By Gary L. Bauer
President Barack Obama filled out his national security team today with the formal nominations of former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel to be Secretary of Defense and Counterterrorism Adviser John Brennan to be Director of the CIA. Normally a Cabinet secretary will fight for the best interests of his or her department. But Hagel will give Obama cover to gut the Defense budget. In addition Hagel has a terrible record when it comes to confronting Americas radical Islamic enemies especially Iran.
You dont have to take my word for it. The New York Times reported yesterday that Hagel has long been an opponent of unilateral American sanctions against Iran… Notably he was one of only two senators to vote against the Iran-Libya sanctions act in 2001.
In 2008 Hagel single-handedly blocked a sanctions bill that had 72 co-sponsors including then-Senator Barack Obama. CNN described Hagels position on Iran as being to the left of President Obama.
Hagel also seems to have a problem with Israel and the Jews. When Hagel ran the USO he fought bitterly to shut down the USO post in Haifa reportedly saying Let the Jews pay for it. In 2009 Hagel signed a letter urging President Obama to negotiate with Hamas.
On CNN yesterday Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) described the selection of Hagel as an in-your-face nomination by the president to all of us who are supportive of Israel.
Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) declared his opposition to Hagel saying Sen. Hagels record of opposing Iran sanctions is troubling. His views and positions on the Middle East and Israel are contrary to the Administrations own stated policies and there are concerns from members of both parties about this nomination.
Senator Wicker is right. There is bi-partisan opposition to Hagel. ABC reported yesterday that Hagel does not yet have the support of 50 Senate Democrats. Moreover MSNBCs Chuck Todd reported this morning that as many as 10 Democratic senators could vote against Hagel.
And then there is the presidents other nomination John Brennan.
At first glance Brennan might seem like a logical choice for the CIA -- a 25-year veteran of the CIA and counterterrorism advisor to the president. But his ideology makes him a bad choice. It was John Brennan who tried to convince us that jihad was a peaceful legitimate tenet of Islam.
And in a 2010 speech he referred to Jerusalem by its Arabic name Al Quds.
There is an old saying in Washington: Personnel is policy. The nominations of these individuals to key positions tell us a lot about the policies we can expect this administration to pursue in the years ahead.
Liberals Demand More Of Your Money
If you thought Capitol Hill liberals would be satisfied with the $600 billion in tax hikes they got in the fiscal cliff deal think again. The Hill reports today that they are demanding at least $1 trillion more in higher taxes now!
Why? Simply because they believe you are undertaxed. On CNN yesterday Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said:
I can tell you that there are still deductions credits special treatments under the tax code which ought to be looked at very carefully. I think we need to open our minds on tax revenue.
What Durbin really wants to open is your wallet!
Stephen Moore has a very revealing column in todays Wall Street Journal. Moore interviewed Speaker John Boehner about his lessons from the fiscal cliff negotiations. Boehner repeatedly tried to explain to the president that we have a spending problem not a revenue problem. Moore wrote:
Boehner repeated this message so often he says that toward the end of the negotiations the president became irritated and said: Im getting tired of hearing you say that.
Steel yourselves my friends. Its going to be a rough ride.
