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Memo Pad

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Senators Schumer, Boxer Clear Path For Hagel’s Confirmation

January 15th, 2013 12:55 pm Henry Decker

New York senator Chuck Schumer announced Tuesday morning that he is endorsing Chuck Hagel as the next Secretary of Defense, all but ending Republican hopes of blocking Hagel’s appointment.

Schumer, who serves as vice-chairman of the Democratic caucus (making him the third-ranking Democrat in the Senate,) had previously said that he was reserving judgment on the nomination until Hagel’s confirmation hearings. As the most senior Jewish senator and one of the most outspoken supporters of Israel in Congress, some Republicans had hoped that Schumer would oppose Hagel over the former Nebraska senator’s 2006 reference to the “Jewish lobby,” and his skepticism over entering a military conflict with Iran.

When Talking Points Memo asked one Senate Republican leadership aide how the party hoped to defeat Hagel’s nomination, the aide reportedly simply responded “Schumer.”

After a 90-minute meeting Monday in the West Wing, however, Schumer’s concerns had been alleviated. In a lengthy statement released Tuesday, Schumer said “Senator Hagel could not have been more forthcoming and sincere,” and “I am currently prepared to vote for his confirmation.” He added, “I encourage my Senate colleagues who have shared my previous concerns to also support him.”

“On Iran, Senator Hagel rejected a strategy of containment and expressed the need to keep all options on the table in confronting that country. But he didn’t stop there,” Schumer said. “In our conversation, Senator Hagel made a crystal-clear promise that he would do ‘whatever it takes’ to stop Tehran from obtaining nuclear weapons, including the use of military force.”

On Israel, Schumer said “Senator Hagel volunteered that he has always supported Israel’s right to retaliate militarily in the face of terrorist attacks by Hezbollah or Hamas,” and stressed that Hagel “understands the sensitivity around such a loaded term [as "Jewish lobby"] and regrets saying it.”

Schumer’s statement also noted that Hagel considers Hezbollah to be a terrorist organization, and opposes any direct talks with Hamas.

In addition to Schumer, California senator Barbara Boxer has signaled her intention to support Hagel. Boxer — who is also Jewish — said “I’m not worried” about Hagel’s support for Israel. Additionally, the liberal Boxer said she is fully convinced of Hagel’s support for gay and lesbian service members, and that Hagel has pledged to crack down on sexual assualt in the military. Boxer’s support should help convince any liberal Democrats who are still uncomfortable with nominating a former Republican senator.

In light of these endorsements — and the Democrats’ 55 vote majority in the Senate — Hagel is almost certain to be confirmed as the next Secretary of Defense. Senate Republicans’ only chance of blocking Hagel without Schumer would be resorting to a filibuster — a move that could be politically disastrous, given Hagel’s clear qualifications, and many Republicans’ past support for their former colleague.

Photo by Talk Radio News Service/Flickr



  • 2012CA2012

    OK, I see how it works, Hagel has to get together with the jews first and make them happy to be confirmed??? Is this any different than saying “YES”, the USA politics is an israeli/jewish hostage?? If Hagel wasn’t elected, I would probably have more respect for him, but the minute he walks into a room to be told what he can and can’t say about the jewish lobbyist, then walk out of the room to be endorsed by the top Jewish Guy in the senate, I can now comfortably say again “YES” USA has to be liberated from the jewish lobbyists.

    • awakenaustin

      This ia a bit over the top isn’t it. Not quite as extreme as Mr. Carsrus but close on. Is it the case that Sen Schummer is defined only by his Jewishness? For you, he is too Jewish and for Carsrus he isn’t Jewish enough. It takes some imagination to argue that a “Jewish lobby” controls American foreign policy in the Middle East and towards Isreal. Without a doubt there are a number of organizations, not always in agreement with each other on policy and goals, which lobby Congress and the President on behalf of American Jews and on behalf of Isreal. This makes them no different than any other group of like minded individuals who have organized to influence American domestic and foreign policy and who frequently lobby Congress. American and Isreali foreign policy have frequently been congruent because the interests of the two nations have frequently been congruent. There have been and are legitimate areas of agreement and disagreement.
      Isreal is a historical reality and that reality needs to be accepted and dealt with as ethically and morally as we can. It would be short-sighted and wrong to “abandon” Isreal and its current government to its fate, but it is just as short sighted and wrong to allow the curent and any future government of Isreal to dictate our foreign policy. There is no problem in American and Isreali policies being congruent if our own is based on a rational assessment of what and where our own best interests lie. It is the role and function of governments to assess and pursue the best interests of its people and their nation. So, why don’t we confine the argument to what is in our nation’s best interest.

