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Chuck Hagel treated unfairly during hearings

I was appalled by how Secretary of Defense nominee Chuck Hagel was treated at his confirmation hearings in the Senate. This is man who volunteered for combat in Vietnam, and was awarded two Purple Hearts. Republicans showed him absolutely no respect. They barely questioned him on the many issues we face – they just berated him with demonstrably false smears and attacks.

Most notably, Republicans tried to force him to say the war in Iraq was the right war. Thankfully, he refused. But what the episode showed is that this is not a fight about Chuck Hagel. This is a referendum on neoconservative military policy of launching more wars like Iraq, maybe in Syria or Iran.

Chuck Hagel will make sure that never happens, and it drives the right insane. That’s exactly why he must be confirmed. Like many who served, Chuck Hagel will never send our troops into harm’s way as a first option- only as a very last resort.

John Brewer

Marietta

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