Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has come under scathing attack in recent days for his positions on national security and foreign policy. http://politi.co/vLyIg3 Republican rivals have said his positions are a threat to the existence of Israel and would allow Iran free development of nuclear weapons. Rick Santorum recently referred to Paul as “scary.” Newt Gingrich indicated that Paul was not a “serious” candidate. And in a blistering piece, the Manchester Union Leader recently called Paul “a dangerous man.” http://politi.co/uwZ4ck
Politico Arena asks: Could Ron Paul’s positions be a threat to the safety and security of America? Or are rivals and critics simply beating the war drum as the Iowa events draw closer?
BENJAMIN:
Rep. Paul is NOT a "dangerous man." As an avowed libertarian, Ron Paul believes that his policy positions ensure the safety and security of the United States and our individual liberties. Last night, I watched his speech before military veterans at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. The men and women there applauded his worldview and his desire to withdraw American forces from abroad. They, more than the chicken hawks in the GOP, know the dangers threatening America.
Ron Paul draws upon George Washington's admonition to "avoid foreign entanglements" and Dwight Eisenhower's forewarning of a growing "military industrial complex." Rep. Paul is only a danger to those advocates of foreign intervention and the perpetual war machine.
Dr. Paul is a throwback to the era when Americans believed that we were protected by two oceans. We have now added a nuclear arsenal capable of hitting targets anywhere on the planet. Paul wants the US to be Switzerland but with the means of defending ourselves and defeating our enemies decisively. He just does not see the value of picking fights or picking foreign winners and losers.
Ron Paul's fiscal and domestic policies are wanting. But he does raise good points about the Federal Reserve and US monetary policy. All Americans should welcome his questioning of the Patriot Act and the recent defense authorization that contains threats to our liberties and free exercise of political dissent. Our conflicting drug and alcohol control policies deserve discussion and resolution.
I think every American should welcome a candidate who is a breath of fresh air and gets us to think about complex and conflicting ideas, instead of reacting to soundbites and the utterances of half-wit candidates. He makes the debate interesting.
While I welcome Ron Paul's candidacy, the extreme views of his son, Sen. Rance Paul and other supporters concern me. Equally, the views of the other GOP candidates and their supporters concern me.
But think of how more dangerous it would be if dissenting voices such as Rep. Paul's were stifled.
I am not overly concerned, because I do not believe that Rep. Paul has any chance at securing the nomination. However, I do feel his foreign relations positions are wholly untenable in this age. His anti-Israel positions are of much concern and his naivete in world terrorism threats is frightening. Above all, anyone who seeks to throw responsibility on the United States for 9/11 has got to be classified in a non-thinking, non-reasoning and non-responsible category.