Former US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel challenges Obama Administration’s Syria policy, citing President’s indecision amid Assad regime’s chemical attacks.
Former US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has challenged the Obama Administration’s Syria policy in a lengthy interview, describing the President’s sudden decision in August 2013 to stand down a military response to the Assad regime’s chemical weapons attacks.
Hagel told Foreign Policy magazine that he was “stunned” when the President pulled back, after the Defense Secretary had approved final plans for Tomahawk cruise missile strikes against Damascus and as US naval destroyers were in the Mediterranean awaiting orders to fire.
“Whether it was the right decision or not, history will determine that,” Hagel said.
In September 2014, another political clash reinforced Hagel’s perception of the Administration’s uncertainty. Senator John McCain asked the Secretary during a Congressional hearing whether US-backed rebels would be supported if they were attacked by the Assad regime.
Hagel was unable to give a firm reply because the administration was still debating after weeks of discussion:
We had never come down on an answer or a conclusion in the White House. I said what I felt what I had to say. I couldn’t say, “No”. Christ, every ally would have walked away from us in the Middle East.
Pressed by McCain, Hagel finally said, “Any attack on those that we have trained who are supporting us, we will help them.”
The following month, Hagel sent a memorandum to Secretary of State John Kerry and National Security Advisor Susan Rice and copied it to Obama. The message was “we don’t have a policy”:
I was saying, “We’re not getting to where we need to be,” because I’m getting this from all of my colleagues around the world. All of my counterparts are coming up to me at NATO meetings and everywhere, saying, “What are you doing? Where is this going?”
