Rand Paul Op-Ed: Stop Warping Reagan's Foreign Policy

[tsai3904]

Stop Warping Reagan's Foreign Policy

by SEN. RAND PAUL, 10 Mar 2014

Every Republican likes to think he or she is the next Ronald Reagan. Some who say this do so for lack of their own ideas and agenda. Reagan was a great leader and President. But too often people make him into something he wasn’t in order to serve their own political purposes.

Reagan clearly believed in a strong national defense and in "Peace through Strength." He stood up to the Soviet Union, and he led a world that pushed back against Communism.

But Reagan also believed in diplomacy and demonstrated a reasoned approach to our nuclear negotiations with the Soviets. Reagan’s shrewd diplomacy would eventually lessen the nuclear arsenals of both countries.

Many forget today that Reagan’s decision to meet with Mikhail Gorbachev was harshly criticized (http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/06/07/think_again_ronald_reagan) by the Republican hawks of his time (http://articles.latimes.com/1987-09-06/news/mn-6253_1_arms-control), some of whom would even call Reagan an appeaser (http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/289159/gingrich-and-reagan-elliott-abrams). In the Middle East, Reagan strategically pulled back our forces after the tragedy in Lebanon in 1983 that killed 241 Marines, realizing the cost of American lives was too great for the mission.

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More:
http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2014/03/10/Rand-Paul-Reagans-Foreign-Policy

[angelatc]

Bumped because I just saw it elsewhere on the internet and rushed over here to see if it was already posted....


Here's a shot at Cruz:
"I don’t claim to be the next Ronald Reagan nor do I attempt to disparage fellow Republicans as not being sufficiently Reaganesque. But I will remind anyone who thinks we will win elections by trashing previous Republican nominees or holding oneself out as some paragon in the mold of Reagan, that splintering the party is not the route to victory.

[libertyplz]

Yea, I basically read this whole Op-Ed as being a direct response to Cruz without actually mentioning him by name.

[Kotin]

Bumped because I just saw it elsewhere on the internet and rushed over here to see if it was already posted....


Here's a shot at Cruz:.

Rand is so full of win.. Such a shark when he wants to be.

[FSP-Rebel]

The title of this masterpiece is on point.

[unknown]

A lot of win in this piece...


Today’s Republicans should concentrate on establishing their own identities and agendas, as opposed to simply latching onto Ronald Reagan’s legacy—or worse, misrepresenting it.

[SilentBull]

Just saw this on Drudge. Wow! Just awesome!

[TaftFan]

Rep. Raul Labrador shared this on Facebook...sounds like he is aligning himself with Rand.

[Anti Federalist]

Many forget today that Reagan’s decision to meet with Mikhail Gorbachev was harshly criticized by the Republican hawks of his time, some of whom would even call Reagan an appeaser. In the Middle East, Reagan strategically pulled back our forces after the tragedy in Lebanon in 1983 that killed 241 Marines, realizing the cost of American lives was too great for the mission.

Huzzah!

I remember this well.

[Jamesiv1]

Rand freaking rocks

[jtap]

Very nice. Thanks for posting.

[ClydeCoulter]

Perhaps a better way to respond than the interview that he "backed out on". Nice.

[DP714]

Perhaps a better way to respond than the interview that he "backed out on". Nice.

This article shows just how much of a boss, and how many steps ahead of Cruz, Rand is. Teddy is the more articulate and charismatic (I find him slightly douchey in his demeanor) speaker, and more quicker on his feet, so I do think he could pose a greater threat during the debates. However, I think stuff like these indirect, yet in-your-face, attacks/smackdowns in Rand's speeches and articles leading up to the debates will be where a large part of his battle against Cruz will be fought. It'll be a piece of cake for Rand Paul, Political Chess-master Extraordinaire.

[NoOneButPaul]

Man, Rand, is impressive as hell. I was worried after 2012 he'd water down the message. I was also gonna vote for him but I never saw myself supporting him the way I did Ron. But he's so GREAT politically that he finds a way to convey the message without, you know, dividing the party like he mentioned Cruz will.

That's the clear difference between him and Ron.

[specsaregood]

Teddy is the more articulate and charismatic (I find him slightly douchey in his demeanor) speaker

Personally I can't stand the way he speaks with his slow, halted, fake demeanor. It's like he is trying to speak to 8yr olds.....well maybe he is.

[Crashland]

Personally I can't stand the way he speaks with his slow, halted, fake demeanor. It's like he is trying to speak to 8yr olds.....well maybe he is.

Cruz is the tea party version of Romney. Preaches to the choir telling them what they want to hear right down the list of anti-Obama talking points. Severely lacking in depth and persuasive power.

[jbauer]

Just in case there was any question. Cruz isn't going to be stumping for Rand in 16. This is one of the biggest F yous I've seen from a politician in a long long time.

[William Tell]

Cruz is a lawyer, and he argues like a lawyer. I don't think it plays as well in politics.

[cajuncocoa]

Cruz is a lawyer, and he argues like a lawyer. I don't think it plays as well in politics.
An overwhelming majority of elected people are lawyers.

[nobody's_hero]

No one ever brings up Reagan's comment about 'underestimating the irrationality of middle eastern politics'. (I forget the exact quote, but it was a response to criticism from the hawks over the Lebanon pull-out).

[Warlord]

Great Op_ED Cruz should stfu

[tsai3904]

Reagan's son weighs in:
443410730633539584

[dillo]

Ronald Reagans foreign policy was nothing to be proud of