"Obama to nominate Chuck Hagel as new Defense secretary" USA Today

"President Obama plans on Monday to nominate Chuck Hagel, the former Republican senator from Nebraska and Vietnam War veteran, to lead the Pentagon as Defense secretary, according to two sources familiar with the nomination process. Hagel, 66, served two terms in the Senate from 1997 to 2009, and led an Army infantry squad in Vietnam in 1968. He was wounded in action there and received two Purple Hearts. An administration source confirmed that Hagel's nomination would be announced Monday. Both sources spoke on condition of anonymity because it had not been officially announced. "  USA Today

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I thank God Almighty for this.  pl 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/01/06/hagel-defense-secretary-nominee-obama-panetta/1810195/

Comments

[JMH]

Amen.

[VietnamVet]

Colonel,

Your prayer is appropriate. One can only hope that reality and truth overcome ideology. If the push for Austerity continues and if a Holy War with Iran is thrown in for good measure; the hording of ammunition by the citizens of Kentucky may actually be seen as foresight as privatization continues the devolution of western government into the toilet.

The Neo-Elite Philosophy is “I’ve got money, fly a Gulfstream, drive on Lexus Lanes, live in a gated community and have a generator, screw the Leeches [everyone else]”.

[Cal]

Thank You God! Amen.
A step toward getting our country back.

[Jose]

"You underestimate the power of the Dark Side." - Darth Vader

[fanto]

Colonel, your one liner brings to mind MLK and his "free at last"

[Alba Etie]

Col Lang
I believe Senator Hagel will be confirmed . I also believe President Obama is a lot more savvy about a realistic foreign policy then many critics would gainsay . I do not believe we will be going to Syria - even in a limited way, such as a no fly zone .

[[email protected]]

Sir,

According to the NYT, various "special interests" are already sharpening their knives against Chuck Hagel, and his fellow Republicans seem happy to oblige...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/07/us/obama-expected-to-select-hagel-for-defense-post.html

[Kevin]

"I am not an Israeli senator. I'm a U.S. senator."
-SGT Chuck Hagel, Combat Infantryman

[J]

Colonel,

I concur with your sentiments.

[JohnH]

I wish him well. But, as I have written before, Hagel's behavior in the Senate was that of a person without any courage of his convictions--he couldn't even convince himself to vote for the positions he advocated for. His pusillanimity was particularly blatant regarding his positions/votes on the Iraq War.

As SecDef I imagine he will fit nicely in the BO mold, which is why BO is nominating him. As you recall, BO's early foreign speeches took a fresh approach and broke with convention, earning him the Nobel Prize. That was before his behavior made it abundantly clear that he was simply following in the footsteps of Bush 43.

So, I expect Hagel to show a lot of smoke and mirrors before settling into the same old same old.

[William R. Cumming]

I wonder how many SECDEFs have been holders of the CIB?

[Walter]

PL, what is Obama trying to achieve via this move? I too am very happy about this nomination as I hope it brings a more balanced, less dogmatic approach to US foreign policy

[J]

Any ideas as to the Presidents choice for the DCI posit?

[jr786]

This is from the NYT article on the nomination:

"For weeks, some Jewish groups sought to dissuade Mr. Obama from choosing Mr. Hagel, who once referred to advocates of Israel as “the Jewish lobby.” Having failed, opponents over the weekend shifted to trying to block Mr. Hagel’s confirmation."

I believe that's intended to be ironic, but who knows? The only thing we needed to push back against the zionists was someone with courage in a position to make a difference.

This will be bloody.

[David Habakkuk]

JohnH,

You could well be right. But equally, major shifts could be under way. It seems less than entirely clear that AIPAC will want to contest the nomination of someone who was wounded fighting in Vietnam – both Jim Lobe and M.J. Rosenberg appear sceptical. And whether they do or do not, it could be that the high point of their influence has been reached. The fact that what figures like Tom Friedman, and Jeffrey Goldberg, have come out in favour of Hagel precisely because they have come round to the view that only American pressure can save Israel from a course they have now finally grasped is suicidal is a matter of some moment.

Whether Martin Dempsey’s appointment as CJCS was simply a happy fluke, or whether it indicates that a substantial body of opinion among senior military figures has grown weary of futile wars, I cannot judge. But is it simply irrational optimism to hope that an Obama flanked by Dempsey and Hagel might find it easier to show political courage than he has up to this point?

In addition, the way in which Netanyahu rubbed Obama’s nose in his impotence in the face of the Lobby is likely to have left a legacy of bitterness. All this gives some ground for hope that at least on the critical questions of policy towards Iran and Syria, the very worst outcomes may be avoided.

[J]

Colonel,

Looks like the President's choice for DCI is Brennan.

[oofda]

Amen, Colonel...

[Charles I]

Here's CIA news

Obama taps counterterrorism advisor John Brennan to head CIA

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1311343--obama-taps-brennan-for-cia-controversial-hagel-for-pentagon

[Charles I]

Sen. Mitch McConnell, the top Senate Republican, said Sunday he was reserving judgment on whether to support Hagel but predicted the former senator would face serious questions.

Any nominee must have “a full understanding of our close relationship with out Israeli allies, the Iranian threat and the importance of having a robust military,” McConnell said on ABC’s “This Week.”

The second-ranking Senate Republican, John Cornyn of Texas, said in a statement that making Hagel defense secretary would be “the worst possible message we could send to our friend Israel and the rest of our allies in the Middle East.”

Despite the criticism, no Republican lawmakers have threatened to try to block Hagel’s nomination.

http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1311343--obama-taps-brennan-for-cia-controversial-hagel-for-pentagon

So according to McConnell the premier SecDef requirement is a full understanding of Israel.

Ergo Hagel should be in, and McConnell resigning.

[Matthew]

The President has developed a spine.

Oh, happy day!

He'd almost convinced me he was an invertebrate.

[The beaver]

Colonel

It's on the news.

[Tyler]

The Republicans living up to their reputation as the stupid party.

[Rd.]

"Despite the criticism, no Republican lawmakers have threatened to try to block Hagel’s nomination."

If republicans are worried, they can always join the keneset or whatever and select the israeli def sec. Hagel for US Sec of Def.

[Nancy K]

Obama has chosen Hagel also yeah. I think I'm going to force myself to watch fox news tonight just to see and hear the whining.

[Stephanie]

"So, I expect Hagel to show a lot of smoke and mirrors before settling into the same old same old."

Hagel does indeed have a pattern of hemming and hawing and then going along with the program in the end, but even if his appointment (assuming it happens) ends up not making a huge difference in policy terms, the fact that he got the job at all will be a positive sign.