New US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel landed in Afghanistan on Friday on an unannounced visit nine days after he was sworn into office, vowing to ensure a successful withdrawal of international troops. "We have a lot of big issues and challenges ahead as we prepare for a responsible transition," he told reporters on his plane before landing on Friday evening in the Afghan capital. mra/bgs/ia

While AIPAC donors know their pro-Israel group was powerless to stop Chuck Hagel's Pentagon nomination, many sounded off on the new US defense secretary for his past comments deriding a "Jewish lobby" in Washington. "I just don't think he was the right person for this job," said Vivian Ivry, one of several donors and delegates to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference and who spoke to AFP with resigned frustration about President Barack Obama's controversial pick to head the Department of Defense.

Looming budget cuts that will hit the US Defense Department from Friday will endanger the military's ability to conduct its missions, Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel warned. "Let me make it clear that this uncertainty puts at risk our ability to effectively fulfill all of our missions," said Hagel, whose agency's budget is set to be slashed by roughly $46 billion. In contrast with his predecessor Leon Panetta, who branded the cuts a "doomsday mechanism" and "fiscal castration," Hagel was more measured two days after taking office as defense secretary.

Looming budget cuts that will hit the US Defense Department from Friday will endanger the military's ability to conduct its missions, Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel warned. "Let me make it clear that this uncertainty puts at risk our ability to effectively all of our missions," said Hagel, whose agency's budget is set to be slashed by roughly $50 billion. mra/oh/dc