"The defence secretary’s nomination - Hagelian dialectic" at the Economist

The defence secretary’s nomination - Hagelian dialectic

at the Economist

http://www.economist.com/news/united-states/21571885-far-scholarly-process-hagelian-dialectic

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AT A perilous moment of transition for America’s armed services, involving departure from Afghanistan, looming budget cuts and significant worldwide tension, the Pentagon is set to receive a civilian leader weakened by partisan attacks and doubts about his willingness to see military power used. As The Economist went to press, Barack Obama’s nominee for secretary of defence, Chuck Hagel, seemed likely, though not certain, to earn the Senate’s grudging endorsement.

Many attacks on Mr Hagel—a former Republican senator treated as an apostate after he turned against the Iraq war, opposed unilateral sanctions on Iran and criticised the influence of pro-Israel groups in Washington—have been over the top. On February 12th the Senate Armed Services Committee divided along party lines, with Democrats outvoting Republicans by 14 votes to 11 to send Mr Hagel’s nomination to the full Senate. Normally defence secretaries are given bipartisan support.

A Texas Republican, Ted Cruz, speculated at that meeting—without evidence—that if Mr Hagel could not provide the ultimate source of speaking fees received in recent years, it was “relevant” to wonder if the cash came from anti-Israel extremists, or “directly from North Korea”. The top Republican on the committee, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, endorsed critics who have called Mr Hagel “cosy” with terrorist states, citing reports that Iranian officials had voiced support for his appointment.

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