Republican Obama 's nomination could be most contentious of President Obama 's second term . Columnist : Hagel nomination is Obama 's attempt to change terms of foreign policy policy . `` I am going to set the bar for war higher than George W. Bush , and I do n't think this is a simple and easy thing . '' Republican Hagel initially supported war in Iraq but later became an opponent . Beinart calls opposition over Hagel 's past comments about Israel a ` ` smoke screen ''
Republican Obama 's nomination could be most contentious of President Obama 's second term . Columnist : Hagel nomination is Obama 's attempt to change terms of foreign policy policy . Republican Hagel initially supported war in Iraq but later became an opponent . Beinart calls opposition over Hagel 's past comments about Israel a ` ` smoke screen ''