In the Senate confirmation hearing, Chuck Hagel also faced a grilling from longtime friend and Senate colleague Arizona Republican John McCain over his views on the Iraq War.

Sen. John McCain: “Were you correct or incorrect when you said that the surge would be the most dangerous foreign policy blunder in this country since Vietnam? Were you correct or incorrect? Yes or no?”

Chuck Hagel: “My reference to the surge being…”

Sen. John McCain: “Are you going to answer the question, Senator Hagel? The question is: Were you right or wrong? That’s a pretty straightforward question.”

Hagel, who served in the Vietnam War, went on to clarify his current position with regard to Iraq.

Chuck Hagel: “That particular decision that was made on the surge, but more to the point, our war in Iraq, I think was the most fundamentally bad, dangerous decision since Vietnam.”

During his remarks at Thursday’s hearing, Hagel emphasized his support for Israeli dominance and for keeping all options on the table to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. He also affirmed his commitment to implementing Obama’s repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” and to addressing the issue of sexual assault in the military.