Republicans Grapple With the Rand Paul Conundrum

(snip)

But here's where the conundrum comes in: At a time when many Republicans are trying to portray President Barack Obama as someone who has undermined America's global leadership position with his cautious engagement in hot spots around the world, Mr. Paul advocates an approach that is, if anything, even more cautious.

Indeed, the broad Rand Paul proposition is that his party needs to move away from a tendency toward intervention abroad that has been its hallmark for decades. He would cut defense spending and foreign aid—including long-standing aid programs for Egypt and the Palestinians—end all funding for military deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan in two years and reduce the number of bases overseas.

The Paul proposition fundamentally challenges GOP orthodoxy, and it presages a serious internal debate about America's world role in the 2016 presidential campaign. It also makes many in his party distinctly uncomfortable.

(snip)

in a speech at West Point's commencement exercises, President Obama appeared to cite Mr. Paul's views—without naming him—as the other extreme on the spectrum: "At least since George Washington served as commander in chief, there have been those who warned against foreign entanglements that do not touch directly on our security or economic well-being. Today, according to self-described realists, conflicts in Syria or Ukraine or the Central African Republic are not ours to solve." He added: "It is absolutely true that in the 21st century, American isolationism is not an option."

(snip)

And in National Review, Paul wrote that his foreign-policy view is under attack: "The knives are out for conservatives who dare question unlimited involvement in foreign wars." This is awkward for Republicans trying to portray the Democratic president as the one advocating retreat... The split is made more awkward by the possibility that public opinion may, to some extent, be in tune with Mr. Paul. A recent Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll found that almost half of Americans said the U.S. should be less active in foreign affairs. All of which shows why Republicans this week are having trouble figuring out whether Mr. Paul—intriguing and unconventional—represents a blessing or a curse.


http://online.wsj.com/articles/capital-journal-republicans-grapple-with-the-rand-paul-conundrum-1401728776