[Peace-discuss] WSJ: Hagel fight all about Schumer, Gillibrand, and New York Jews

[Robert Naiman]

It should be noted that Mondoweiss is diverse on the question and doesn't
have a line. Phil Weiss, the founder of Mondoweiss, is strongly backing
Hagel; this piece is an attack on Phil Weiss's position.

On Sat, Jan 12, 2013 at 8:02 AM, Carl G. Estabrook <galliher at illinois.edu>wrote:

> Think Hagel represents meaningful change for US foreign policy? Think
> again.
> by Adam Horowitz and Alex Kane<http://mondoweiss.net/author/adam-horowitz-and-alex-kane>on January 11, 2013
> 17<http://mondoweiss.net/2013/01/represents-meaningful-foreign.html#comments>
>
> The nomination of Chuck Hagel is being celebrated in some circles
> (including here<http://mondoweiss.net/2013/01/antiwar-president-support.html>on this site) as a strike against war with Iran and a colossal failure for
> the Israel lobby. But even assuming he's confirmed, there is very little
> evidence that Hagel will do much to shift an administration that has
> continued to press AIPAC-inspired pressure on Iran and maintains a foreign
> policy slanted heavily in favor of Israel and its interests.
>
> On Wednesday Phil Weiss began a post celebrating the Hagel annoncement
> saying, "When Obama nominated Chuck Hagel Monday, I was jubilant for one
> reason: The military option is off the table, we will not attack Iran."
> That same day the *Associated Press*<http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hsXASARj9Cm9WPBLfgzvJ9UjKDVg?docId=9f9648cbcd9b4005bc83d52db1abf844>ran a story saying that Hagel was working to reassure Pentagon officials
> that in fact the opposite was true:
>
> President Barack Obama's pick for defense secretary, Chuck Hagel, is
> meeting with senior Pentagon staff to try to set the record straight about
> his stand on Iran, saying he backs strong international sanctions against
> Tehran and believes all options, including military action, should be on
> the table, defense officials said Wednesday.
>
> Of course, this may just be politicking. While it is conjecture at this
> point to know whether Hagel would support an attack or not, his line
> parrots that of the administration which continues to insist the military
> option is on the table. There is some daylight when it comes to sanctions,
> and to his credit Hagel does not support<http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/01/iran-sanctions-chuck-hagel-vs-obama-biden-and-kerry/>the draconian sanctions regime being supported and
> strengthened<http://blogs.wsj.com/corruption-currents/2013/01/03/obama-signs-tough-new-iran-sanctions-into-law/>by the Obama administration. Although sanctions are commonly thought of as
> an alternative to war, here is what Obama administration policy means on
> the ground.
>
> *Associated Press*<http://bigstory.ap.org/article/irans-medical-crisis-deepens-economy-sputters>
> :
>
> For the first time in more than a decade, the black market pharmaceutical
> peddlers are back on Nasser Khosrow Street near Tehran's main bazaar.
>
> "Medicine, medicine," the street dealers shout. "Any kind you want."
>
> Business is brisk. For many Iranians, such underground channels are now
> the only way to get needed — or even life-saving — drugs as Western
> sanctions over the country's nuclear program have indirectly limited normal
> supplies to hospitals and pharmacies. . .
>
> Scenes of overcrowded state hospitals are now common across Iran after
> fees for private health care have nearly doubled in recent months. The
> costs in state-run facilities are far cheaper, but that also comes with
> shortages and long waits.
>
> "Sometimes we don't even have serum for dehydrated patients, said a young
> doctor, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was worried that
> comments to the media could jeopardize his job at a state-run hospital.
>
> The prices for other items have soared in recent months: radiology film up
> 240 percent; helium gas for MRIs up 667 percent; filters for kidney
> dialysis up 325 percent. The cost of one round of chemotherapy for cancer
> has reached 200 million rials, or $65,000, from 800 million rials, or
> $25,000, last year.
>
> The independent Hamshari daily quoted a father — who was not named in the
> article — as saying his child died because he couldn't afford the higher
> price of an artificial heart valve.
