Max Cleland: U.S. military needs to come home, and Chuck Hagel ‘gets that’
Former Nebraska Sen. Chuck Hagel in a 2007 photo. AP file/Nati Harnik
When the Senate Armed Services Committee takes up the nomination of Chuck Hagel on Thursday, former Georgia senator (and committee chairman) Sam Nunn will introduce him. But another former Georgia senator will be in the room to support a fellow Vietnam veteran. Though he’s not scheduled to testify, Max Cleland has penned the following op-ed piece in support of the former Nebraska Republican senator:
Several years ago, I visited with Gen. Colin Powell when he was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. “How’s it going, General, I greeted him?” He replied that he had spoken to a civic group recently. He said a man came up to him and pointedly announced, “You don’t sound very much a hawk!”
General Powell told me he responded to the man by saying, “Tell you the truth, I don’t get paid to be a hawk. My job is to give the president the best advice on how to use the American military to stay out of war, but if we get in war win and win quickly.”
Former Georgia Sen. Max Cleland. AJC file
That’s the finest definition of a high-ranking Pentagon official’s responsibilities I’ve ever heard. It is the ultimate definition of the role of Secretary of Defense.
Chuck Hagel fits that definition perfectly.
Hagel is a fellow veteran of the Vietnam War. We were both wounded about the same time in the same year in the Tet Offensive in 1968. We both witnessed the slaughter on both sides. He and I still carry the shrapnel from our wounds.
Chuck is the living embodiment of General MacArthur’s observation that, “The soldier above all prays for peace because he must bear the deepest wounds and scars of war.” For that reason, Chuck is gun-shy about the willy-nilly commitment of American forces around the globe. I’m sure he agrees with another former chairman of the Joint Chief’s of Staff, Gen. Hugh Shelton, also a Vietnam veteran, who was fond of saying, “The American military is a great hammer, but every problem in the world is not necessarily a nail.”
Absolutely!
But, does that make Hagel a peacenik?
No!
The other part of the Powell equation (now known as the Powell Doctrine) says that when America goes to war, it must do so with overwhelming force in order to win, and win quickly.
Having spent a year of his youth in a war that went on for years, that bled America dry of blood and treasure, Chuck feels the necessity of this dictum in his bones. After more than a decade of war, this American military needs to come home. It also needs a leader in the Secretary of Defense who gets that fact.
Gen. Colin Powell has endorsed Chuck Hagel.
So do I.
- By Jim Galloway, Political Insider
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84 comments Add your comment
CC
January 30th, 2013
8:04 am
I just wonder what Obozo is planning? Joint police/MILITARY operations reported in Los Angeles, Miami and Houston? Helicopters, automatic weapon fire and grenades?
Hmmm . . .
southerngal
January 30th, 2013
8:26 am
Yes…we need to bring all our troops home…stop all aide to ME countries and those that support terrorists.
curious
January 30th, 2013
8:38 am
A Realist
‘but get getting drunk while on-duty and pulling the pin that set off your own grenade doesn’t qualify as a heroic action.”
Where did that information come from?
Wally
January 30th, 2013
8:45 am
Max Cleland is a waana be Hero.
Hero’s are not drunk dumbasses
Be Gone Max Cleland, you imposter.
We have had enough of you.
CC
January 30th, 2013
9:13 am
Wally:
I am no fan of Max Cleland, but your post is inaccurate, vile and derogatory. I suggest you learn a little about how Cleland was wounded. You might also do a little research concerning his earning the Silver Star.
http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Max_Cleland
Max C.
January 30th, 2013
9:21 am
Anybody seen my grenade?
Oops.
Attack Dog
January 30th, 2013
9:27 am
Can anyone name a Dixiecan US senator who has spent time in the miliary, let alone fight for our freedom?
curious
January 30th, 2013
9:29 am
Thank you CC.
It’s discouraging how political disagreement robs some of their Human Decency.
Attack Dog
January 30th, 2013
9:32 am
Even if Obama was planning to invade major cities, why would any Dixiecan think it would be where the people voted for him?
Attack Dog
January 30th, 2013
9:33 am
Sorry, military!
Wally
January 30th, 2013
9:41 am
CC,
I know plenty.You must be one of those people who believe if you read it on the internet, it must be true. Truth is it is very hard to find anything negative on Max these days.Time heals or hides all ?.
Max was and is a two faced, womanizing,lying, crippled ,grenade fumblin drunk, wanna be hero.
Sometimes the truth hurts.
Bob
January 30th, 2013
9:42 am
oldhippie, you and other leftists whine about Irag and afghanistan yet are silent on the amount of resources spent on democrat wars like Korea and Vietnam. Lets bring home all troops starting with those placed all over the world during dem admins. Why are we protecting Germany and Japan ? Why have we spent billions protecting S Korea ?
@oldhippie, “American voters do not want to continue the war in Afghanistan and want our troops brought home. NOW. I hate to break it to you wing nuts but this ain’t your daddy’s America anymore. Get use to it.”
Oldhippie, why do you leftists want our troops in Korea, Japan and Germany while most Americans want our troops brought home NOW ! Oh that’s right, Afghanistan was started during a repub admin, Korea by a dem admin so we will only concern ourselves with Afghanistan.
clem
January 30th, 2013
9:47 am
think td and aesop ought to serve in military then they can yap
Don't Tread
January 30th, 2013
9:49 am
General Powell gets it right, however I don’t see how that transfers to Chuck Hagel. The only connections between them are military service and being mentioned in Max’s op-ed.
