The era of blank checks to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is coming to an end, and the Pentagon faces a future of fewer troops and the likelihood of steep budget cuts.
Enter Chuck Hagel, President Obama's choice to lead the Pentagon in his second term/.../
A personal connection with Obama is another factor weighing in Hagel's favor, according to Andrew Krepinevich, president of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. Hagel and then-senator Obama served together on the Senate Foreign Relations committee.
"That counts for a lot in Washington," Krepinevich says. "You want to have that kind of relationship between the commander in chief and the Defense secretary."
Hagel's party affiliation could defuse some criticism from Republicans when the inevitable cuts come to the military's budget, Krepinevich says. Ultimately, Hagel's success, or lack of it, would come from his ability to help develop a national defense strategy, find the resources to implement it and placate competing constituencies at the Pentagon, Krepinevich says.
Hagel's tenure could be defined by withdrawing 66,000 U.S. troops from Afghanistan, dealing with China's rising military might and containing Iran's nuclear ambitions.
"One outstanding issue about him: Does he have the requisite management skills?" Krepinevich says.