Rand Paul: Israel building in Jerusalem is none of America’s business
It is “none of our business” whether Israel builds new neighborhoods in east Jerusalem or withdraws from the Golan Heights, and the US should not tell Israel how to defend itself, US Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) said Saturday night at the end of a week-long visit to the country…
Paul said he was not talking about anything different than what Netanyahu said in a 1996 speech to Congress, in which he advocated Israel gradually weaning itself of American aid dollars. Paul said this would benefit Israel and its defense industry, because it would not have to buy all its weaponry from the US, and that a curtailment of US foreign aid would also mean less money for arms for Israel’s neighbors…
Paul stressed that he was worried about giving weapons to Egypt at the present time, especially since he said Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi is listening to a spiritual leader calling for “the death of Israel and all its friends.” He said he was “very disappointed” that after giving Egypt some $60 billion in aid over the last 30 years, rioters there climbed the roof of the embassy last year, took down the US flag and burned it. “That should never have happened and is inexcusable,” he asserted.
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I love how Rand Paul thinks.
petefrt on January 13, 2013 at 9:49 AM
I just hope he says the same thing when reconstruction begins on the final Temple.
S.P. Link on January 13, 2013 at 9:52 AM
I freaking want to stand up, shout, and do the happy dance. He is EXACTLY right.
The next time somebody comes wailing to us about how the evil X are building Y “on my ancestral fields” (meaning the patch of dirt my raggy-a$$ terrorist grandpa squatted on), our response should be contemptuous laughter and a response to take it up with the UN.
Oh what I wouldn’t give for him to have run in 2012.
MelonCollie on January 13, 2013 at 9:53 AM
Day-um.! That was the RIGHT answer. From a Paul. Wow.
annoyinglittletwerp on January 13, 2013 at 9:56 AM
Arming both Israel AND Egypt at the same time is completely asinine. One of the stupidest and craziest thing Jimmy Carter did — and that’s saying a Hell of a lot.
So just eliminate the funding to Egypt, and cut Israel’s funding by the same amount. It’s a win-win.
logis on January 13, 2013 at 9:59 AM
Having an empowered and emboldened islamist extremist movement is America’s business. Backing Israel so that it is able to help us fight the islamist extremists is in our best interest.
astonerii on January 13, 2013 at 10:01 AM
Rand seems to have taken the best of his father’s libertarianism and melded it with the best of Constitutionalist conservatism. I like to think it’s the wave of the future.
petefrt on January 13, 2013 at 10:03 AM
This.
We have been pushing this melding here in the Pac NW by pushing the Campaign for Liberty to team up with our local tea parties as an affiliation coalition. It works and when we become unified, we will take over the GOP and make it ours.
The future is all we got. No point in getting depressed about the past.
platypus on January 13, 2013 at 10:09 AM
Sounding good. Keep it up.
aryeung on January 13, 2013 at 10:11 AM
Israel followed every rule of civilized conduct. They just moved onto completely worthless sand and built houses there.
Bear in mind that MILLIONS of the people who are criticizing Israel’s “invasion” of “Palestinine” are currently living in houses that they or their parents STOLE from Jews who were MURDERED — not just in Germany, but all throughout continental Europe. When are they planning to return those properties to the the rightful owners’ relatives?
logis on January 13, 2013 at 10:12 AM
Rand is the future for conservatives. Voting for endless spending and violation of constitutional rights such as the NDAA, FISA, gun control and etc is the way of the progressive and neocons.
MoreLiberty on January 13, 2013 at 10:12 AM
Spoken like a true neocon. Redistribution of wealth from the American taxpayer to foreign governments is wrong. If you want o donate you cash privately go ahead. But the govt shouldn’t take my $$$ and give it to foreigners or their governments.
MoreLiberty on January 13, 2013 at 10:15 AM
logis on January 13, 2013 at 10:12 AM
Excellent point. I am so stealing it.
And boy, am I surprised to find myself agreeing with a politician named Paul.
Meryl Yourish on January 13, 2013 at 10:34 AM
I consider myself a libertarian Constitutionalist, so to me at least, libertarianism (Rand Paul variety) and Tea Party are a near perfect fit.
Also, it seems a lot of libertarian types are under the radar, mostly hidden by the GOP banner. Their number may be larger than we think. Also, their number seems to be growing fast, thanks to the stunning overreach of the Obama regime.
petefrt on January 13, 2013 at 10:41 AM
Let me tell you what he didn’t say but believes in:
“If someone wants to nuke Israel, that is none of America’s business.”
