Comments on Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman GEN Dempsey's 4 July 13 WaPo Opinion Piece: “The military needs to reach out to civilians”

In his 4 July 2012 Washington Post Opinion piece: “The military needs to reach out to civilians” (http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/general-dempsey-the-military-needs-to-reach-out-to-civilians/2013/07/02/b10c3bb0-e267-11e2-aef3-339619eab080_story.html) Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Martin E. Dempsey provides his explanation of why the disconnect between the general US population and the Military and offers some solutions. He contends: “The last decade of war has affected the relationship between our society and the military. We can’t allow a sense of separation to grow between us. As the all-volunteer force enters its fifth decade, civilians and the military need to maintain the shared understanding necessary for a healthy relationship.”

As someone drafted in 1966 as a high school grad who attended OCS with a US serial number, went to Vietnam as a young second lieutenant not yet old enough to legally drink and extended to return home a mature captain with a CIB; and who commanded four companies, was a combat battalion XO and a combat battalion commander leading both Draftee and VOLAR soldiers in peace and war, I bring a little different perspective to this discussion. I do agree there is a disconnect between today’s military and the average civilian but I believe the reason might be the difference in magnitude of the wars.

Let’s stipulate that all modern conflicts pale in comparison to World War II where the US population was “all in” and almost everyone was touched in some way by the war. The US lost almost half a million men out of a 1940 US population of 132 million. The 36-day Iwo Jima assault resulted in more than 26,000 American casualties, including 6,800 dead while the 82-day Battle for Okinawa, by far the bloodiest battle of the Pacific Campaign, lasted from early April until mid-June 1945 and U.S. (5 Army and 2 Marine Corps Divisions) casualties were over 62,000 with over 12,000 killed. And the Pacific was a side show compared to the casualties suffered in the European Theater. The Battle of the Bulge alone lasted 40 days (16 Dec 44 – 25 Jan 45) with over 81,000 U.S. casualties and 19,000 killed. This was ALL OUT WAR!

But since WWII, the US has engaged in several conflicts varying in scope from Korea to Afghanistan but a review of the significant ones might provide some insight into why the average American has become so increasingly disengaged. Discounting the skirmishes between Vietnam and our present wars where our military saw minor combat in Grenada (total lost from all causes = 19), Panama (24), and The Gulf War (293), since WWII the US has committed major combat formations in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Korean War lasted just over 3 years (37 months) and total in theater losses were 36,516 or 32.4 killed per day and the 1950 US population was 151 million. Korea was fought initially by the peacetime draft-lapsed Army but quickly resorted to both calling up the reserves and National Guard and the Draft. Hence, most Americans were deeply involved and likely knew someone in combat and even someone killed.

Although The Vietnam War lasted 10 years, 51,585 of the total 58,220 killed occurred during the real 5 years (1966-70) of the war when we were heavily engaged (at the height of that war in 1968 we were losing 50+ a day killed and in May 1968 alone we had 2416 Killed!). For comparison, 1967-69 were the years of heaviest combat where 39,361 were killed in theater or 35.9 killed per day; and the 1965 US population was 191 million. Very few reserves and National Guard were called up for the war and the military did rely heavily on the draft although the Washington Post in a 1986 in depth examination of who actually fought the Vietnam War entitled "The Myth of the Vietnam Vet" stated: "The man who fought in Vietnam is typically depicted as a draftee, unwilling and probably black. In fact, 73 percent of those who died were volunteers and 12.5 percent were black (out of an age group that comprised 13.5 percent of the male population)." Regardless, most American communities were touched by the War, either knowing a causality or in fear of a loved one being drafted and sent to War.

Our latest Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are much different than these previous conflicts in that they are being waged with a totally volunteer force and the causalities are so much lighter than before. The US Military was engaged in Iraq from 2003 to 2011 and US losses were 4486 from all causes out of a 2010 US population of 309 million. For comparison the three most combat intense years were 2005-07 where 2573 were killed or an average of 2.35 per day. Afghanistan causalities have been even lighter and since 2001 to present 2229 have been killed. Again for comparison, the three years of heaviest combat were 2009-2011 with 784 total killed or an average of .72 killed per day.

