Hagel Said to Be Stepping Down as Defense Chief Under Pressure

NY Times ^ | November 24, 2014 | Helene Cooper

[C19fan]

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is stepping down under pressure, the first cabinet-level casualty of the collapse of President Obama’s Democratic majority in the Senate and the struggles of his national security team amid an onslaught of global crises.

The president, who is expected to announce Mr. Hagel’s resignation in a Rose Garden appearance on Monday, made the decision to ask his defense secretary — the sole Republican on his national security team — to step down last Friday after a series of meetings over the past two weeks, senior administration officials said.

[C19fan]

Looks like Hagel was unable to get Valeria Jarrett on his side. Hagel is gone but incompetents like Susan Rice, Samantha Power, and the Wonder Twins who are State Department spokeswomen keep their jobs.

[Obadiah]

I don't like Hagel, but at least he is an American who is concerned about America. Obama and Jarrett are predominately concerned with protecting muslims. Kerry is just a dolt. Rice and the others are Marxists.

[rktman]

The froggy gal pal val. Iran’s favorite daughter. Reality is most assuredly stranger than fiction.

[JohnBrowdie]

it took forever to fire the head of the VA. holder went on forever and ever.

[Cementjungle]

Hagel probably refused to give Iran half of our Trident subs as a gesture of “good faith”.

[bert]

Hagel has two strikes against him...... not black, not female

[Beowulf9]

“Hagel has two strikes against him...... not black, not female”

and don’t forget he was the only Republican Cabinet member left.

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

This is doubly troubling when you look at it from another standpoint. The Zero has tolerated a mountain of incompetence and criminal activities from numerous appointments and they kept they jobs, but the one guy who did what he was told was fired and is a Republican. So much for Bipartisanship.

[what's up]

A couple of weeks ago Hagel wrote a memo to Susan Rice decrying the WH Syria strategy. Most likely this is connected to the reasons he's resigning.

[centurion316]

holder went on forever and ever.

You certainly have that right, especially since he is still in office and the hearings for his replacement have yet to be scheduled. You might want to consider changing the "went" to "is going".

[nevergore]

Hagel was intentionally put there as a Obama sycophant, little intelligence, all ambition for power and title...

Probably the most inept, incompetent DOD Secretary ever....

He was always there to be sacrificed when required....

It’s almost Thanksgiving, time for Obummer to kill the turkey.....

[Sacajaweau]

I think lotsa reasons....But mainly, he likely got lied to a few times...especially regarding Iraq and Bergdahl and the Ukraine. Well, I’d say just about everything. Resigning under pressure??? Me think not. And probably sorry he ever took the appointment.

[Made In The USA]

I hear Gruber is looking for work.

[bigbob]

I have a personal connection to Hagel, and even some long-term friends winced when they learned of his selection, knowing he wouldn’t be up for the task. Unlike Obama, Hagel is a good man, but like Obama, the job was way over his head and he botched it.

[baddog 219]

Sounds like Obama is starting to clean house of all who question his authority.

[buckalfa]

There is also a article on the story referencing Hagel’s deep concern over the readiness and condition of America's nuclear arsenal. That might be part on the internal rift in the administration over the Secretary.

[AppyPappy]

They are spinning it to make it look like they are asking Hagel to leave.

[Sacajaweau]

I just read that. Good to bring it to the table.

[keat]

I don't like Hagel, but at least he is an American who is concerned about America.

I didn't see much of that concern when he was in the Senate.

[Cowboy Bob]

Hagel was a Republican?

You could have fooled me!