Many of you may have seen my piece for Jewish Voice for Peace’s Muzzlewatch blog last week, analyzing the hateful campaign against the potential nomination of Chuck 
Hagel. Well, today, JVP put out an action alert on this issue. Please take a moment to take this action and send a message to President Obama that you are tired of AIPAC and its fellow travelers having such undue and disproportionate influence over US political and diplomatic appointments and, indeed, over our policy in general. Here is the alert:
America’s Israel Lobby has unleashed a vicious smear campaign against former U.S. Senator Chuck Hagel, an independent thinker who President Obama wants for Secretary of Defense.
Unless we act now to counter thousands of emails that Israel lobby groups have already sent to the White House, President Obama may yield to pressure, sending the message that the Israel Lobby has veto power over all key positions in the Administration.
Sign the petition now and send to everyone you know.
Chuck Hagel is an old-school conservative Republican, unlikely to make major changes in foreign policy. But he is being targeted because he is reluctant to go to war with Iran, believes we should keep the door open to dialogue with groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, and doesn’t kowtow to AIPAC.
His conservative track record means he may not be everyone’s top pick, but this battle is much bigger than Chuck Hagel.
If you, like me, thinks it’s outrageous that Israel’s leadership and their proxies in the United States think they have the right to veto all appointments to top positions in the US government,I hope you’ll join me in signing this petition to president Obama.
Tell President Obama that he should be making his decision based on who he believes is the best person for the job, not who AIPAC approves of.
In short, it matters because, as Peter Beinart wrote:
“The core truth is this: In American punditry today, you can casually accuse a decorated war hero of bigotry against Jews or Israel secure in the knowledge that while the accusation may destroy his career, it will never imperil your own. Until that changes, nothing will.”
Regards,
Rebecca Vilkomerson
