Forman Weighs in on Hagel “Controversy”

David Streeter — October 30, 2009 – 4:04 pm | Israel | Foreign Policy | GOP Hypocrisies Comments (0) Add a comment

Ira N. Forman, CEO of the National Jewish Democratic Council (NJDC), published on op-ed on TPMCafe about the Republican Jewish Coalition’s (RJC) response to the appointment of former Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE) to President Barack Obama’s National Intelligence Advisory Board. RJC attacked NJDC for not condemning the appointment because it is somehow inconsistent with NJDC’s record of attacking Hagel for “not [being] the favorite of many pro-Israel supporters.” Yet, as Forman writes, RJC has some explaining to do over their own inconsistency:

...it is truly fascinating that over the nearly entire course of Hagel’s twelve years in the U.S. Senate (serving as a Republican Senator), RJC never found anything wrong with the Senator’s record of support for the U.S.-Israel relationship. Only when Hagel’s elected career was coming to an end and he expressed some sympathy for the candidacy of Democratic nominee Barack Obama did the RJC have a revelation that the Senator’s record was less than stellar. It was if Matt Brooks, RJC’s Executive Director, was cribbing from the old Christian hymn, Amazing Grace—“I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.”

Forman also wrote:

...conservatives look pretty silly when they elevated a part-time, advisory position on intelligence as a potential stake in the heart for the U.S.-Israel relationship. JTA took a similar point of view of this tempest in a teapot when they said: “...the position Hagel has been named to is hardly a major one—it’s not full-time and has no day-to-day responsibilities.”

It is not surprising that RJC is raising its voice now because of the Republican Party’s apparent desire to see Obama fail. RJC clearly cares more about partisanship than about criticizing one of its fellow GOP members when they are not supportive of Israel—especially when they are in office, when it matters. Why else didn’t they to unload on Hagel for his “distorted view on Israel” before he was associated with Obama and during his years as a Republican Senator?

RJC’s concern over Hagel appears to be not only too late, but dubious as well. As JTA reported, his new position has no effect on America’s relationship with Israel. Yet one would think that it does with the amount of noise RJC has made over Hagel and other appointments. As Forman points out:

The U.S.-Israel relationship is certainly robust enough that the pro-Israel community does not have to shrei gevalt (scream ‘woe is me’) every time someone we might disagree with is appointed to any position.

Furthermore:

...if Hagel had been appointed Secretary of State or Assistant Secretary for Near East Affairs, we would certainly express our concern to the press .... an appointment to an advisory board with no day-to-day responsibilities—not so much.

Forman also expressed his and NJDC’s concern to The Weekly Standard and made it clear that he “is no fan of Hagel” and that “the bipartisan show of discomfort with Hagel’s foreign policy views suggests Hagel is not destined for a bigger role in this administration.”

Comments

There are no comments for this entry