The Week December 12-18

NATION

Les Aspin Resigns

Secretary of Defense Aspin stepped down, and President Clinton nominated Bobby Ray Inman, a former admiral, deputy director of the CIA and head of the National Security Agency, as his replacement. Reports made it clear that Aspin was forced out. He had been at the center of controversy since the beginning of his tenure, when he was caught in the middle of the fight over allowing gays in the military. His disorganized, professorial style alienated many in the Pentagon, and in October he was criticized in Congress for his not sending armored vehicles to troops in Somalia...