The Republican Jewish Coalition elected not to invite Ron Paul to its Dec. 7 forum - which all the other Republican presidential candidates are expected to attend - because it rejects his "misguided and extreme views," Washington Jewish Week reports.
"He's just so far outside of the mainstream of the Republican party and this organization," RJC Executive Director Matt Brooks said. He went on to compare extending an invitation to Paul to "inviting (President) Barack Obama to speak."
Paul said in a November debate that America should have less involvement in Israel's affairs, saying "they're quite capable of taking care of themselves." The United States sends roughly $3 billion to Israel in military assistance every year; Paul opposes all U.S. foreign aid. He is also on record as opposing aiding Israel in a military action against Iran.
Brooks told Washington Jewish Week the RJC's 2012 Republican Presidential Candidates Forum would be a chance to "unequivocally put to bed the political smears" perpetrated by Democrats who suggest "that the leading Republicans want to cut aid to Israel."
Democratic National Committee Chair Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz criticized GOP presidential candidate Rick Perry for suggesting that his foreign aid budget would start at zero - though Perry added that "my bet is that we would be funding them at some substantial level."
According to Washington Jewish Week Brooks "is certain that each of the Republican candidates will assure the crowd [at the forum] that they would never abandon Israel - and that as commander in chief they would do all they can to bolster it."
No comments:
Post a Comment