      • CPANY

        No. It’s not over the top. It’s a pretty accurate description of what is going on in America now..

        • awakenaustin

          Enlighten us.

          • CPANY

            awakenaustin:

            For enlightenment go to your local library or book store and obtain a copy of The Israel Lobby. It’s an eye opener to the activities of the pressure groups such as AIPAC that lean on United States lawmakers and institutions to obtain benefits for Israel.

            It’s significant that one of the things that Senator Schumer objected to was Hagel’s past reference to the” Israel lobby.” To his discredit, Hagel knuckled under to Schumer and said that it was a bad choice of words. It wasn’t a bad choice of words. It was an accurate choice of words. As I said above, there’s a book out that uses the term.

          • awakenaustin

            Cop out.

            Gee, there is a book on it. Nice of them to wrap it all up in one book. Well it must be the whole story if there is a whole book about it. I always believe everything I read, especially when I only have to read one book and it agrees with my pre-existing prejudices and biases as I am certain this book did with yours.
            Gosh, I thought we were talking about the “Jewish” lobby? This book is about the “Israeli” lobby (and U.S. Foreign Policy). Are those interchangeable? Can I just substitute Jewish every time I see Israeli. Is that because if you are Jewish you automatically become Israeli and supportive of everything the Israeli government does? Or, is it just because they are all alike?
            AIPAC is a pressure group. It is a lobby. Lobbies lobby. It lobbies. The NRA has a lobby. It lobbies. The Chamber of Commerce has a lobby. It lobbies. The National Association of Manufacturers is a lobby. It lobbies. Big pharma has a lobby. The AMA has a lobby. The ABA has a lobby. NAACP has a lobby group. Lots of like minded people form associations and lobby Congress and the Government. Are you just upset because AIPAC is more successful than you like?
            It is easy to lobby people who agree with you or who are sympathetic to your policy positions. Maybe just as the NRA is very influential with those who already support the personal ownership of guns, AIPAC is influential with those who already see a consistency and congruence between the policy positions of Israel and the U.S. as desirable. In fact the most effective lobbying occurs when a lobby supplies those already inclined toward a position the information and support needed to get where they were already determined to go. Maybe many American policy makers already agree with the policies advocated by AIPAC.
            Maybe it isn’t a big conspiracy? In any case, despite their influence AIPAC does not control U.S. foreign policy. Maybe a fair and rational reading is that we have had parallel interests more often than conflicting?

          • CPANewYork

            If you equate the Israel Lobby with other American lobbies, you must see no essential difference between them insofar as their basic function is concerned. Senators schumer and Boxer may disagree with you, because they pressured Hagel into saying that the use of the term was a poor choice of words.

            If the Jewish or Israel Lobby is no different from the many other lobbies, then why the desire for secrecy? Why is it a poor choice of words? Why the sensitivity? Why did Hagel have to knuckle under to Schumer and Boxer and say that the term “Jewish Lobby” was a poor choice of words?

            It isn’t a poor choice of words. It’s an accurate description of a pressure group, just like all the other lobbies. The difference is that this one is based on religion and devotion to a foreign country. Religion is a sensitive subject. Many people feel uncomfortable discussing it, but it’s there and if a religious group forms to exert pressure on our country’s leaders, then it’s fair game for disclosure. If they’re not doing anything wrong, then there’s no justification for trying to keep its activities secret.

            You’tre right in calling AIPAC a lobby. It’s a PAC, but it’s not registered as a PAC, which means that anyone who contributes to it may deduct the contribution for federal income tax purposes. The Internal Revenue Service doesn’t contest this, but it should.

