Ron Paul Slams Influence of Neoconservatives
Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) attacked neoconservative influence in Washington and defended his foreign policy in a packed rally on the eve of the Republican National Convention.
Paul is the sole candidate remaining from the primaries who has yet to endorse Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, who is set to receive the nomination this week in Tampa, Fla.
Paul told the crowd, packed to capacity in the Sun Dome, the University of South Florida stadium, that Republican leaders have told him that his monetary policies – which center on removing federal financial controls – are popular, but that he should change his foreign policy views in order to mainstream.
Paul, 76, swore that he would not.
“If I didn’t have the same policy that I do have, I don’t believe we would be here tonight,” he said to loud cheers.
He blamed “powerful special interests behind a foreign policy of intervention and the military industrial complex” for recent wars and said “neocons” are “all over the place, and they’re not in one place, they’re in all of the parties.”
Paul has been a tough critic of Israel and opposes assistance to the country and foreign assistance in general.
In his speech, Paul said a failure to take into account “blowback” from U.S. policies abroad had made Americans less secure, and said that if his views had prevailed, terrorists would not have attacked the united States on Sept. 11 2001.
The RNC refused to allow him a speaking spot at the convention, although it will present a video tribute.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.). Paul’s son, who was also at the rally and who shares his foreign policy outlook, will address the convention on Wednesday.
The convention has been shortened from four days to three because of the likelihood that winds from Tropical Storm Isaac will hit the area Monday evening.
Jewish events throughout the convention have been unaffected.
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
Now more than ever, American Jews need independent news they can trust, with reporting driven by truth, not ideology. We serve you, not any ideological agenda.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and the protests on college campuses.
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
