge the two areas and create one democracy for all people in Greater Israel. Right now we have one country with two classes of citizens. How American is that!
World Wars One and Two were fought mainly by people who called themselves
Christians,by leaders who couldn't get along with each other,even hated each
other.And even now we still vote for and give power to these same kinds of
people,leaders who have trouble getting along with each other,and with other
people here and in other parts of the world. Instead of voting for people who
have the character of Jesus,we vote for and give power to people who reflect our
own views.Just suppose we voted for and gave power to leaders who were more like
Jesus,who said: Do to others as you would want others to do to you,instead of as
leaders do now in Wars,they do to others what they don't want done to them. And
leaders who followed Jesus' teaching of: Expect no reward from God loving who
love you,even sinners love their own,instead as leaders do now in Wars,they love
only those that love them. And leaders who do as Jesus says: Love your
enemies,instead as now in Wars,they kill their enemies.But the Media and
others,and most leaders who call themselves Christians push Jesus into the
background,or don't follow him at all.Many of these people not only don't follow
the Bible,but they rebuke it.
Huh sounds like the Muslim religion are following in the footsteps of the Christian Religion from over a thousand years ago to me or have you not noticed that the Muslim denominations cannot even live in peace with each other let alone with any religion not of their belief structure. And as for WWII, was it not Hitler that attacked Poland in 1939 kicking off WWII? And did the United States enter into the war at that time in 1939 or did it take a direct attack by the Imperial Japanese Navy on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor to drag the United States into that war to begin with?
And yes Jesus was a peace loving person but just remember one thing Jesus was never a pacifist because according to the Bible he returns as a reining King with an army behind him and as Dan 2: 44 and onward states he shall crush and bring to ruin all other Kingdoms and his Kingdom shall last forever and there shall be no end to it.
according to the Bible he returns as a reining King with an army behind him and as Dan 2: 44 and onward states he shall crush and bring to ruin all other Kingdoms and his Kingdom shall last forever and there shall be no end
Does this sound like the word of God or the ramblings of a befuddled member of a violent culture? I stand with those who hold the latter. An interpretation of Jesus as a militant is a bit over the top and exposes the paranoia in the mind that believes it...
Since when do we give Israel veto authority over our own President's cabinet selections? I guess I missed the memo that we had surrendered our sovereignty to them. In fact, it only seems to be the Republican Party that believes that.
I've gotten into exchanges with people on Twitter that start with, "Hagel is not circumspect enough" and quickly progressed, within a few short exchanges, with them explaining Israel's holy place in the Bible and the how God personally told them they would go to heaven if they supported Israel above all others.
These are the people that Barry Goldwater warned his own repub party against in 1998. They couldn't care less about America and religious freedom. They await the rapture.
My guess is that if Hagel is not circumspected enough, he is too old to get it done now. Is the Dictator of Israel saying that anyone serving in our government has to be circumspected?!?
NO MORE WAR
It doesn't matter one way or another. The Zionist regime and it's agents in the US Senate and Congress are doing the dirty work for them. They can stay "out" of the discussion but their hired hands in the US government have already spoken and will try and block Hagel or anyone else that does not follow Zionist directives.
King Obama is anti Israel, so he is putting a anti Israel sec. of defense in that spot, no big surprise, seems like most of the people on this site are anti Israel . Israel is able to take care of them selves with the help of almighty God.
I hope you don't have a gun.
Randy Bob, you are kidding, right? If your god was such a big help to the Jews, why did it take the Brits and the UN to steal Palestine from the rightful owners. Why didn't God just transport all of them to Palestine and wipe the Arabs off the face of the Earth through some flood?
Oh, BTW, we are not a theocracy and our governmental decisions are based on what's best for our religiously diverse country and not at the request of people who are blinded by the "light".
Hagel for AMERICA. Jew for Israel Islam for Pakistan.
God bless America.