          • awakenaustin

            You missed at least one point. Jewish does not equal Israeli. These groups may overlap but they are not identical. Jewish lobby is a poor choice of words. It equals all Jews with Israel. It suggests all Jewish interests are identical to Israeli interests. It suggests that Jews in this country are a distinct non-American pro-Israeli group. “An indigestible minority.”
            What secrecy? If you are talking the closed door meeting, they go on all the time, everywhere in this country and at every level of government. Senators, Reps and Presidents and state and local lawmakers meet all the time behind closed doors with lobbies and a variety of ‘influential’ people. Every lobby in this nation seeks private meetings with “decision” makers. They meet at parties, for meals and in broom closets. They phone and text and e-mail each other. Virtually none of that goes on in a public forum. People seeking “ advise and consent” approval frequently meet in private with Senators to reassure them, to further explain their thinking and changes of heart and to beg forgiveness for past “sins”. AIPAC is no more secretive than any other lobby and no less subject to the law (it is a registered domestic lobby and it is not a PAC). If you think AIPAC has too much influence on American foreign policy then say that and leave “Jewish” out of it. Folks may have obvious sensitivities to the idea of blame being laid at the doorstep of the Jews.

            Lobbies are lobbies and they do what lobbies do.

            I guess it might be viewed as knuckling under, but it might be that he recognized he made a mistake. Maybe he didn’t care for Gays fifteen years ago and maybe today or even maybe last year he realized he was wrong. Maybe he thinks differently today. Maybe you and I think exactly as we did 20 years ago, but I hear some folks change their minds. Maybe he did or maybe he knuckled under.

            AIPAC isn’t based on religion. It certainly is committed to promoting Israel’s security and arguing that American interests in the Middle East are consistent with Israel’s interests. 1.7 % of the voting population in the U.S. identify themselves as Jews. According to the Pew Forum only roughly 7% of that 1.7% put concern for Israel at the top of their political concerns. So AIPAC might promote the interests of Israel, but it doesn’t represent the interests of American Jews. Actually, as I think about it, Israeli Lobby is a poor choice of words. It would more accurately be viewed as a pro-Israel lobby.

            You are just wrong about the PAC business and the IRS. Donations to AIPAC are not tax deductible. Donations to its American Israel Education Foundation are tax deductible. Different animals. (It is a neat little thing a lot of groups do. Separate your lobby functions from your educational functions and voila.)

          • CPANewYork

            So, is it just a coincidence that Hagel had to meet with Senators Schumer and Boxer to explain himself and to satisfy their concerns about his commitment to Israel and they just happen to be Jewish?

            I don’t think that your argument holds water.

          • awakenaustin

            Of course it wasn’t a coincidence. No one said it was. I believe both of those Senators had previously indicated concerns about his possible too soft on Iran and not pro-Israel enough stance. (Practically speaking he did not need to visit all the pro-Israel Republicans because just winning over these two Dems probably seals the deal for him.) He met with them to calm their fears or persuade them he had an open mind and they should have an open mind. I don’t know, maybe he genuflected and kissed their rings or some part of their anatomy. This however, is absolutely no different than the kissing and wooing US Supreme Court appointees, other Cabinet appointees, and other high level appointees do when they anticipate push back from various Senators for various reasons. President Obama’s previous possible candidate for Secretary of State, Susan Rice, did this very thing and it did not work out for her, as I am sure you recall. The fact that Mr. Hagel made this visit is not, however, evidence of some secret “Jewish” conspiracy or of the great power and influence some “Jewish” lobby has over American policy makers. It is evidence of the politics of Capitol Hill. There is no question that AIPAC and a variety of Jewish persons and organizations try to influence American policy towards Israel and no question that they have some success in that area. There isn’t anything particularly nefarious about this. It follows the blue print set out by lobbies in general. If you don’t like that influence organize a counter lobby, write your congressional representatives about that influence and what they should do differently, donate money, vote, blog about what should be the correct or best policy towards Israel. Don’t sit around complaining about how it is wrong for some citizens to try to influence the policies of their government because of their religious faith or identity. Because that is what this looks like when people complain about the “Jewish” lobby!

