Opinion

Chucking Israel overboard: No defense for Bam pick

The Issue: How Obama’s appointment of Chuck Hagel for secretary of defense will affect US-Israeli ties.

***

Those who questioned the sincerity of President Obama’s statements in support of Israel prior to the 2012 election have been answered by his appointment of ex-Sen. Chuck Hagel as secretary of defense (“Bad News for Israel,” John Podhoretz, PostOpinion, Jan. 8).

Certainly there are few politicians who have been as outspoken against the state of Israel as Hagel, with his support of talks with Hamas and Hezbollah and against sanctions on Iran.

Obama has shown his true colors by nominating Hagel, not despite his anti-Israel views but because of them.

Nelson Marans

Silver Spring, Md.

Hagel’s hostility toward Israel and his dangerous level of tolerance for the prevarications, stalling tactics, genocidal intentions and the like of the Iranians, Hamas, Islamists 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.

My prediction is that those elected officials will soon come forward — pressuring Jewish establishment leadership groups — saying: “We’ve met with Sen. Hagel, and he has made pronouncements which give us his assurance of commitment to Israel, fighting terrorism and strengthening the US-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” when 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 Wiesenfeld

Great Neck

Are we supposed to be surprised that the GOP is ripping Hagel as Obama’s pick for secretary of defense?

In the current climate of the Congress, if the president were to nominate George W. Bush for that position, he would be opposed by the Republicans.Bill King

Elizabeth, NJ