WASHINGTON — President Obama’s nomination on Monday of Chuck Hagel for secretary of defense, coupled with his pick of Senator John F. Kerry for secretary of state, would put two Vietnam veterans known for their cautious approach to the use of military force at the helm of American defense and foreign policy.
Hagel has come under fire from fellow Republicans for comments about the undue influence of the “Jewish lobby” and what they see as his lukewarm support for Israel and reluctance to support tougher actions against Iran. The stances, along with his 1998 criticism of an openly gay diplomat, have also alarmed some Democrats.
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So the crazies don't like Hegel because he's not neo-con enough and they can claim to be bipartisan because there are a few Dems who do not like the Republican from Nebtaska. Basically, they nuked Rice and they smell more blood. If they can distract from their Tea Party positions long enough they feel they'll be able to do nothing before the next midterm elections and pretend the last election never happened. The last, worst, Congress will look like a hive of activity and bipartisanship after what you'll see over the next two years - pretty close to ZERO!
If aversion to war is a reason to vote against confirmation, we have a bigger problem than we know.
Let's name the War Lobby as opposition to the confirmations, that military-industrial complex Eisenhower (a man who had served in war) prophesied would doom us. There is a lot of money to be made in war and a lot of people lobbying for it.
I don't include McCain there. I think he has always been a bit of a hawk but I don't doubt his motives. But we ought to look at the money behind the votes of those who have not served on the battlefield for more than 2 weeks.
So are either of these guys "known for their cautious approach to the use of military force" going to do anything to reign in or at least shine some light on Obama's drone war that has approved more than four times the number of attacks that "warlord" George W. Bush authorized during his two terms?
No, because Obama nominated Brennan, the guy who was the proponent of th idea, as head of CIA
"...going to do anything to reign in or at least shine some light on Obama's drone war..."
Please don't lie to me or yourself, if, instead of Obama, it was Bush using drone strikes to go after America's enemies today, you'd be cheering their use as "justice raining down from heaven".
Try to see past your blind ideology to the bigger picture.
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Obama, Hagel, Kerry and Brennan. I feel safe
I agree with you 100%. Hopefully, we can all put the nightmare of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, all those NeoCon whackos finally behind us. So great to have smart, patriotic, inspirational US leadership again.
Barack Obama's off mike remarks to the Russians was that he intends to DISMANTLE the US military. And Chuck Hagel is his choice to do it. That's our Commander in Chief at work!
I-n-s-a-n-e.
Very close, at least... unless it's a purposeful lie. I don't believe he's so stupid that he believes the things he posts.
Once again, the chicken hawks of the right take to task a decorated veteran. At long last, have you gutless wonders have no shame?
Keeping us out of war when the future of our country is not threatened, can't be a bad thing. It's amazing the number of war mongers who have commented here. They won't be doing the fighting, of course. They'll just sit in their easy chairs and watch it on CNN... or more likely, on Fox News.