  • carsrus

    Schumer has now thrown Israel and Bibi in front of Obama’s bus! I KNEW he was less for the Great Democratic State of Israel than for himself! A weasel, who has sold his Jewishness to Barack for POWER! Just another egotist within the party of RATS, democRATS top the core! To my Jewish bretheran, pleased that you voted in an Israeli HATING marxist-muslim with 69% of your vote? SHAME on all of you.

    • WhutHeSaid

      My goodness, your bigoted frothing at the mouth is especially foamy today. Did you all forget to bring your lighters to last night’s cross burning or something otherwise horrible?

    • sn77339

      Kind of tough to be a Marxist atheist and a Muslim at the same time, but I guess you’re just pulling words out of your butt for effect. Also, I thought the Secretary of State was an employee of the US, not Israel. He should be looking out for our interests, not anyone else’s.

      • http://www.facebook.com/fern.woodfork Fern Woodfork

        They Really Mad Cause Hagel Wont Rush To War In A Heartbeat Since He Seen And Serviced Close Up!! Not Like These Chicken Shit Ass Warmongering Thugs Who Never Served But Don’t Mind Starting Wars And Sending You Your Friends And Family To Fight Them Then If You Get Hurt Vote Against Giving You Any Kind Of Help !! Plus I Think He Will Cut Some Of That Huge Defense Budget That’s Not Needed!! We Got Enough Weapons Of Mass Destruction Stock Piled Already!!!

    • awakenaustin

      Are you a citizen of this nation or Isreal? Should Mexican-Americans, French-Americans, Chinese-Americans, and so forth dictate American foreign policy re: their various ancestral homelands? Should the President, whomever he or she may be, seek the approval of the national descendants or cultual descendants or religious adherents of any particular foreign nation before shaping our own foreign policy? Is there any nation which makes determinations about its own foreign policy based on what some other nation defines as in its best interest? Is there such a thing as an American best interest which is different than an Isreali best interest? Is whoever is in charge of the Isreali government and its foreign policy always correct no matter who it is or what policies they pursue? Are any other Jews allowed to think differently than you about what is in the best interest of Isreali or are they required to love Bibi or leave? Is it possible that Bibi’s policies are not in Isreal’s best interest? There are Jewish Isreali’s who don’t think his policies are in Isreal’s best interest, are they required to turn in their Jewish credentials too?
      Are you down with the idea of every other relatively well defined ethnic, cultural, religious, or national grouping in this nation being allowed to define its loyalty to this nation in terms of its non-American heritage?

    • oldtack

      Do you know the history of the formation of the State of Israel? If not – go to archives and read newspaper reports, Government reports both American, British and French.
      Synopsis:
      At the cessation of WWII there were multitudes of homeless Jews and the pressing need was -what do we do with these people. Consensus – The United States did not want them. Great Britain turned thumbs down. France an emphatic No! Russia? Russia had persecuted these same people for ages in”Pogroms” and were glad to be rid of them.

      Another pressing issue after the war was the need for a firm foothold in the Middle East in the interest of the vast oilfields.

      The Western Powers looked upon the old “holy land” and behold, there was a good area called Palestine -the Judaic “holy land” . An aggressive discourse was entered into to try and persuade the Palestinians to cede part of this vast area for the displaced Jews. After long debates and violence and bloodshed this became a reality in 1948. If you will look at the original map of the new State of Israel you will see it was a small area. Immediately after Israel was “born” as a new Nation they were supplied with weapons and shortly thereafter they went to War and enlarged their “Nation”

      To sell this to the predominately Judea/Christian western world the Western Powers just inferred that this was the fulfillment of Bible Prophecy of God’s promise to his “chosen people” to return them to the holy land. The Christian world bought the political ruse hook line and sinker.

      Now – how many Billions of dollars has the Western Powers funneled into this Puppet State in the last 65 years? It’s a staggering amount. How much Military Equipment has been “given”. How many nuclear weapons does Israel have?

      This puppet State, under the party of Benjamin N, has become the tale that wags the Western Powers dog.

      Did you ever question – of all the tribes that populated the ancient Middle East why it was that God looked down and picked this particular tribe to be his “Chosen People” and through violence and much death they “led by God” invaded lands and destroyed them to make their chosen home?

