The alarming reality behind opposition to Hagel as SecDef

"Chuck Hagel is the Neoconservatives' worst nightmare. A decorated combat veteran who disdains promiscuous war-making. A conservative Republican who rejects a foreign policy of wandering the globe bombing, invading, and occupying other nations. A supporter of Israel who won't subcontract his judgment to the demands of Israel's Likud Party. 

No wonder the usual suspects responded in the usual way. By calling Hagel an anti-Semite. Chuck Hagel is no anti-Semite.

The former senator is under consideration for Secretary of Defense because he would be an excellent choice. He is more of an interventionist than I am. But he offers a thoughtful, realistic, and measured perspective that has been largely lacking in Washington, especially over the last decade. As my Cato Institute colleague Chris Preble put it, Hagel's nomination "should be welcomed by anyone frustrated by years of war and foreign meddling, and out-of-control spending at the Pentagon. Which is to say, nearly everyone."

In fact, it is Hagel's thoughtful, realistic, and measured perspective that most angers the Neoconservatives who believe war is the best way to solve every international problem.Observed the National Interest's Jacob Heilbrunn: "Hagel's independent streak derives from the fact that his deepest loyalty is to the soldiers who actually fight the battles that Washington politicians direct them to wage. And like Henry Stimson, a Republican who served in Franklin D. Roosevelt's administration as secretary of war, Hagel believes in bipartisanship and compromise. 

Hagel is a conservative who thinks. He has a lifetime 84 percent rating from the American Conservative Union, but ignored the talking points circulated by the increasingly influential right-wing war party. For instance, he came to criticize the Iraq war. He believes in talking to Iran and Hamas. Six years ago he warned that "until we are able to lead a renewal of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, mindless destruction and slaughter will continue in Lebanon, Israel and across the Middle East." As, alas, has happened."

Bandow goes on to refute Neocon charges one by one in detail. Googling will turn up many other discussions of their smear campaign. But, these days, after being so badly discredited after the Bush II debacles, why are we paying attention to the Neocons and their pro-more-war positions ? Read on.

"Indeed, one truly odd aspect about Israel's support is that so much of it comes from Christians. And the most extreme viewpoints usually are promoted by Christians, few of whom care much about the impact of Israel's policies on Palestinian or Israeli Christians. Instead, some of these Israel backers are committed to advancing the most extreme eschatological views. They look to the book of Revelation rather than the Mayan calendar for guidance on the end of the world.

Some believe that the Jews have to be gathered together to be slaughtered in the battle of Armageddon for Jesus Christ to return. So they want to "help" Israel fulfill that role. (To be fair, the leadership of such groups as Christians United explicitly reject this view and the belief that God's timing can be advanced.)

Others believe that the U.S. government should enforce God's real estate grant to ancient Israel. (It actually includes part of Iraq but, surprisingly, they did not advocate turning occupied Iraq over to Israel, which would have solved two problems at once!) Presumably the all-powerful God who created the universe does not require a boost from the modern, secular American government.

Other "Christian Zionists" are convinced that God's promised blessing for helping Israel means the U.S. government should sign onto any policy advanced by Israel's Likud Party. For them, there is no difference between Mosaic Israel and a modern secular republic governed by atheists."

Note, this particular group of Israel's "friends" also expects a big Middle East war will provide the opportunity for the U.S. (Christians) to take Christian holy sites away from Israel, although it's usually couched in more of a "this shall come to pass" style.

"Despite the impressive smoke and mirrors, they have little hope of blocking his nomination. His foreign policy views are closer to those of the majority of Americans than are those of the Neocons. And Hagel's credentials are unassailable. Noted Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin (D-Mich.): "We all know him up here. He'll be fine."

"Instead, the Neocons are shamelessly attempting to, yes, "intimidate" President Barack Obama into dropping the appointment. They are "counting on Obama to fold up like a cheap lawn chair," wrote my colleague Justin Logan."

"Chuck Hagel isn't the right man to head the Defense Department. If so, it isn't because he is an anti-Semite. Let's have an honest and civil debate over his qualifications for the office. Israel loses when its American supporters resort to demagoguery allegedly on its behalf."