I would love to hear Hagel’s answer about his refusal to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guards a terrorist organization.
by George F. Will
Senate hearings on the nomination of Chuck Hagel to be defense secretary will be a distinctive Washington entertainment, a donnybrook without drama. He should be confirmed: Presidents are due substantial deference in selecting Cabinet members because they administer presidential policies and, unlike judicial appointments, they leave when their nominators do. Hagel will be confirmed because Sen. Chuck Schumer, after hesitating theatrically enough to propitiate supporters of Israel, of whom there are many among his New York constituents, has decided not to oppose Hagel. Opposition would have ended Schumer’s hope to make the nation nostalgic for Harry Reid by succeeding him as Senate Democratic leader. Still, the hearings will be sound and fury signifying renewed interest in national security policy, which can be illuminated by Hagel addressing questions like these:
●In 1997, 28 years after you returned from Vietnam with two Purple Hearts, we heard a May 27, 1964, taped telephone conversation in which President Lyndon Johnson said to his national security adviser, McGeorge Bundy: “I don’t think it’s worth fighting for, and I don’t think we can get out.” Johnson also said: “What in the hell is Vietnam worth to me? What is Laos worth to me? What is it worth to this country?” At the time, there were only 16,000 U.S. forces in Vietnam, where there had been only 266 U.S. deaths. The U.S. deployment would peak at more than 500,000 in 1969 and 58,000 would die there. How did this tape, and Vietnam generally, shape your thinking?
● Your critics say that you managed to be wrong on Iraq twice, by supporting the 2003 invasion and by opposing the 2007 surge. If the surge had not happened, what would have happened in Iraq?
● How many sorties, including attacks on Iran’s air defense systems, would be required to significantly degrade and delay Iran’s nuclear program? Can Israel mount such an air campaign alone? Would you favor U.S. cooperation, with intelligence and special munitions?
●Did you refuse to sign a 2006 letter urging the European Union to declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization because you consider that designation inaccurate? From your 2009 endorsement of U.S. negotiations with Hamas, can we conclude that you oppose the policy of not negotiating with terrorists?
[........]
●Do you agree with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta’s judgment that cuts under sequestration would “hollow out the force”? Can you give examples of procurements or deployments that justify your description of the Defense Department as “bloated”?
●The Navy has nine aircraft carriers. Aircraft carrier groups are the principal means of projecting U.S. power. And they are very expensive. How many should we have? How is your calculation influenced by the fact that, seven weeks ago, China for the first time landed a fighter jet on the deck of an aircraft carrier?
●Congress’s power to declare war has atrophied since it was last exercised (against Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary on June 5, 1942). Should Congress authorize America’s wars?
●In 2011, President Obama, using a passive syntax, said our military “is being volunteered by others to carry out missions” in Libya. The original rationale for this — before mission meander embraced regime change — was “R2P,” the responsibility to protect civilians. Do you support applying this doctrine to Syria? If removing Moammar Gaddafi was an important U.S. interest, why was it, and when did it become so? [.....]
●Speaking of the imperial presidency, do you believe that the use of drones to target specific individuals means presidents have an unreviewable power to kill whomever they define as enemies? [.......]
●In 1949, one of NATO’s founders said its purpose was “to keep the Americans in (Europe), the Germans down and the Russians out.” What is its purpose now? Given that U.S. military spending is three times larger than the combined spending of NATO’s other 27 members, is it not obvious that those nations feel no threat?
Bonus question: Might fewer than 54,000 U.S. forces in Germany suffice to defend that country, or Western Europe, from whatever threat they are there to deter?
Read the rest – Some questions for Hagel
Tags: Chuck Hagel, George F. Will
good morning…
how is everybody on this fine Heysoos Appreciation Day?
@ heysoos:
Fine though I am sure that won’t last.
I hope that you are well.
citizen_q wrote:
and you…didn’t realize it was a holiday til I saw my car repair guy was closed
4 MOAR!
4 MOAR!
heysoos wrote:
I forgot until she grouched at me for getting her up for work when she could sleep in. MLK day is an “optional” holiday where I work. You can observe if it if you like with the couple of personal days off the give you over and above vacation time.
I am working.
Good News:
Obama’s reign of error is half over.
Bad News:
Obama’s reign of error is only half over.
We Are So Screwed.
Carter is so jealous
Saw an article over at the UK mail today where after returning from her $7,000,000.00 vacation they were calling mooch-hell “thrifty” for wearing one of her designer gowns a second time from the first time it was seen in 2009 at some inauguration event.
