Republicans should stop opposing Chuck Hagel, says John McCain Although Senator McCain said he does not believe Mr Hagel is qualified, he added: "I don't believe that we should hold up his nomination any further, because I think it's (been) a reasonable amount to time to have questions answered." Republicans have angered Mr Obama by delaying the formation of his second-term national security team, which includes Hagel, a former Republican senator from Nebraska, and John Brennan, the president's top counterterrorism adviser who's awaiting confirmation as CIA director. Critics contend that Mr Hagel, who snubbed Mr McCain by staying neutral in the 2008 presidential race when the Arizona senator ran against Mr Obama, is not supportive enough of Israel and is unreasonably sympathetic to Iran. The nomination also became entangled in Republican lawmakers' questioning of how the White House handled the Sept. 11 attack against a U.S. diplomatic mission in Benghazi, Libya. Republican senators also have challenged Mr Hagel's past statements and votes on nuclear weapons, and his criticism of President George W. Bush's administration lingers. Republicans last week held up a confirmation vote but have indicated that they eventually would relent and permit a vote when they return from their break on Feb. 25. Obama's chief of staff, Denis McDonough, said Hagel, a Vietnam combat veteran, was the right person to lead the Pentagon, and "has one thing in mind: How do we protect the country?" Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who's led the opposition with Mr McCain to Mr Hagel's nomination, said critics were "doing our job to scrutinise ... one of the most unqualified, radical choices for secretary of defence in a very long time." "But at the end of the day," said Mr Graham, "this is the president's decision. I give him great discretion. I can't believe one Democratic colleague is not upset by this choice enough to speak out.