Fourth, the appointment of Hagel is a sign of profound disrespect for America’s soldiers. Here are people who put their lives on the line and expect to be properly led. Their lives should not be jeopardized or sacrificed lightly. By putting in a man clearly incapable of performing the job—who even admits that he cannot do it properly—it is telling them that their government doesn’t care whether they live or die.
And by the same token that selection makes it more likely that more of them will die.
Finally and ironically, Democrats and Obama supporters should oppose this nomination to save the president in spite of himself. Ensuring that he will get poor advice and have an incapable person in such a key position means that Obama will look far worse as his policies fail and crises blow up into defeats. Whether or not Obama likes it he should have someone there to explain why the president should or shouldn’t do something. It’s for his own good.
And, of course, for America’s good.
Originally published at Rubin Reports.