Barf
waldensianspirit wrote:
Why would he be??
He can now go to his grave knowing that he wasn’t the worst US President ever…
Da_Beerfreak wrote:
Yeah, but the worst one got re-elected. That’s gotta hurt. Mrs Carter is probably really ticked about that.
@ Da_Beerfreak:
@ AZfederalist:
Actually, Dhimmi Carter can go to his grave knowing that his place in History is secure…as the Worst US President of the 20th Century!
Keep it simple Hagle is msm dead center.
He thinks we were mean to the commies of Russia and China when we fought them and killed 100,000′s of thousands of them out on Whore-Who-Shit-On-His-Men trails , too/and Moyo’s killer advisors and the Regular Russian troops in Laos, Cambodai, Hagle also is a CO2 felon of fraud beliver, also Hagle got him some love for Islam/(better understanding of him is he is pissing his pants afrid of Islam), he wants the movie stars of Hollieweird to love him and he has a need for the msm to butt f him when he feels bad.
Any thing the punk says is meaningless.
ps
Loves him some Lt. for Life John F. Kerry too.
@ taxfreekiller:
Does that mean Hagel is an Honorary Member of the Film Actors’ Guild?
Macker wrote:
Works for me. He fooled me once; now he can go to Hell.
Da_Beerfreak wrote:
I agree…the feds have sat on their asses for nearly forty years, unable to deal with what is see are the three main problems…
no comprehensive energy policy
no comprehensive immigration policy
no policy to slow or reduce the role of govt
blinded by power, manipulating these issues for political gain
the feds themselves earned my massive distrust, long ago
got a real good ms tfk story
So, she wants to do something to show her support for the 2nd amendment at a gun store over the weekend.
She in like 1966 (Already a NRA member) gets a letter from the NRA that they have some M1 WWII war surplus rifles for sale to NRA members, she did, cost her like $20.00 and the shipping.
It was made by IBM, came out of the orginal crate at the NRA to her, still had some of the orginal shipping straw on it when she got it.
She had had it this whole time, never fired it. Kept it clean herself and in her gun safe for years ect.
So we go to a place she likes in Dallas to buy some ammo for her other guns ect. and on a last min. idea she decided to get the M1 appraised as that would make the gun store some cash.
They told her ins. apprisal was $2800.00 but would not comment on what it would bring to some of the WWII collectors as like it is they lust after.
ms tfk is cool and good looking to boot.
@ heysoos:
There’s no doubt anymore in a lot of Folk’s minds that the FedGov has become “Public Enemy #1″.
Da_Beerfreak wrote:
what took so long?
they control Wall Street, the banking system, the education system, most of the energy resources, and now the health care industry…the feds are mammoth…America IS the govt now
He’ll be in a pickle answering this one. One would expose his thug hugging tendencies, while the other way would fly in the face of his prospective boss’ agenda and policies.
heysoos wrote:
There’s a story over at WND that reports Homeland Security is stockpiling ammunition. I don’t like the sound of this. 1.2 billion rounds so far.
@ song_and_dance_man:
Methinks this is already old news to millions of gun owners who are already prepared.
Macker wrote:
When “They” come to collect my guns and ammo, “They” will get it.
One round at a time.
That is if I hadn’t lost all the stuff in a bad snow storm a couple of winters back…..
@ Da_Beerfreak:
Posted this on the other thread as well. Overreach may have finally been achieved.
@ AZfederalist:
I saw that and left a comment.
AZfederalist wrote:
Most people have a skewed knowledge of history. And that’s because this current generation has been lied to and/or misled by those who now control academia and the chattering class.
@ AZfederalist:
Check this one out.
[BARF ALERT]
Does it Take Another Civil War?
@ Da_Beerfreak:
Bleeding heart Libs emotional appears do want to make me ralph.
appears=appeals
PIMB
@ song_and_dance_man:
That’s why I added the warning.
@ Da_Beerfreak:
Rhetorical question, how do people opposed to the civil rights protected by the 2nd Amendment plan to fight a civil war to repress those rights?
@ citizen_q:
From elsewhere on the net:
In response to the national gun-control/confiscation debate, Sheriff Denny Peyman of Jackson County in Kentucky stated in a recent press conference that his power as sheriff, charged with upholding the Constitution, constitutes his most important to the citizens of Jackson county and that Peyman is unconcerned with the hidden, and often illegal agendas of state and federal agents. Peyman further explained that “I can ask federal people to leave, they have to leave. I can ask state people to leave, they have to leave. And it doesn’t matter what new laws Obama passes, the sheriff has more power than the federal people.”
