Chuck Hagel, new Pentagon chief

[flabbybody]

I'm a big Chuck fan. cool dude who looks like he could handle himself in a bar fight. Type of guy I want running Defense Department. I know my fellow New York Jews are still a little pissed about his "I'm a U.S. senator, not an Israeli senator" remark but we'll get over it. When Senator Schumer and Hillary make a few phone calls to tell the Manhattan Hadassah that they need to back the President's choice the fight is over before it starts.

[Odelay]

Normally I'm not that keen about Republicans, even token ones, serving in a Democratic cabinet, but Hagel seems like a reasonable guy. And in my view, his remarks on Israel are a point in his favor, although I doubt he has that much influence on US-Israel policy as SoD.

[NYBURBS]

I think he's a good pick. He's seen what war is up close and personal, he speaks his mind, and he's not in the back pocket of AIPAC. I wasn't totally thrilled with his voting record on some executive power and civil liberty issues, but I'm realistic enough to know that any alternative right now is likely to be even worse on those issues. Besides, anyone or anything that Lindsey Graham speaks out against is usually worth supporting.

[fivekatz]

As an American Jew I really found little wrong with what Hagel said regarding Israel and as Odelay points out the SoD is not likely to influence US policy regarding the region. It is not as though the right wing elements in the State of Israel don't have issues with their treatment of the Palestinians and their extreme views on Iran.

If the speculation is true that Hagel will work hard to cut DOD's bloated budget, I have no issue with that. A little more time seeing where we can intelligently cut spending to defend American (business) interests (DOD) and a little less time trying to cut what we spend on defending American (citizens) from disease (Medicare - Medicaid) would go along way to make America a better nation IMHO.

[flabbybody]

I'm in total agreement fivekatz.
Certain pro Israeli groups who are attempting a feeble effort to block Hagel's confirmation actually validates his claim that a "Jewish Lobby" exists, and that sometimes its agenda is not consistent with the best interests of the United States.
No doubt Chuck Hagel has some problems with current Israeli government policy. As an American Jew, so do I.

[Ben]

Glenn Greenwald has written about him:

Chuck Hagel and liberals: what are the priorities?

As Obama prepares to nominate the controversial former senator, the key question is whether Democrats will help neocons oppose him:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/jan/05/hagel-liberals-gays-israel-democrats