      After 9/11/2001 many people live in fear of Muslims because they worship Allah as opposed to God and their Holy Book, the Quran, is filled with violence? Well, sit down and compare the content of the Muslim Holy Book to the Jewish Holy Bok (Old Testament. Just mentally change the chief figures and the Books are erriely similar in many areas. Both feel they are “Chosen ones.

      If the oilfields in the Middle East dried up tomorrow the Western Powers would “forget” Israel immediately.

      Get off your soap box. Quit espousing like a street corner “preacher” and READ factual reports.

      Last question. If the Jews are indeed God’s chosen people would not this Omnipotent power look over them and keep them from harm? If so – then why has this onus and burden fallen to us Gentiles?

      It POLITICS friend. Nothing more.

      • http://twitter.com/flyfshr1cd Chris Doyle

        I agree to all you’ve written with the exception of this: If the oilfields in the Middle East dried up tomorrow the Western Powers would “forget” Israel immediately. The fact is that there always been a small, but very influential Zionist element in the U.S. As many others have expressed above, their loyalties are not to the U.S., but to the greedy and self serving interests of Israel. 65 years of war, terrorist acts and assassinations have change nothing. It’s time for a U.S. brokered peace and the Israelis return of Gaza and the West Bank.

      • vapiet

        As awakenausten would say- has said- a bit over the top. One would have to admit that the Israeli lobbies are pretty potent in American and particularly Democrat(ic) politics, but like ot above, I was alive and quite aware of what was going on in the world before, during, and after WWII. I must add that we did not fully grasp the extent of the Holocaust as it is known, and as the horrors began to emerge, so did the the feeling that something had to be done for the survivors. The Zionist movement is much older, however, a 19th Century phenomenon, started by Theodor Herzl and others, which grew to the degree that the British Foreign Secretary, Lord Balfour, made his since famous declaration- 1917?- about a “homeland” for the Jewish people, even then felt to be more than just a religious group. It seemed like a good solution in 1945 ff, despite the British concerns about upsetting the Arabs- the subject of several books and film or so. In the war which followed, Jewish military veterans from several nations, aided openly or covertly by the Allied governments, joined and help organize the already active underground into an army that led, finally, to the establishment and eventual recognition of a modern Jewish state. The resulting series of conflicts are well-known to us all, have settled little, and are now even more the subject of bitter discussion and contention throughout the world- as these articles and letters demonstrate.

      • TheGorf

        Chosen People are not apt to make good neighbors.

    • http://profile.yahoo.com/HGC4BGWVYXV76PHZBPSPOOU5GA Independent1

      Are you aware that in a survey of Israelis last summer, more support Obama than Bibi? Yep, Bibi’s not even popular in Israel. In fact,at least 56% supported the way Obama was handling the situation with Iran while less than 41% approved of the way Bibi was handling things. So you’re not even in step with people in the homeland.

    • http://www.facebook.com/people/Earl-Rogers-Jr/100002303926364 Earl Rogers Jr.

      Schumer is an American or he is not, The same thing for American Jews,if you are not for America first ,last,and always then you should go and live in Israel and be an Israeli and stop calling your self an American,you can’t have it both ways.No American President should give any country the kind of power we have given the state of Israel to tell them we will always be on their side no matter what they do.If you hold a job in our Government and you put any country before America which so many in our government seen to do when it come to Israel, then you should be an Israeli and not call yourself an American or we should give all American the same right we give American Jews ,the right to go to their mother and father home land and fight in their Army,Air Force,and Navy, are what ever they can do for the other place they call home,the same as American Jews do.

    • http://profile.yahoo.com/U6Q4N3HYCLW75NP3XCHZWBVXII Stormen Hard

      Carsrus you’re a bloody hateful moron who wouldn’t know a Marxist if he bit you on the ass. May I suggest you move to and live in “the Great Democratic State of Israel” Where you apparently belong ‘ cause you sure don’t belong in the Great Democratic Republic of The United States of America…
      Cheers…

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_TT6POTCLZCE74T76WAJIIIUAHU frida

    Sen. Hagel has all qualifications which are required for the job. Republicans should support him as well and stop their witch hunt.

