Letter to the editor

Not Hagel

Posted

Dear Editor:

As someone well-schooled in politics, permit me a prediction concerning the ill-advised nomination of Senator Chuck Hagel to be defense secretary. His hostility towards Israel and his dangerous level of tolerance for the prevarications, stalling tactics, genocidal intentions and the like of the Iranians, Hamas, Islamists galore and others of like mind is only too well-known.

Our focus ought to be on Jewish elected federal officials of the President’s party in particular. The President makes his position on certain vital issues clear to all of us from this nomination.

My prediction? Those elected officials will soon come forward to the community - pressuring Jewish establishment leadership groups - with a scenario to go something like this: “We’ve met with Senator Hagel and he has made pronouncements which give us his assurance of commitment to Israel, fighting terrorism, strengthening the U.S.-Israel military partnership and …we are prepared to support him.”

These are the same kinds of people who explain to you that they “work behind the scenes” whenever dark clouds arise.

These people should be candidates for the “behind the scenes work” required of CIA officers. They may do better than John Brennan.

Jeffrey S. Wiesenfeld