I believe every service member’s life is precious so I wouldn't diminish the death of a single one but since 1972 we’ve had an “all Volunteer” Military so those of us who served signed up for it knowing the dangers so I hope none of us is looking for sympathy. My point, over the years we Warriors have become detached from the general population. Fewer serve because fewer are needed. Because our engagements result in fewer causalities, very few Americans even know a Soldier let alone one that has been killed. When GEN Dempsey says “Children of those in the military are far more likely to join than the children of those who are not.” He is stating something that has always been true. In my case, the Military was “the family business;” my father was a career Officer and my immediate family of father, brothers and my kids have well over 100 years of active duty in uniform. And I just come from the typical “military family.”

I would make one final observation as someone who over a 30 year career went from draftee Private to Full Colonel: over the 238 years the US Army has existed, weapons and tactics might have changed but soldiers are soldiers and they have not. The draftee I led in Vietnam and the Volunteer I saw when I was in Afghanistan or the many I served with in the intervening years have all shown the same dedication and professionalism that I suspect were exhibited by all those of previous generations of service members. Although maybe a little more disconnected from the general population than those of some previous conflicts, they are Americans first and we should all be proud of those who serve.

In writing this I am not trying to offer a solution or even suggesting we need a return to the Draft, I’m just offering an alternate perspective as to why the disconnect exists between the military and American population exists.

Penny Pritzker, Our Next Secretary of Commerce - Finally the "One Percent" Get's a Seat at the Cabinet Table!

I congratulate President Obama on his selection of Penny Pritzker to be his new Secretary of Commerce – a GREAT choice. Finally, there will be a champion of that sector of the electorate that the President derisively termed “the one percent” during his 2012 campaign. Finally, a “strong voice” for the rich that will advocate lower taxes for the wealthy and support “off shore” banking to avoid taxes. Finally a “seat at the Cabinet table” for wealthy investors who know “how the game is really played” and how to manipulate the rules to make her rich class richer and avoid paying their “fair share.” In other words, a true successful American businesswoman!


At the beginning of his first term in early 2009, President Obama floated her name for a Cabinet post but relented in the face of opposition from the Liberal press, especially the New York Times, who identified her as “one of world’s most notorious Tax Cheats and money manipulators.” As a fall back, he quietly named her to his White House Economic Recovery Advisory Board on 6 Feb 2009 –but even that did not go unnoticed by that citadel of Liberalism, the New York Times!

Here is what the NY Times had to say about Pritzker when her name was floated then as a possible Secretary of Commerce: "it had never made sense for Ms. Pritzker to become a nominee. 'The confirmation hearing could have been quite ugly' .... In 1988, the Pritzker family and another wealthy investor took over a failing savings and loan and turned it into Superior Bank. Ms. Pritzker was its chairwoman from 1991 to 1994, after which she sat on the board of the bank’s holding company.... concentrating on packaging subprime mortgages into securities.... regulators later discovered accounting irregularities that overstated the value of its assets. The bank was forced to write down huge losses, leaving it without adequate capital... A 2002 report by the inspector general of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation concluded that 'the failure of Superior Bank was directly attributable to bank management and the board of directors' ...Pritzkers agreed in 2001 to pay the F.D.I.C. $460 million .... The family also increased its wealth by exploiting loopholes in the tax code, including setting up a series of offshore trusts that sheltered their assets from taxes.

The I.R.S. fought several battles with the Pritzkers over the arrangements. But the agency was hindered by foreign bank secrecy laws that concealed what the Pritzkers owned. In 2002, a few cracks appeared in the wall of secrecy when two young Pritzker heirs filed a lawsuit claiming their older relatives had looted their trusts. The litigation revealed that the family was worth at least $15 billion, that it was held in some 950 trusts...."

