From the Atlantic Council:  President Barack Obama today nominated Atlantic Council Chairman Senator Chuck Hagel to be the 24th US Secretary of Defense. Under Senator Hagel’s leadership since 2009, the Atlantic Council has grown significantly in its scope, size, and influence, adding new practice areas and regional centers that have expanded its global reach.

Upon Senate confirmation of Senator Hagel, General Brent Scowcroft, Atlantic Council International Advisory Board chairman and two-time US National Security Advisor, will serve as interim chairman of the Atlantic Council’s Board of Directors while a search for Senator Hagel’s successor is under way. . . .

Said General Scowcroft, “Senator Hagel is one of the most well-respected and thoughtful voices on both foreign and domestic policy. At an uncertain time in America—with a significant debt burden, a polarized Congress, and a host of challenges facing the international community—we are confident Senator Hagel will be able to provide a vibrant, no-nonsense voice of logic and leadership to the United States.”