Article on Rand defending Trump from neocon influence

[jct74]

Rand Paul Is Already Planning to Disrupt Trump’s Foreign Policy

BY ADAM WOLLNER
December 6, 2016

Since arriving in the Senate six years ago, Rand Paul has been a consistent thorn in the side of Democrats and Republicans alike on foreign policy. And that’s not going to change, even once a member of his own party occupies the Oval Office.

As Donald Trump has rolled out his Cabinet picks over the past few weeks, few members of Congress have been as outspoken about them as Kentucky’s junior senator, who had been laying relatively low after his exit from the presidential race in February. On the domestic front, Paul has been quite supportive, praising Trump’s selections to head the Health and Human Services, Transportation, and Education departments.
...

Given his perch on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—with its 10-9 partisan roster—as well as the GOP’s slim majority in the upper chamber, Paul is in a position to cause some serious headaches for Trump not just during the Cabinet confirmation process, but throughout the early stages of his White House tenure as his foreign policy begins to take shape.

“Rand is not the kind of guy to be a stick in the mud on everything,” said one Republican strategist familiar with Paul’s thinking. “But where he will put his foot down will be on the issue of foreign policy, and that should not come as any surprise to anybody in the Trump orbit.”

...

read more:
http://www.defenseone.com/politics/2...f=d-channeltop

[CaptUSA]

WTH?? That's hard to read.

Asterisks are a consistent thorn in the side of a thread reader.

[CPUd]

's/\*//g'

[Jamesiv1]

Rand Paul Is Already Planning to Disrupt Trump’s Foreign Policy

BY ADAM WOLLNER
December 6, 2016

Since arriving in the Senate six years ago, Rand Paul has been a consistent thorn in the side of Democrats and Republicans alike on foreign policy. And that’s not going to change, even once a member of his own party occupies the Oval Office.

As Donald Trump has rolled out his Cabinet picks over the past few weeks, few members of Congress have been as outspoken about them as Kentucky’s junior senator, who had been laying relatively low after his exit from the presidential race in February. On the domestic front, Paul has been quite supportive, praising Trump’s selections to head the Health and Human Services, Transportation, and Education departments.
...

Given his perch on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—with its 10-9 partisan roster—as well as the GOP’s slim majority in the upper chamber, Paul is in a position to cause some serious headaches for Trump not just during the Cabinet confirmation process, but throughout the early stages of his White House tenure as his foreign policy begins to take shape.

“Rand is not the kind of guy to be a stick in the mud on everything,” said one Republican strategist familiar with Paul’s thinking. “But where he will put his foot down will be on the issue of foreign policy, and that should not come as any surprise to anybody in the Trump orbit.”

..

[Brian4Liberty]

Interesting piece, but IMHO, it's anti-Rand propaganda. They are trying to divide and conquer, to throw an additional wedge between Rand and the GOP.

The false premise is that Trump is identitical to Graham and McCain. False, as they and their neoconservative cabal were Trump's greatest detractors.

Where Trump's foreign policy ends up is yet to be seen. The title of the article could just as easily be: "Rand Paul Is Already Planning to Defend Trump’s Foreign Policy From Neoconservative Influence".

[jct74]

Interesting testing piece, but IMHO, it's anti-Rand propaganda. They are trying to divide and conquer, to throw an additional wedge between Rand and the GOP.

The false premise is that Trump is identitical to Graham and McCain. False, as they and their neoconservative cabal were Trump's greatest detractors.

Where Trump's foreign policy ends up is yet to be seen. The title of the article could just as easily be: "Rand Paul Is Already Planning to Defend Trump’s Foreign Policy From Neoconservative Influence".

Good point. Title changed.

[Krugminator2]

“He’s free to do what he wants to do, but I can as*sure you that his views about John Bolton or Pet*raeus … are not shared by any*one but him,” Mc*Cain, the chair*man of the Sen*ate Armed Ser*vices Com*mit*tee, said of Paul. Asked if Paul’s role on for*eign policy will change dur*ing the new ad*min*is*tra*tion, Mc*Cain curtly re*spon*ded, “He has no fol*low*ing.”

McCain is a really nasty guy.

[anaconda]

Rand has generally taken the position that the POTUS should be granted significant leeway in his/her appointees.

[PierzStyx]

McCain is a really nasty guy.

He sin't entirely wrong either. Rand doesn't have a lot of friends in the party. Especially not among the ranking members.

[anaconda]

McCain is a really nasty guy.

A former captured guy is Chairman of the Senate Armed Forces Committee? I'd prefer a Senator that didn't get captured for this position.

[Krugminator2]

He sin't entirely wrong either. Rand doesn't have a lot of friends in the party. Especially not among the ranking members.

I am not sure how you want to define friend but the reason Rand has the opportunity to shoot down Bolton is because McConnell put him on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. That might have been more political payback. Obviously he doesn't have any ideological allies. Cornyn and Corker might not be ideological allies but they have at least publicly been friendly and accommodating when Rand wants to make a point.

[scm]

McCain is a really nasty guy.

Not as nasty as his friends


Nope, wait, I take that back. Just as nasty.

[PierzStyx]

I am not sure how you want to define friend but the reason Rand has the opportunity to shoot down Bolton is because McConnell put him on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. That might have been more political payback. Obviously he doesn't have any ideological allies. Cornyn and Corker might not be ideological allies but they have at least publicly been friendly and accommodating when Rand wants to make a point.

Politicians have to make friendly in public. That is what makes the party work, that and the political favor exchanges. That doesn't make them friends though. They'll knife him in the back as soon as look at him.