With this obviously unfair criticism by the NY Times but knowing he would need that paper in his 2012 reelection as his propaganda arm, Obama decided not to nominate Penny back in 2009. But with all elections now safely behind him, Penny will be our next Secretary of Commerce. To date her hearings have been a veritable love fest with Republicans welcoming her as “one of their own” (in practice if not in party identification) while Democrats who unfailingly support Obama, regardless the issue, will let her nomination sail through. And don’t expect any Senator to do anything to derail this nomination like questioning her ethics or implying she is a Tax Cheat; there will be no questions during her confirmation and certainly none from the IRS who, in keeping with how they treat all BIG Dem contributors, long ago dropped all efforts at getting her to “pay her fair share.”

Remembering on Memorial Day - 2013, but Especially WWII and The Greatest Generation

As a Vietnam combat Vet who spent 30 years in the Army (and have been in Afghanistan as a civilian), I honor ALL those killed in defense of our country but this Memorial Day 2013, I will especially remember those lost in World War II. All other modern Wars pale in comparison to that fought by our “Greatest Generation” and I’m proud that both my Father and Mother served overseas in WWII.


To put World War II in perspective, compare it to our other modern wars and conflicts.

In the almost 12 years we’ve been in Afghanistan (Oct 2001-Today/27 May 2013), we’ve lost 2174 military killed from all causes in country and the surrounding regions and the breakdown of those lost is: 70.0% Soldiers, 19.7% Marines, 4.7% Airmen and 5.6% Sailors. Hence, like in all wars, the Army has done the overwhelming bulk of the fighting and dying there.

In the 9+ years we were in Iraq (Mar 2003-until our withdrawal), we lost 4472 military killed from all causes in country and the surrounding regions. Again, the breakdown was: 73.7% Soldiers, 22.8% Marines, 1.2% Airmen, 2.3% Sailors (+ a single Coast Guardsmen) so the Army did the “heavy lifting” in Iraq also.

Between Vietnam and our present wars, our military also saw combat in Grenada (total lost from all causes = 19), Panama (24), The Gulf War (293).

The Vietnam War lasted 10 years but 51,585 of the total 58,220 killed occurred during the real 5 years (1966-70) of the war when we were heavily engaged (at the height of that war in 1968 we were losing 50+ a day killed and in May 1968 alone we had 2416 Killed!)

The Korean War lasted 3 years and one month (Jun 1950 – Jul 53) and total US Killed was 36,516 (that averages ~32+ killed a day).

But ALL these conflict pale in comparison to World War II where the US lost almost half a million men. The Battle of the Bulge alone lasted 40 days (16 Dec 44 – 25 Jan 45) with over U.S. casualties 81,000 and 19,000 killed. The 36-day Iwo Jima assault resulted in more than 26,000 American casualties, including 6,800 dead while the 82-day Battle for Okinawa lasted from early April until mid-June 1945 and U.S. (5 Army and 2 Marine Corps Divisions) casualties were over 62,000 with over 12,000 killed.

To me, the real heroes of WWII were the men of the 8th Air Force (one of 16 numbered Air Forces in the War). The 8th AF sustained more than 27,000 killed; that’s more than the entire Marine Corps (24,500) lost in that war. I will never understand how men had the courage to board those bombers day after day knowing they would often sustain 40-50% casualties on a single mission.

Like all Memorial Days, I honor ALL who've served and especially who made the ultimate sacrifice but I reserve a special place for the Heroes from World War II and especially my Mother and Father!

Wahington Post Fact Checker Awards Obama 4 Pinocchios for his Benghazi Claim - Doesn't Candy Crowley Deserve at Least 6!

If Glenn Kessler, the Washington Post Fact Checker, awarded President Obama on 14 May 2013 his highest acknowledgment of Four Pinocchios (see below), for his mega-whopper: Claim he called Benghazi an ‘act of terrorism,’ then Presidential debate moderator (and part-time CNN hack but full time Democrat shill) Candy Crowley’s ultra-mega whopper during the debate is worthy of at last six!


