Posted on 04/26/2012 11:58:20 AM PDT by IbJensen
Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., left, jokes with Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., before Rubio spoke about foreign policy at the Brookings Institution, in Washington, Wednesday, April 25, 2012. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)
(CNSNews.com) – Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who was elected to his first term with help from the Tea Party in 2010 and who is sometimes cited as a potential GOP vice presidential pick, lauded the United Nations, the World Bank, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for following their respective visions instead of asserting “narrow American interests” in a speech today on U.S. foreign policy.
In remarks at the liberal Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C., Rubio sketched the advances made globally since the end of World War II as a result of America’s leadership.
That vision and will helped other nation's attain liberty, kept trade routes open, supported “the expansion of free market capitalism that accelerated the growth of the global economy,” he said, “and we did it without coveting other countries’ territories or seizing their assets or robbing them of their opportunities.”
“The purpose of the institutions we established, from the United Nations to the World Bank and the IMF was to spread peace and prosperity, not to assert narrow American interests,” said Sen. Rubio.
Other nations followed America’s lead after WWII because they saw it as the most efficient way to achieve the goals they wanted as well, in terms of individual liberty and economic growth, said the senator.
Over the years, many leading conservatives have challenged the necessity or usefulness of the United Nations, including Sen. Robert Taft (R-Ohio), “Mr. Republican,” who served in the Senate from 1939 to 1953; Sen. Barry Goldwater (R-Ariz.), who died in 1998; Sen. Jesse Helms (1973-2003), who died in 2008; and even William F. Buckley Jr. (1925-2008), the founder of the conservative magazine National Review.
As for America’s role in global policy today, Sen. Rubio said the country must still lead--and perhaps intervene in places such as Syria, and Iran--because no other nation is yet prepared to take on that leadership role.
“Is now finally the time for us to mind our own business?” said Rubio. “Is now the time for us to allow others to lead? Is now the time for us to play the role of equal partner?”
“Who will lead, if we do not?” he said.
Prior to Rubio’s remarks, Brookings Institution President Strobe Talbott, the deputy secretary of state in the Clinton administration, said of the Florida senator, “He has already established himself as a vigorous advocate of intense and widespread U.S. engagement in the world. He is an internationalist.”
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.), who caucuses with the Democrats, introduced Rubio as “a rising star in the next generation of America’s foreign policy leaders.” Rubio praised Lieberman’s statesmanship, comparing it to that of FDR, Truman and JFK.
In his initial remarks, Sen. Rubio sought to separate himself from some conservatives in the Senate on foreign policy, saying that until recently the general view was that American conservatism “believed in a robust and muscular foreign policy,” citing Presidents George W. Bush, George H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan.
“But when I arrived in the Senate last year, I found that some of the traditional sides in the foreign policy debate had shifted,” said Rubio. “On the one hand I found liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans working together to advocate our withdrawal from Afghanistan or staying out of Libya. On the other hand, I found myself partnering with Democrats … on a more forceful foreign policy.”
“So I recently joked, the other day, that today in the U.S. Senate, on foreign policy, the further you move to the right, the likelier you are to move to the left,” said Rubio.
Rubio is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the Senate Intelligence Committee.
He did criticize the U.N. Security Council for sometimes failing to reach consensus and act swiftly. In those circumstances, said Rubio, the United States must take the lead and shape a global coalition to solve problems.
Sen. Rubio specifically cited a nuclear-equipped Iran, saying “we must be prepared to act, with or without” our global partners. “If all else fails, preventing a nuclear Iran, may tragically require a military solution,” he said.
Rubio also argued that toppling Syria’s Assad regime “would be a blow to Iran’s ambitions” and apparently improve Israel’s security.
video at link.
So we,the American public, are supposed to fund this out of control corrupt monstrosity and we’re supposed to be glad they don’t serve our interests. Where’s my “opt out” on this BS?
His main point was about the necessity of good American LEADERSHIP!
If you think he is not aware of the problems with the U.N.....you haven’t listened to him much before.
Wonder how all those Tea Party conservatives in Florida feel about their guy now?
At least we all get some advance warning before any of us decides to vote for Romney if/just because Rubio ends up on the ticket.
Listen to him?
I voted for him and donated to his campaign.
Said this abut Rubio before he was elected. He is, and will be, a disaster.
Santorum 2012
Hey Marco, please point out to me where in the Constitution did you find the authority for this?
I DID find in the Constitution, where you are ineligible to the office of President AND Vice President.
“.....said of the Florida senator, “He has already established himself as a vigorous advocate of intense and widespread U.S. engagement in the world. He is an internationalist.”
A New World Order guy. Is THIS your rising star?
nuff said?
““So I recently joked, the other day, that today in the U.S. Senate, on foreign policy, the further you move to the right, the likelier you are to move to the left,” said Rubio.”
Joking?
My apologies if you already know his opinion regarding the U.N.
Now those are some harsh critisisms! Wait...those were compliments?! Who's side is Rubio on?
Marc Rubio: the David Souter of the Tea Party.
“Rubio Praises U.N., World Bank, IMF for Not Asserting ‘Narrow American Interests’”
Sounds like he is auditioning to be RINOmney’s VP...
...did he say anything about being pro government mandates or pro man-dates?
This is plain scary.
Can’t we get someone with some sense of United States’ principles?
Yes. I guess I have to go over to CNS to get more sense of Rubio’s speech. I’ve never been comfortable about Rubio: “My parents came late — Oops, may parents came earlier (but this means nothing).” Oh? It probably means very little, but little Marco would clearly prefer that we accept their “flight from Castro” instead of ordinary migration. Have you ever tried to shake a politician’s hand, and found it too slippery?
good point about the “character of the audience”. Make no mistake, Brookings is Leftist Central and they are going to work on Rubio. I don’t believe they would waste their time on him if they thought they couldn’t establish some “common ground” with him. Have to give it to the Dems, they play the game well and this is a big coup for them getting Rubio in their camp.
And JUST WHEN THE HELL will the CRETINS on FAUX NEWS figure out that this guy is INELIGIBLE to serve for the same reasons Obozo is???
It’s gettimg CRAZY OUT HERE FOLKS!
I have always had a soul searching gnawing about Rubio. In my lifetime I have seen and heard so many ‘flippies’ i.e. those who flip on issues and flip on talk. I wouldn’t doubt creditable info that Romney was a closet ‘new world order’ person. This posting certainly follows a pattern of the enablers getting to ambitious politicians, young and old. Come to think about it I don’t recall Rubio making/taking educated comments on the intent of the Founding Fathers to set up an exceptional government independent of foreign powers. Rubio doesn’t seem to get it that WWII was for the survival of the USA as exceptional from foreign nations. A nation does not survive it’s roots by becoming a pseudo leader under a granted power of international globalists/bankers.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.