President Obama announced his nomination of former GOP Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel for his next Secretary of Defense at some point on Monday, as conservatives prepare for grueling hearings to block his nomination.
Hagel has been the rumored presumptive nominee for weeks, and the Republican Party’s dismissive reaction to his potential nomination put in doubt the Obama administration’s willingness to finally pick him.
Hagel is a bit of an outsider when it comes to his own Republican Party: he’s less inclined to intervene militarily abroad, favors a more diplomatic and less belligerent approach to countries like China and Iran, and has criticized the Israel lobby’s disproportionate influence in Congress.
Some Republicans have simply expressed a reserved interest in a thorough confirmation hearing for Hagel.
“I’m going to take a look at all the things Chuck has said over the years,” Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said on ABC’s This Week. “I’m going to want to see how the hearings go.”
But the more conservative, hawkish-on-foreign-policy GOPers are downright livid and outwardly opposing Hagel.
“This is an in-your-face nomination by the president,” Sen. Lindsey Graham said. “This is a controversial pick.”
Some have claimed the passionate hostility towards Hagel’s slightly less hawkish views is a result of Congress taking cues from the Israel lobby.
But some Israeli sources have said they don’t care too much about Hagel’s views on Israel – US policy towards Israel won’t fundamentally change with or without him. They are primarily concerned about his less belligerent views on Iran.
But the Israeli’s would be upset about virtually any nominee on those grounds, given the fact that the Netanyahu government went so far as to consider provoking unnecessary war with Iran in an attempt to indirectly drag the US into bombing Iran.
It’s interesting to note that members of Congress like Lindsey Graham are more loyal to Israel even after it tried to surreptitiously drag the US into war, than they are to a longtime member of their own party.
Conservative Republicans…are the most anti-america…there are in the US congress…
solely in servitude to the zionists..
they are disgusting to say the least
It must be great to NOT be an IRAN-O- PHOBE ! Maybe it will catch on ? Why churn the stomach juices over Iran just because that knot head Netanyahu has an obsession ? Go forward…earthlings…
The senate is very much an open market and that's why AIPAC with their power in vote-trading, are confident they can swift-boat this distinguished and respected veteran who seems to be loyal to his country only. If Mr Hagel doesn't get the nomination he deserves, Americans should stop pretending to be a free nation and face the reality of their delusional democracy. For the lump sum of 4 billion dollars they pay to Israel in the beginning of every fiscal year, they ought to demand equal representation in the Israeli Knesset.
"…equal representation in the Israeli Knesset. "
We could send them Cantor and Ros-Lehtinen since they seem to be among the most dedicated of the Israel-Firsters…
Watch the tail BITE the dog and prove once and for all the the USA is run by Isreal. If Hagel dosen;t get endorsed the USA might as well enshrine the Isreali Knesset in the White House.
AIPAC and the other Israel Firsters have really exposed themselves over this. They should not be allowed to get away with any more vetoes of AMERICAN government officials. Maybe the US should start vetoing the racist fascists creeping out of the woodwork in Israel, looking to move Israel further to the right.
So how many purple hearts was Lindsey Graham awarded ? When did he serve ? So why are Israel 1st likkud neocon members of the GOP still in office ? They obviously aren't loyal to the US so why don't they just relocate to Israel and make it official ? ? ?
Just heard a long segment …@8:17 AM Mon morning Jan. 7th on NPR by Cokey Roberts 0n Hagel……. OOOOO the woe and sorror..!!! She pulled out all the charges.. and there are a few…. He seems to have committed many more Republican sins than those of the Democrats….. He has managed to so offend the Log Cabin 'Boys' that they have a full page ad deploring his long ago and apologized for less than enthusiastic embrace of America sending forth gay ambassadors…… Just alot of hand wringing at this point…. OOOO the agony….. Someone that sleeps American with his hands on our levers of State….. Why no Dov Zakheim, Joe Lieberman or Michael Chertoff….. The American poster children for loyalty roulette… How many TRILLIONS did these guys cost America. in addition to the $3,2OO,OOO,OOO,OOO,.OO that Dov "lost" on 910..?? Some of those guys digging for dirt on Chuck might wanna sniff around for a few hundreds of billions that might be recovered.. A trillion here, a trillion there , four or five trillion in Iraq, maybe 7 in Afghanistan… and there is more of the script than there was from 1776 to Bush…!!! Lol in this digital age, just add a few zeros, no need to print…!!!
The concluding statement by Mr. Glaser is as the saying goes "spot on." And accurately substantiate the views of Eric Cantor, Michelle Bachmann and Senator Graham as reported by the media…..
1. NEW YORK — Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a meeting in New York that the new GOP majority in the House will "serve as a check" on the Obama administration, a statement unusual for its blunt disagreement with U.S. policy delivered directly to a foreign leader.
