This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-21280203

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Chuck Hagel faces critics at confirmation hearing Chuck Hagel grilled in Senate confirmation hearing
(about 2 hours later)
Former Nebraska Senator Chuck Hagel is set to face criticism from fellow Republicans at a confirmation hearing to be the next US defence secretary. Defence Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel has talked tough on Iran while pledging to support a strong Israeli military, at a testy confirmation hearing.
It will be the first time he publicly addresses criticism from fellow Republicans that he is hostile to Israel and soft on Iran. Members of the Senate armed services committee are questioning Mr Hagel, who has been accused of remarks hostile to Israel and soft on Iran.
Mr Hagel was nominated by President Barack Obama to replace outgoing Defence Secretary Leon Panetta. The Republican former Nebraska senator told the panel he could not be defined by any individual quote.
If confirmed, he would be the first enlisted man to run the Pentagon. The hearing will lead to a final Senate vote on Mr Hagel's appointment.
He would also be the first Vietnam veteran to lead US forces. At Thursday's public hearing, Mr Hagel said: "No one individual vote, quote or statement defines me, my beliefs, or my record."
'Philosophically opposed' He said he was "fully committed" to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, with "all options" on the table.
In the past, the former senator has criticised the idea of a military strike by either the US or Israel against Iran. He has also advocated including Iran on future peace talks in Afghanistan. "I will ensure our friend and ally Israel maintains its qualitative military edge in the region," he added.
In responses to a 112-page questionnaire by the Senate Armed Forces Committee, Mr Hagel adopted a hard line on Iran. Heated exchange
He said he supported the US president's view that all options were feasible to stop that country from gaining a nuclear weapon. The BBC's Steve Kingstone in Washington says that in nominating a Republican as his next defence secretary, President Barack Obama reached out across party lines.
And he warned of "severe and growing consequences" if Iran balked at international demands. But it is from his own former colleagues on the right that Chuck Hagel faces skepticism, our correspondent says.
Mr Hagel has also been criticised for his remarks in a 2008 book against the Israel lobby in the US capital. Senator Jim Inhofe, the top Republican on the committee, said shortly after the hearing began: "Senator Hagel's record is deeply troubling and out of the mainstream."
A heated exchange followed as Senator John McCain asked the Pentagon nominee about a remark he once made that bolstering troop levels during the Iraq war was "the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam".
As Mr Hagel began to explain the comments, Sen McCain interrupted to say: "Do you think you were correct or incorrect, that's a direct question."
Mr Hagel replied that he would "let history decide".
Sen McCain answered: "I think the history has already made a judgment on the surge, and you are on the wrong side of it."
In the past, Mr Hagel has criticised the idea of a military strike by either the US or Israel against Iran. He has also advocated including Iran on future peace talks in Afghanistan.
He has been criticised, too, for his remarks in a 2008 book against the Israel lobby in the US capital.
"The Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here," Mr Hagel was quoted as saying. "I'm a United States senator. I'm not an Israeli senator.""The Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here," Mr Hagel was quoted as saying. "I'm a United States senator. I'm not an Israeli senator."
At least four Republicans on the panel have said they will not support Mr Hagel's nomination. His remarks in 1998 that a nominee for an ambassadorial post was "openly, aggressively gay" also raised eyebrows. He has since apologised for that comment.
Oklahoma Senator Jim Inhofe, the committee's leading Republican, has said he and Mr Hagel are "too philosophically opposed" on issues such as defence spending, nuclear weapons and the Middle East. If confirmed, he would be the first enlisted man to run the Pentagon, and the first Vietnam veteran to lead US forces.
Another key Republican, Senator John McCain, has said he would reserve judgment until after the hearing, but had "serious concerns" to raise at the panel.
Mr Hagel has the backing of at least 12 Democratic senators and one Republican in the wider Democrat-led Senate.