When Republican presidential candidate Romney charged that President Obama failed to call the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi an "act of terror," Crowley decided she would enter the debate on the President’s side. Romney had correctly responded to a question by stating: “it took Obama days to call the Benghazi attack an act of terror” when, for some unexplainable reason, Crowley felt compelled to “assist” Obama by joining the debate on his side and erroneously stating: "He did in fact call it an 'act of terror."

This below Washington Post Fact Check should finally set the record straight and show Crowley for the partisan and less than honorable Democrat shill she is. If CNN were truly the non-partisan news outlet they claim to be, Crowley would have been gone the day after the debates. By keeping Crowley on the air almost eight months after her outrageous debate conduct, CNN has demonstrated how impartial they really are.

As for President Obama, seems there is no limit to his ability to lie to the American public. Here almost nine months after Benghazi and in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, he continues to try and “spin the same yarn.” Seems he adheres to the Stalin philosophy that: “if you tell the same lie long enough, people will begin to believe it." This might be acceptable for a CNN hack but is it for a sitting President?

Neocon COWARDS Like Krauthammer, Kristol, Stephens and Rubin Dishonestly Gang Up Against 2-Time Purple Heart Recipient Hagel's SecDef Nomination

See my below article: Let's ALL Get Behind Former Army Sergeant and Two Time Purple Heart Recipient Chuck Hagel to Be the Next Secretary of Defense! for a full explanation of why Chuck Hagel will be a superb Secretary of Defense but lately I have become increasing incensed by the unfair and outright dishonest venom being spewed against him by the likes of Charles Krauthammer and the other Right-wing neocon columnist arrayed against his nomination.  These COWARDS include the Wall Street Journal’s Bret Stephens, the Weekly Standard’s Bill Kristol and the Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin.

All these “columnists” have one thing in common.  Unlike Hagel, none of these chicken hawks have ever donned a uniform let alone shed a drop of blood or even a bead of sweat, in defense of this nation!  

To reiterate something I’ve already said, those questioning Former Army Sergeant Chuck Hagel’s credentials to serve as Secretary of Defense should ponder Shakespeare’s famous St. Crispin's Day Speech delivered by Henry V before the Battle of Agincourt to see if there might be a subconscious reason for their bias.

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.

Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,

For he today that sheds his blood with me

Shall be my brother; …
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's Day.

As an old infantry sergeant with two Purple Hearts, Hagel isn’t afraid or opposed to war (he voted for the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts) but he also knows the horrors of it so would only resort to as the last and unavoidable option, unlike his Chicken Hawk neocon critics who “hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's Day.”

For those who might attempt to excuse Krauthammer’s draft dodging during Vietnam when he became draft eligible in 1968, the most deadly year of the war when almost 17,000 troops were Killed in theater, because he was he was paralyzed in a diving accident; don’t forget that happened in 1972 after US combat troops had been withdrawn.  Charles had plenty of opportunity to participate in defending his country if he hadn’t been too busy hiding out with draft dodgers and deserters in Canada at McGill University or with fellow draft dodger Bill Clinton at Oxford during the height of the conflict.

If you want to know how I really feel about Former Army Sergeant and Senator Chuck Hagel becoming the next SecDef, check out my previous Blog article!

District of Columbia Homicide Rate Has Dropped Every Year Since the 2008 Landmark Supreme Court Ruling Making It Legal for Law-abiding Residents to Own Guns

Again this year the Washington Post New Years Day headline boasts: “Homicides decrease in Washington region.”  The New Years Day 2012 headline was: As homicides fall in D.C., rise in Prince George’s, numbers meet in the middle.  This year’s article also proudly notes that DC Homicides dropped to 88 in 2012 while the 2011 number was 108, in 2010 it was 132 and in 2009 it was 140.  As it does every year The Post also noted the homicide statistics for the surrounding Maryland and Virginia DC suburbs but again this year makes no attempt to compare the rates among the various jurisdictions.