>
> At a major pharmacy in Tehran, a 53-year-old father slumped over — his
> head in his hands — as he looked at the prices for medicine for his teenage
> daughter, who is suffering from stomach cancer.
>
> How can I afford buying medicine as prices have doubled over a week?" said
> Hooshang, who gave only his first name.
>
> And Antiwar.com<http://original.antiwar.com/sahimi/2012/08/08/sanctions-will-kill-tens-of-thousands-of-iranians/>
> :
>
> The board of directors of the Iranian Hemophilia Society recently informed<http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tehranbureau/2012/07/news-health-group-sanctions-put-tens-of-thousands-of-iranian-children-at-risk.html>
>  the World Federation of Hemophilia<http://www.wfh.org/en/page.aspx?pid=492> that
> the lives of tens of thousands of children are being endangered by the lack
> of proper drugs caused by international economic sanctions. According to
> the Society, while the export of drugs to Iran has not been banned, the
> sanctions imposed on the Central Bank of Iran and the country’s other
> financial institutions have severely disrupted the purchase and transfer of
> medical goods. Describing itself as a nonpolitical organization that has
> been active for 45 years, the Society condemned the “inhumane and immoral”
> U.S. and EU sanctions and appealed to international organizations for help.
>
> Tens of thousands of Iranian boys and men have hemophilia and need certain
> drugs that must be imported. Many of them need surgery for a variety of
> reasons, but in the absence of proper drugs for their hemophilia, the
> surgeries cannot be performed. In fact, several reports from<http://www.ayenehrooz.com/?p=18635> Iran
> indicate that all surgeries for all hemophiliac patients have been canceled.
>
> But the problem is not restricted to hemophiliacs. Reports indicate<http://www.magiran.com/npview.asp?ID=2494125> that
> advanced drugs for a variety of cancers (particularly leukemia), heart
> diseases, lung problems, multiple sclerosis, and thalassemia cannot be
> imported, endangering the lives of tens of thousands of people. There are
> about 37,000 Iranians <http://khabarkhooneh.com/fa-IR/story/17027/> with
> multiple sclerosis, a debilitating disease that can be controlled only with
> advanced medications; without them, the patients will die. And given that,
> even under the best medical conditions,40,000 Iranians lose<http://faraznews.com/shownews-5955.aspx> their
> lives to cancer every year, and that it has been predicted by many experts
> that Iran will have a “cancer tsunami”<http://www.azadegi.com/topic/2012/06/01/2747> by
> 2015, because every year 70,000–80,000 new cases of cancer<http://forum.iransalamat.com/showthread.php?t=5977> are
> identified in Iran, the gravity of the situation becomes even more glaring.
>
> While a military attack may be on the back burner for now, it seems the
> pain is already being felt in Iran. While some view Hagel's nomination as a
> sign AIPAC's power has been diminished, it should be remembered that
> Obama's sanctions are the current centerpiece of the organization's lobbying
> efforts<http://www.aipac.org/en/legislative-agenda/agenda-display?agendaid=%7BDCD8666B-5DD9-48B5-854F-27B51BE83827%7D>.
> Hagel may not have been the lobby's choice for Secretary of Defense, but
> its agenda moves forward regardless.
>
> Similarly, Hagel has been busy making his position on Israel clear -- and
> it's nothing to be excited about. Hagel gave an interview with his
> hometown newspaper<http://journalstar.com/news/national/govt-and-politics/exclusive-hagel-says-critics-distort-his-views-on-israel-iran/article_c4f3da0a-af78-5496-b62f-a89ca28c4bac.html>in which he said that his record demonstrates “unequivocal, total support
> for Israel.” He also added that there is “not one shred of evidence that
> I'm anti-Israeli, not one (Senate) vote that matters that hurt Israel.”
>
> Hagel is speaking the truth, perhaps to the chagrin of those hoping
> against hope that his appointment would demonstrate a real break from the
> Obama administration’s deference to Israel. At every chance he had, Hagel
> voted in favor of providing billions of dollars in military aid to Israel.
