Ed Koch Blasts Potential Hagel Nomination

Koch is one of the first pro-Israel Democratic leaders to publicly oppose the possible nomination, but he’s not likely to be the last. Politico’s Josh Gerstein has an good rundown of the pro-Israel community’s concerns about Hagel, which are numerous. He’s best known in those circles for espousing paranoid theories about the “Jewish lobby” and opposing tough sanctions on Iran.

Hagel has his former membership in the Senate club going for him. But the biggest obstacle to Hagel’s possible appointment will be if pro-Israel Democrats line up to oppose him. (Commentary, Posted 17 Dec 12)

Posted on Monday, December 17th, 2012 | RSS feed |

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Saad Iqbal Madni

During his combatant status review tribunal, Madni freely conceded: “I also told [Yahya] that there was a type of shoes in which you could hide the bombs.”

In addition, U.S. intelligence officials identified Madni as the “acquaintance” of Richard Reid, who attempted to blow up an airliner in December 2001 – the same month Madni was telling IDF terrorists about shoe bombs.

Yahya was so impressed with what Madni had to say, according to Madni’s own testimony, that Yahya began to divulge the details of his terrorist plotting. Yahya “explained to me that one year ago, he tried to blow up the American embassy in Jakarta,” Madni told his tribunal at Gitmo.

Yahya took Madni to meet with IDF leader Habib Rizq, and there Madni “saw approximately 50 to 100 people sitting in rooms” as they were preparing to commit “terrorist acts” to commemorate New Year’s Day 2002. (Thomas Joscelyn)

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Keep America Safe Board Member Debra Burlingame on President Obama’s press conference on the eve of September 11: “President Obama’s remarks today, on the eve of the ninth anniversary of the September 11 attacks, showed a regrettable disconnect with the American people who regard 9/11 as a world-changing event that touched all of our lives.” Read more.

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