Senior Editor Gordon DUFF: Hagel Confirmation Confounds America!

The US Senate approved Chuck Hagel as the next secretary of defense. "With America involved in multiple wars, Afghanistan, now in Mali, with America moving toward intervention in Syria, will defense one outlining real national interests and, just perhaps, more realistic limitations on American power, alter America's global strategy?" Moments ago it was announced that the US Senate, voting 58/41 along party lines, confirmed Senator Chuck Hagel as Secretary of Defense. Four Republicans joined Democrats in supporting Hagel in a nomination battle, entirely based on the issue of American political subservience to Israel. All 12 Jewish senators voted to confirm Hagel! The two term Republican senator from Nebraska, now Secretary of Defense and first combat veteran ever to hold that position, has been outspoken in his independence from Israeli influence, at least by American standards. Earlier in the day, the Senate ended a Republican filibuster with a 71/27 vote, setting the stage for Hagel's confirmation. Among the Republican senators to cross the aisle, and support fellow Republican Hagel, was Rand Paul, son of former representative, and unsuccessful presidential candidate, Ron Paul, foremost critic of America's broken "Federal Reserve" banking system. To analysts, the confirmation process has been the most naked exposure the powerful Israeli lobby has had, exposure so blatant, that it was featured in comedy skits on network television. In particular, a powerful wedge has been driven between AIPAC, the Israeli lobby, and military and veterans organizations. Support for Hagel has been well above 90%, with these powerful groups normally closely aligned with Israel. That bond appears to be broken, temporarily at least. Though the media is trying to portray Hagel as damaged, by the endless smears he was subjected to during the confirmation hearings, President Obama remained steadfast in his support of Hagel. The initial vote on Hagel's confirmation was blocked, when 40 Republican senators walked out of congress, shutting down the government. The move was orchestrated by Las Vegas gambling boss, Sheldon Adelson, key financier behind the failed Romney campaign, who put up millions to block the Hagel nomination. Forty one Republicans chose not just to oppose a highly qualified candidate, but also to lay bare the reach of, not just the Israeli lobby but interests in the "hospitality industry," another way of saying "organized crime."