Why Republicans Can No Longer Be Trusted on National Security
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/war_stories/2013/02/chuck_hagel_s_nomination_as_secretary_of_defense_the_republican_senators.single.html
Why Republicans Can No Longer Be Trusted on National Security
Because their leaders have become shallow, ignorant, and totally unserious on the issue that matters most.
By Fred Kaplan|Posted Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013, at 6:22 PM ET
Its been clear, at least since the 2012 election, that
the Republican Party has abrogated its rolereally, abandoned any interestin shaping or seriously discussing American foreign policy. But only recently has this indifference shifted into toxic territory, and on Tuesday the fumes formed a poisonous cloud, the likes of which hadnt been witnessed in decades.
The occasion was the Senate Armed Services Committees vote on Chuck Hagels nomination as secretary of defense. In the end, Hagel pulled through, but only on a party-line vote (all Democrats in favor, all Republicans opposed) and after a debate that raised doubts less about Hagel than about the modern GOPs inclinationand the Senates abilityto oversee anything as consequential as national security.
Hagels Jan. 31 confirmation hearings had been appalling enoughnot just for his own lackluster performance, but
more for his inquisitors bizarrely narrow focus. They asked almost nothing about the issues that will face the next defense secretary: the budget, the roles and missions of the Army, the balance of drones vs. manned aircraft, the size of the Navy, the future of Afghanistan, or the pivot from Europe to Asia. Instead, they hectored the nominee about the adequacy of his fealty toward Israel, his animosity toward Iran, and whether he was right or wrong about the 2007 troop-surge in Iraq.
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Not to sound like a Golden Age nostalgic, but there once was a time when the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee prided themselves on having an understanding of military matters. They disagreed in their conclusions and sometimes their premises. But most of them worked to educate themselves, at least to the point where they could debate the issues, or ask questions of a general without coming off like complete idiots.
The sad thing about this new crop of senatorsespecially on the Republican sideis they dont even try to learn anything; they dont care if they look like complete idiots, in part because their core constituents dont care if they do either.
After Tuesdays vote, Sen. Levin adjourned the session, saying, We thank you all, and we look forward to another wonderful year together. The other senators laughed, but it really wasnt funny.