Among the enthusiasms of South Carolinians for their primary there recurred a consistent theme of support for much of Ron Paul's intellectual baggage but also a recurring doubt about his beliefs concerning America's place in the world.
It was unclear if those who were worried about that were merely voicing a reflexive support for Israel or if they had actually thought about what the good doctor calls his "non-interventionism." The Israel thing is usually the result of exposure to "Exodus," or a belief that Jesus loves Israeli Jews but thinks of Palestinian Arabs as squatters.
I, too, am curious about Paul's actual opinions about foreign policy. It is one thing to advocate withdrawal of troops now in Germany and Korea, withdrawal after negotiations from Afghanistan and a cessation of foreign aid by the US. It is another to advocate a pacificim and isolationism that will not respond forcefully to ACTUAL aggression against American territory, territory of actual treaty allies or our essential economic interests.
It is not clear to me what Ron Paul's actual position is. Someone should ask him what he would do if the Iranians actually attempted to close the Strait of Hormuz to international maritime traffic. What would he do as president and commander-in-chief of the armed forces? pl
