“The political reality is that … the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here … I’ve always argued against some of the dumb things they do, because I don’t think it’s in the interest of Israel … I’m not an Israeli senator.” ~Sen. Chuck Hagel
Dictionary.com defines an Anti-Semite as a person who discriminates against or is prejudiced or hostile toward Jews. Throughout history, those who have disdained the Jewish people, have always found ways to express their hate using terminology that is ambiguous enough to cover their true feelings of hate, and yet express that emotion to their fellow fiends.
Chuck Hagel is an artist in this medium…
Terms/phrases like “the Jews”, “The Jewish Lobby”, to name a few … seem to roll off Hagel’s forked tongue. His dismissive attitude toward the Jewish community while Senator in Nebraska is duly noted by the Jewish Community in the state. But here are a few more bits of evidence that undergirds Hagel’s disdain:
— Hagel, who served as president and CEO of the World USO from 1987 to 1990, expressed intense opposition to the USO Haifa Center during a tumultuous 1989 meeting with Jewish leaders, according to multiple sources involved in the fight to keep the post open. He said to me, Let the Jews pay for it?,? said Marsha Halteman, director for military and law enforcement programs at the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA).
— In 2006, CAIR wrote in praise of Hagel: “Potential presidential candidates for 2008, like Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Joe Biden and Newt Gingrich, were falling all over themselves to express their support for Israel. The only exception to that rule was Senator Chuck Hagel ?” [Council on American-Islamic Relations, 8/28/06]
— In 2007, the NJDC (National Jewish Democratic Council) questioned Hagel’s then bid for the White House by citing the following:
** In October 2000, Hagel was one of only 4 Senators who refused to sign a Senate letter in support of Israel.
** In November 2001, Hagel was one of only 11 Senators who refused to sign a letter urging President Bush not to meet with the late Yassir Arafat until his forces ended the violence against Israel.
** National Review wrote about Hagel’s stance on Israel in 2002: “There’s nothing Hagel likes less than talking about right and wrong in the context of foreign policy.“ Pro-Israeli groups view him almost uniformly as a problem. “He doesn’t always cast bad votes, but he always says the wrong thing, “comments an Israel supporter who watches Congress. An April speech is a case in point. “We will need a wider lens to grasp the complex nature and consequences of terrorism,” said Hagel. He went on to cite a few examples of terrorism: FARC in Colombia, Abu Sayyaf in the Philippines, and the Palestinian suicide bombers. Then he continued, “Arabs and Palestinians view the civilian casualties resulting from Israeli military occupation as terrorism.” He didn’t exactly say he shares this view, but he also failed to reject it.”
** In June 2004, Hagel refused to sign a letter urging President Bush to highlight Iran’s nuclear program at the G-8 summit.
** In December 2005, Hagel was one of only 27 who refused to sign a letter to President Bush to pressure the Palestinian Authority to ban terrorist groups from participating in Palestinian legislative elections.
** In August 2006, Hagel was one of only 12 Senators who refused to write the EU asking them to declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization.
Now, Hagel is either ostensibly a moron, since he appears to be so misunderstood in his communications concerning Jews … which is impossible since he heroically rose to the rank of Sergeant in the US Army during the Vietnam War. Or he is a furtive Jew-hater reminiscent of some of his ancestors in Germany, who already held his dismissive disdain for the Jews which allowed for the rise of Hitler to power … and the eradication of 6 million Jews from the earth.
Either way … he is too troubling to be leading the Pentagon. Service in our Armed Forces does not automatically qualify one for the political appointment of Secretary of Defense. As a supporter of our Military, I say there are many veterans who are brilliant leaders and patriots. But one who can serve under a President with Obama’s abhorrence for our Military and his long-held disdain for the Jewish people (J Street doesn’t count), should not be honored with such a position.
Our Military, and our country, deserves better.
