Earlier this month, President Obama nominated former Republican senator Chuck Hagel to Secretary of Defense, a crucial cabinet role in his second term.
The nomination of Chuck Hagel shows a dedication to bipartisanship from the president. The support for confirmation is anything but certain, however.
Hagel is facing serious opposition from both sides of the aisle in the Senate on his comments on Israel and his voting record on Iran.
Opposing him is a mistake.
Hagel is a military veteran who enlisted during the Vietnam War. While others may have tried to dodge the war, Hagel willingly put his life at risk for his country. If confirmed, he would be the first Defense Secretary to not only have been involved in that conflict, but to have willingly enlisted as a private.
This would be monumental for many veterans out there who can now look to Hagel and see someone who knows what it is like to start at the bottom and climb his way to an upper position. It makes him more personable not only to non-active members, but to active members as well.
Hagel has also held leadership positions in the Veterans’ Administration (VA) and United Service Organizations (USO). While in these leadership positions he has helped military personnel through the VA and brought the USO out of bankruptcy and into surplus. By fighting for greater benefits for veterans in the VA and showing leadership at the USO, Hagel has displayed extraordinary leadership that will suit him well for Secretary of Defense.
His critics, particularly from the right, draw attention to two flaws.
First, they believe that he is not a friend to Israel by calling Israeli supporters in Congress the “Jewish Lobby” and openly supporting negotiations between the U.S., Israel and Palestinian groups.
Second, critics point to Hagel’s treatment of Iran. Hagel voted against economic sanctions against Iran. Republicans especially see this as problematic for relations in the Middle East when Hagel is upsetting Israel and being friendly to its enemy, Iran.
It is important to remember which position Hagel is nominated for: Secretary of Defense.
While it is his job to involve himself militarily with these groups, it is not his job to engage with them diplomatically. That will be the job of the Secretary of State nominee, if confirmed, John Kerry.
Unless the U.S. plans on war with Israel, Palestinian groups or Iran, all of which would be terribly unfortunate, Hagel would have little influence in these areas.
Furthermore, while defense practices in Israel may come under his jurisdiction, there is really little evidence to show that Hagel would not support Israel if the state needed it.
The claims that he may be an enemy to that state are simply unproven.
The President has not always done well in his personnel and staffing endeavors.
Whether it was finding a steady Chief of Staff or a probable, politically viable successor to Hillary Clinton, President Obama has come up empty handed on various occasions since his re-election.
With the nomination of Chuck Hagel, President Obama has nabbed a great choice, demonstrated bipartisanship and redeemed himself in the wake of an election.
Hopefully the Senate can see the advantage in this decorated nominee and confirm him quickly so that the President has his security team in place come his second term.
