Courtesy of Mish.
The Financial Time reports Hagel nomination expected this week.
US President Barack Obama is poised to nominate Chuck Hagel as secretary of defence, setting the stage for a tough nomination fight focusing on the former Republican senator’s views on Israel and Iran.
The announcement by Mr Obama of a new Pentagon chief to replace Leon Panetta could come as early as Monday, administration officials indicated. Mr Obama returned from a holiday in Hawaii on Sunday.
Mr Hagel’s possible nomination has caused an uproar among neoconservatives over his questioning of sanctions and military action against Iran and his statement that a “Jewish lobby” intimidates Congress.
Many Democrats have been unenthusiastic as well, because he is a Republican and over a past statement criticising a Clinton-era diplomatic appointment as “openly, aggressively gay”.
But the criticism has been especially virulent from the right, with Israel conservatives labelling him borderline anti-Semitic and suggesting he was intent in making dangerously deep cuts to the defence budget.
Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator from South Carolina and a prominent defence hawk, said on Sunday he was inclined not to support his former Senate colleague because of his “antagonistic” attitude to Israel.
“This is an in-your-face nomination by the president for all those who are supportive of Israel,” Mr Graham told CNN.
Got That?
Democrats don’t want Hagel simply because Hagel is a Republican. The Republicans do not want him because he is not a war-monger.
That’s what this whole thing boils down to.
Why the War Party Fears Hagel
Let’s fill in the details with a look at Why the War Party Fears Hagel
Who is Chuck Hagel?
…
