No Significant Dem Opposition as Hagel Heads into Nomination Hearing
WASHINGTON – Former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel is expected to navigate a bumpy path through the Senate Armed Services Committee and ultimately emerge with a recommendation that he be confirmed as the nation’s next secretary of defense.
An aide in the office of Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin, of Illinois, confirmed a report that originally appeared in Roll Call maintaining that there is no indication that any of the panel’s Democrats intend to oppose President Obama’s choice to succeed retiring Secretary Leon Panetta at the Pentagon.
Since Democrats outnumber Republicans 14-12 on the committee, the nomination of the Vietnam War veteran from Nebraska is likely headed to the Senate floor for final confirmation barring circumstances like a filibuster.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, of Connecticut, is considered the likeliest Democrat to break from the party. He has acknowledged in interviews that while he respects the right of the president to select his cabinet he does not feel comfortable with some of the positions Hagel has staked out – primarily involving Iraq and Israel – and has refused to make a public commitment. But Blumenthal has said he ultimately expects Hagel to be confirmed.
Hagel, 66, scheduled for an appearance before the committee this morning, hasn’t picked up much support from his fellow Republicans. Thus far, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-Miss.) stands as the lone GOP lawmaker to acknowledge his endorsement. Meanwhile, a growing number on what once was Hagel’s side of the aisle have made their opposition clear.
Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), the panel’s ranking member, declared that “we are simply too philosophically opposed on the issues for me to support his nomination.”
Inhofe cited several concerns, asserting that Hagel doesn’t appear sufficiently wary of looming defense cuts that “would be devastating to our military.”
He also noted that Hagel supports nuclear disarmament “at a time when North Korea is threatening our allies with their nuclear capabilities and Iran continues to pursue a nuclear weapon and the means to deliver it,” threatening national security.
“On Iran and Israel, Sen. Hagel’s record concerns me as well,” said Inhofe, who was one of three votes against the confirmation of John Kerry as secretary of State in the full Senate this week. “In 2000, he was one of just four senators who refused to sign a letter affirming U.S. solidarity with Israel. In 2001 he was one of just two senators who voted against extending the sanctions against Iran. A year later, he urged the Bush administration to support Iranian membership in the World Trade Organization. Given the current tension in the Middle East that is largely being instigated by the Iranian regime, I am concerned with Sen. Hagel’s views.”
There is no doubt that Mr. Hagel is saying all the right things and just as Morsi from Egypt claims all his comments were taken out of context, likewise Mr Hagel will say the same with regards to sanctions on Iran, the “Jewish Lobby”,his desire to distance the US from Israel. At a time when Egypt is falling apart at the seems, Syria is in the middle of a Civil War with 60,000 dead, and Iran on the verge of making an atomic bomb, it is inconceivable that he will get approval no matter what he says.
Hmm, what you really mean is saying all the right things that obama wants to hear.
“What difference does it make at this point?”
Only a deranged Democrat would ask that question.
I’m sorry, but I wouldn’t give Hilary (whom he was quoting) that much credit. The Clintons are comos mentis, and fully responsible for their evil.
Compos
Just shows you what hypocrites the Democrats are. They hated Hagel while he was in the Senate, even though Hagel supported most of the more extreme liberal views when it came to foreign policy (as in dealing with Iran). Now, to the Democrats, there is nothing wrong with Hagel. Give me a break. I’d like to see him fillibustered in the Senate, forcing Obama to make one of his famous (or infamous, depending on how you look at it) recess appointments. Oh wait, didn’t a court recently just rule against that? Go figure.
Yes, the court ruled against those appointments, but what difference, at this point, does it make? (couldn’t resist)
Just as it took Red-baiter Richard Nixon to engage Communist China, so too will it require a proponent of soft engagement like Chuck Hagel to get touch with Iran. All American Jews should support the Hagel nomination to avoid accusations of dual loyalty. The liberation of Egypt from the Mubarak dictatorship represents a major foreign-policy triumph for Pres. Obama and Sec. Clinton. The MB is akin to the many volunteer Brotherhood and Sisterhood organizations of American churches and synogogues. Elvis is directing crop circles from a fleet of UFOs.
Perhaps because God comes before country.
…and the sun sets in the east. All facts that can be clearly proven in the internet.
You do all realize he is sarcastic?
The term dual-loyalty sounds like dis-loyalty. I have three loyalties,I am comfortable with all three and seldom find a dissonance: US, Israel, Spain. Unfortunately, because of that, my otherwise qualified son is automatically, I understand, rejected for employment by CIA: everyone’s loss.
Given that Dems control the Senate and the president is generally given his way on cabinet picks, it seems more likely than not that Hagel will be confirmed. Unless bipartisan opposition emerges, forcing Hagel to step aside or Obama to withdraw Hagel’s nomination, it’s not likely Democrats will go against him. Even if Hagel gets no Republican votes, GOP isn’t likely to filibuster a cabinet pick. The last time a nominee (John Tower) was rejected, the Senate and the WH were controlled by different parties.
I trust some person can tell me what the hell the Chief Executive of the Defense Department has to do directly with the Israel politics and with our relations with Iran. That si why we hire the Chief Objective of the State Department
Say what? What the heck is the chief objective of the state department?
And will someone please explain how we managed to hire this objective?
The chief objective of the State Department? Whatever Saudi Arabia wants.
Not when our relations with Iran should include bombing it. And while Israel does NOT want military help, it could use military and intelligence co-operation, not to mention resupply in case of war.
Also, here is something called the cabinet, where everyone gives their side. More to the point, there is something called the National Security Council, on which both State and Defense sit. There is a reason for this.
Otherwise, why have a civilain in charge of it?
The American Empire, RIP By Justin Raimondo Global Research, January 31, 2013
http://www.globalresearch.ca/the-american-empire-rip/5321211
I was listening to the hearing while working. Joe Manchin needs to get a room, he was gushing over Hagel, what a gross display. WV has a high number of Veterans, somehow, I don’t think this will play well back home. Manchin may not care because he just won re-election but our troops will take note when biofuel takes priority over troop needs.