The American Spectator

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Texas Congressman Ron Paul, the anti-war conservative and libertarian cult figure, dropped by Grover Norquist's Wednesday meeting to discuss why "the Republican Party is in a lot of trouble," and why he's the presidential candidate who can get the party out of it. Paul, who just signed Norquist's taxpayer protection pledge, said that in order to win a candidate has to be able to put together a coalition of Christian conservatives and economic libertarians. On foreign policy, his main point of departure from the Republican base, Paul said that traditionally, the Republican Party has been one of peace and it has historical won elections by beating Democrats who got America too involved overseas. Republicans cannot win in 2008 by sticking with a position on Iraq that is opposed by 70 percent of Americans, he said. In addition, Paul advocated talking to Iran and Syria, and said that the people who accuse those who oppose the war of being isolationists are actually "diplomatic isolationists." Paul also said that our current policy toward Israel does the Israelis no favors, and if we stopped sending them money it would encourage them to speak with "moderate Arabs." The congressman did not elaborate on which moderate Arabs he had in mind.

topics:
Foreign Policy, Iraq, Iran, Israel