Almost every Ron Paul supporter I’ve ever known in the military (and I know quite a few) is in the “rubble doesn’t cause trouble” camp. They’re not idealistic about peace, and they don’t necessarily believe the rhetoric that if we leave Iraq and Afghanistan, we won’t get attacked. They instead think we responded the wrong way to 9/11 and that the last ten years of costly war have proven them right.

I disagree. I’m every bit as cynical about Middle Eastern culture, but I still think that we most effectively defend our country by the strategy we’ve pursued — upending hostile governments, defeating the jihadists where they live, and replacing the hostile governments with allies.

It would be a mistake, however, to believe that Ron Paul’s military supporters don’t have a coherent point. In fact, it’s far more coherent and defensible than the silly idealism fostered by the politically correct multiculturalism of the “three cups of tea” crowd. Additionally, if Obama’s proposed defense cuts actually happen, we’re more likely to see a modified Paul foreign policy — with fewer troops overseas and more reliance on air and naval assets to strike directly at threats rather than a heavy ground presence to change governments.