Who Controls What

"I don't have to be President. I don't have to be a senator. I just have to live with myself."-Chuck Hagel

     In light of the recent nomination by President Obama of Chuck Hagel as Defense Secretary, lets examine who the man is. First, a little background. Chuck Hagel is a Vietnam War Veteran. He knows what war is. He then ran for Senate from the state of Nebraska. After two terms in the Senate he retired, but not before making his own mark. I would like to examine two topics that seemingly are being strong critiques to his nomination. The first being his view on war, and the second being his opinion on the defense budget. Let us dive into those two issues.
     First, Hagel has been criticized that he is soft on war. Back when Bush was about to invade Iraq, Hagel stood up and said he opposed the invasion. He sited the possibility that Iraq might not welcome U.S. presence, and also Iraq might spiral into more violence after our entrance. Back when first making this comment, he was criticized by his fellow Republicans. Now, the issue is coming back. Republicans are calling this Republican soft on war. It is amazed me how you can criticize this man with two Purple Hearts, and a significant combat experience on being soft on war. The truth is, he is the only one that knows what war is. The staunch Republicans that have sat on their asses their whole life do not know what war is, and now they decide to criticize it. That is my first issue with the opposition to Hagel.
     The second issue is that Hagel is being criticized for slashing the defense budget if his nomination is confirmed. Let us examine this topic from multiple angles. Hagel knows what money is. He was a ranking member on the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. His time in the Senate was largely spent on balancing and allocating money. To say he is incapable of controlling the defense budget is false; he can do it. The other issue that critics have made with cutting the defense budget is that it makes America week. The truth is, we will still be the strongest military force in the world, regardless of how much money the Pentagon has. We must realize that the world we live in today does not allow for free spending. The past five years have exposed our money issues. It is time we control that.
     Back to the quote, Hagel does not want to be a big name in politics. All Hagel has to do is live with the decisions he makes, something that I believe he is fully capable of. Hagel will not make decisions that benefit him or political hierarchy, he will make decisions that benefit the people. Also, I have a direct issue with the criticisms that Hagel has received about his views on war. This is a case where outsiders are wrong. I have been arguing that outsiders are usually neglected. However, this is a case where outsiders are wrong and should shut up. The Republicans in Congress that have no idea what war actually is are saying fight to the death. However, a man who has fought in war tells us to take a step back and consider war. He is not opposed to war, he only wants us to examine our decisions, and consider the consequences prior to our actions. Hagel will help with all of that.