In Chuck Hagel and John Kerry, a wariness of war [View all]

An interesting http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2013/01/08/with-hagel-and-kerry-vietnam-lessons-loom-large/Hskd0oNjlh5hicZ5Noa3aL/story.html

WASHINGTON — President Obama’s nomination on Monday of Chuck Hagel for secretary of defense, coupled with his pick of Senator John F. Kerry for secretary of state, would put two Vietnam veterans known for their cautious approach to the use of military force at the helm of American defense and foreign policy.

Hagel has come under fire from fellow Republicans for comments about the undue influence of the “Jewish lobby” and what they see as his lukewarm support for Israel and reluctance to support tougher actions against Iran. The stances, along with his 1998 criticism of an openly gay diplomat, have also alarmed some Democrats.

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Hagel “knows that war is not a distraction and that sending young Americans to fight and bleed in the dirt and mud is something we only do when absolutely necessary, “ Obama said in announcing his selection to replace Leon Panetta, along with the nomination of the White House counterterrorism chief, John Brennan, to run the Central Intelligence Agency after the resignation of David Petraeus.

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Kerry’s Vietnam experience similarly played into Obama’s thinking when choosing a replacement for Hillary Clinton as the nation’s top diplomat.

“Having served with valor in Vietnam, he understands that we have a responsibility to use American power wisely, especially our military power,” Obama said in nominating the 69-year-old Massachusetts senator on Dec. 21. “And he knows, from personal experience, that when we send our troops into harm’s way, we must give them the sound strategy, a clear mission, and the resources that they need to get the job done.”

The proposed elevation of Hagel and Kerry marks a victory of sorts over their fellow Vietnam veterans who also went into politics, most notably Senator John McCain, the Arizona Republican who lost the 2008 presidential election to Obama and has espoused a more muscular vision of American power in Iraq, Afghanistan, and even toward Iran and Syria.

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Hagel and Kerry also opposed the Bush administration’s surge of US troops in Iraq in 2007, which McCain backed. Hagel did not support McCain’s presidential bid in 2008 and he traveled with then-candidate Obama to Iraq. Now Hagel will have his confirmation hearings before the Senate Armed Services Committee, where McCain is the top minority member.