Don't you just love how these GOP "conservatives" are opposing Chuck Hagel for being nominated as U.S. Defense Secretary?
I mean, really. People in the liberal community and on Daily Kos are opposing Hagel being nominated.
NOW it's the GOP.
WOAH man, seriously. I think I know where this is going.
Take a look at would-be U.S. Senator Ted Cruz's "commentary" on USA Today:
Former senator Chuck Hagel is a war hero and public official who has served America honorably. However, his views on foreign and defense policy are out of the mainstream, and he is not a good fit for secretary of Defense. I expect to oppose his nomination for several reasons:
Views on foreign and defense policy out of the mainstream? What exactly is mainstream anyway?
I got a better idea: Why don't we take "mainstream" out of the equation, drop it in the toilet and FLUSH it down. Replace the word "mainstream" with being "realistic" instead.
Super. Sounds better?
His record on Israel strongly suggests that he views Israel not as our friend but as a nuisance. The U.S.-Israeli alliance is critical to our national security, but Hagel has been far too willing to undermine that alliance. He was one of only four senators who refused to sign a letter urging the president to express solidarity with Israel and condemn the Palestinian campaign of violence. And he has stated that he believes Israel has "chained down" the Palestinians.
Remember Mr. Cruz, it is President Barack Obama who calls the shots. If there is a U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, he will be reporting to President Obama, not to himself. I really don't understand how a Defense Secretary Hagel could run the country, unless he's Mr. Rummy man himself (aka the old man who served in the role from 2001-2007)
GET THE PICTURE? Wait, I forgot. Cruz is a "legal" scholar.
Equally concerning is Hagel's willingness to accept rogue states as legitimate players on the international stage on par with our friends. For instance, he voted against designating Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization, opposed renewal of the Iran-Libya Sanctions Act and opposed the Iran Counter-Proliferation Act. He has advocated direct, comprehensive negotiations with Iran's government, along with Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria.
Rogue states? Really Mr. Cruz, REALLY. There are human beings living in these rogue states. Why don't you take a journey to countries and confirm these states really are "rogue" states?
Oh sure, Hagel, as you say, has opposed this, voted against that. But remember sir: WHO are you appointing as U.S. Defense Secretary?
Barack Obama or Chuck Hagel?
Iran is rapidly pursuing nuclear weapons capacity. The surest way to avoid military conflict is to have a strong and credible defense; weakness and appeasement only invite military aggression.
Uh huh. Uh huh.
Also troubling is Hagel's willingness to subject the United States to the whims of international organizations. He supports the Law of the Sea Treaty, for example, which would undermine our sovereignty and require American businesses to pay global royalties for oil and gas development.
Uh huh. Uh huh.
Finally, presidents "float" potential Cabinet nominees to assess support and avoid potentially ugly confirmation battles. With bipartisan opposition to Hagel growing — NBC's Chuck Todd said Monday that 10 Senate Democrats might oppose Hagel's nomination, on top of numerous Republicans — the White House is picking an avoidable fight for political purposes by pushing this nominee.
We can and should do better.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, serves on the Armed Services Committee.
Sure. We can DO better. We can defeat you for re-election in 2018 as you're a chickenhawk, just like Dick Cheney.
Seriously, if we're going to continuously oppose Hagel for U.S. Defense Secretary, that means the GOP will win a victory and throw one of their own kind down to the ground.
And you know what? I like Hagel. I really could care less at this point what he's said in the past. For one thing...
Hagel is NOT Donald Rumsfeld. Obama is NOT Dubya (although I do think the drone strikes are bad).
Hagel reports to President Obama. Obama is the Commander in-Chief. End of frickin story.
Besides, no one mentions this fact: Chuck Hagel served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee with then Ranking Member from 2003-2007 and Chairman from 2007-2009 Senator Joe Biden, Senator John Kerry (who will get an easy confirmation for U.S. Secretary of State) and then-Senator Barack Obama.
Obama, Biden, Kerry and Hagel, in this case, working together again, just like they did when they were in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. No one here seems to criticize what these guys did on that committee.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/...
I just don't understand what the whole fuss is about. Hagel makes some statements in the past, regrets them and gets a super cool boss to deal with, not the bullies of the GOP.
But if you believe it is worth the fuss and you want Obama to nominate a non-Republican for U.S. Defense Secretary, fine but understand this:
1) We really need to win back the House in 2014
2) We really need to give Nancy Pelosi back her gavel, which she DESERVES.
3) We really need to officially turn Texas into a battleground and swing state and wipe off the stains that Santa Cruz (oops. Ted Cruz, John Popcorn (sorry. John Cornyn), Rick Potty (ahem. Rick Perry), Louie Gumball (damn. Louie Gohmert) and Joe Barfin' (sorry. Joe Barton)
4) Chuck Hagel will NOT ask the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Policy to be reinstated.
That's all I need to say.
So focus on pounding people like this:
Darrell Issa at the 2012 Lincoln/Reagan Dinner in San Francisco
Not people like this:
Chuck Hagel On Iraq Resolution 1/24/07