Salon.com > Senate Armed Services Committee

Graham, Rubio will likely vote against Hagel

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 22:37:00 +0000

After grilling Chuck Hagel on his comments about the "Jewish lobby," Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., said he will oppose Hagel's nomination to Defense Secretary. "It's not looking good," Graham told Foreign Policy. "I don't think he's been consistent over time on major issues."

Graham was just one of the Republican votes that Hagel lost during the hearing, which was often comabtive when it came time for Republicans to ask questions."I don't think he's going to be able the questions I'm going to have. I saw the hearing and I won't be able to support him," said Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., who is not on the committee, but said he reviewed what went on in the hearings.

"I have serious reservations about it," Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D,, also told Foreign Policy. "I know Chuck. He's a good guy. I like him personally. But I have serious reservations about him becoming the secretary of defense."

Graham grills Hagel on “Jewish lobby” comments

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 19:06:00 +0000

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., pressed Chuck Hagel about an interview in which Hagel referred to the "Jewish lobby." Graham asked: “Name one dumb thing we’ve been goaded into doing by the Israeli, Jewish lobby.”

The comments in question were from 2006, in an interview with Middle East analyst Aaron David Miller. "The political reality is that you intimidate, not you — that the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here," Hagel said. "Again, I have always argued against some of the dumb things they do because I don’t think it’s in the interest of Israel. I just don’t think it’s smart for Israel."

McCain and Hagel spar over Iraq troop surge

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 17:16:00 +0000

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., got heated with Chuck Hagel during the Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearings on Thursday, pressing Hagel on whether or not he was right in condemning the troop surge in Iraq in 2007.

McCain referred to comments Hagel made in 2007, when Hagel said that the surge would amount to the "most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam":

McCain: "This committee deserves your judgment as to whether you were right or wrong about the surge."

Hagel: "I'll explain why I made those comments."

McCain: "I want to know if you were right or wrong. That's a direct question. I expect a direct answer."

Hagel: "The surge assisted in the objective, but if we review the record a little bit."

McCain: "Will you please answer the question. Were you correct or incorrect when you said that the surge would be the 'most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam.' Were you correct or incorrect, yes or no?"

Hagel: "I'm not going to give you a yes or no, I think it's far more complicated than that."

Hagel ended by noting that his comments were about "not just the surge, but about the overall war of choice going into Iraq."