WASHINGTON (AP) — Sen. Susan Collins says she will oppose the confirmation of Chuck Hagel to become President Barack Obama's secretary of defense.
Collins, a moderate Republican from Maine who had been seen as a possible supporter of Hagel, said Wednesday that his views on the most critical threats facing the United States are "unsettling."
Collins said in a statement that Hagel was unwilling to ask the European Union to designate Hezbollah 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.
Collins said she would not join in a filibuster to block a final vote.
The Senate Armed Services Committee voted 14-11 on Tuesday to send Hagel's nomination to the full Senate.
