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Chuck Hagel resigns as the US defence secretary

US defence secretary Chuck Hagel is stepping down after criticism of the campaigns in Afghanistan...
Newstalk
Newstalk

16.08 24 Nov 2014


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Chuck Hagel resigns as the US...

Chuck Hagel resigns as the US defence secretary

Newstalk
Newstalk

16.08 24 Nov 2014


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US defence secretary Chuck Hagel is stepping down after criticism of the campaigns in Afghanistan and against the Islamic State.

President Barack Obama is to announce the former senator and Vietnam war veteran's departure later in the day in a statement from the White House.

The news was first reported by The New York Times and then confirmed by administration officials.

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Mr Hagel (68), a former Republican senator, has served as Pentagon chief since early 2013.

A senior defence official said Mr Hagel submitted his resignation letter to the President on Monday morning and that Mr Obama accepted it.

Both Mr Hagel and Mr Obama "determined that it was time for new leadership in the Pentagon", the official said, after the two men held discussions over several weeks.

Mr Hagel agreed to remain in office until his successor is confirmed by the Senate.

Mr Hagel served as senator from Nebraska and became a critic of US involvement in Iraq. He received two Purple Hearts for his service in the Vietnam War.

Reporter Dominic Waghorn said: "He has had outstanding differences with the close-knit team of advisors around the President, he's never quite managed to break into that."

"And over the last few weeks and months there have been real points of disagreement between him and other officials in the Pentagon … on the issue of ISIS, on the issue of what to do in Syria in particular."

Speculation had mounted in recent weeks over Mr Hagel's future in the administration, and he himself addressed those rumours during an interview on the Charlie Rose show last week.

"I don't get up in the morning and worry about my job. It's not unusual by the way, to change teams at different times," he said.

Top potential candidates to replace Mr Hagel include Michele Flournoy, a former under secretary of defence, and Ashton Carter, a former deputy secretary of defence.

Both were considered contenders for the job before Mr Hagel was named at the start of Mr Obama's second term.

Senator Jack Reed, Democrat of Rhode Island, is another possible contender.


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