    • http://www.facebook.com/fern.woodfork Fern Woodfork

      The GOP/Tea Party Knows This Man Is Qualified It’s Just More Undermining And Screwing With Our POTUS Cause They Still Can’t Believe He Won A Second Term, With All That Money Wasted, Plus All Those Lies They Told, Trying To Block The Votes And Brainwashing Bullshit They Tried To Pull Just Backfired In Their Lying Hateful Faces !!! Everything Is A Battlefield With Them As Long As Our POTUS Wants It They Are Against It!! Our Home Grown Terrorists Cells GOP/Tea Party Is Just A Bunch Of Whining Little Bitches Throwing Tantrums Cause They Can’t Have Their Way!!! They Need To Grow Up And Do Their Damn Jobs And Quit Trying To Destroy This Country And Hold The American People Hostage!!! We Will Be Coming For Their Jobs In 2014 And Beyond!!!

      • http://twitter.com/flyfshr1cd Chris Doyle

        I appreciate your outspoken, but accurate, vitriol. lol

      • TheGorf

        What’s With All The Capitals They Merely Detract From What You Say With Which Incidentally I Mostly Agree But What Do I Know I Guess I’m Just A Backward Frog

        • http://www.facebook.com/fern.woodfork Fern Woodfork

          Don’t Worry About The Caps If You Don’t Understand That’s Cause You Can’t READ!!!! And That Warning About Ass Ripping Apply To Any Asshole That Screw With Me GET IT!!!

          • http://www.facebook.com/fern.woodfork Fern Woodfork

            There’s 181 GOP/Tea Party Voted Against Giving Help To The People Of The Hurricane Sandy!!! These Are Some Of The Lowest Ass Thugs That Ever Walked The Earth!!! That’s Our Home Grown Terrorists Cells The GOP/Tea Party American Taliban For You!!!! :-(

          • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_5LCXMWHFPRMEYD4RWN56QE2FF4 Grunge45

            Some reasonable ideas, expressed in an unreasonable way.

          • http://www.facebook.com/fern.woodfork Fern Woodfork

            Don’t Read It Move On!! Just Keep It Moving!!! I Didn’t Write It For Your Approval!!!!!!! You Say Tomatoes I Say Tomotoes!!! You Write The Way You Want And You Can Bet Your Ass I’m Going To Write The Way I Want!!!! Ahhh The Price Of Freedom And Free Speech!!!

          • truliberal

            Sorry Fern but the capital letters are very distracting, most of the time I quit reading because it is too confusing even though most of the time I agree with you. Please give the caps a break.

          • http://www.facebook.com/fern.woodfork Fern Woodfork

            You Give Me A Break!!! I Don’t Care What You Think!!! My Statement My Way!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don’t Read IT!!!

          • http://www.facebook.com/fern.woodfork Fern Woodfork

            Not Here For Your Approval!!!!

          • http://www.facebook.com/fern.woodfork Fern Woodfork

            ::::BREAKING NEWS OUR PRESIDENT JUST SIGNED 23 PAPER ON GUN CONTROL!!!::::::::: And It’s Not About Taking Nobodies Guns Away Either It’s More About Keeping The Guns Out Of The Hands Of The CRAZIES!!!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/georgene.summers Georgene Summers

    The Republicans are never happy with anything that Obama does. carsrus needs to get a grip. I am a Jew and one who sat across a table from Bibi as you so affectionately call him…and do not consider Obama as anything but our President whom I voted for happily. I also am a supporter of Israel and have been there several times on VIP trips. So get your facts straight and stop with the ranting.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_5LCXMWHFPRMEYD4RWN56QE2FF4 Grunge45

      Nice to see your comments. I am also a VIP, but not on Israel.

  • CPANY

    carsrus:

    Two things:

    You misspelled bretheren.

    At no point in your diatribe do you show any concern for the interests of America.

  • sleeprn01

    I think that Mr. Hagel’s experience as an infantryman in the Viet Nam war would give him pause before sending American troops into another war that its’ purpose is only to enrich the military-industrial complex. The Iraq war was very good to Mr. Cheney!!

