Sen. Ted Cruz Breaks with Sen. Rand Paul on Foreign Policy

WABCRadio ^ | 12:05PM SundayMarch 9, 2014

[SoConPubbie]

(NEW YORK) -- It may be the opening salvo of the 2016 Republican primary. During an exclusive interview with ABC News’ Jonathan Karl for This Week, Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, called Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., a friend, but drew a distinction between himself and the Kentucky senator on foreign policy, saying the U.S. “has a responsibility to defend our values.”

“I’m a big fan of Rand Paul. He and I are good friends. But I don’t agree with him on foreign policy,” Cruz said. “I think U.S. leadership is critical in the world. And I agree with him that we should be very reluctant to deploy military force abroad. But I think there is a vital role, just as Ronald Reagan did… The United States has a responsibility to defend our values.”

Cruz also took President Obama to task over Russia’s invasion of Crimea, citing the president’s “weakness” in dealing with matters of foreign policy as a reason for Russia’s seizure of the Ukrainian peninsula.

“A critical reason for Putin’s aggression has been President Obama’s weakness,” Cruz told Karl on This Week. “That Putin fears no retribution… [Obama's] policy has been to alienate and abandon our friends and to coddle and appease our enemies.”

“You’d better believe Putin sees in Benghazi four Americans are murdered, the first ambassador killed in service since 1979, and nothing happens,” Cruz added, echoing comments by other Republicans like Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. “You’d better believe that Putin sees that in Syria, Obama draws a red line and ignores the red line. You’d better believe that Putin sees all over the world.”

[SoConPubbie]

	"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton "We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan "A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792 "It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams

[SoConPubbie]

Ted Cruz Ping!

If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.

Please beware, this is a high-volume ping list!

[skeeter]

America's interests alone should be the primary motive in our foreign policy.

If a solid argument, not an abstract one, in favor of them cannot be found, we should not be involved.

[Alberta's Child]

... the U.S. “has a responsibility to defend our values.”

And what values might they be, Mr. Cruz? Foreign policy initiatives that include the homosexualization of other nations, or combatting "climate change"?

Let's focus on first restoring this country to the point where we actually have something to say to the rest of the world, OK?

[FreeReign]

ABC News Radio

How did this get out on ABC News Radio?

[exnavy]

Mr Cruz understands the history lesson of the 1930’s, Mr. Paul does not.

[Finny]

Thanks for the pings!

[SoConPubbie]

Mr Cruz understands the history lesson of the 1930’s, Mr. Paul does not.

You are correct sir!

Rand Paul comes across more like Neville Chamberlin than anything else.

[SoConPubbie]

My pleasure Finny!

[vette6387]

“Let’s focus on first restoring this country to the point where we actually have something to say to the rest of the world, OK? “

I have to believe that Ted Cruz’ values would comport with those that were existent when Ronald Reagan was president. It would be inappropriate, in my view, to ascribe what passes for “our country’s values” with the current administration to either Ted Cruz or most of our citizens. The problem we have is that Obama has created an “economy” where a lot of people are forced to care more about their stomachs than our foreign policy and that’s by design. If, and when, we rid ourselves of this pariah in the White Hut, it may take a generation or more to rectify the damage that’s been done. We can only hope that the citizens are willing to stay the course for that correction. Personally, I have my doubts.

[exnavy]

Yes, that’s not conservative values.

[ansel12]

And what values might they be, Mr. Cruz?

Traditional, conservative, American values, is this the first time you have heard of Ted Cruz?

[conservative98]

[jimsin]

Super Man Ted Cruz

TED CRUZ:

[tbpiper]

Rand Paul comes across more like Neville Chamberlin than anything else.

Actually, Rand Paul's foreign policy views work, but only when the main way to get to Europe is by boat.

[Alberta's Child]

Of course it's not the first time I've heard of Ted Cruz.

I also recognize that any trust placed in the U.S. government to espouse traditional, conservative American values in its foreign policy is misplaced -- regardless of who we elect in Washington.

When was the last time the U.S. promoted these values in its foreign policy?

[ansel12]

Cruz--drew a distinction between himself and the Kentucky senator on foreign policy, saying the U.S. “has a responsibility to defend our values.”

You don't seem to know what he meant, ""And what values might they be, Mr. Cruz? Foreign policy initiatives that include the homosexualization of other nations, or combatting "climate change"?""

Is that what you think he meant?

[re_nortex]

Go Ted go!

[NVDave]

Bingo.

The post-WWII GOP should look back to Geo. Washington’s view of the world for how we should conduct ourselves for the next 100 years... or however long it takes to get our financial house in order.

We can no longer afford foreign adventures. We’re broke.

[Longbow1969]

Rand Paul comes across more like Neville Chamberlin than anything else.

Rand is basically his father in disguise - and that includes his fathers naive foreign and defense policies. This is an open secret among many/most of the Ron Paul cultists.

There is a lot of good a libertarian like Rand can do and I support many of his positions, but I can't agree to an isolationist foreign policy.

Between the two, Ted Cruz is vastly better. On the issues, I can't think of anything much I disagree with him on. Cruz strikes me as a modern day insurgent, grassroots conservative - much like Ronald Reagan was. With Rand, I strongly agree with him about half the time - much like I did with his goofy father.