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Hagel was Fired for Blocking Obama’s Plan to Close Gitmo
Posted By Daniel Greenfield On November 25, 2014 @ 5:03 pm In The Point | 9 Comments
At least that’s what the latest White House leaks seem to be saying. They also credit Susan Rice, an official who shouldn’t even have a job, with engineering his firing.
In the view of White House officials, Mr. Hagel has helped to thwart Mr. Obama’s pledge to close Guantánamo with his concerns about the security risks posed by the release of detainees. He recently pulled back from plans to repatriate four Afghans who had been approved for transfer, a decision that annoyed Ms. Rice, officials said.
White House officials also expressed annoyance over a sharply critical two-page memo that Mr. Hagel sent to Ms. Rice last month, in which he warned that the administration’s Syria policy was in danger of unraveling because of its failure to clarify its intentions toward President Bashar al-Assad.
So the most anti-war Republican was still too hawkish for Obama. That really says something.
No one would have accused Hagel of being a hawk, but apparently he tried to do responsible things like oppose releasing terrorists who are bound to attack Americans again.
That “annoyed” Susan Rice and her protector in the Oval Office who is still bitter that he couldn’t make Rice Secretary of State. So wait till Kerry finds himself standing next to Obama.
But as the president spoke of the “blood and treasure and sacrifices” of enlisted men and women like Mr. Hagel, turning several times to try to address his defense secretary directly, Mr. Hagel stared ahead fixedly, declining to make eye contact with Mr. Obama.
Still better than Stalin’s retirement plan. Meanwhile Ted Cruz trolled Obama.
Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, suggested the administration consider former Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, urging the president to give “full and fair consideration for this critical position.”
But Mr. Lieberman’s views on national security echo those of Senator John McCain, who is sharply critical of Mr. Obama, and he would probably be viewed as far too conservative by the White House.
You don’t say. I doubt Lieberman wants the job or would be seriously considered for it, but Cruz has managed to remind everyone that a moderate Democrat and vice presidential candidate became too right-wing when Obama and Pelosi tilted the party far to the left.
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