– Possible successors –
The White House did not say who would replace Hagel at the Pentagon, but in Washington three candidates are deemed to be in the running.
The former number three-ranking official at the Pentagon, Michele Flournoy – who would be the first woman to hold the top post is touted as the most likely choice, followed by former deputy secretary Ashton Carter.
Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island — a former army airborne officer — has also been cited as a plausible contender, but his spokesman told reporters that he was not interested in the job.
Confirmation hearings for the nominee will give Republican senators a platform to slam the Obama administration’s campaign against the Islamic State group, in the wake of elections that saw Obama’s fellow Democrats in Congress suffer a major defeat.
Some hawks are demanding bolder action, including the deployment of US ground units to help Iraqi and Kurdish forces in their battle against the jihadists.
As a senator, Hagel voted in favor of the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, but later became a critic of the drawn-out conflict that ensued.
Hagel’s combat experience as a non-commissioned officer who was wounded in Vietnam was seen as a strength as he took on the job.
But his public appearances have often appeared underwhelming as the administration struggles to adapt to new threats.
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