3rd in line of his cabinet is and old white man (republican) Damn! and Y'LL still find a reason to be -upset. lol
WHAT THE WORLD NEED NOW IS LOVE SWEET LOVE
Great picture of the Smiling, Happy IDIOT Hussein o. "Only a Fool says in his Heart, there is No GOD." Psalm 53:1 Glory Be To The One True Living GOD-YAHWEH and HIS Son The Lord YAHSHUA (JESUS) Forever!
Classic Criminal Act:
Make Hagel Defensive feel Guilty by OLD Tentacles.
Go boy Go- Kill Kill Kill.
This message is approved by Jewish Lobby.
I didn't back Netanyahu for election.
Tried to keep it quiet because of possible backlash.
Outing myself now because I'm for Hagel, whoever he is.
Israel has plebnty of surrogates to its agendas. I sometimes think that some members of Congress are more attuned to the intrerests of Israel than the interests of the United States. Some would argue that those interests are one and the same, but they are not.
The Jews need to get a life. They do not - run the world - even though they think they do. The American Indian had and has it allot worse than the Jews - I don't see anyone listen to them like they are Gods.
What the hell does Israel have to do with OUR government? Cut their funding now and let them spend their time dealing their own fanatical government...
How sad is that ....
those who rabidly assault everyone who questions their dictates and claim to be patriots while labeling everyone who refuses to bend a knee to them of being communists and traitors ...
bend their knee and ask the tiny Israeli government and AIPAC, the Kinnesset's American branch and the most powerful political group in America, "Master may I ... " on every single issue in America.
Now THAT is truly pathetic.
....
Is Israel approving our candidates for public office ? I did not know that. I knew that many bad mouthing Hagel were probably on the take and chicken to speak out when WAR CRIMES were being commited in Lebanon with G. Bush watching and the Courts in Hague ignoring the attrocities. Chuck Hagel was the only one with courage to speak out against it and the chickens are calling him "soft" ?. I think Chuck Hagel is our own American hero .
Obama is decidedly a geek of epic proportions, deserving of his own carnival sideshow. He has all the grasp of geopolitics that one would expect of a community organizer from a gun free zone with the highest murder rate in the nation. It should be obvious to Americans, as it is to the rest of the world, that we are leaderless and adrift on the global stage; self absorbed, divided as at no other time in American post civil war history, concerned only about the "free stuff" we can scam off of the dwindling number of tax payers. Welcome to this Obama-nation that we have so cleverly crafted for ourselves. At some point Americans will recognize they have been had. We will unite as a great nation and people and once again posses the ability to lead the world. However, at the moment and into the foreseeable future, we don't have a leader. We can't find our way to the outhouse to take a dump, let alone lead the free world.
AW!!! Such intelligence.
Grandpa!
Thank You for recognizing an intellect greater than your own.
Only in your own mind
Grandpa! You need not be so self deprecating, although it is a worthy trait in an Obamanite. I feel that even the most addled of the left are deserving of their moment in the sun. You are welcome!!
Pot meet Kettle.
No further thanks necessary, glad I could elevate your self concept to that of a pot.
Guess that means yours is elevated to a kettle. So much meaning to this conversation.
There is nothing wrong with grandpa. You Freaking troll are a bigger concern to me than Iran. The fact that you turn you head away from your REAL Enamies of this country, Grover Norquest and The Freaking Communist Koch Bros to name a couple. They are 2 snakes in the wood pile that have raised their heads. Yet you Trolls turn your heads away from real issues, I guess you don't have the wavoes to tackle the real enamies here. Trolls, cowardly Trolls.
Thanks
Dogs Here we go - the Koch Brothers are communist?? A "troll" on MSN is of greater concern to you than the threat of Iran?? Grover Norquist is MY real enemy of this country?? I don't have the juevos to tackle the real enemies here?? Dogs, your blind obedience to what the liberal kool-aid is telling you to do, plus the general ignorance of your ilk are the real enemies. Your ignorance is overshadowed only by your sheep-like demeanor.
Israel was created the year after I was born. The world has been threatened and controlled by a contrived reality (based on some really irrational words in a phony book) during the entirety of my life. I just hope to be able to spend a few years enjoying the world after it is gone...