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01/31/13 - Juice (blog) - Rubio to vote `no' on Hagel nomination

Citing a list of concerns starting with Cuba policy, Sen. Marco Rubio of
Florida announced on Thursday he would vote against the confirmation of
former Senator Chuck Hagel to be the next secretary of defense.

"I oppose his confirmation because of his views on U.S. policy toward
Cuba," Rubio said, "his past opposition to tough Iran sanctions, his
questionable comments in the past about U.S. support for Israel, his
support for direct, bilateral negotiations with North Korea and, most
importantly, my belief that he will usher in a new era of austere defense
budgets that will severely impede U.S. national security by hampering
readiness and radically limiting the global force projection of our
military."

Hagel, a Republican from Nebraska, is a long-time opponent of the U.S.
embargo of Cuba, which he has called "an outdated, outmoded, unrealistic,
irrelevant policy."

Like many farm-state senators, Hagel has opposed trade restrictions that
limit the ability of growers and others to develop a market in Cuba,
though some food sales are allowed.

Cuba policy was overshadowed by questions about Israel and Iran at Hagel's
Senate confirmation hearing on Thrusday, but it remains an important
consideration for Rubio and fellow Cuban-American Republicans, notably
U.S. Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Miami, who oppose
his nomination.

Some travel proponents in South Florida and elsewhere hope that Hagel, if
confirmed, and incoming Secretary of State John Kerry, another critic of
the embargo, will nudge the Obama administration to loosen the rules
limiting travel to Cuba.


Original Source / Fuente Original:
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/dcblog/2013/01/rubio_to_vote_no_on_hagel_nomi.html