Illinois Clark County Sheriff, Jerry Parsley, posted a message from the Clark County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page this past Thursday explaining his mission to protect the Constitution. “It’s a given to me; the Second Amendment isn’t about hunting. The amendment is about a free state’s ability to defend itself from an oppressive government. When a government won’t or can’t defend its citizens, they have a God-given right to protect themselves. To me it’s simple.”
The Utah Sheriffs’ Association has written a strongly worded letter to President Obama on the issue of gun control. Part of the letter reads, “No federal official will be permitted to descend upon our constituents and take from them what the Bill of Rights—in particular Amendment II—has given them.”
In Oregon’s Josephine County, Sheriff Gil Gilbertson said Wednesday that a lot of sheriffs are standing up and demanding the Constitution – especially the Second Amendment – be followed.
Frank Deming, the Johnson County Sheriff is sounding off against President Barack Obama’s new gun control proposals. Denning discussed the mass shootings in Colorado and Connecticut, but says he sees nothing in the proposed measures that could prevent similar incidents in the future. “Logic dictates to us that armed individuals; whether armed private individuals or hired security personnel, are the answer to prevent future tragedies in those places that we have inadvertently made free-fire zones with the totally useless ‘No Guns Allowed’ signs,” Deming continued.
In Minnesota, Pine County Sheriff Robin Cole sent an open letter to residents saying he did not believe the federal government had the right to tell the states how to regulate firearms. He said he would refuse to enforce any federal mandate which he felt violated constitutional rights, specifically the Second Amendment.
I received a recent email from Sheriff Richard Mack, former Graham County, AZ. Sheriff, who successfully challenged the Brady Bill before the Supreme Court. Mack’s email detailed for me his efforts, as an Oathkeeper, to remind Sheriffs across the country to uphold the Second Amendment.
citizen_q wrote:
They want the government to do the killings for them. They’re too good to get their hands dirty doing it themselves dontcha know.
@ yenta-fada:
nice blurb…looks like things are going to get down and dirty…gun owners in NY state are outraged too, so it’s spreading
As to the subject of the thread, I asked an active Dem friend a couple of these questions and she just shrugged “I dunno” I don’t think there is anyone to call Hagel to account when the voters are
not paying attention. bwthdik.
heysoos wrote:
I have no idea since I’m in Canada. I find it hard to believe that people are desperate enough to resort to violence. Angry, certainly. Willing to take on an unfair fight, not so much.
@ yenta-fada:
Many have foreseen what it’s gonna take to unravel the damage the Progs have done in the past 40 or so years. Even though I believe it began its creep during the Wilson admin. It’s gonna get ugly before it can get better.
@ yenta-fada:
Obama is playing chicken with American Men
yenta-fada wrote:
the govt will resort to violence any time they want…some folks wildly underestimate Americans love of the Constitution…since the haters and grabbers are far more vocal, they tend to only hear their own bleating
@ yenta-fada:
Very nice to see. Unfortunately for me, I live in the People’s Republik of MD. Wish I were younger, so much easier to pull up roots and move back to where more of America is still left.
@ Da_Beerfreak:
Pretty much my thoughts as well.
yenta-fada wrote:
Right now the US is a powder keg waiting for a spark.
I don’t know what will set it off but someone will miscalculate and then all hell will break lose.
Da_Beerfreak wrote:
since liberals have no clue as to the outcome of their selfish attentions, it follows that the bad results will stun them into a drooling fit…any blind man can see the failures coming a mile away
@ heysoos:
Liberals lack a basic understanding of reality.
That’s why most everything they try fails.
liberal Chicago and their ultra strict gun laws…
Chicago is a blood bath of murder and mayhem…
liberal solution?….
grab guns from peaceful ranchers in Wyoming…
Da_Beerfreak wrote:
This Government calls its failures “success” and worthy of adulation. Appearances have become reality.
@ yenta-fada:
The left shares your view. They believe that since we’ve put up with their crap for so long, we’ll continue to do so.
I’m pretty sure that they’re wrong this time.