> The neoconservative attacks against Hagel have been prompted by views of
> his that have at times struck out from the mainstream consensus on Israel
> in Washington, but the overall thrust of Hagel’s voting record makes clear
> he is a strong supporter of Israel.
>
> Hagel’s protestations that he is indeed pro-Israel dovetails with what
> administration officials told BuzzFeed earlier this week. The publication
> reported that, as part of the “selling” of Hagel, they circulated “talking
> points prepared by Hagel staffers pushing back on attacks that he isn’t
> committed to Israel.”
>
> One of the talking points was that Hagel “has said that Israel’s identity
> as a Jewish state must be protected as a part of any peace deal.” That
> talking point, BuzzFeed reported<http://www.buzzfeed.com/zekejmiller/how-the-white-house-is-selling-chuck-hagel>,
> was being pushed as part of “the administration’s outreach to pro-Israel
> groups.” The demand to recognize Israel as a Jewish state has long been
> rejected by Palestinians, since it ignores the Palestinian citizens of
> Israel and refugees dispersed throughout the world.
>
> The talking point that Hagel strongly believes in Israel’s Jewish
> character comes from a book in which he wrote: “A comprehensive solution
> [to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict] should not include any compromise
> regarding Israel’s Jewish identity, which must be assured.”
>
> The fact that Hagel is considered a controversial pick for the position is
> a clear reflection of the constrained nature of American discourse on
> Israel and U.S. policy in the region. Hagel represents a slight deviation
> from Washington orthodoxy, and while these shades of gray mean something in
> beltway power politics, the difference on the ground is close to
> meaningless.
>
> So if you were expecting a real debate over Israel and Iran, you might
> want to think again. Rather, outside of a slight disagreement over
> sanctions, Hagel appears to be a status quo pick for a President who may
> not be looking to rush to war, but isn't looking to alter U.S. foreign
> policy in the Middle East either.
>
> On Jan 12, 2013, at 7:40 AM, Robert Naiman <naiman at justforeignpolicy.org>
> wrote:
>
>
> This isn't the first article like this. This suggests that the fight is
> substantially coming down to New York and who speaks for Jews in New
> York on these issues: the Jewish Right, or the Jewish liberal/left? I
> wonder to what degree the Jewish left in New York will intervene to help
> defeat the Jewish right, and what degree they will sit on their hands and
> watch the Jewish Right defeat the Jewish liberals and say it doesn't
> matter. The latter dynamics have certainly happened before.
>
> Updated January 11, 2013, 7:48 p.m. ET
> Democrat's Stance Key to Hagel's Fate
> By ANDREW GROSSMAN
>
> WASHINGTON—Chuck Hagel's uncertain path to the position of defense
> secretary is turning in large measure on the stance of one senator, New
> York's Chuck Schumer, whose opinion is likely to influence a group of
> fellow Democrats who, like him, have remained uncommitted.
>
>
> The approval of Sen. Chuck Schumer will likely be crucial to the
> confirmation hopes of Chuck Hagel, the president's nominee for defense
> secretary. Andrew Grossman joins The News Hub to look at the Democratic
> response to Hagel's nomination. Photo: Getty Images.
>
> Mr. Hagel, a Republican and a former senator, faces opposition from many
> in his own party who see him as insufficiently supportive of Israel and too
> skeptical of using military force to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear
> capabilities.
>
> That puts more pressure on Democrats, who control the chamber, to deliver
> their president his nominee. But a group of Democratic senators remains
> publicly uncommitted amid some of the same concerns on Israel and Iran
> cited by Republicans.
>
> That suggests the confirmation hearings and the personal meetings with Mr.
> Hagel that will likely take place later this month could be decisive. Mr.
> Hagel, of Nebraska, has already begun calling senators who will play a role
> in the confirmation process.
>
> Looming large over the coming discussions is Mr. Schumer, the
> third-ranking Democrat in the chamber and one of the most prominent
> senators for whom strong American support for Israel is a key issue.
