The US president confirmed the move on Monday. President Barack Obama has called on Republican hail last week to take this step, writes the New York Times.
The move came as a surprise. In Washington, it is speculated that Obama wants a different strategy in the fight against the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS). It was unclear on Monday, who should be Hagel’s successor.
The newspaper refers to the 68-year-old as the first high-ranking „victim“ of the recent congressional elections in which the Republicans have won the majority in both chambers of parliament. Hagel is the only Republican in the Democrat Obama’s restricted security team. The Vietnam veteran has only been in office since February 2013.
According to the newspaper, the resignation is also about the right strategy in the fight against the terrorist militia Islamic State (IS) in Syria and Iraq. The White House said that fighting ISIL would now require „other skills than bringing hail into office,“ the newspaper writes.
Differences over the US right wing Syrian attack on the White House have recently come. Although US jets have been bombarding vehicles and positions of the radical Sunni militia for more than three months – far-reaching successes have not yet been announced. Controversial is also how one could support Syrian rebels more in their fight against the Assad dictator in Damascus. Hagel had recently insisted there was no strategy change.
Hail is one of the very few Republicans who has been skeptical of the Iraq war in the past. His main duties as Pentagon chief included the withdrawal of US combat troops from Afghanistan and the implementation of austerity in the defense budget.
Possible successors include Michèle Flournoy, ex-under secretary at the Pentagon, and Democratic senator and military expert Jack Reed. (AP)