Now some Paulians here will say “day-um” to that, too. However, from your comments here, I don’t think you’re part of that group.
Regards from Jerusalem.
Shy Guy on January 13, 2013 at 10:50 AM
Would you speak for yourself only and not assume that you speak for the 300+ million people in America? I, for one, am not interested in fighting a permanent war with Islam. I am also not interested in fighting any wars on behalf of foreign countries.
antifederalist on January 13, 2013 at 11:02 AM
Which country is planning on nuking Israel?
antifederalist on January 13, 2013 at 11:03 AM
Some of you forget that the American Patriots during the Revolution weren’t too proud to ask for MONEY & ARMS & MEN from the French government.
The Federal Govt has a DUTY to protect us from enemies foreign & domestic.
So if this is done better by helping an ally kill our enemy, I say money well spent.
Badger40 on January 13, 2013 at 11:08 AM
Rand Paul is one of the very few republicans I have some faith in; it has to do with his Libertarian leanings.
Panther on January 13, 2013 at 11:09 AM
I hope he doesn’t disappoint. I’ve watched him speak in Congress & I like his plan spoken-ness. He’s wonderful.
But I confess, since he’s not my state guy, I have not researched any of his voting record.
Badger40 on January 13, 2013 at 11:15 AM
And regarding allies, I understand our own George Washington warned against having entanglements.
He wished for us to remain neutral.
But I do not agree with that view. You cannot remain neutral on everything. Eventually everyone has to take a side in some things.
I do not, however, agree that our country needs to be the world’s peacemaker & nation builder.
It’s ridiculous how we’ve stretched ourselves.
Supporting Israel is a no brainer to me, considering the unrest in that part of the world. You need an oasis of freedom somewhere.
But getting involved in these other places in the ME?
We can see they do not respect us.
Why give these islamic countries anything? Including even attention.
Badger40 on January 13, 2013 at 11:18 AM
And? That was the French Monarchy’s decision. Notice that they French king didn’t last much longer.
MoreLiberty on January 13, 2013 at 11:19 AM
Why? So he could have had his teeth kicked in by Mitt Romney?
JohnGalt23 on January 13, 2013 at 11:19 AM
Here is a link to some of his key votes:
http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/117285/rand-paul
Panther on January 13, 2013 at 11:21 AM
1. When you say enemies who specifically are you talking about? Do you mean the 1+ billion Muslims in the world? If so, do you really engage in a permanent war with Islam?
2. Israel is fighting Israel enemies on her (and not anyone else’s behalf)
3. We don’t need Israel or any other country to fight enemies. We have the resources to fight our own enemies.
4. Part of the reason why the Muslims loath the US is due to its alliance with Israel. It would seem to me that we would have fewer enemies if we dissolve this alliance. There is nothing that Israel does for us that we can’t do for ourselves. And while we are at it, would should stop supporting autocratic regimes in the Middle East (which also a part of the reason why Muslims loath the US).
antifederalist on January 13, 2013 at 11:22 AM
Stop.
I couldn’t give a good goddamned about an “empowered and emboldened islamist extremist movement”, whatever that is supposed to mean. So long as the Muslim Brotherhood isn’t committing terrorist acts against America, which they aren’t (so far), as far as I care, they are just another screwed-up political party in a screwed up part of the world, incapable of posing a threat to the US until they learn to park a bicycle straight.
JohnGalt23 on January 13, 2013 at 11:26 AM
We were ASKING for their help. ASKING.
This is the point I was making. But feel free to continue being obtuse about it.
Hey thanks Panther. I’ll check that out. Would be good to know where he stands. Bcs perhaps he’ll rise to a higher office someday.
So don’t support an ally bcs it is the right thing to do. Dump their a$$e$ bcs there’s 1+ billion of them who you think wouldn’t hate us if we gave Israel the middle finger.
Muslims hate us bcs we’re not muslims.
The support of Israel may exacerbate the problem.
But it doesn’t matter in the end bcs they will still want to kill us bcs of who we are & what we stand for: Liberty & Freedom to choose.
Were you the guy that turned the other way when someone was getting picked on bcs you figured it was none of your business, even tho you knew they did nothing to deserve getting picked on?
Muslims are America’s enemy. Bcs we are not muslims.
And we are at war with them bcs they killed a lot of our people on 9/11.
I will just bet that even if we went isolationist they’d still have a reason to seek us out & kill us.
Badger40 on January 13, 2013 at 11:35 AM
You do know that there is a difference between supporting an ally, and giving them money, right?
