Chuck Hagel and the naive

I've written before about the blind faith segments of the Jewish community place in the Democratic party even as Obama and other members of that party increasingly ignore or act against Jewish interests.  I expect these constituents to once again turn a blind eye to the White House's nomination of Chuck Hagel as defense secretary.  Who is Chuck Hagel?  

“Nebraska Jews Recall Senator Chuck Hagel as ‘Unfriendly’ and ‘Unmovable’ on Israel, ‘Didn’t Give a Damn About the Jewish Community."

"He [Senator Lindsey graham] added, 'This is an in-your-face nomination by the president to all of us who are supportive of Israel.'" 

"“The record speaks for itself, on issues like consistently voting against sanctions on Iran to stop their pursuit of nuclear weapons capability, against naming [Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps] a terrorist organization, refusing to call on the European Union to name Hezbollah — which has killed more Americans than any terrorist group in the world except Al Qaeda — as a terrorist organization,” said Josh Block, a former AIPAC spokesman."

"With the possible exception of former KKK member Robert Byrd of West Virginia, Chuck Hagel is arguably the most hostile anti-Israel U.S. senator ever to serve."

However, the Hagel appointment does illustrate not only his level of comfort with someone who has floated Walt-Mearsheimer-style rhetoric about the “Jewish lobby” but also a man who has been an advocate of taking the use of force against Iran off the table. 

Even the Washington Post editorializes:

"On the contrary: Mr. Hagel’s stated positions on critical issues, ranging from defense spending to Iran, fall well to the left of those pursued by Mr. Obama during his first term — and place him near the fringe of the Senate that would be asked to confirm him....  But Mr. Obama could make a better choice for defense secretary."

That's like Pravda editorializing against a nominee put forth by Lenin.  

Again, from the left, we have Alan Dershowitz, a man who always seems to be waking up after the fact:

"He is the only mainstream American politician to talk openly about how “the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people.”... But Hagel apparently sees things in terms of Jewish interests versus American interests."

If you read the whole article you can't help but laugh as Dershowitz argues that Obama has made clear that he will do whatever it takes to thwart Iran from getting nukes and therefore the nomination of Hagel, who opposes military force against Iran in favor of containment, runs contrary to the President's stated aims.  Poor Mr. Dershowitz can't seem to understand that the President's professed intent to prevent Iran from getting nukes was just that -- a professed statement designed to garner the support from fools like Dershowitz who are naive enough to believe mere words -- even while the President's actions reveal his true intent.   

Update: Ed Koch has now predictably chimed in:

“Frankly, I thought that there would come a time when he would renege on what he conveyed on his support of Israel,” said Koch, adding, “it comes a little earlier than I thought it would.”

Gee, if you thought that, why did you characterize him as a friend of Israel?

“It’s very disappointing, I believe he will ultimately regret it,” Koch said, “and it undoubtedly will reduce support for him in the Jewish community, but I don’t think he (the President) worries about that now that the election is over.”

Exactly.  The election is over -- you rubes have been taken in and now we all pay the price.  

The GOP has been a Grand Old disaPpointment, but no more of a disappointment than the 70% of Jews whose vote gave support for this stuff, but I sadly am no longer surprised by the stupidity of my brethren.