A cursory analysis of the stats in this article might reveal why the Liberal WaPo avoids any analysis --- could it be because it would clearly demonstrate a dramatically inverse relationship between homicide rates and restrictions on gun ownership? 

Using the US Census Bureau’s latest population estimates, DC with 617,996 people had 88 homicides in 2012 for a rate of 14.2 per 100,000 people. The two Maryland DC-suburbs of Montgomery County and Prince George’s County have 1,861,027 with 78 homicides for the same period for a rate of 4.2 per 100,000. The three Virginia suburbs of Alexandria City, Arlington County and Fairfax County have 1,460,997 people with 21 homicides for a 1.44 per 100,000 rate.

This reveals that a DC resident, where gun ownership is still very restricted is almost ten times more likely to be a homicide victim than a “gun loving” Virginian where gun ownership is almost unrestricted.  Even a Marylander, with moderately strict gun laws, is almost three and a half times less likely to be a homicide victim than a DC resident. Much better than DC but a Marylander is still almost three times more likely to be a homicide victim than one of us “gun tottin” Virginians.

Now I’m not opposed to registration and some reasonable limits on ownership such as terrorists, ex-cons and the mentally unstable but there should be no restrictions on ownership by average citizens – anywhere in the US. There is a “God-given” right of self protection, especially in one’s own home, and a gun is the only way to exercise that right. One has to go no further than right here in our own DC-area backyard to clearly demonstrate that contrary to liberal rhetoric, it is an “inconvenient truth” that “guns actually do make us safer.” Case in point, Virginia has by far the laxest gun laws and the least gun violence of any of the surrounding jurisdictions. Additionally, the DC homicide rate only began declining after the Supreme Court ordered the loosing of DC gun ownership laws in 2008. Is the fact that this dramatic drop coincided with this landmark court decision coincidence or might there be a cause-effect relationship? Could it be criminals are not so anxious to attack law-abiding citizens if they might be "packing heat?"

The obvious message in these statistics - guns make us more and not less safe!.

While we’re addressing restrictions on guns, here’s a riddle for you.  What do New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Congressman Gerald E. Connolly (D-VA) and Obama advisor David Axelrod all have in common other than they all three trashed NRA CEO Wayne LaPierre for suggesting to have armed officers in schools to protect children?

Answer:  they all live in Democrat controlled jurisdictions that have ARMED Officers in their schools and two of them, Bloomberg and Connolly, were the local elected officials responsible for them being there!

In a recent press conference Mayor Bloomberg dismissed the plan saying “I think it’s a terrible idea. We don’t need (armed officers) in our school system” but it turns out the NYPD already has 350 armed officers who rotate throughout the school system.  Congressman Connelly describe the idea of allowing armed guards to carry firearms in schools as “reprehensible” and “outrageous” but for his entire time as Fairfax County Board Chairman (2003-2008) he assigned armed police officers to be on campus at all times during the school day in ALL county high schools and intermediate schools.  Chairman Connolly’s actions were consistent with Bill Clinton’s 2000 $60M "Cops in Schools" program.

While we’re at it, here are a couple other interesting (and maybe) inconvenient FACTS:

In any given year in this country there is one child drowning death for every 11,000 residential swimming pools or 550 children under the age of 10 drown every year in our 6 million pools. Meanwhile there is one child killed by a gun for every one million (plus) guns in this country or with about 200 million guns, approximately 175 children under 10 die. This means a child is over 100 times more likely to drown in a pool than be killed by a gun. Hence, banning residential pools is a much more effective way of protecting children than banning fire arms.

In Switzerland, every male adult is issued an assault weapon for militia duty and required to keep it in his home. As a result, Switzerland has the highest per capita rate of guns in homes in the entire World yet is one of the safest places to live. Fire arm deaths in Switzerland is .56/100,000. Compare that to the United States where Assault Weapons are heavily regulated and automatic ones are outlawed and our rate of fire arm deaths is 2.97/100,000 per year. That means an American is 5.3 times more likely to be killed by a gun in the United States than someone in Switzerland where everyone and their brother has an automatic assault weapon. Go figure!