So far as I know, we don’t just give billions of dollars to Canada and the UK. And as far as I know, they’ve demonstrated their alliance with us sufficiently by not engaging in espionage against us…
JohnGalt23 on January 13, 2013 at 11:38 AM
And he didn’t last bcs the French people were inspired by the American Rev0lution.
We didn’t support them officially bcs they got so out of hand & look who they ended up with leading them.
The French king supporting our Rev0lution was not why his people rebelled against him.
IT was bcs of the nature of his govt in the 1st place.
And he supported us bcs it was too tempting to go against their enemy, England, again.
Badger40 on January 13, 2013 at 11:38 AM
Bigotry. Plain and simple…
JohnGalt23 on January 13, 2013 at 11:39 AM
Iranian President Rafsanjani stated that years ago. Look it up – I’m heading out for dinner.
If it makes it simpler for you, replace the word “nuke” with “attack”. My point was not about a nuclear attack specifically.
Shy Guy on January 13, 2013 at 11:40 AM
I’m not stupid John.
Canada & the UK don’t like next to millions of muslims who have announced they want to kill them.
If you have a friend who has people ganging up on him, you help him beat the $hit out them people who are coming to beat the $hit out of your friend.
And we are doing it with $$ & arms.
And yeah, sometimes doing the right thing like this gets you the attention of your friend’s enemies.
If Canada needed our help monetarily to fend off an enemy, we’d do it & we should do it.
As far as the UK, I do believe we DID help them with $$ & arms during the last century.
And what is wrong with this?
Obviously you think supporting an ally should only be with nice words & treaties.
Sometimes the support has to come with action.
Sitting on the fence is taking a side. A side for the worst, IMO.
Badger40 on January 13, 2013 at 11:43 AM
There are plenty of countries that would like billions of dollars. It doesn’t mean we should give it to them. If you want to give your own money to foreign government please feel free. It’s your right. But I shouldn’t be forced to subsidize them.
MoreLiberty on January 13, 2013 at 11:43 AM
Ignorance on your part, plain and simple.
“O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are [in fact] allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is [one] of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.”
– Surat Al-Mā’idah (The Table Spread), 5:51
Now that is bigotry, plain and simple!
Shy Guy on January 13, 2013 at 11:44 AM
You effing POS turd. You know EXACLTY WTF I mean when saying this.
I’m talking about TERRORISTS you effing idiot.
I have been around here long enough you ought to know where I stand on muslims.
I am talking about muslims who are terrorists.
I do not mean all muslims are terrorists.
You have fallen into the Democrat PC trap.
You dumba$$.
The fact that I have to explain this to you after being here all this time is effing pathetic.
Badger40 on January 13, 2013 at 11:45 AM
Obviously we disagree on how the Federal Govt should enforce its duty to protect the states.
Clearly, you think that means a head nod & treaties & words.
I believe it takes action.
Badger40 on January 13, 2013 at 11:47 AM
No. When I have a friend who routinely goes into (or in this case, lives in) the ghetto, I advise him to move out of the ghetto. Choose to live in the ghetto, and assume the risks of ghetto life.
JohnGalt23 on January 13, 2013 at 11:50 AM
France had their problems & issues back in the day. And they may have supported us for reasons other than their desire to see us free.
But whatever the reason, without their aid, we might not have won the Rev0lution.
It is hypocritical for America to receive and ASK for aid from a foreign country to help us free ourselves & keep ourselves safe, and then go on to refuse to do that for others who deserve our consideration for help in the same manner.
I am not talking about giving countries billions in aid.
I’m talking about being selective in helping countries that are truly interested in holding off dedicated enemies that wish to destroy them bcs they exist.
I do not believe in giving aid to people he despise us. Bcs they are not going to support us when we would need it.
Note Pakistan.
Badger40 on January 13, 2013 at 11:51 AM
And yet, this is what you said:
No mention of terrorists, whatsoever. Just talk of Muslims, and how they are our enemy.
I’ll say it once again… bigotry, plain and simple.
JohnGalt23 on January 13, 2013 at 11:52 AM
Geebus now you’re just being an a$$.
So if a guy is actually stuck in the ghetto, or if he even receives ill treatment outside the ghetto, you are not going to help him.
Just tell him he deserved it & if he wants to avoid it suck on it.
The Jews went back home.
If the ghetto is someone’s home, according to you they should have no right to expect to go back there bcs it’s been trashed.
You have a warped sense of loyalties.
