Posted on 11/01/2009 3:01:21 PM PST by SJackson
US President Obama has named retired Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska) to co-chair the President's Intelligence Advisory Board.
Hagel, who will co-chair the board with former Sen. David Boren (D-Oklahoma) was considered a critic of Israel by many pro-Israel activists during his two terms in the Senate, which ended early this year.
He told an Arab-American group in 2007 that his support for Israel was not "automatic," and in an interview for Middle East negotiator Aaron David Miller's book said that "the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people" on Capitol Hill.
He also was one of a handful of senators who frequently didn't sign AIPAC-backed letters related to Israel and the peace process during his time in the Senate and opposed additional sanctions on Iran.
In a statement released Wednesday, the White House said the board's role is to "provide the president with an independent source of advice on intelligence matters," including the "quality, quantity and adequacy of intelligence activities," the "effectiveness of organization structure, management and personnel" and the performance of all federal agencies involved in intelligence collection or policy.
The intelligence board has no "day-to-day management or operational responsibilities," according to the statement, and is not a full-time position but reserved for "distinguished private citizens."
The chairman of the board during president George W. Bush's first term was another figure often criticized by pro-Israel activists, former national security adviser Brent Scowcroft.
The Republican Jewish Coalition criticized Hagel's appointment as "a matter for serious concern."
"A review of Hagel's record over the years on these issues reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the region and of the nature of the threats to US interests in the region," said RJC executive director Matt Brooks, in a statement.
Meanwhile, Washington announced Thursday that Obama would meet with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in the White House on December 7.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Obama looks forward to discussing a broad range of issues with Erdogan, including strategies for Afghanistan and Pakistan, Middle East peace efforts, human rights, nonproliferation and the Iranian nuclear program.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
..................
Isn’t Chuck Hagel Jabba the Hutt’s brother?
I think you’re thinking of Jerrold Nadler.
I’m not sure there is any “intelligence” on that board.
Has Hagel held a news conference to inform the press of when he plans on having a news conference to furnish the details of whether he plans on having a news conference to announce his indecision to confirm or deny his acceptance?
Intelligence is an often-abused term. It is the President’s Opinionated Suggestion Advisory Board.
Why is it that everything 0bama has done has
A. weakened America
B. strengthened islam
C. attacked Israel
or any combination of the above?
Or maybe I’m delusional? Can anyone cite something he’s done that doesn’t fit A, B, or C?
Only one? He bought a Portugese water dog.
poor dog
Good point. That is indeed something he did that is innocuous.
A. weakened America
B. strengthened islam
C. attacked Israel
or any combination of the above?
Or maybe I’m delusional? Can anyone cite something he’s done that doesn’t fit A, B, or C?
Could be that 0bama is helping to facilitate Ezekiel 38 & the coming of the Mahdi ?
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
He gave a Halloween party which did not discriminate against child sex offenders.
Additionally, he and the rest of his clutch wore masks in order to not scare the children...
0 is surrounding himself with ‘yes’ people.
retired Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Nebraska)Gosh, why *did* he retire, anyway?
Most RINOs I merely disagree with. I'd like to see them put out of a job and replaced with real conservatives where and whenever electorally possible. But I don't "dislike" them otherwise.
Hagel is different. Very different. Most RINOs at least restrain themselves from openly and blatantly slobbering over and groveling before Democrats. Not Hagel. He needs a bib and kneepads. Most RINOs distrust leftist extremists as much as they do (mistakenly supposed) extreme right wingers. Not Hagel. The more extreme the leftist the more ingratiating he becomes. Hardly any RINO would appear on, say, Rachel Madcow's show just to trash Republicans. But Hagel's there with bells on.
I don't dislike, say, Olympia Snowe, but I do dislike Hagel. I don't despise Susan Collins, but I do despise Chuck Hagel.
:’)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.