Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) said Wednesday that President Obama made the wrong decision in using military force against Libya, arguing that the U.S. does not have a vital national security interest at stake and expressing worry that al Qaeda is among the rebels.



In an interview on NBC's "Today Show," Bachmann said humanitarian intervention is "apparently the new Obama doctrine" and "would be the basis for the United States to enter into one country after another. I don't think that's in the American interest."



The Minnesota Republican, who's weighing a run for president in 2012, said had she been in the Oval Office and faced with the choice of intervening militarily in Libya, "I would not have gone in."



Bachmann said she has concerns over the Libyan opposition, citing the testimony of U.S. Adm. James Stavridis before the Senate on Tuesday, who said intelligence suggests there are "flickers" of al Qaeda among the rebels.



"We don't know how much al Qaeda is involved in the opposition forces," Bachmann said. "Why would we want to strengthen al Qaeda's hand in North Africa? That certainly wouldn't be in the interest of the United States."



Bachmann also warned against arming the Libyan opposition, saying "we do not know enough about who they are and we also have not identified an American vital national interest. That must be done before the United States can intervene in another nation's affairs."