Defeat the Neocon Smear Campaign — Sign the White House Petition in Support of Chuck Hagel

If you’ve been reading my column recently, you know I’ve been writing about Chuck Hagel, who is apparently the frontrunner to replace Leon Panetta as Secretary of Defense. The Israel lobby’s smear campaign against Hagel is an absolute outrage: they are hurling every mudball they can get their hands on at him, and of course the main charge is “anti-Semitism” – because he wont’ kowtow to the Lobby and proudly declares that, while he supports Israel, “I’m a United States senator. I’m not an Israeli senator.”

I was on Twitter tonight, and I was sickened to see that the “buzz” is that because the evil Washington Post has come out editorially against Hagel, his nomination is supposedly doomed.

I thought to myself: Really? Is the editorial page editor of the WaPo, a notorious neocon, really going to dictate the future of American foreign policy? Do these people really have that kind of power – or do we, the people, have the power?

I decided to put this question to the test. So I posted a White House petition on the White House petition web site supporting Hagel’s nomination and urging the administration to fight for him.

We have until January 18, 2013, to get 25,000 signatures – on which occasion the White House will have to respond in some manner.

This is important. If the War Party gets away with this vicious campaign of character assassination, then they can get away with anything. The American people want out of Afghanistan, just like they want out of Iraq – and they overwhelmingly oppose war with Iran, which the War Party is pushing  like hell. Hagel opposes their war plans: he has opposed the murderous sanctions on Iran, and has advocated diplomacy over military action. He has consistently and bravely stood up to the Israel lobby, and refused to sign on to their numerous “open letters” urging the administration to kowtow to Tel Aviv.

No, the Washington Post editorial board doesn’t have the last word when it comes to the vital issue of war and peace – not if you speak out and let your voice be heard. Yes, we can have an effect – but only if you act now.

One month – 25,000 signatures. It’s doable – so let’s do it.

Please go here to sign the petition.


http://antiwar.com/blog/2012/12/19/defeat-the-neocon-smear-campaign-sign-the-white-house-petition-in-support-of-chuck-hagel/