Rand Paul wants to halt foreign aid, including to Israel
| Follow j. on |  |
and |  |
Sen. Rand Paul wants to end all foreign assistance, including aid to Israel.
Paul, a Republican newly elected in Kentucky, was on CNN on Jan. 26 outlining where he would cut the $500 billion in government spending he says is critical to sustaining the U.S. economy. His focus was on the departments of energy, education and housing.
Interviewer Wolf Blitzer then asked about foreign assistance, asking if he wanted to end “all foreign aid.” Paul said yes, and Blitzer asked him about aid to Israel.
“Well, I think what you have to do is you have to look,” said Paul, a favorite of the Tea Party movement. “When you send foreign aid, you actually [send] quite a bit to Israel’s enemies. Islamic nations around Israel get quite a bit of foreign aid, too.
“You have to ask yourself, are we funding an arms race on both sides? I have a lot of sympathy and respect for Israel as a democratic nation, as a, you know, a fountain of peace and a fountain of democracy within the Middle East.”
Blitzer pressed: “End all foreign aid including the foreign aid to Israel as well. Is that right?” he asked. “Yes,” Paul answered. — jta
Comments
Leave a Comment
In order to post a comment, you must first log in.
Are you looking for user registration? Or have you forgotten your password?
All
02/04/2011 at 11:04 AM
Rand Paul is right that foreign aid funds an arms race. Egypt has received it for 30 years, to what end? The rioters and other regime opponents say they want to end the ‘indignity’ of keeping the Sinai demilitarized.
Foreign military aid to Israel is by law mostly spent in the US, thus subsidizing US defense contractors. The balance is humanitarian aid, for specific purposes, and is less than what the UJA raises annually.
Login to reply to this comment or post your own