Kerry and Hagel: Hardly Israel’s Preferred Choices

[Purveyor]

If, as widely expected, US President Barack Obama later this week nominates Sen. John Kerry as secretary of state and former senator Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense, then those already worrying about US-Israeli ties under a second Obama term will have even more to worry about.

Less because of Kerry, even though he is considered a man of independent ideas on the Middle East who feels – thanks to his many years in the Senate working on foreign policy – that he knows perhaps better than Israelis themselves what is good for them, and more because of Hagel.

Hagel, a former Nebraska senator, is a Republican. But he is what some described as a Brent Scowcroft Republican, a so-called “country club” Republican not endowed with the pro-Israel reflexes that so many officeholders in the Republican party have come to possess since the days of Ronald Reagan.

Rather, Hagel is a Republican with a problematic voting record on Israel.

One sign that worries about Hagel may be well-founded is that one of those backing his appointment is Stephen Walt, co-author with John Mearsheimer of a book bashing both Israel and AIPAC, The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy.

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http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=296204

[geek tragedy]

1. That the Neocons and Likudniks are having a sad over Hagel speaks well of him.

With enemies like Dick Cheney and Bibi Netanyahu and Rupert Murdoch, he must be pretty good on the subject.

[Indykatie]

2. Both Good Choices in My Opinion

I'm glad they're not Israel's preferred choices.

[jenmito]

3. Israel is not a U.S. state. Hagel has good sense (as does Kerry, of course). We don't need neocons

in a DEM. admin.

[davidpdx]

9. I agree, we need to think about what is important at home

Instead of appeasing a foreign state that thinks they control us.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

4. When is Israel applying for US statehood?

Then (and only then) will their opinion on who the President nominates for foreign policy posts matter in the least.

[craigmatic]

5. What has Israel ever done for us?

They take our money and weapons and make other countries hate us more. Not to mention they have universal healthcare and we don't yet they take our tax dollars through AIPAC. Obama should keep them at arm's length.

[WCGreen]

6. Gee, I wonder what Haiti or Ecuador or Burma feel about the change

in State and Defense.

[Iggo]

7. I don't really care if Israel doesn't like who the President appoints.

Tough shit.

[Cha]

8. Yeah, too bad for them, President Obama is not going

to be asking those "Israelis" for their input.

It was mittLies who said he would get on the phone and ask his friend Bibi what to do.

[Purveyor]

10. +1 eom