On Hagel, senators take wait and see attitude

President Obama’s nomination of former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel for the position of U.S. Secretary of Defense on Jan. 7 has lead to concern by members of congress and pointed questions lingering to be answered as the process moves forward.

“The work of protecting our nation is never done and we still have much to do. Chuck Hagel is the leader that our troops deserve; he is an American patriot,” Pres. Obama said when announcing Hagel’s nomination.

Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), who was just sworn into her seat, is a new member of the U.S. Senate Armed Service Committee and will participate in Hagel’s hearings, was unable to call and comment personally on the matter due to her international travel schedule; however, she released a statement regarding Hagel’s nomination on Jan. 7.

“I plan to closely review Senator Hagel’s record and look forward to meeting with him to discuss his views on America’s role in an increasingly dangerous world,” Fischer said.

“I will also have the opportunity to publicly question Senator Hagel during his confirmation hearing in the coming weeks. This process will be thorough and fair, and I look forward to participating in it.”

Criticism against Hagel seems to stem from his positions on Israel and Iran. While some critics call Hagel “anti-Israeli,” Hagel described in his interview with the Lincoln Journal Star after being nominated those allegations of his character as “falsehoods and distortions.”

Though Sen. Mike Johanns(R-Neb.) believes that Hagel has had a long, decorated career he still wants answers to Hagel’s previous controversial statements before he will comment on his approval or disproval.

“Chuck Hagel has a long career and he has served our country well. He is a Vietnam veteran and there are many things about this nomination that are very positive,” Johanns said.“But throughout his career he has made many controversial statements about the Middle East and our relationship with Israel. Now is the time for Chuck to explain those,” Johanns said.

The senator said that he is excited for the procedures to follow and the outcome of Hagel’s explanation will determine his vote.

“My hope is that he will have a very fair hearing and have an opportunity to make the case as to why he made the statements that he did. I am anxious to hear what he has to say,” Johanns said. “Until then I’m going to sit tight. I have not announced whether I will be a yes or a no vote.”

The President said he felt strong in his nomination and said he has no doubts that Hagel is the right person for the job - for the country and for troops overseas.

“As I saw during our visits together to Afghanistan and Iraq in Chuck Hagel our troops see a decorated combat veteran of character and strength - they see one of their own,” Pres. Obama said. “Chuck is a champion of our troops and our veterans and our military families.”

“Maybe most importantly Chuck knows that war is not an abstraction. He understands that sending young Americans to fight and bleed in the dirt and mud is something we only do when it is absolutely necessary,” the President Obama said.

Hagel, a two-time Purple Heart recipient, enlisted in the Army and volunteered for Vietnam, according to Pres. Obama. He served with his brother; each saving each other’s lives in battle.

“He has said he is geared towards the guy at the bottom who is doing the fighting and the dying. With Chuck, our troops will always know, just like Sergeant Hagel was always there for his own brother, Secretary Hagel will be there for you,” Pres. Obama said.

According to the President, Hagel would become the first person of enlisted rank to serve as Secretary of Defense, the first Vietnam veteran to lead the department and one of the few secretaries to have been wounded in war.

“To this day Chuck bares the scars and the shrapnel for battles he fought in our name. Chuck Hagel’s leadership of our military would be historic,” Pres. Obama said.

He added that from his travel to the Middle East with Hagel he believes the nominee understands what is needed to keep United States Forces strong while also keeping and creating needed allies.

“Chuck recognizes that American leadership is indispensible in a dangerous world. He understands that America stands strongest when we stand with Allies and with friends,” the president said.“As a successful businessman he also knows that even as we make tough fiscal choices we have to do so wisely and keep our military the strongest fighting force that the world has ever known.”

Pres. Obama said that Hagel’s choice to speak out in the past is one reason that drove him to nomination.

“Chuck represents the bipartisan tradition that we need more of in Washington. For his independence and commitment to consensus he has earned the respect of national security and military leaders, republicans and democrats,” the president said. “In the senate I came to admire his courage and his judgment; his willingness to speak his mind, even if it wasn’t popular, even if it defied the conventional wisdom, and that is exactly the spirit that I want on my national security team. When it comes to the defense of our country we are not democrats or republicans, we are Americans.”