Commentaries, Opinions, Analysis, And Editorials On The Firing Of U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel

How Obama Dumped Hagel -- Glenn Thrush, Politico

He ‘just wasn’t the man for the job,’ president concluded.



When President Obama first summoned Chuck Hagel to the Oval Office in October, he wanted to know how his Pentagon chief planned to cope with the dangerous new threat posed by the Islamic State that had drawn the reluctant president back into war in the Middle East, not to mention getting a sense of Hagel’s other plans for the final two years of Obama’s presidency.



But after several lackluster, low-energy sessions, Obama was so unimpressed by the performance of his laconic, self-effacing defense secretary that he decided Hagel “just wasn’t the man for the job,” according to a senior administration official. That set in motion the decision that led to Hagel’s decorous dumping on Monday by a president who almost never fires anybody—and never admits it when he does.



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Commentaries, Opinions, Analysis, And Editorials On The Firing Of U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel

Hagel Takes a Bullet for Obama: Inside the Defense Secretary’s Sudden Firing -- Shane Harris & Tim Mak, Daily Beast

Where did it go wrong for US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel? -- Jonathan Marcus, BBC

Obama, Hagel Couldn't Make Relationship Work -- Alexis Simendinger, Real Clear Politics

Chuck Hagel: The Fall Guy -- David Rothkopf, Foreign Policy

Hagel out; Obama’s inner circle is intact -- Debra J. Saunders, SFGate

Chuck Hagel’s resignation underscores defense rifts -- Philip Ewing and Jennifer Epstein, Politico

Hagel's exit from Pentagon still leaves administration divided -- W.J. Hennigan & Christi Parsons, L.A. Times

Chuck Hagel departure sets up new battle -- Kimberly Atkins, Boston Herald

President Obama needs to look in mirror about policies that are failing -- James Warren, New York Daily News

Pushing out Hagel not shake-up Obama needs -- David Rothkopf, CNN

Requiem for Chuck Hagel’s many Pentagon reviews -- Dan Lamothe, Washington Post

The Hagel Opportunity -- Thomas Donnelly, Weekly Standard

What Chuck Hagel Got Right -- Michale O'Hanlon, WSJ

On replacement, caution urged -- Eugene Robinson, Saint Louis Dispatch

Chuck Hagel’s far from first in his post 
to clash with President Obama -- Jaclyn Cashman, Boston Herald

A Shake-Up Stops at One -- Mark Landler, NYT

Hagel resignation viewed as inevitable by some -- Euronews

Hagel was 'a very loyal soldier' -- Deutsche Welle

Who On Earth Would Want to Replace Hagel? -- Aaron MacLean, Washington Free Beacon

Hagel move not seen scuttling efforts on innovation, warships -- Reuters

Hagel Exit Shows Obama Has Taken Power Away From Pentagon -- Jonathan Allen and Mike Dorning, Bloomberg Businessweek

White House seeks a stronger hand at Pentagon to manage crises -- Greg Jaffe and Rajiv Chandrasekara, Washington Post

Chuck Hagel's firing won't help U.S. foreign policy -- L.A. Times

Firing Chuck Hagel Won't Solve Obama's Foreign Policy Problems -- John B. Judis, New Republic

Hagel's Departure is Bad News for the Asia Rebalance -- Michael Green, Foreign Policy

Chuck Hagel: A Legacy -- Andrew Stiles, Washington Free Beacon