U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and envoy Christopher Hill persuaded George W. Bush to drop financial sanctions that were squeezing the North.

WSJ: Review & Outlook: Calling Kim's Bluff

President George W. Bush allowed his Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and lead North Korea negotiator Christopher Hill to give away this leverage in 2007 in return for Pyongyang's promise to come clean about its nuclear program.

WSJ: Review & Outlook: Cutting Off the Kim Family Cash

The task for Hagel, 66, going forward is to swiftly move past the protracted nomination battle, prove himself a strong and capable Pentagon chief, and repair relationships on Capitol Hill, said Fran Townsend, a former homeland security adviser to President George W. Bush.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS