ISRAEL/USA: Jewish Lobby in the USA; a parasitic relation...

Israel must not interfere in U.S. domestic decisions 

Israel must not be drawn into this entanglement. It must not be seen as wanting Obama to fail, or as instigating an American-Iranian war

 

Haaretz Editorial | Jan.13, 2013 | 3:36

The U.S. Department of Defense is subject to a number of operational, budgetary and personnel constraints. The army, which was deployed to Afghanistan (and remains there ) and to Iraq, has not yet recovered from these missions. Hundreds of billions of dollars and tens of thousands of positions are being cut. Veterans face difficulty in finding employment in the civilian workforce and complain of the treatment they receive from civilian society. President Barack Obama is in need of leadership, expertise and loyalty in the top post at the Pentagon in order to meet these manifold challenges.

Obama has nominated former U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel to replace Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who is retiring. Despite being from opposing political parties, Hagel and Obama have a personal friendship dating from their time in the Senate together. Obama trusts Hagel's judgment, his capabilities and his ability to cooperate with Vice President Joe Biden and secretary of state nominee John Kerry. His nomination must be approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee and then the Senate. The Democrats, who hold the Senate majority, are likely to split their votes, and Hagel is unlikely to win the backing of all of his own party's representatives. A battle is thus anticipated over his confirmation.

Israel has been swept into this battle because Hagel opposes military action against Iran unless it is proved unavoidable, and because of remarks his rivals have characterized as anti-Israeli and even anti-Semitic. There are other issues as well, but the main one concerns Israel. Some people hang on Hagel's every word, while others lie in wait in the hope of catching him out.

Israel must not be drawn into this entanglement. It must not be seen as wanting Obama to fail, or as instigating an American-Iranian war. Whatever the results of the Senate confirmation hearings for Hagel, Israel must not repeat the mistake of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and interfere in U.S. domestic decisions.

In addition, Netanyahu must distance himself from the interference of his ideological partners in the United States during the confirmation process. The damage caused by such interference in the presidential election is already palpable. If Israel continues to stick its nose into American business, it will only increase.