>
>
>
> Associated Press
> Mr. Schumer hasn't endorsed Mr. Hagel as defense secretary.
>
> Earlier
>
> • Hagel, Obama Forged Bond Over Iraq1/10/2013
> It would be hard for Mr. Schumer, who is generally loyal to his party, to
> oppose Mr. Hagel. But the senator has won strong support among constituents
> and donors for being an advocate for Israel, and he has so far declined to
> endorse Mr. Hagel's nomination, saying only that he needs to study his
> former colleague's record and question him about it.
>
> In private, Mr. Schumer has told Jewish leaders in New York he has serious
> concerns with the nomination, according to people familiar with the
> conversations.
>
> "He is the No. 3 Democrat in the Democratic hierarchy, and the Jewish
> community is outraged by the Hagel nomination," said former New York City
> Mayor Ed Koch. "I think he should speak out more forcefully, publicly."
>
> Some Israel advocacy groups, such as the right-leaning Emergency Committee
> for Israel, have opposed the nomination. Others, such as the much larger
> American Israel Public Affairs Committee, haven't taken a stance. The group
> J Street, which has backed policies opposed by Israel's conservative
> government, supports Mr. Hagel's nomination. Sen. Carl Levin (D., Mich.),
> who is Jewish and the Armed Services Committee chairman, has called Mr.
> Hagel "well qualified."
>
> Politics Counts
>
>
>
> The White House declined to comment. A spokesman for Mr. Schumer declined
> to make him available for an interview. In a Wall Street Journal interview
> this past week, Mr. Schumer said it was "too early to tell" whether Mr.
> Hagel would be confirmed.
>
> "They know each other. I think they personally respect each other," said
> Sen. Jack Reed (D., R.I.), an Armed Service Committee member who supports
> Mr. Hagel's nomination. "So this is going to be a discussion between the
> two of them that will lead ultimately to the confidence that he will make a
> superb secretary of defense."
>
> While nominees who draw opposition sometimes withdraw from consideration,
> rejection of a presidential nominee for a cabinet post is rare. The Senate
> has rejected cabinet nominees only twice since the end of World War II,
> according to the Senate Historical Office. John Tower, George H.W. Bush's
> nominee for defense secretary, in 1989; and Lewis Strauss, Dwight
> Eisenhower's nominee for commerce secretary, in 1959.
>
> In talking with Mr. Hagel, Mr. Schumer will likely seek to address
> concerns from organizations such as the American Jewish Committee, a
> nonpartisan group that hasn't taken a stance on Mr. Hagel's nomination. but
> has raised issues with the pick.
>
> Among other things, the group wants to make sure Mr. Hagel wouldn't rule
> out military intervention aimed at preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear
> weapons and won't call for direct negotiations between Israel and Hamas,
> the Palestinian group that controls the Gaza Strip.
>
> Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, another New York Democrat, could also present a
> challenge for Mr. Hagel. Because she sits on the Armed Services Committee,
> she will have a chance to question him publicly and vote on whether to move
> his nomination to the full Senate. After Mr. Hagel's nomination Monday,
> Mrs. Gillibrand specifically questioned his record on Iran policy.
>
> If anything, Ms. Gillibrand's moves will be watched more closely by Israel
> supporters in New York City and its suburbs than will Mr. Schumer's. While
> Mr. Schumer is a Jewish Brooklynite who has been vocal on Israel for
> decades, Mrs. Gillibrand is a Catholic from upstate New York and a relative
> newcomer to the Senate, having arrived in 2009.
>
> Write to Andrew Grossman at andrew.grossman at wsj.com
>
> A version of this article appeared January 12, 2013, on page A4 in the
> U.S. edition of The Wall Street Journal, with the headline: Democrat's
> Stance Key to Hagel's Fate.
>
>
>
>
>
> --
> Robert Naiman
> Policy Director
> Just Foreign Policy
> www.justforeignpolicy.org
> naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
>
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>


-- 
Robert Naiman
Policy Director
Just Foreign Policy
www.justforeignpolicy.org
naiman at justforeignpolicy.org
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