Let's ALL Get Behind Former Army Sergeant and Two Time Purple Heart Recipient Chuck Hagel to Be the Next Secretary of Defense!

Those questioning Former Army Sergeant Chuck Hagel’s credentials to serve as Secretary of Defense should ponder Shakespeare’s famous St. Crispin's Day Speech delivered by Henry V before the Battle of Agincourt to see if there might be a subconscious reason for their bias.

From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered,
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers.
For he today that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition.
And gentlemen in England now abed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's Day.

Question:  What do Florida Senator Marco Rubio, Bill Kristol (Weekly Standard), Texas Senator John Cornyn, Bret Stevens (Wall Street Journal), Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey, New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte, and Abe Foxman (Director, Anti-Defamation League) all have in common other than trashing former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel in an effort to derail his potential nomination as Secretary of Defense?

Answer: unlike Chuck Hagel, none of them have ever donned a uniform let alone shed a drop of blood or even a bead of sweat, in defense of this nation!

Sergeant Hagel was leading troops in combat as a 9th Infantry Division Infantry Squad Leader in Vietnam (67-68) and earning the Combat Infantryman Badge, two Purple Hearts, the Army Commendation Medal and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry among other decorations, before many of his critics were even born although some like Foxman, Kristol and several others were certainly of an age where they were eligible to serve with Sergeant Hagel if they had had the guts.

There are still enough metal shards from a Viet Cong mine embedded in Hagel’s chest that he sets off metal detectors in airports and the scars on the left side of his face from another mine explosion a month later can scare young children.  His younger brother Tom was assigned to his squad and the first time Chuck was struck by shrapnel it was his brother Tom that stopped the bleeding and saved his life. During that second mine attack a month later, the roles were reversed and Chuck rescued Tom who was knocked unconscious in the explosion. Seems heroism runs in his family and his father was even a WWII Vet.  Once confirmed, Chuck Hagel will be the first Secretary of Defense with a Purple Heart since Elliot L. Richardson during the Nixon administration.

“Stopping a war is a hell of a lot harder than starting it, and Chuck understands that,” said Bob Kerrey, another former Nebraska senator and Vietnam Medal of Honor recipient. “Sometimes it provokes cries from the right that he’s soft. But it’s just that he’s experienced it, and it animates him.”  Hagel once told a Library of Congress Veterans History Project interviewer in 2002: “thinking to myself, you know, if I ever get out of all of this, I am going to do everything I can to assure that war is the last resort that we, a nation, a people, calls upon to settle a dispute. The horror of it, the pain of it, the suffering of it. People just don’t understand it unless they’ve been through it.”

An independent thinker, Hagel was often uncomfortable at Republican caucus meetings especially when Vice President Dick Cheney attended, as Cheney would give “him the hairy eyeball” but hostility from the White House or party leadership never muted Hagel as his Vietnam experience gave him the boldness to speak independently.  It’s hard to intimidate a combat veteran by threatening to withdraw a committee assignment.  About the only way a Draft Dodger like Cheney could have hurt Hagel was to give him a paper cut while handing him the meeting agenda!

Another example of Hagel’s independence is President Reagan appointed him deputy Veterans Administration administrator in 1982, but he resigned over a disagreement with his boss, VA Administrator Robert P. Nimmo.  He opposed Nimmo cutting the funding for VA programs and his referring to veterans groups as "greedy," and to Agent Orange as not much worse than a "little teenage acne."

Among his defenders and supporters, most of whom are also former military and often combat vets, is IN Senator (and former Navy Lieutenant) Richard G. Lugar, a foreign policy mentor to Hagel who is leaving the Senate.  Lugar calls Hagel “an excellent candidate” and predicts “most senators who served with Chuck would be favorable to his nomination.”

