November 24, 2014

Charles T. “Chuck” Hagel resigned this morning as secretary of the U.S. Department of Defense after less than two years in the position. Various newspapers have reported that Secretary Hagel has been sharply critical of President Barack Obama’s strategy in dealing with the Islamic State (ISIS) and with the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Mr. Hagel–a Vietnam War (1957-1975) veteran who as a senator (R., Nebraska) was skeptical about the Iraq War (2001-2011)–was appointed in 2013 to manage the withdrawal of forces from the Afghanistan combat and the shrinking Defense Department budget in the era of budget sequestrations (across the board federal budget cuts). Now, however, the U.S. military is back on a war footing with some 3,000 American troops deployed in Iraq to aid the Iraqi army battle ISIS jihadists in Iraq and Syria.

Charles T. “Chuck” Hagel resigned as secretary of defense of the United States in November 2014. (U.S. Senate)

Speaking at a White House press conference, President Obama stated that Hagel has been “no ordinary secretary of defense,” noting that he had “been in the dirt” of combat like no other defense secretary. The president confirmed Hagel will remain in the job until the Senate confirms his successor.

Additional World Book articles:

• The Middle East: From Fall to Spring (a special report)
• Syria: The Roots of a Rebellion (a special report)

September 3, 2013

President Barack Obama met with key congressional committee leaders to press for congressional approval of a military response to what American intelligence agencies believe was a chemical weapons attack by the Syrian government on its own people on August 21. The president told congressional leaders that any U.S. military strike on Syria will be “limited and proportional,” again declaring that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must be held accountable for the attack. According to U.S. intelligence agencies, the death toll from the attack on a Damascus suburb totaled 1,429, including 426 children. Secretary of State John Kerry, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Martin Dempsey also testified today before the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. Congress is expected to begin debate on the Syrian situation during the week of September 8.

A United Nations weapons inspector. (Reuters/Getty Images)

In Paris, French President Francois Hollande called for a united European response to the attack: “When a chemical massacre takes place,” he stated, “when the world is informed of it, when the evidence is delivered, when the guilty parties are known, then there must be an answer.” However, the British House of Commons voted on August 29 against participating in any military intervention in Syria.

Earlier today, the United Nations (UN) confirmed that the civil war in Syria has made refugees of more than 2 million Syrians. Many have fled Syria for either Turkey and Jordan. UN officials estimate that more than 100,000 people have died since the uprising against Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011.

Additional World Book articles:

• Chemical weapons convention
• Syria: The Roots of Rebellion (a special report)
• The Middle East: From Fall to Spring (a special report)
• Syria 2011 (a Back in Time article)
• Syria 2012 (a Back in Time article)