"Eric stressed that the new Republican majority will serve as a check on the Administration and what has been, up until this point, one party rule in Washington," read a statement from Cantor's office on the one-on-one meeting. "He made clear that the Republican majority understands the special relationship between Israel and the United States, and that the security of each nation is reliant upon the other."
And Michelle Bachman's take…
" I am convinced in my heart and in my mind that if the United States fails to stand with Israel, that is the end of the United States . . . [W]e have to show that we are inextricably entwined, that as a nation we have been blessed because of our relationship with Israel, and if we reject Israel, then there is a curse that comes into play. And my husband and I are both Christians, and we believe very strongly the verse from Genesis [Genesis 12:3], we believe very strongly that nations also receive blessings as they bless Israel. It is a strong and beautiful principle.
According to Sen Graham Hagel is an enemy of Israel…..
Senator Lindsey Graham was more blunt in his opposition to Hagel on CNN. The South Carolina Republican called Hagel an “in your face nomination,” and said he “would be the most antagonistic secretary of defense towards the state of Israel in our nation’s history.”
Thereby making 320 million Americans sheeples.
It must be a comfort to the dual citizens and other isreal that they have a person looking for their interest in Washington. What we need is more people like the combat hero over a person like most republicans who never service. Cantor is your typical career politician who has do nothing but get elected to an office better served with steady turnover. Our founding fathers never pictured the political party nor professional politicians. There would be little need of political parties if we could just fire people like cantor before they get the taste of unlimited case for looking out for a foreign nation over the interest of the United States. May people like cantor leave office and move to Israel. He clearly has no time for the people of this nation.
Wow, I never heard that qoute from bachman, not that I needed anything to sway my opinion of that b***h.
Zionists, or supporters of criminal "enterprice" called Israel are most dangerous people in US. Their loality to "brutal and colonial ideology" ZIONISM is insult to US citizens. Its to some in any other Zionist occupaid country, but US is "swimming" in Zionist lies, deception and arrogance…..I wish US people woke up to the fact, they are being used as tool for endless wars of aggression…So many people, so many intelectuals and people with influence in US knows this fact and preach the "truth", but neeeded revolution in US did not really start yet. peter czech
Hagel is just another Obama yes-man. He endorsed Democrat Bob Kerrey for Senate and recommended Joe Biden for VP. He also did not endorse McCain in 2008. Hagel is a RINO.
The new Senator from Texas may filibuster even though this Harvard graduate has given not a single rational reason for his anti-posture. His opposition is kindergarten stuff. I could never have believed that my state would produce a Senator even worse than Cornyn but it has happened.
Senator Hagel has been criticized for voting for the resolution which gave President Bush the green light for invading Iraq. It has also been asserted that candidate Obama was against the war in Iraq in 2008. However, on at least one occasion candidate Obama admitted that he did not know whether he would have voted for or against that resolution if he had been a Senator at that time.
The American people do not have anyone who represents their interests in the US government. Dennis Kucinich, and Ron Paul were that rare moral exception. What we have are craven hypocrites only interested in lining their pockets, and pleasing Israel, and the 1%. Sad , but true!
“This is an in-your-face nomination by the president,” Sen. Lindsey Graham said. “This is a controversial pick.”
Hell yeah. Good job. Everyone knows what "uncontroversial" mean in Newspeak.
Here's hoping for more stuff being showed in Graham's face.
These Cantor's and Bachman's statements are at the level of praises sung by North Korea media and to the late Kim Il Sung in their ridiculous and disgusting exaggeration.
One "conservative" group of Zionist pukes says Hagel should not be defense secretary because he said that he is an American senator, not an Israeli senator. Then the "liberal" group of Zionist pukes "defends" him by proclaiming how much of a great friend of Israel he really is.
The conservative pukes had me rooting for Hagel before I heard his liberal puke defenders.
How about the whole effing pile of steaming dogshit known as Washington DC just relocates to the Negev and leave the town for actual Americans?
I am FURIOUS with the Hagel nomination…He simply is not Pro-Canadian enough. I have heard that in fact he is an anti-Hockeyite!
Canada is Americas number one Allie in the North North. Canada's security is America's security!
Our Maplesyrupsad is absolutely the finest intelligence agency in the world when it comes to understanding the terrorist Polar Bear factions. Of course Canada does not receive Billions in cash every year, or loan guarantees…nor do they steal America's secrets and sell them or steal land from neighbors in Alaska, or lie about their nukes (they really don't have any…no …really, they don't have any)…they don't try to influence American elections, demand special treatment or cause strategic problems for America…and still they are ignored!
American Canada Firsters are not expected to tell the Canadian Prime Minister that they have Canada"s back or insist that there can never be any further hockey strikes….
Hagel has stated he is an American Senator, Not an Ottawa Senator…
OY!
Is any more proof of his hatred needed?
Bob Loblaw
This Hagel clown is just another obozo "Lap Dog". All the crap in Washington DC is gonna come and bite the demms in the @$$. Just remember, what goes around, comes around.