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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThink Tank President Rebukes Senior Fellow’s Claims That Chuck Hagel Is Anti-Semitic
By Ben Armbruster on Jan 13, 2013 at 11:06 am
Elliott Abrams
Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) president Richard Haass said on ABCs This Week on Sunday that ad hominem attacks on Chuck Hagel, President Obamas choice as the next Defense Secretary, are over the line.
In an effort to derail Hagels nomination, the Weekly Standards Bill Kristol and the neocons have been trying to convince the public that Hagel is an anti-Semite. CFR Senior Fellow Elliott Abrams, a former Bush administration official who was convicted of charges related to the Iran-Contra scandal, claimed last week that Hagel seems to have some kind of problem with Jews. But Haass, Abrams boss, rebuked those charges and the tactics Abrams and his neocon allies are using:
HAASS: The only thing that should be relevant George I would say are his ability to run the Pentagon and his views on policy Where I think people are going over the line is with an hominem attacks, questioning for example whether he is an anti-Semite. Ive known Chuck Hagel for more than 20 years for what its worth, I think thats proposterous. I also dont think that has a place in the public space. We often ask, why arent public debates better, why arent sometimes the best people going into public life, but this is one of the reasons. I really dont think there is a legitimate place in American political life for ad hominem attacks. These are loaded words that are being cast about and I think theyre simply beyond the pale.
A Council spokesperson last week backed away from Abrams baseless attacks on Hagel, saying they dont represent the views of the Council on Foreign Relations. But Haass has now formally criticized Abrams attacks.
Critics of Abrams for his anti-Hagel comments are now calling on him to apologize. I hope that Abrams rethinks his position and apologizes to Hagel and welcomes a genuine debate, Council on Foreign Relations-style, about their policy differences, Atlantic editor-at-large and New America Foundation Senior Fellow Steve Clemons said this week.
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http://thinkprogress.org/security/2013/01/13/1440211/haass-abrams-hagel/
TwilightGardener
(46,416 posts)they trot out Bob Corker to say that some of Hagel's staff didn't like him.
obama2terms
(563 posts)My whole family is Jewish except me ( I'm atheist) and they criticize Israel a lot, and so do many Jews I know. They need to learn the difference between hatred and constructive criticism.
Jennicut
(25,415 posts)That really, really bothers me. Hagel might not be every Dem's best choice for Sec of Defense but the attacks on someone who dares to criticize the government of another country are beyond ridiculous. It's like criticizing the Dems or Repubs here. It is not as if that means we want another country (in other words, Iran) to blow us up. Laughable.