Two top former Republican defense officials also support Hagel.  Former Bush 43 Deputy Secretary of State (and 3 tour Vietnam Vet and former Navy Lieutenant Commander) Richard Armitage, says of Hegal “I happen to know the guy. He’s not owned by anybody, he happens to think for himself, and this apparently causes some fear in some cases. He’s got an unerring bullshit sensor, he’s got real stones, and he doesn’t mind telling you what his opinion is, which will stand him in very good stead in the Pentagon if the president nominates him.”

Retired Air Force Lieutenant General Brent Scowcroft, a former Ford and Bush 41 National Security Adviser calls Hagel “one of the most well-respected and thoughtful voices on both foreign and domestic policy. At an uncertain time in America – with a significant debt burden, a polarized Congress, and a host of challenges facing the international community, I am confident Senator Hagel will provide a vibrant, no-nonsense voice of logic and leadership to the United States.”

Even Washington Post liberal columnist Dana Milbank defended Hagel in his 18 December column calling Hagel’s pro-Israel legislative record one which reflects “an infantry sergeant who isn’t opposed to war (he voted for the conflicts in the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq) but knows the grim costs of going to war without a plan… indicative of a decorated military man who, unlike some of his neocon critics, knows that military action doesn’t solve everything.”

Nobody can ever predict how well a Defense Secretary nominee will perform, case in point Les Aspin, or if Hagel will be a good manager during this pivotal time in Pentagon history. With the US Afghanistan combat role ending and budgets shrinking, refereeing the infighting among the services for resources is going to require all the finesse of an NFL Official.  Hagel brings some obvious strengths to the job.  As a Republican and genuine military hero, he provides the “street cred” for executing the Afghanistan withdrawal that only a combat veteran can bring and the withdrawal will succeed only if our military leaves an Afghanistan that can hold together.

Hagel’s military record is surely one big plus.  Rhode Island Senator (and former Army Major) Jack Reed says of Hagel “He’s a guy who knows how to talk to the troops and has walked in their boots. He’s blunt, direct and impatient with pettifogging. In these traits, he’s similar to the current secretary, Leon Panetta, and his predecessor, Bob Gates. And like both of them, Hagel has a temper.”

Hagel will handle the tough, no-nonsense-boss part of the job with no problem but he’s more blunt than nuanced and nobody ever called him a defense intellectual so it remains to be seen how he is at steering Pentagon procurement decisions in this age of technology and officiating as the Joint Chiefs mud wrestle over budgets.  Fortunately, to help him Hagel will have as the Deputy Secretary Ashton Carter who has a wealth of experience at Defense including having served as the Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics (USD AT&L), the official responsible for procurement decisions.  Hagel will have no problem saying NO to the Chiefs and their logrolling allies on Capitol Hill and with Carter as his Deputy and chief operating officer to help, I’m confident he’ll skillfully manage the complex spending and strategy decisions.

The most formidable obstacle to his getting the job, that I’m comfortable he’ll successfully negotiate, is the array of neoconservative journalists who are ganging up against him and trying to smear him as an anti-Semite despite his votes for the Iran Nonproliferation Act, the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act and the Iran Missile Proliferation Sanctions Act. He even co-sponsored resolutions opposing any unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state and praising Israel’s efforts “in the face of terrorism, hostility and belligerence by many of her neighbors.” He also co-sponsored legislation urging the international community “to avoid contact with and refrain from supporting the terrorist organization Hamas until it agrees to recognize Israel, renounce violence, disarm and accept prior agreements.”

The Right-wing neocon columnist arrayed against him include the likes of the Wall Street Journal’s Bret Stephens and the Weekly Standard’s Bill Kristol and they all have that one thing in common I previously mentioned, unlike Chuck Hagel, none of these chicken hawks have ever donned a uniform let alone shed any blood or even sweat, in defense of this nation! 

As an old infantry sergeant with two Purple Hearts, Hagel isn’t afraid or opposed to war (he voted for the Balkans, Afghanistan and Iraq conflicts) but he also knows the horrors of it so would only resort to war as the last and unavoidable option, unlike his Chicken Hawk neocon critics who “hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks that fought with us upon Saint Crispin's Day.”