    Also I have a question for carsrus; are not the Kibbutz’s in Israel collectively owned? And, even under President Obama, can you name something other than our National Parks that is collectively owed?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7DKWSXHQIDBW5PUAPZ2HZAYYUY Baron Cormac

    Unfortunately, they are gonna need a snow plow to get through the Swiftboating that has already started.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_7DKWSXHQIDBW5PUAPZ2HZAYYUY Baron Cormac

    It is interesting that the two Republicans most against Hagel are former officers. Guess they still want to keep us poor enlisted folks in our place.

  • ayayaboy

    Republicans do not work with reasoning, they only politik with die-hard beliefs.

  • oldtack

    I agree. You’re right. The Zionist movement ahs a strangle hold on this country. We are the dog and Israel is the tail that wags us.

  • oldtack

    Valpiet,
    Thanks for going into historical detail for all forum readers. I was just trying to “cut to the chase” and go from 1945-1948 and forward.
    It’s an interesting “history” The Holocaust indeed brought it all to fruition.
    Thanks

  • onedonewong

    Hagel is the right man for the job. Look for him to place a damper on the gays prancing around in military uniform. he’ll make them take it off base so the military retains its dignity

  • http://profile.yahoo.com/VTV55S5BALQIDBQFOLH7WIZNSA Don B

    Hagel has something which Rumsfeld never had–or Dick Cheney for that matter—time in the Service. If he’s going to ever send young men and women off to war, I think he’ll give it a lot more thought than the 2 previous Nazis we had in that office.

  • http://www.facebook.com/dennis.hoover2 Dennis Hoover

    I’ve read some accusations that Hagel bowed and caved to the Israeli Lobby and that’s how he’ll get approved. Well, I’m hoping that he does like I did as a teenager when confronted with my freedom being limited unnecessarily. I’d agree to the authorities face and then promptly go do exactly what I wanted to do and thought best to do. LOL I hope Hagel does the same thing where it comes to groveling to the Israeli Lobby. TELL THE F’rs WHAT THEY WANT TO HEAR THEN DO WHAT’S RIGHT.

  • DurdyDawg

    Obviously the pubs can’t seem to edge their puppet into the position so they continue to stifle progress by rejecting everyone and everything democrat, even a once upon a time pub who now refuses to sniff their ass hairs .. Talk about four more years of crap, (some) pubs are the kings of idiocy..

    • july860

      That will never happen….

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_KYK6RLLARKU3CZT5VBTTAXTG3I Felix

    The Republican lost the election and I guess they can get over it. Hagel is a good American and the a man Obama can trust. Some Republicans came out with the story Hagel is anti-Israel and trying to divide the Democratic Party and play the Israel card most Jews know Obama is an Israel friend and in the last election the Jews proved it.

    The Republican were trying every thing they had in their pocket, million dollars donated by those that hate Obama and spent million dollars trying to divide the Jews vote. Nothing worked for the Republican and the biggest problem they had the pick a man that was not able to get near the common man.

    There are always rumor that most Cubans are Republicans and in the past election 54% of the Cuban voted for Obama, and most of the reason was that we came here to start from scratch and most us believe that America is the land of the opportunity for every one that reach this nation.
    The Republica were in the wrong side of history and hopefully they will learn the lesson!
    Ideassoul

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_G6ONLFDHRWXQI3KHXIO3MQB5TM roberte

    I don’t think the Republicans ever really thought they could stop his appointment…Just another lonely cry for attention from a party that is quickly becoming as irrelevant as a buggy whip!

  • CPANewYork

    I think that Rumsfeld was a pilot in the Air Force.

  • CPANewYork

    Keep your last sentence in mind. We should be concerned only with what is good for America.

  • CPANewYork

    Maybe carsrus is a dual citizen of Israel and the United States. I don’t like dual citizenship. I think that it’s phony, because one can be loyal to only one country.

  • CPANewYork

    Actually, the ancient Israelites didn’t make good neighbors. The battle of Jericho was simply genocide to rid Palestine of the Canaanites. Aside from Rahab, who betrayed her own people, Joshua slaughtered the entire city: men, women and children.

    The Israelites also made war against the Ammonites, the Moabites and the Edomites to get their copper.