The New US Defense Secretary's Positive Address

America needs to work with the world, not dictate to it. After taking his oath, U.S. Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel addressed civil and military officials in the Pentagon, stating that although America is a powerful country, it cannot achieve its goals without strong allies. It needs to strengthen relations with other nations and be careful in its use of force.

The new American defense secretary’s statement offers a timely and accurate evaluation of the negative perception surrounding America’s international dominance. Prior to his address, Chuck Hagel faced criticism from the Republican Party on account of some of his views, such as his opposition to undue support of Israel and his opposition to military action against Iran. Hagel’s tendency to view situations realistically will help to improve the U.S.’ negative image, which is prevalent in the international community, particularly among Muslim countries.

He is absolutely in touch with reality when he asserts that America will not be able to achieve its goals without strong allies and that it must exercise caution in its use of force. America’s penchants for abandoning its allies when they are no longer useful and for its hasty use of force against other countries are well-known throughout the international community. Now, with Chuck Hagel’s finger on the international pulse, we hope that America’s policies will change for the better. We hope that the new secretary will make real efforts to diminish or completely eliminate the reasons behind the U.S.’ bad reputation.