Support For Chuck Hagel

Former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole has endorsed Chuck Hagel to be the next Defense Secretary.

Chuck Hagel has spent his entire life in service to his country. He volunteered to fight in Vietnam and did so bravely, side-by-side with his brother and earning two Purple Hearts. He served as Deputy Administrator of the Veterans Administration for President Ronald Reagan and was President & Chief Executive Officer of the World USO.

He represented the people of Nebraska in the Senate with honor for twelve years and was a coauthor of the Post-9/11 G.I. Bill. Hagel's wisdom and courage make him uniquely qualified to be Secretary of Defense and lead the men and women of our armed forces. Chuck Hagel will be an exceptional leader at an important time.

Retired Maj. Gen. Roger Blunt has also endorsed Hagel.

Among seasoned security professionals, there is little question Hagel is the right man for the job. He has received broad support from leaders on both sides of the political spectrum, including more than 50 U.S. ambassadors and numerous former national security advisers, including Brent Scowcroft, Zbigniew Brzezinski, James Jones and Frank Carlucci. Retired Gen. Colin Powell noted that he’s “a guy who knows veterans, knows the troops.”

This is not idle praise. Hagel’s understanding of the military is informed by his service to this country. He earned two Purple Hearts as a volunteer infantry squad leader in the Vietnam War. When a land mine exploded and nearly killed his younger brother, Hagel dragged him to safety, suffering blown eardrums and severe burns. Reflecting on that experience, he noted, “I’m not a pacifist. I believe in using force, but only after a very careful decision-making process.” Contrary to some of his critics, Hagel will not shoot first and ask questions later on issues of war and peace.

Sen. John McCain admitted that holding up Hagel's confirmation was political payback for Hagel's criticism of President Bush's handling of the Iraq war. Senate Republicans are now using an alleged Hagel link to the terrorist group Friends of Hamas. The only problem is Friends of Hamas doesn't exist. It is a bogus organization created by Andrew Breitbart lackey Ben Shapiro. Dave Weigel fact-checked Shapiro's story and could find no proof that the organization actually exists. That didn't stop right-wing media and bloggers from once again being suckered by the people at Andrew Breitbart's blog empire.

Republicans are so obsessed with blocking Hagel's confirmation that they are resorting to conspiracy theories. Hagel is likely going to get confirmed. Republicans made fools out of themselves for nothing.