But then, you seem to enjoy being obtuse bcs you sit here & call me a bigot when you should know damned well I don’t care what a person’s religious stripes are as long as they leave Liberty alone.
Badger40 on January 13, 2013 at 11:55 AM
Every war fought by Israel in the last twenty years has ended with some awful peace treaty forced on them by America. If someone attacks Israel, you better believe I’d like America’s government to shut up and stay out of it.
Paul 2016!
ChicagoJewishGuy on January 13, 2013 at 11:55 AM
Why is Israel suppose to be my ally? What have they done for me that should make me want to be allies with them? They are engaged in a land dispute with Muslims, a land dispute that I am not a part of. By forming a military alliance with Israel, Israel’s enemies are to be my enemies. And although my religion and culture is incompatible with theirs, it is no benefit to me to engage in a persistent hot war with the Islamic world.
Do all Muslims hate us because we are not Muslims? If so, why is it only we have to engage in a hot war with Islam? Countries like Italy, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Belgium, Romania, Peru, Chile, Switzerland are also non Muslim and yet they haven’t seen the need to engage in a persistent hot war with the Islamic world. Why is that?
See what I wrote above. Why is it that the non-Muslim countries I listed above are not engaged in an eternal war for survival against Islam? Also note that I can trace my family’s history back to pre Revolutionary War times. For more than 200 years they didn’t have to fight any wars with Islam for their survival. Why is that. And before you start ranting on about Barbary pirates, the looters, thieves and plunderers didn’t seem to have as their primary objective objective the religious conquest of infidels.
So you do want to fight a permanent war with 1+ billion Muslims. Please read what I wrote above about why other non Muslim countries are not at war with Islam.
antifederalist on January 13, 2013 at 11:56 AM
Of course any group can ask for financial assistance, but I’ll be damned if we are obliged to be French when it comes to foreign aid.
I see the Paul Derangement Syndrome is strong here.
aryeung on January 13, 2013 at 11:57 AM
John, I’ll put this plain & simple: you’re a d!ck for insinuating this about me.
You have been here a while on HA. You have seen my posts often enough to know me.
So now you are saying I have to post my f@cking history of beliefs everytime I say something that could be taken the wrong way by a stranger?
You’re obviously not paying attention to anything I ever say.
So I have already schooled you once on my stance & I’ll do it again since you feel the need for a learning curve regarding myself:
MUSLIMS WHO ARE TERRORISTS ARE THE ENEMY OF AMERICANS.
MUSLIMS WHO ARE NOT TERRORISTS ARE NOT.
I guess when I speak to you John in the future, I’ll have to write a treatise about everything to make sure you don’t take everything I say the wrong way.
Bcs it oh so matters very much.
This type of thinking is just one reason why we have the problems we do in America.
Badger40 on January 13, 2013 at 11:58 AM
Got a quote for that? By the way, there is a little problem with your logic. Iran has no nukes. Therefore, according to you Iran plans on nuking Israel with their non existent nukes. That makes a lot of sense
/s
antifederalist on January 13, 2013 at 11:59 AM
Worth pointing out – highlighting Rand Paul’s point!
aryeung on January 13, 2013 at 12:00 PM
The USSR is gone, we shouldn’t be a part of NATO. The South Koreans re more than capable to guard their own borders. We can’t afford this nonsense anymore.
MoreLiberty on January 13, 2013 at 12:01 PM
Am I seriously “IN BEFORE Blake CRYING ABOUT Ron Paul WHEN THE SUBJECT IS ACTUALLY Rand Paul“?
Hot dog, dawg.
Jeddite on January 13, 2013 at 12:02 PM
What? Are you saying I am a Paulbot?
Where do you get this notion from?
I mention that helping a country out that is deserving of help, bcs we had the same advantage ourselves at one time is being Paul Derangement Syndrome?
How does that work?
I can see right now there’s a lot of folks here that consider having allies a good thing until you actually have to do something for them.
I never said do the wrong things for our allies.
I said you sometimes have to stick up for your friends, & yeah, sometimes it gives you trouble.
If my neighbor is getting a beat down, I’m going to come to his assistance unless he brought it on himself.
An even then I might help.
Do the Jews have any right to settle in the home land & be left in peace?
Badger40 on January 13, 2013 at 12:02 PM
Well, that will be an amusing defense when the English try to reclaim coastal France, or when American Indians try to reclaim Manhattan.
“Hey, get out of my way! Just trying to make it home.”
How long did the diaspora last?
JohnGalt23 on January 13, 2013 at 12:04 PM
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