This week, the Senate will again be talking about former Sen. Chuck Hagel’s nomination to President Obama’s cabinet as Secretary of Defense to replace Leon Panetta. These discussions have a chance to prove one of two things: just how out of touch the GOP is with mainstream political opinions, or if working for a bipartisan cabinet, at any cost, would be worth it to the Republican Party.
Despite the fact the Hagel’s main opposition comes from Republicans, he is one of them, having held a Senate seat from Nebraska for over a decade before retiring in 2009. Hagel served in the Vietnam War and earned two Purple Hearts. As a senator, Hagel was a vocal supporter of the PATRIOT Act. He sat on the Committee on Foreign Relations and was a ranking member for the International Development and Foreign Assistance, Economic Affairs and International Environmental Protection subcommittees.
Even though Hagel was a member of the Republican Party, he was known for being a champion of President Bill Clinton in foreign policy from Yugoslavia to Russia. However, when it came to the Bush administration’s involvement in Iraq, Hagel was a heavy critic and often questioned the true motives and evidence for occupation of Iran and Afghanistan.
Hagel said “To question your government is not unpatriotic — to not question your government is unpatriotic.” He also controversially accused President George W. Bush for “playing ping pong with American lives” in his 2008 book “America: Our Next Chapter: Tough Questions, Straight Answers.”
Many Republicans have seen Hagel’s nomination to Secretary of Defense as an insult: he has opposed any increases in the defense budget and has even supported cuts in military spending. The opposition has gone so far as to accuse Hagel of being a “friend of Hamas” due to the simple fact he openly stated there should be direct negotiations with Iranian and Palestinian militant groups.
It is not just Republicans who have been opposed to Obama’s most controversial nomination. Hagel has been seen as an enemy of the LGBT community as well, especially after strongly opposing the appointment of an openly gay ambassador. The nomination threatens all the strides the LGBT community has made within the military in the past few years and could jeopardize the awarding of equal health benefits to same-sex couples in the military.
I believe, though, that Hagel has supporters where it matters: Israel and the United States military. Numerous past ambassadors of Israel have been incredibly supportive of Hagel’s nomination and his ideas on Israeli relations. Also, as Secretary of Defense, to have military ties along with endorsements by past military officers who once served with Hagel is incredibly relevant – much more so than that of conspiratory, unwarranted concern by the GOP.
The inability of the Senate to approve Hagel again goes to show just how unproductive the current Senate is. Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) has been the ringleader of the approval-hearing circus. I once used to truly respect McCain for his bipartisan leadership — however, in the past few months, that respect has been fleeting.
While in the Senate, McCain and Hagel were truly seen as friends and political allies. However, in 2007, Hagel did not endorse McCain in the primary and in 2008 would not support either McCain or Obama in the presidential election. Hagel claimed his lack of endorsement for McCain was due to “fundamentally disagreeing on the future course of our country’s foreign policy.”
Between this grudge match and McCain refusing to approve a vote until more questions about the 2012 Benghazi attack have been answered with claims of “cover-ups,” the Hagel hearing was filibustered. This is the first time ever the nominee for Secretary of Defense has ever been filibustered.
I have to commend Obama on this nomination — it is a gutsy one. Although I do not agree with Hagel on his views concerning the LGBT-military relationship, I cannot think of someone who would be better suited for Secretary of Defense. Hagel is always there to speak his mind and is not afraid to think outside the box. This nomination, along with the diplomatic relations and hope for bipartisanship, might just be what our country needs.