Does Hagel really have a “Jewish problem”?
Hagel, in his two terms in the Senate, voted to support Israel in ways that matter to actual Israelis, including to its defense officials. He supported a close relationship between the U.S. military and the Israel Defense Forces, and he regularly voted to grant Israel generous aid packages. If he has a record of animus toward the Jewish state or prejudice toward Jews, I’m not seeing it.
In fact, one of the more distressing features of the nomination is not Hagel himself, but some of the supporters he’s been accruing, people who believe that Hagel shares their loathing of a strong American relationship with Israel. These include people who do express animus toward Israel and toward the American Jews who support Israel.
The aforementioned Walt, who has enthusiastically praised Hagel on his blog, is an example. In his 2007 book with Mearsheimer, Walt blamed American Jewish organizations for dragging the U.S. to war in Iraq, and argued that the pro-Israel lobby is causally related to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. In the duo’s feverish telling, the lobby’s stranglehold over Congress forced the U.S. into an alliance with Israel, which provoked previously pacific Muslim fundamentalist terrorists to commit mass murder.
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I don’t care for Hagel but we can’t afford to take money out of the hands of American taxpayers and give it to Israel, or any other country.
MoreLiberty on January 8, 2013 at 4:25 PM
So he is an Israeli Senator?
Seth Halpern on January 8, 2013 at 4:30 PM
It simply amazes me how faux conservatives supposedly don’t like redistribution of wealth, but they go crazy when the government wants to reduce foreign aid, especially to Israel. I’ve got an idea for all you big government conservatives. Donate your money to an Israeli charity, stop putting a gun to my head and forcing me to give my hard earned $$$ to Pakistan, Egypt, Israel, the EU…
MoreLiberty on January 8, 2013 at 4:35 PM
US 2012 budget expenditures: $3.796 trillion
US aid to Israel: $3 billion with 75% of that purchases of US defense material. In other words, it comes right back to us.
So, we cut aid to Israel and spending goes from $3.796 trillion to $3.793 trillion.
SteveMG on January 8, 2013 at 5:02 PM
Argue that we don’t need to give them aid. Or they have their own resources.
But please stop with this it’s causing our debt or it’s “big government.”
Three billion doesn’t fund the government for half a day.
SteveMG on January 8, 2013 at 5:04 PM
I believe much of the handwringing about Hagel on the right is premised on Israeli supremacy. People are questioning his commitment to Israel. Why should the focus concerning Hagel’s qualification for Secratary of Defense be based on his commitment to Israel? I thought he and all of his subordinates (assuming that he is confirmed) are to work for the people of the US. US taxpayers are pay high taxes towards his salary and the salaries of all his subordinates. Why is there little concern about his loyalty to the US? It seems that the only concern is his commitment to Israel.
antifederalist on January 8, 2013 at 5:14 PM
Who is pointing a gun to your head?
lexhamfox on January 8, 2013 at 5:17 PM
Although I agree that aid to Israel is not the main driver for the budget deficit, the mindset behind the aid is part of a larger problem with this country. Most people have no ethical problem forcing other people to pay for their desired spending. That’s why it’s so hard to cut the budget. Every budget item has a constituency and no one is willing to walk away from the trough and no one has a problem with stealing from others to pay for their spending priorities. So, although 3-4 billion dollars a year may not sound like a lot, multiply this by hundreds of times and you end up with a Federal government that spends around 4 trillion dollars per year.
antifederalist on January 8, 2013 at 5:30 PM
Ask anyone in a Federal prison for tax evasion about what happens when they didn’t pay their tax. Neither I or anyone else have the option to not pay taxes because we wish not to fund all or portions of Federal spending lest we risk being confronted by Federal authorities armed with guns ready to haul us to jail.
antifederalist on January 8, 2013 at 5:35 PM
You sound just like a liberal. If we can’t cut something so small, how are we going to cut entitlements for Americans?
MoreLiberty on January 8, 2013 at 5:35 PM
The same people that put a gun t your head, take your money and redistribute it – the federal government.
MoreLiberty on January 8, 2013 at 5:37 PM
Sure, if we’re going to cut here we need to cut foreign aid as well. We can’t ask Americans to cut back without first eliminating absolutely unnecessary aid.
And the public choice theory is at work here as well. Diffused costs and concentrated benefits.
My guess is that aid to Israel is as much a symbolic measure as it is strategic.
We can’t afford these symbols much longer.
SteveMG on January 8, 2013 at 5:48 PM
And what about all of the “aid” (bribes) to Israel’s neighbors to make sure everyone plays nice? That’s our responsibility how exactly?
Kungfoochimp on January 8, 2013 at 6:05 PM
Where did I say we shouldn’t cut the aid?
Just keep it in perspective. There are lots of Americans who think we can greatly reduce the deficit by eliminating foreign aid.
Not so.
SteveMG on January 8, 2013 at 6:09 PM
Paying Egypt not to wage war is a pretty good investment to my mind.
Okay, bribe if you will.
SteveMG on January 8, 2013 at 6:10 PM
Interesting how HA flucuates back & forth between libertarian and conservative.
katiejane on January 8, 2013 at 6:22 PM
“Investment”….. which benefits the US how? I’m glad you’re not my financial advisor. Didn’t Israel start last the last war between the two?
“The war began on June 5 with Israel launching surprise bombing raids against Egyptian air-fields after a period of high tension that included an Israeli raid into the Jordanian-controlled West Bank,”
Kungfoochimp on January 8, 2013 at 6:27 PM
Good point, and I agree. It’s not going to put a dent but like someone said earlier its the mindset. I want to cut everything, all foreign aid, IMF, UN, NATO, Entitlements and “defense”.
MoreLiberty on January 8, 2013 at 6:38 PM
Especially the UN and NATO. UN should be renamed Useless and Nutless, and NATO is a joke that consists of us wiping our ‘allies’ butts and noses.
MelonCollie on January 9, 2013 at 9:53 AM