DEFENDING AGAINST A DEFENSE SECRETARY

By Sig Demling

There's nothing subtle about the Obama Lie Factory.

It's right out there; un-camouflaged for all to see -- and hear.

And who can forget what we heard last year when the president shuddered at the thought of losing the Jewish vote and, in turn, the election.

He showed up at an AIPAC convention, threw out his not-so-massive chest and proclaimed: "I have Israel's back."

As the chief executive had hoped, he was applauded and eventually re-elected;' garnering enough Jewish votes to at least appear kosher.

But those of us who've studied Uncle Sam's leader since his regular attendance at anti-semitic sermons delivered by his favorite Chicago minister know, behind Israel's back there's more of a vacuum than Uncle Sam's orator.

For proof positive, all you have to do is check out his latest cabinet minister campaign.

Obama's nomination of former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel as the next American Secretary of Defense makes one wonder why he didn't give the post to either Syria's Assad, Lebanon's Nasrallah or Egypt's Morsi.

Oops! Sorry.  They have jobs already -- and remain dedicated to the elimination of Israel. 

But when it comes to dumping on  the Middle East's only legitimate democracy, Hagel can be counted on to do an American  version  of knifing Jerusalem in the front rather than guarding Israel's back. 

Even Harvard professor Alan Dershowitz, who so enthusiastically supported the Democrat's re-election, is condemning the Hagel Horror.

"Hagel's nomination," says Dershowitz, "will strengthen those within Iranian leadership who think Obama is bluffing."

Of course, the president is "bluffing." He's made a career of being a reasonable facsimile of Neville Chamberlain and the Hagel appointment is merely another example of American appeasement under the Democratic administration.

Writing in Israel Hayom, Boaz Bismuth correctly argues that if Hagel wouldn't have existed -- Obama would have invented him.

"Hagel's positions," notes Bismuth, "on Israel's two most pressing foreign policy issues -- Iran's nuclear program and relations with the Palestinians -- appear to be at odds with the Israeli government's stance."

Well, that's the understatement of the half-century, isn't it!

Let's not beat around the bush, Hagel's attitude toward Israel ranges from dislike to dismay. 

He doesn't like Benajmin Netanyahu; that's obvious.

Hagel wants to create an aura of permanent restraint in terms of eliminating Iran's nuclear capabilities. While some 200,000 Syrians have been massacred, Hagel would rather quibble about 2,000 apartment houses being built for Jews. 

"Because of his statements in the past, and his stance toward Israel, we are worried," says Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin.

And he should be because this Hagel character will be poison for Israel. 

Why? Check the record.

Hagel once refused to sign a letter urging the European Union to designate Hezbollah a terrorist group. One supposes that Hagel believes the thousands of rockets Hezbollah fired at Israel were tipped with cotton candy. 

This is the same guy who urged a "pragmatic" approach to Hamas. And what was Hamas shooting at Jewish people last year -- lollypops?

if stopping the Iranian nuclear program is Bibi's top priority -- which it is -- then getting the Republicans to block Hagel's nomination should be the GOP's top priority; as it would have been under a Romney presidency.

Unfortunately, Obama is president which means that he has neither Israel's back nor front.

The Hagel nomination proves that beyond a shadow of a doubt!