Whether he was fired or only encouraged to resign from his position as secretary of defense, Charles Timothy "Chuck" Hagel's departure was seen by many in Washington as inevitable. It underscored the disturbing reality of chaos, which has plagued the White House's foreign policy of late.

Hagel, a Vietnam combat veteran, believed the Iraq War was a mistake. As a result, he was never comfortable as a spokesperson for a president who has become increasingly hawkish and has micromanaged policy with a small cadre of "yes men."

Days before Hagel appeared alongside Obama in the Rose Garden to announce his resignation, he learned the president had decided to ramp up American military operations in Afghanistan in 2015 even though the White House had previously announced an end to all military operations in that country.