As of February 18, 2013, the Dublin based betting site, Intrade, has Chuck Hagel as a 95% favorite to be confirmed as US Secretary of Defense. I support Hagel and would hope his chances are that good, but I would put them at closer to 75%. Let's look at the parties and issues in this

When Chuck Hagel walks through a metal detector at an airport, he sets it off. He carries shrapnel in his chest from wounds suffered from his service in Vietnam. Now, multi-billionaire Sheldon Adelson and the Right Wing of the Israel Lobby (RWIL), which he finances, are trying to defeat Hagel's nomination to be Secretary of

Decorated Vietnam War veteran and two-term United States Senator Chuck Hagel spent 8 hours on the witness chair, trying to convince 26 members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that his love for Israel was sufficient to warrant confirmation as Secretary of Defense. Everything else was of secondary importance for the Committee. I watched the

In the United States Senate, all members get a vote, but all members are not equal. Just like in George Orwell's Animal Farm, some senators are more equal than others. On matters involving the US-Israel relationship, Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer of New York is as equal as you can be. He's Jewish and he represents

Chuck Hagel is a decorated Vietnam War veteran. He's a former Republican two term Senator from Nebraska. He has close ties with President Obama and Vice President Biden. He's generally considered to be the President's first choice to be the next Secretary of Defense. Like many who have seen combat, he is reluctant to advocate