By Ron Horn for this blog.
Gen. Hagel was confirmed today by the Senate as Defense Secretary. But this came only after an unprecedented campaign by Zionist lobbies and neo-conservative operatives such as Bill Kristol who opposed the nomination on the grounds that Hagel was not sufficiently pro-Israel. This campaign involved huge, expensive anti-Hagel ads in such publications as the Wall Street Journal, anti-Hagel editorial attacks in mainstream publications, and a Senate filibuster. I cannot recall a more disgraceful display of pro-Israel influence in our government than this campaign. It was so outlandish that even a mainstream TV program, Saturday Night Live, did a parody of his Senate committee confirmation hearing: