Cruz defends dictators, NSA limits in security speech
Source: Associated Press
Cruz defends dictators, NSA limits in security speech
Steve Peoples, Associated Press
Updated 1:57 pm, Thursday, December 10, 2015
WASHINGTON (AP) Taking on critics in his own party, Republican presidential contender Ted Cruz on Thursday defended Middle East dictators as useful allies against Islamic extremists during a Washington address decrying political correctness and stricter gun laws as an impediment to national security.
The first-term Texas senator described "America under attack" in remarks at a conservative think tank that spanned nearly an hour. He broke no new ground, but reinforced his view that global security depends upon an aggressive and engaged America with distinct limits. The tea party firebrand did not call for additional U.S. ground troops to confront the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, preferring instead to intensify the U.S.-led air campaign and arm regional allies.
And repeating policy prescriptions outlined during an Associated Press interview last week, he lashed out at foreign policy hawks in both parties who helped ouster dictators in Egypt, Libya and Iraq and now have the same policy for Syria.
"We've seen the catastrophic results of these myopic policies," he charged. "We will not win by replacing dictators, as unpleasant as they may be, with terrorists who want to kill us and destroy America."
Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/politics/article/Cruz-on-national-security-Dictators-OK-gun-6689270.php
kairos12
(12,863 posts)Response to kairos12 (Reply #1)
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jalan48
(13,876 posts)Cruz and Trump have served to legitimize this base as we move forward. How many more adherents will the base have in 2020 and beyond? I don't think this is a one-time thing, over and done with after the 2016 election. It allows people like Walker and Rubio to appear to be 'moderates', when they are not. The march of the political spectrum to the right continues unchecked. Where do the Democrats fit in? Do they become the Republican's of Bob Dole?
DissidentVoice
(813 posts)At least since Dukakis, and probably since Mondale, when both those gentlemen got squelched by the Reagan machine and the Lee Atwater Book Of Dirty Tricks, the Democratic Party has been in a tizzy about appearing "too liberal."
How do you think we got the DLC?
Barack Obama is much more like a Jerry Ford Republican than an FDR Democrat.
The far right has had an extremely powerful media machine where truth doesn't have to be a requirement - Limbaugh (I lay the vast majority of this country's divisions squarely at his feet), Hannity, Coulter, Savage, etc. - just as long as you wave the Flag and chant "USA! USA! USA!"
Dont call me Shirley
(10,998 posts)who's your sugar daddy, teddy?
DissidentVoice
(813 posts)Francisco Franco.
Alberto Fujimori.
Fulgencio Bautista.
Saddam Hussein.
Augusto Pinochet.
Broward
(1,976 posts)he'll clearly use that vote against her.
Reter
(2,188 posts)He says it was a mistake though.
yuiyoshida
(41,833 posts)So was he for or against saddam hussein ?
Reter
(2,188 posts)But he is on record saying the Iraqi war was a mistake.
Ezlivin
(8,153 posts)Surely he'll have skin in the game, right?
I'm sure that his desire for endless war for endless peace will begin with close family members enlisting to take part in Operation Jesus Freedom Reagan Liberty For All.
Reter
(2,188 posts)I'll take Saddam, Assad, and Gaddafi any day over ISIS. It's not our business to replace dictators. It only creates terrorists. I support isolationism.
pampango
(24,692 posts)That old liberal mantra that in the long run repressive governments create the conditions in which terrorism thrives is not 'realpolitik'? Right, Ted?
We need dictators to control the terrorism that repression of previous dictators caused? Using that 'logic' repressive dictators will be around forever saving us from 'terrorism'. Sometimes it is hard to follow right wing logic.