While I have had some policy disagreements with Secretary Hagel, I would like to thank him for his service to the country. As the nation’s first Defense Secretary to be an enlisted combat veteran, Mr. Hagel brought a unique and important perspective to the Department. Just under a year ago, President Obama compared ISIS to a JV basketball team. Now ISIS represents one of the greatest threats in the Middle East and a major concern across the globe. The lack of vision from the White House on national security matters has been astonishing, and I am hopeful that the next Secretary of Defense will have the boldness and expertise to correct some of the Administration’s shortsightedness. I urge my Senate colleagues to hold a rigorous confirmation process for Secretary Hagel’s successor in order to ensure that our military is managed by a highly capable leader who will listen closely to the advice of our military commanders.
Posted on: Tue, 25 Nov 2014 12:25:54 +0000