http://www.blacklistednews.com/Chuck_Hagel_Gets_His_Second_Wind/23273/0/38/38/Y/M.html
While I am pleased beyond description that Obama named the man he correctly called the perfect choice to be secretary of State, John Kerry, I have argued strongly that some of the attacks levied against United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice were grossly unfair to her. With similar unfair attacks being made against Hagel, the more firmly the president rejects these attacks, the better.
I would bet anyone in Washington that Hagel would be confirmed by a large majority of senators if he is nominated to be secretary of Defense.
Chuck Hagel as secretary of Defense would bring immense confidence in the capitals of America's allies around the world, and great enthusiasm from veterans and military families throughout America who know him well, and trust him greatly.
Tom Friedman, in this morning's New York Times, endorses Chuck Hagel for secretary of defense. Friedman finds it "disgusting" that Hagel has been "smeared as an Israel hater at best" by his detractors (some neoconservatives). But Friedman's stinging rejoinder to the anti-Hagel campaign isn't motived just by revulsion; he believes calling Hagel anti-Israel is, in addition to being sleazy, 180 degrees away from the truth:
The only thing standing between Israel and national suicide any more is America and its willingness to tell Israel the truth. But most U.S. senators, policy makers and Jews prefer to stick their heads in the sand, because confronting Israel is so unpleasant and politically dangerous. Hagel at least cares enough about Israel to be an exception.
Friedman's support isn't the only boost Hagel's candidacy has gotten in the last 24 hours. Last night the Washington Post published a letter in support of Hagel signed by four former national security advisers -- James L. Jones, Brent Scowcroft, Zbigniew Brzezinski, and Frank Carlucci. They write:
The Friedman column and the Washington Post letter come at an important time for Hagel. Some observers were starting to think his candidacy was on life support.
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Mr. Hagel is a man of unshakable integrity and wisdom who has served his country in the most distinguished manner in peace and war. He is a rare example of a public servant willing to rise above partisan politics to advance the interests of the United States and its friends and allies.Note the bipartisan cast. These people held the top White House national security post in, respectively, the Obama, George H.W. Bush, Carter, and Reagan administrations. And they're not alone. Hagel has also been endorsed by a slew of former U.S. ambassadors, from both Democratic and Republican administrations, including no fewer than five who have served as ambassador to Israel.
The Friedman column and the Washington Post letter come at an important time for Hagel. Some observers were starting to think his candidacy was on life support.
Read More...
and......
http://thehill.com/opinion/columnists/brent-budowsky/274585-chuck-hagel-for-dod
Chuck Hagel for DOD
- 12/26/12 03:21 PM ET
The latest endorsement received by former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel to be secretary of Defense comes from four former national security advisers: Brent Scowcroft, James L. Jones, Zbigniew Brzezinski and Frank Carlucci. This quartet of national security leaders has served presidents of both parties, including Republican Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush and Democratic Presidents Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
Hagel is one of the finest people I have ever known in public life, along with President Obama's excellent nominee to be secretary of State, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.).
Hagel (Neb.) embodies the highest American ideal of service: service in war, service in peace, service in government, service in military life and service in civilian life, as well as a powerful lifetime commitment to go many extra miles supporting those who wear the uniform and their families at home.
He is a man who knows war, having served courageously in Vietnam, and who knows the world, having been involved in global diplomatic, military and security issues for a generation.
Hagel's expertise ranges from combat experience and military strategy to diplomatic skill and intelligence matters both operational and analytical.
Hagel is a devoted, fierce, passionate and untiring champion of wounded warriors and veterans causes of all kinds. When the phrase "band of brothers" is used, Hagel is one of the true brothers. His commitment to helping troops and military families is boundless.
Hagel knows how to wage war, how to win wars, how to end wars and how to avoid wars that may be unwise. This is why Hagel wins such strong support from national security advisers who served previous administrations, and from a number of leading retired military commanders and former U.S. ambassadors to Israel.He is a public servant of rock-solid integrity who would be highly qualified to be secretary of State, secretary of Defense, director of National Intelligence or any other high-level position essential to protecting our nation. I believe it is particularly important that Obama ignore the dishonest campaign of defamation and disinformation that is being run, mostly by neoconservatives who know far less about war than Hagel, who have far less experience in war than Hagel and who are far less skilled than Hagel at both winning wars that should be fought and avoiding wars that should not be fought.
Hagel (Neb.) embodies the highest American ideal of service: service in war, service in peace, service in government, service in military life and service in civilian life, as well as a powerful lifetime commitment to go many extra miles supporting those who wear the uniform and their families at home.
He is a man who knows war, having served courageously in Vietnam, and who knows the world, having been involved in global diplomatic, military and security issues for a generation.
Hagel's expertise ranges from combat experience and military strategy to diplomatic skill and intelligence matters both operational and analytical.
Hagel is a devoted, fierce, passionate and untiring champion of wounded warriors and veterans causes of all kinds. When the phrase "band of brothers" is used, Hagel is one of the true brothers. His commitment to helping troops and military families is boundless.
Hagel knows how to wage war, how to win wars, how to end wars and how to avoid wars that may be unwise. This is why Hagel wins such strong support from national security advisers who served previous administrations, and from a number of leading retired military commanders and former U.S. ambassadors to Israel.He is a public servant of rock-solid integrity who would be highly qualified to be secretary of State, secretary of Defense, director of National Intelligence or any other high-level position essential to protecting our nation. I believe it is particularly important that Obama ignore the dishonest campaign of defamation and disinformation that is being run, mostly by neoconservatives who know far less about war than Hagel, who have far less experience in war than Hagel and who are far less skilled than Hagel at both winning wars that should be fought and avoiding wars that should not be fought.
While I am pleased beyond description that Obama named the man he correctly called the perfect choice to be secretary of State, John Kerry, I have argued strongly that some of the attacks levied against United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice were grossly unfair to her. With similar unfair attacks being made against Hagel, the more firmly the president rejects these attacks, the better.
I would bet anyone in Washington that Hagel would be confirmed by a large majority of senators if he is nominated to be secretary of Defense.
Chuck Hagel as secretary of Defense would bring immense confidence in the capitals of America's allies around the world, and great enthusiasm from veterans and military families throughout America who know him well, and trust him greatly.
and.....
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-11-07/treasury-pick-is-obama-s-pivotal-decision-at-start-of-term-two
President Barack Obama, newly re- elected, now confronts two questions that he has been avoiding for more than a year: Who will replace Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and when.
Obama’s decision, probably among the first personnel moves he makes, may set in motion a revamping of his economic and national security team, according to four current and two former administration officials who asked for anonymity and spoke before the outcome of the election was clear. Some advisers will depart and others will take on jobs that are opened up.
“The first thing is Treasury,” said former White House Chief of Staff Bill Daley. “You kind of have to figure out that one before everything else.”
After becoming only the second president since World War II to win re-election with the unemployment rate above 6 percent, Obama will be shuffling his Cabinet and senior staff while negotiating with Congress to avoid $607 billion in automatic tax increases and spending cuts that threaten to stunt U.S. economic growth.
In addition to replacing Geithner, Obama faces the departure of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who has said she isn’t planning to serve in a second Obama term.
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