I’m endlessly surprised by the New York Times. Today the paper assembles seven foreign-policy “debaters” to put forward questions for Chuck Hagel whose confirmation hearing as Secretary of Defense is tomorrow. And not one debater raises the Israel/Palestine issue! Israel is mentioned in relationship to Iran, but not in relationship to the occupation of Palestine and what that means to US interests in the region. There are no suggested questions on how the lack of Palestinian freedom affects the US and its military. Yet it is Hagel’s views on Israel that could derail his being the next Secretary of Defense. Why didn’t the Times even broach the issue? It really is the third rail; and this inattention increases the likelihood of violence.
The neoconservatives are happy to have this debate. So am I! I think our side (coalition of left and realists) will win. As the Weekly Standard reports, Hagel said in 2003 that Israel keeps “Palestinians caged up like animals.” As I report below, Hagel said in 2007 that Israel has kept the Palestinians “chained” for many, many years.
What does the Times want to talk about? Debater C. Christine Fair asks about Pakistan. Fred Kaplan says Hagel was wrong about the surge in Iraq (a war Kaplan fell for, when falling mattered), then asks about the “insurgency wars” that we might get “roped into.” Tim Weiner asks about threats to Israel:
If Iran develops a nuclear bomb, would it create a strategic parity in the Middle East, as a counterforce to Israel’s arsenal? Would the world be safer, or more dangerous, as a consequence? Do you believe nuclear weapons can be used in battle, or have they become political symbols of power, serving solely to deter an enemy from attacking?
Andrew Bacevich has a realist injection, warning off the Israel lobby, but that’s all.
Below is Hagel during the Iraq war surge in ’07, which he opposed, questioning why the U.S. should “put 22,000 more Americans into that grinder.” At 5:30 or so he speaks about Palestinians being “chained”:
“We have totally destroyed our standing and reputation and influence in the Middle East…. We don’t need more American troops…. The human element….But when people have no hope, when they have despair, little else matters. This is not about terrorists do not like freedom. Tell that to the Palestinian people, who have been chained down for many many years. Terrorism is not a strategy, it’s a tactic… Terrorism… is not a belief, like democracy or monarchy, it’s a tactic…. When American loses the trust and confidence of the world, it makes the world more dangerous…”
Update: The Washington Times wants to talk about Israel. It has a piece by Israel lobbyist Kenneth Timmerman, with this cartoon of Hagel as a cheerleader for Iran.
When faced with a seemingly intractable problem, it is important to understand what is perpetuating it.
And Zionism is the answer in the case of the Palestinians.
Our media uses the word “occupation” rather than “ethnic cleansing” to describe Israel/Palestine. One can arguably adust to occupation but it is utterly impossible to adust to ethnic cleansing which is nothing but slow speed extermination.
Phil, You are so “shocked, shocked” by our old friend, NYT.
Surely, by now, we can deduce from its behavior (recall: Chomsky used to say, and I suppose truly, that the NYT never, ever, published Sadat’s peace proposal to Israel before the 1973 war, not even in a lengthy eulogy/obit for him — because Israel had never acknowledged it) that the NYT is chained (or has willingly acted as if chained) by the AIPAC or Israeli Gov’t lines (and lies). It cannot or will not do any different, come hell or high water (or Sandy).
The Lobby having done their huffing and puffing intimidation on the senate now wants to downplay the question of Israel loyalty naturally.
I’ll be surprised though if some some nitwit senator doesn’t flub up and bring it up to prove his bona fides and obedience to the Lobby….I am sure the Lobby will be watching to see how well their talking points are followed.
Seems that Hagel is a totally inappropriate candidate for Defense. How we can trust a person to unleash the dogs of wars when needed when he clearly thinks about the soldiers, what happens to them, and least excusably, about the OTHER PEOPLE. It almost sounds like empathy.
Good morning, Worm your honor.
The crown will plainly show
The prisoner who now stands before you
Was caught red-handed showing feelings
Showing feelings of an almost human nature;
This will not do.