Good thing we’ve taken care of all those other minor problems, like Islamic nutjobs trying to kill us, or 20% of the country unable to find a decent job…
//
I was driving alone in a very remote corner of NM when I came upon a mini cattle round up which had blocked the road….just came around a curve and there they were…several guys on horseback, a couple of dogs…maybe a hundred cattle…they waved me around to get by but I stopped and got out with my camera…they were cutting calves away from their mothers and trying to keep them separated, which was the dog’s job…watching the horses work was really cool…the riders all had big hats, chaps, pistols, and long guns in their scabbards…there was no other sign of human activity for miles…it took about 30min to get the cattle in order and I waved a drove off…about 3 mi down the road was an area where they had parked the horse trailer and stock trucks…but there were fence, or windmills, or structures of any type…this is rural western America…it’s real and so are the people…this is how they live and work…you don’t see that every day unless you are one of them or get lucky like me….the people in the coastal urban centers are ignorant of the west…a man could cut wheat out there all day for a week and never see another person or road or house….morons like BO and Cuomo and the like look like blabbering idiots that need to get out and visit their own goddamn fellow citizens and see how other people live
Da_Beerfreak wrote:
From the link;
Accommodations can be made for both his pacifist desire and his grammar deficiency./
poteen wrote:
he’ll have blood on his hands…his own
yenta-fada wrote:
They’re only fooling themselves, the Piper will demand his due…
heysoos wrote:
He and others like him already have the blood of innocents on them.
poteen wrote:
that’s the way I see it….liberalism gets people killed
poteen wrote:
The old “Better Red than Dead” mindset.
Shepard Smith really needs to move over to MSNBC where he belongs.
I think he’s having a hard time containing his enthusiasm over Obama’s reference to the Stonewall Riots in his speech.
lobo91 wrote:
Notice how he includes himself in the statement. Maybe those rumors about his sexual shenanigans in the early Chi-town days are true.
I wonder if that site allows donation via EBT card?
poteen wrote:
It could go either way. The misuse of the word then instead of than, or stating poorly in an effort to say ‘go on living’. I lean with the lunk just isn’t good with words.
And in criticizing him I make a similar mistake.
I lean with ‘you’ the lunk…
aladammit
More projection from the far left:
@ lobo91:
the donks campaign 27/7 and it great effect…so why isn’t the GOP doing the same thing?
@ lobo91:
Notice how the amounts are static? They must’ve got wind of Chen Zhen clever .02 donation to Foster.
@ lobo91:
I’ll bet credit card verification is turned off
song_and_dance_man wrote:
I’ll bet that they’ve disabled the security features again, just like they did with the campaign site.
Wouldn’t be fair to exclude people just because they aren’t Americans, or because they’re using stolen cards.
@ heysoos:
How very cool!!
heysoos wrote:
Not only do they not care, the despise their fellow citizens. It is my belief that they view themselves as the cowboys and we the cattle.
@ citizen_q:
Cows With Guns
citizen_q wrote:
There, fixed that for ya!
They barely bother to hide it anymore & this guy doesn’t try.
lobo91 wrote:
Yup. I wonder if I can just mail them one of these?
@ heysoos:
Heh, heh, heh, cow tse tung, LOL!
No reason to be in Nato anymore. Israel would be the best place to project power from. Or kick Turkey out of Crete.
Fiscal Cliff bar is their worst flavor.
citizen_q wrote:
Don’t tell me you haven’t seen that before…
@ darkwords:
I thought the Turks were in Cyprus.
@ Mike C.:
No, I have not.
It is heartening to know that still new things to see.
At first I thought it might have been a portion of a South Park episode.
@ RIX:
The next four years will be Baby Doc Baraq’s war on the Rightwingers. The only remaining question is how hot will it get.
No doubt, he is going all out now. he has four years to complete the
transformation
The only break we have is tat he is as lazy as a sloth smoking weed.
@ RIX:
CHOOOOOOM!
@ 73 Macker:
Correct i confused muslims for cretans.
New Thread.
@ citizen_q:
“when all of a sudden,
behind all the shoppers,
came the deafening roar
of chickens in choppers…
We will fight for
bovine freedom
and hold our large heads high.
We will run free
with the buffalo
or die…..
Cows with guns.”
Heh. A classic…
Hey Macker, did you hear that the manager for FPSRussia youtube channel (not the guy who is actually in the vids) was tied up and shot dead?
It happened the same week that John Noveske (owner of Noveske Rifleworks, a premium AR15 mfr.) was killed in a road accident.
Noveske had made a facebook post just a few days before pointing out that all the well know mass shooters had been on some kind of psychiatric drug.
There are a lot of people who are very suspicious about those two deaths.