Special to WorldTribune.com

WASHINGTON — Senate Republicans have expressed alarm that Defense
Secretary-designate Chuck Hagel would abandon the U.S. campaign to stop Iran
from producing nuclear weapons.

In one of the most bitter nomination fights in years, Republicans have
warned that Hagel was a supporter of Iranian interests to enable Teheran to
complete its nuclear weapons program. The senators raised the prospect that
Hagel might have received funding from elements aligned with the Teheran
regime over the last few years.

“In my view, if Chuck Hagel is confirmed it will make military conflict
in the next four years substantially more likely,” Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas
Republican, said.

A member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Cruz cited an
endorsement by the Teheran regime of Hagel’s nomination by President Barack Obama. The senator said this was unprecedented and reflected Iran’s confidence that Hagel would encourage Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

“If that occurs, the chances are far greater that our young men and
women will be sent into harm’s way,” Cruz, who angered both Democrats and several Republicans, said on Feb. 12.

Other Republicans said they were stunned by the Iranian endorsement of Hagel. They also questioned Hagel’s refusal to identify some $200,000 in fees over the last few years.

“You can’t get any cozier [Iranian endorsement of Hagel] than that,”
Sen. James Inhofe, an Oklahoma Republican, said.

On Feb. 12, the Senate Armed Services Committee voted along party lines
and approved Hagel’s nomination 14-11. The nomination was scheduled to be
discussed on the Senate floor on Feb. 15 amid a Republican threat to
filibuster.

“This is the first time in the history of the country that a
presidential nominee for secretary of defense has been filibustered,” Senate
Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid said.

Republicans said Hagel represented plans by the Obama administration to
reconcile with Iran and accept its uranium enrichment program. They also
cited the intense opposition to Israel by Hagel, a former Republican
senator.

“There are very few people with his voting record when it comes to Iran
and Israel,” Sen. Lindsey Graham,” a South Carolina Republican, said. “There
are very few people who have been this wrong about so many things.”

  GOP filibuster, GOP raises alarms over Hagel’s ‘cozy’ relationship with Iran, Sen. James Inhofe, Sen. Lindsey Graham, Sen. Ted Cruz, Senate Armed Services Committee