Obama fires Chuck Hagel

**Nakura** · November 24, 2014, 10:20 AM

The US defense secretary has been fired after less than two years in office as the White House re-orders a national security strategy upended by the Islamic State (ISIS).

Chuck Hagel, Barack Obama's third Pentagon chief and a former Republican senator, will leave the Department of Defense just weeks after his spokesman said Hagel was looking forward to serving "for the remainder" of the Obama administration.

Two senior administration officials told the Guardian on Monday that a New York Times report of his exit was "correct", and said more details would be announced shortly by the White House.

Read more: http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2...ence-secretary

Good riddance. Now he just needs to get rid of John Kerry.

**Heathen Hammer** · November 24, 2014, 10:25 AM

Reminds me of an old Russian saying about "good" Tsar and "bad" boyars.

**Roma_Victrix** · November 24, 2014, 11:25 AM

Wow! Big ole news headline. I honestly didn't see it coming. I wonder if he did.

**Captain Jin** · November 24, 2014, 11:33 AM

The rumor is that the administration wants someone more hawkish to organize a more aggressive strategy against ISIS. There's also talk that they'll try to tap Jack Reed of Rhode Island, and a former officer in the 82nd Airborne, to replace Hagel, but Reed supposedly says he's not interested since he was just re-elected and wants to honor that. But who knows, politicians are always saying things to appear modest then swoop the better deal when it comes along.

**Papay** · November 24, 2014, 12:57 PM

I say bring back Donald Rumsfield

**justicar5** · November 24, 2014, 02:16 PM

Originally Posted by Papay

I say bring back Donald Rumsfield

Why settle for the lesser evil? Old Rumsfeld can hand ISIS a lesson in slaughter and torture, his actions make them look like complete amateurs.

**Roma_Victrix** · November 24, 2014, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by Papay

I say bring back Donald Rumsfield

Yeah, no thanks.

**mrmouth** · November 24, 2014, 01:45 PM

A rift emerged between Hagel and influential people in the DoD over the perceived, wider role in Afghanistan that the 10,000 strong US force will see. Hagel felt it will eventually creep into significant ground combat operations under the guise of support of Afghan troops. Hagel lost that fight and, the confidence of important people.

At least the conservative congress-critters who all but called him a traitor during his confirmation, are now saying nice things as the door hits him on the way out.