Oh, and by the way Max, if you move to a blue state, it’s an easy win for a Senate seat, if you really want to be back in there.
clem
January 30th, 2013
9:51 am
dennis, aesop probably straight like lindsey graham.
curious
January 30th, 2013
9:57 am
Wally,
It must be terrible to have such a miserable life as you apparently do.
Maybe we need to form a prayer group just for you.
retiredds
January 30th, 2013
10:15 am
Hey folks, let’s have some perspective here, Aesop and CC are experts in all categories of: religion, politics, social mores, economics, fiscal policy, foreign affairs, domestic affairs (no pun intended), plumbing, construction management, horse racing, football scores, survivor techniques, military strategy, gun laws, color coordination in the home, dress codes, interpretation of ancient manuscripts, the Pauline Letters, how to achieve marital bliss, weight loss made easy, how to fix a flat tire, grilling made easy, five ways in how to appreciate those who disagree with you, methane gas dynamics, the ABC’s of American history, evil and all its constituencies, (I could go on but I’ll stop here). So listen to them with awe and give them the deference they deserve.
Gene
January 30th, 2013
10:25 am
Clelland is a good guy who got bad treatment from Chambless and GA voters. As a Vietnam veteran, I am all for Vietnam veterans serving in positions of influence.
Retired Soldier
January 30th, 2013
10:34 am
Bob-
You are correct, liberals hate wars when a republican is president, but are strangely silent when a democrat is president. The howls of protests for Bush and Iraq, Obama follows the Bush policy in Iraq and there is silence.
Obama involves the military in Libya without any congressional approval or notice, silence.
Obama expands the war in Afghanistan, silence.
Obama fails to close Gitmo, silence.
Dual standards.
Posted by Order of H. E. the Margrave of Azilia
January 30th, 2013
10:42 am
Retired: Is it really silence, or is it just that the batteries expired in your hearing aid?
Retired Soldier
January 30th, 2013
10:45 am
Azilla-
No hearing aid here. Would be happy to retract the post if you can prove me wrong.
Typical, can’t refute the truth so attack the messinger. Good job.
Posted by Order of H. E. the Margrave of Azilia
January 30th, 2013
10:48 am
Retired: If you would bother to do some basic Google searching before making your unsupported claims, you would find that there have been plenty of protests against Obama’s policies on Gitmo, drones, Iraq/Afghanistan, and on and on. I guess they don’t report these protests on whatever extreme-right media you watch, since that would be counter to their message that all liberals think alike.
curious
January 30th, 2013
10:50 am
Sorry about that.
I never would have believed all those Vietnam war protesters where Conservatives.
Posted by Order of H. E. the Margrave of Azilia
January 30th, 2013
10:50 am
Retired: Here’s some proof for you: http://www.codepink4peace.org/article.php?id=5194
Now retract the post if you have the integrity to admit that you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Posted by Order of H. E. the Margrave of Azilia
January 30th, 2013
10:52 am
More proof: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/14/us-nato-protests-chicago-idUSBRE84D0PH20120514
Retired Soldier
January 30th, 2013
10:59 am
Azilia-
Ok, have there been SOME protests, yes. My point was nothing compared to the Bush years. I don’t remember encampments outside Obama’s vacation spot, do you. If you think it is anywhere the same, you are wrong.
Posted by Order of H. E. the Margrave of Azilia
January 30th, 2013
11:10 am
Your point was “silence,” which is obviously not the case. The “occupy” protests were very much opposed to the Bush>>Obama military actions, and they received more publicity than ANY of the various anti-Bush actions.
Retired Soldier
January 30th, 2013
11:15 am
Azilia-
Not going to debate further, if you think people have protested and the media has covered Obama’s military policy like they did Bush, continue to live in your bubble.
curious
January 30th, 2013
11:16 am
The protesters outside the Bush compound were demonstrating against the idea that bogus intelligence got us into that mess. I would also contend that VP Cheney guided the intelligence community to its conclusions.
Obama hasn’t used any questionable intelligence to take us to war. The problem with Afghanistan is our Military-Industrial Complex doesn’t want to admit our involvement is a folly. Obama doesn’t want to be tagged with the “Cut and Run” image pushed so hard by the Conservatives.
It’s sad but the reality of politics.
Retired Soldier
January 30th, 2013
11:27 am
Curious-
Yeah yeah, see my 11:15 post. Contend all you want, where is the proof? Before you answer remember every intelligence orgainization in the world believed the same thing and had the same assessment. Guess the VP “guided” them too. Bet you think 9/11 was an inside job.
curious
January 30th, 2013
2:36 pm
Just in case. Probably every intelligence organization in the world follows our lead. Israel has a different agenda.
Looks like the UN weapons inspectors had better intelligence than we did.
Retired Soldier
January 30th, 2013
3:50 pm
Thank you for making my case with your non-answer,
curious
January 30th, 2013
4:28 pm
Actually, you are the non answer.
curious
January 30th, 2013
4:38 pm
Retired Soldier
Try this.
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB254/index.htm