Posted on 01/06/2013 5:17:29 PM PST by SeekAndFind
WASHINGTON—President Barack Obama plans to announce Monday that he is nominating former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel to be his next defense secretary in the face of intensifying opposition from Republican lawmakers, administration officials said Sunday.
Those officials acknowledge they have a bruising confirmation fight ahead. They also say they are confident they will prevail because Republicans ultimately won't be able to topple a former colleague, Vietnam veteran and two-term GOP senator from Nebraska who served on the foreign relations and intelligence committees.
Mr. Obama also may announce his nominee to head the Central Intelligence Agency, a position left vacant when David Petraeus resigned last year after admitting to an affair. The two leading candidates for the post are White House counterterrorism chief John Brennan and acting CIA Director Michael Morell.
Republican lawmakers on Sunday stepped up their opposition to Mr. Hagel, who initially voted for the Iraq war but grew to oppose it and who supported Mr. Obama for president in 2008. Critics also have cited Mr. Hagel's past criticisms of Israel as a basis for their opposition.
Sen. Lindsay Graham (R., S.C.) said Sunday on CNN that it would "probably be a bridge too far" for him to support Mr. Hagel. Mr. Hagel's foreign policy views, he said, are "outside the mainstream," and he would be "the most antagonistic secretary of defense towards the state of Israel in our nation's history."
Other Republicans, such as Sen. Ted Cruz (R., Texas), cited what they see as a leniency on Iran and a past reluctance to impose sanctions on Tehran as reasons for their opposition. "He has consistently advocated weakness with respect to our enemies, with respect to the nation of Iran," Mr. Cruz told "Fox News Sunday." "Weakness in a secretary of defense invites conflict, because bullies don't respect weakness."
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
HAGEL WILL RESPOND THAT HE:
* Voted to give a total of $38 billion in aid for the Jewish state, along with multiple trips to meet with leaders there.
* Voted at least three times for sanctions against Iran and is a supporter of multilateral sanctions.
* Argue that he has opposed some sanctioning based on specific details, not a broader opposition to sanctions.
Hagel will say that he believes that military action should always be an option but, based on his war experience, insist that it should only be seriously considered after diplomatic options are exhausted.
Hagal and obama are both anti-Semitic dweebs.
The only reason Obama wants Hagel is so that a Republican in name will be the one that dismantles the DOD funding. Obama is going to hide behind Hagel for massive defense cuts that the left wants...
Further research seems to reveal that he isn’t even all that smart except in a sleazy, self-promoting way.
His sole qualification for SecDef is apparently acheiving the lofty rank of sergeant.
LOL! Are you sure you’re not writing copy for Hagel?
Not just Israel, this guy is a dangerous leftist.
I agree, the white house is offensive.
I disagree. The LIV will not have idea which party Hagel belongs to when the country goes to Hell.
Well the best defense is a good offense I suppose...
Remember Senator Tower? Somehow, we managed to keep HIS confirmation as Secretary of Defense from happening, even though he was part of the Senate back-slappers.
Hagel is a senator, but not a leader.
Obama wants somebody that is a follower, and will do as he is told. Hagel is a good candidate for that, and he’s even more special to Obama because he can now claim that he is bipartisan because he appoints from the opposing party.
To Obama, Hagel is ideal for two reasons: he will do as he it told, and he will create the perception that Obama is bipartisan.
Swell, Hagel was sucking up to Obama back in '08.
Did Cindy Sheehan, PFC Bradley Manning and Cynthia McKinney already turn them down?
It sounds as though Barry is wanting to make sure that Republicans get the blame for his destruction of the U.S. military.
Well it certainly is offensive.
The White House is always offensive.
Perhaps he will apologize for their flying Air Force One at low altitude over the Statue of Liberty?
What’s wrong? Jane Fonda not available? Why not Michael Moore or the good “reverend” Wright?
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