Not in my wildest dreams would I have foreseen where President Obama would be be nominating a Conservative Republican…
But Secretary of Defense nominee Mr. Chuck Hagel has a lifetime rating of 85 from the American Conservative Union. Nor would I have guessed it would be Republicans torpedoing his confirmation.
Maybe the World ended and no one has told me yet. Are the Reps really opposing a two-term Senator from Nebraska and highly decorated Vietnam War hero?
So far, the only reason I see emanating from the “Republican Echo Chamber” for this tragic opposition is that Mr. Hagel showed a “horrific” lack of judgment in opposing the surge in Iraq. Which, for some unknown reason, there are still people who think that strategy worked.
Last time I checked, about the only thing the surge accomplished was a temporary lull in sectarian violence. As soon as the extra American troops left, the tribal warfare resumed with a vengeance.
Having fought in Vietnam, Mr. Hagel probably knows a little about unwinnable wars.
So after having seen the error of his ways in initially voting for the war in Iraq, he has every right to criticize its continuation and errant policies.
Distractions aside, there are several reasons why Hagel’s confirmation matters.
This country would have a Secretary of Defense that has advocated deep cuts to the defense budget. He has the wisdom to see that war is not the answer to every foreign policy challenge this country faces. He has opposed torture. And he does not want to militarily intervene in Iran, no matter how much that goes against the wishes of Israel and the NeoCons.
Mr. Hagel can show the Country that a Conservative Republican can be for peace.
What a PR gift Obama has given the GOP if they are smart enough to capitalize on it.
Google News—
“Hagel initially supported the Iraq war, but as it dragged on he spoke out against some of President George W. Bush’s policies, including the decision to send a “surge” of 30,000 more troops.
In a 2007 Senate hearing, Hagel worried that the plan would lead to cross-border fighting with the Iranians or Syrians. He said it was “the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam, if it’s carried out. I will resist it.”
Hagel’s stand put him at odds with the Republican president and most of his party’s lawmakers, including fellow Vietnam veteran McCain. As it turned out, the troop surge was widely credited with stabilizing the war-torn country and putting it on a path that eventually enabled the U.S. withdrawal.”
Total BS. Just like Nam, when American troops are no longer a serious military threat, conflagration will ensue. The boots on the ground wars of Mr. Bush have destabilized the entire Mideast, left a vacuum for the Muslim Brotherhood to fill (As they are now, with our continued assistance.) and brought a de facto fanatical Ilamist hegemomy, the life’s work of the Ayatollah Khomeini.
This guy has been around the block.
He would probably be a great president.
Hardened by war.
obama will go down as the smartest foreign policy president ever.
He cleared out bin laden and his fellow terrorists.
cut off the money supply.
iran is taken down. They’re incapable of doing anything….drones
poised to take out the leadership in 2 hours if they screw up.
syria…and other mideast nations will become democracies…in the
end when the smoke clears and the final chapter is written.
obama has chosen many who he has disagreed with for his cabinet
positions….he’s smart enough to know that he needs balanced
programs.
unemployment goes to about 6.5 in ’13…probably lower if the
republicans don’t send us into oblivion.
whiney boy…you are watching with your own eyes the implosion of
the republican party…by 2017 its relegated to a regional party…
maybe worse.
hagel knows war. bush didn’t…cheney didn’t…neo cons didn’t…
and that’s why he’s needed. We can’t fight another war like the
2 we are finishing up.
obama gets us out of 2 wars…bring back incredible economy…
and reshapes the nation while the republicans stop and watch
america come back.
sorry whiney…its all downhill from here for you and your boys.
Sell your mitt photo before it’s too late.
The Egypt and Libya policies have just been masterful. They need to start carving Obama’s likeness into Mt. Rushmore!
I agree Mike.
Shepherding in the Muslim Brotherhood into countries where previously sectarian violence had reduced the threat to the West, is not a resounding victory.
Democracy is a temporary stop on the way to fanatical Islamist, Shia Wahabi Theocracy. The first tank of gas wasn’t even burned out of the Egyptian Democratic vehicle of state and Morsi made a grab for unilateral power.
Hagel is not a big favorite with many Jews or Isreal, but I was pretty impressed reading about him and his experiences.
We will see.
OKAY MIKEY…you made me laugh!!!!!!!!
+ 10
we got rid of a libyan dictator and brought
deomcracy to that nation without a single
soldier dying! + 10000
egypt is still in transition….
syria will become an ally…evnetually…
iran will crumble…
the middle east is changing..
as obama gets america oil production up to saudi
numbers we won’t have to depend on these
despots for oil….we are getting out of 2 wars…thank yo
mr. president…and we are not going to get inovled
again..
NOW CHUCKLES AND MIKEY….explain what great
foreign affairs people your boys george w and loser
mitt would/ have been…
OBAMA!!!!!!
HILLARY 2016 !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No argument, George Bush was a failure.
We have allies of convenience in the Mideast.
The Fanatical Islamic hegamony is at hand.
You are wrong about stabilty and cooperation in the Mideast with the Muslim Brotherhood.
I agree with fortress America and I do think we should have left Iraq and Afghanistan long ago.
Shale oil is our new God.
Frack like F*ck!
And…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/richard-cohen-the-tarring-of-chuck-hagel/2013/01/07/668da8c4-58f3-11e2-88d0-c4cf65c3ad15_print.html
Other views…
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2013/01/08/iran-hopes-hagel-nomination-will-improve-relations-between-us-tehran/
The president nominates a conservative republican because he doesn’t have the leadership skills to tell retard america the 11 year long war is unwinnable.
+1
Maybe…