Hagel Undergoes Confirmation Hearing
President Obama doesn’t have anything on his public schedule Thursday, but he is likely to keep an eye on Capitol Hill and the confirmation hearing for Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel.
Hagel, criticized by Republican senators over Israel, Iran, and other foreign policy issues, will take questions from the Senate Armed Services Committee.
While the critics say Hagel has been too soft on Iran and its nuclear ambitions, the former two-term Republican senator from Nebraska took a hard line in written answers to questions from the committee.
Hagel warned of consequences if Iran defies global demands that it give up the means to make nuclear weapons, and and told senators: “If confirmed, I will focus intently on ensuring that the U.S. military is in fact prepared for any contingency.”
At this point, Hagel seems a good bet for confirmation.