Obama expected to pick Hagel for Defense Secretary, neocons prepare all-out war

[Ban Hammer 12,829]

It's actually a clever pick for Obama. He is free to let Hagel be the front man for any crazy initiative the Obama advisers can come up with, giving Chuck all the rope he wants. If he succeeds, Obama can claim all the credit, and if he fails, Obama can yank him back, and lay all the blame at his feet. Obama can't loose. I have watched company commanders and battalion commanders do the same to junior officers, and senior nco's. Great entertainment when things get too routine.

that's also known as crappy leadership.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

[quote name=' timestamp='1357357740' post='5904016]

Putting "The Lobby" in its place is long overdue. As long as The Lobby doesn't get replaced by The Other Lobby.

America needs to stop taking sides in that part of the world and simply limit itself to its traditional role as arms dealer

Now that would really piss off the Israeli's. Israel has a history of selling arms and technology to all the world's pariahs, that even the Chinese or the French wouldn't sell to.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

that's also known as crappy leadership.

Sounds like somebody felt that rope being tugged.

It worked pretty well for us -- we could get away with almost anything, as long as we produced. For those that couldn't, there was no provision for redemption. Life is hard when it's up, or out.

Maybe it is different for engineers, but post commanders loved us by the time we left, no matter how nervous they were getting to know us.

Edited January 5, 2013 by The Patriot

[Ban Hammer 12,829]

Sounds like somebody felt that rope being tugged.

It worked pretty well for us -- we could get away with almost anything, as long as we produced. For those that couldn't, there was no provision for redemption. Life is hard when it's up, or out.

Maybe it is different for engineers, but post commanders loved us by the time we left, no matter how nervous they were getting to know us.

engineers always were a bit odd. didn't have time for that kinda fun and games in armor units.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

[quote name=' timestamp='1357357740' post='5904016]

Putting "The Lobby" in its place is long overdue. As long as The Lobby doesn't get replaced by The Other Lobby.

America needs to stop taking sides in that part of the world and simply limit itself to its traditional role as arms dealer

That's The Other Lobby right there.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

Actual question asked on Fox News Sunday:

John Roberts cites a quote from Hagel in which he said, "I will do everything I can to avoid needless, senseless war." And then Roberts asks, "Is that a reasonable position?"

[james&olya 1,121]

Actual question asked on Fox News Sunday:

John Roberts cites a quote from Hagel in which he said, "I will do everything I can to avoid needless, senseless war." And then Roberts asks, "Is that a reasonable position?"

Probably not in the Halliburton boardroom!

[Karee 4,189]

AIPAC will never let this happen. Obama better start looking for a new Secretary of Defense.

[james&olya 1,121]

AIPAC will never let this happen. Obama better start looking for a new Secretary of Defense.

Funny, I don't recall seeing AIPAC on my ballot!

[Karee 4,189]

Funny, I don't recall seeing AIPAC on my ballot!

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

AIPAC has its minions burning the midnight oil at this very moment, poring through Hagel's kindergarten records trying to find some dirt. But seems he's pretty clean and we've already heard the worst of the worst against him.

This could be a very tough nut to crack for AIPAC. It would have to really crawl out in the open to flex its power on this, and one thing it hates even more than Hagel is having bright light shining on its covert activities for the average American yokel to see.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

It's official - Obama says "Bring it on, Lobby !"

Obama taps Hagel for Pentagon, Brennan for CIA

In nominating Hagel, the president signaled he is willing to take on a tough confirmation fight.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama on Monday will nominate Chuck Hagel as his next defense secretary and counterterrorism adviser John Brennan to lead the Central Intelligence Agency, two potentially controversial picks for his second-term national security team.

Hagel, even before being nominated, has faced tough criticism from congressional Republicans who say the former GOP senator is anti-Israel and soft on Iran. And Brennan, a 25-year CIA veteran, withdrew from consideration for the spy agency's top job in 2008 amid questions about his connection to enhanced interrogation techniques during the George W. Bush administration.

Administration officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, say Obama will announce both nominations at a White House event Monday afternoon. Along with secretary of state nominee Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., Hagel and Brennan would play key roles implementing and shaping Obama's national security priorities in a second term. All three men must be confirmed by the Senate.

In nominating Hagel, Obama signaled he is willing to take on a tough confirmation fight. Once Hagel emerged as Obama's likely nominee, GOP lawmakers began sharply questioning his commitment to Israel and his willingness to take a hard line with Iran over its disputed nuclear program.

Hagel, a 66-year-old moderate Nebraska Republican, has criticized discussion of a military strike by either the U.S. or Israel against Iran. He also irritated some Israel backers with his reference to the "Jewish lobby" in the United States. And he has backed efforts to bring Iran to the table for future peace talks in Afghanistan.

White House officials say Hagel's positions on Israel and Iran have been misrepresented. They cite his Senate votes for billions in military assistance to Israel and his support for multilateral sanctions on Tehran.

Ben Rhodes, Obama's deputy national security adviser, said Hagel will be "completely in line with the president" on both issues.

"The president has a record of unprecedented security cooperation with Israel and that's going to continue no matter who the defense secretary is," Rhodes said.

Hagel has also been criticized by some Democrats for saying in 1998 that a nominee for an ambassador post was "openly, aggressively gay." He has since apologized for those comments.

Hagel is the second straight Obama favorite for a top national security post to face criticism from Capitol Hill even before being nominated. United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice withdrew her name from consideration for secretary of state amid charges from GOP senators that she misled the public in her initial accounting of the attacks on Americans at a diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya.

...

Hagel would replace retiring Pentagon chief Leon Panetta at a time when the Defense Department is facing potentially deep budget cuts. Hagel would also be tasked with overseeing the military drawdown in Afghanistan, where the U.S.-led war is scheduled to end in two years.

Hagel is likely to support a more rapid withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan than some military generals.

Sen. Mitch McConnell, the top Senate Republican, said Sunday he was reserving judgment on whether to support Hagel but predicted the former senator would face serious questions.

Any nominee must have "a full understanding of our close relationship with out Israeli allies, the Iranian threat and the importance of having a robust military," McConnell said on ABC's "This Week."

The second-ranking Senate Republican, John Cornyn of Texas, said in a statement that making Hagel defense secretary would be "the worst possible message we could send to our friend Israel and the rest of our allies in the Middle East."

Despite the criticism, no Republican lawmakers have threatened to try to block Hagel's nomination.

Monday's nominations leave Obama without a woman in line for a top administration post, a fact that has irked some Democratic women. The president will soon name a new treasury secretary, but current White House chief of staff Jack Lew is the front-runner for the post.

http://news.msn.com/politics/obama-taps-hagel-for-pentagon-brennan-for-cia

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

no way, seriously?