World Jewish News

Washington Media : Obama reconsidering choice of Chuck Hagel as next Secretary of Defense

According to National Journal, Washington’s political news magazine, the White House is rethinking his choice of Republican Chuck Hagel to succeed Leon Panetta as the next Secretary of Defense, after the former Nebraska Senator drew criticism both from right and left, as well as from Jeish leaders on his positions towards Israel and Iran.
A senior administration official told National Journal that it was “fair” to say Obama is considering candidates other than Hagel for Defense Secretary, in particular Michele Flournoy, who was under Secretary of Defense for policy in Obama's first term, and Ashton Carter, the current deputy Defense Secretary.
While much of the criticism centers on questions of whether Hagel has been a strong enough supporter of Israel and tough enough on Iran--as well as past comments he made about gay people--he is also paying, in part, for his bluntness and bravery in advocating unpopular positions during his 12 years in the Senate.
Speaking of Hagel’s choice, uutgoing Connecticut Independent Senator Joe Lieberman, told CNN’s “State of the Union” that it would be “a very tough confirmation process,” while on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Hagel’s former fellow Republican in the Senate, Lindsey Graham, said Hagel’s would be “a challenging nomination.” Graham added: “I don’t think he’s going to get many Republican votes.”
American Jewish leaders contend Hagel, who left the Senate in 2008, opposed Israel's interests, by voting several times against US sanctions on Iran, and made disparaging remarks about the influence of what he called a "Jewish lobby" in Washington.
Officials in Netanyahu's office have privately voiced concern over the possibility that Hagel might become head of the Pentagon.
Hagel reportedly encouraged US President Obama to negotiate directly with Hamas and he objected to call by several members of the US Senate for the European Union to declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization.
A leading American Jewish group last week expressed fierce opposition to the selection of Hagel.
“Chuck Hagel would not be the first, second, or third choice for the American Jewish community’s friends of Israel,” Abraham Foxman, National Director of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) told the Washington Post. “His record relating to Israel and the US-Israel relationship is, at best, disturbing, and at worst, very troubling.”
“The sentiments he’s expressed about the Jewish lobby border on anti-Semitism in the genre of professors John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt and former president Jimmy Carter,” Foxman said.
Even the respected Washington Post, in an editorial, argued against the choice of Hagel, mentioning especially his statements on Iran.
"Mr. Hagel was isolated in his views about Iran during his time in the Senate. He repeatedly voted against sanctions, opposing even those aimed at the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, which at the time was orchestrating devastating bomb attacks against US troops in Iraq. Mr. Hagel argued that direct negotiations, rather than sanctions, were the best means to alter Iran's behavior," the liberal newspaper wrote.
The National Chairman of the Board of the Zionist Organisation of America (ZOA), Michael Goldblatt said, "Chuck Hagel has accrued perhaps the worst record of any senator in recent years in terms of supporting Israel, sanctioning hostile regimes like Iran and Syria and isolating terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezballah, both of which have the blood of Americans as well as Israelis on their hands."
The nomination of a new Secretary of Defense is part of the forming of a new cabinet by Barack Obama after his reelection for a second term.
Last Friday, the President nominated John Kerrythe Massachussets Senator as Secretary of State to replace Hillary ClintonIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Kerry as a "know supporter of Israel's security."
Obama’s choice of Kerry came after his first top selection, strong pro-Israel US Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice withdrew her name from contention after being criticized for her handling of the Benghazi controversy.
Kerry’s nomination has still to be approved by the Senate but he is expected to garner bipartisan support.

by: Yossi Lempkowicz

EJP