Republican Senator Says she'll Oppose Hagel Confirmation over Hizbullah, Other 'Threats'

A moderate Republican senator has said she'll oppose the confirmation of Chuck Hagel to become President Barack Obama's secretary of defense over his “unsettling” views on Hizbullah and Iran and other critical threats facing the U.S.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins had been viewed as a possible supporter of Hagel, but she said in a four-page statement on Wednesday that Hagel was unwilling to ask the European Union to designate Hizbullah a terrorist organization in 2006, and he has been hesitant to back the use of all non-military options, such as unilateral sanctions, to pressure Iran into ceasing its nuclear program.

“While Osama bin Laden is dead and al-Qaida has suffered significant losses in Afghanistan and Pakistan, violent Islamist extremism has metastasized to other regions around the world, particularly to the countries in North Africa,” she said.

“The terrorist attack in Benghazi left four Americans dead, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, and an attack killed three Americans at an Algerian gas facility.  AQAP’s top bomb-maker is still at large, and Hizbullah and Hamas continue to rearm in Lebanon and Gaza.  Hundreds of rockets have been fired from Gaza into Israel, the vast majority fortunately stopped by the highly effective Iron Dome,” she added.

“Senator Hagel’s views on these critical threats are unsettling to me,” Collins stressed.

“With regard to Hizbullah, Senator Hagel was unwilling to ask the European Union to designate Hizbullah as a terrorist organization in 2006.  While 88 other Senators, including then-Senators Obama and Clinton, supported this reasonable request, Senator Hagel did not,” she said.

“Hizbullah has the blood of more Americans on its hands than any other terrorist organization besides al-Qaida, yet Senator Hagel refused to urge the EU to call Hizbullah what it is – a terrorist organization,” the senator said in the statement.

As Collins voiced her opposition, Democratic Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid set the stage on Wednesday for a full Senate vote on Hagel's nomination. Reid filed a motion to limit debate and force a vote, which is expected to be held on Friday. 

Democrats hold a 55-45 edge in the Senate and have the numbers to confirm Hagel on a majority vote, but would need the support of five Republicans to clear the way for an up-or-down vote on Hagel.