I'd like to respond to Bob Hendrick's letter ("Hagel is what the country needs," Feb. 14). Just the fact that all 14 Republicans on the Senate committee weighing whether to confirm former Sen. Chuck Hagel as defense secretary voted against their former colleague should raise an eyebrow.
Mr. Hendrick's premise that Mr. Hagel is a good and honest man does not make him a strategic leader, the top "watch dog" for the defense of America and western civilization.
Most of us are good and honest people, but most of us do not qualify to this position.
Mr. Hagel is suggesting appealing to the decency of the North Koreans, the Iranians and the Hezbollah. The Iranians caused thousands of American casualties in Iraq and Afghanistan by supplying the opposition forces. The Hezbollah murdered 240 Marines in one night in Lebanon. And the North Koreans threaten everyone with their nuclear weapons. President George W. Bush did not name them by mistake as the axis of evil.
Our most critical allies, whom we depend on, are extremely uncomfortable with Hagel's views: Japan and South Korea are critical to us for their electronics and electro-mechanical systems. Israel is critical to us for being our second Silicon Valley and for being our only "unsinkable aircraft carrier." And Saudi Arabia and the Gulf States are critical for their oil and gas.
Hagel is too small-minded for this job.
Hiram Cohen
Colonie