Sen. Rand Paul calls for an end to U.S. aid to Libya, Egypt and Pakistan: "We are bankrupt"
Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced two amendments in the Senate Thursday that would terminate U.S. aid to Pakistan, Egypt and Libya. Sen. Paul's new amendments were announced in the wake of the recent attacks on U.S. compounds in Egypt and Libya.
The assault on Libya's consulate left 4 Americans dead, including U.S. Ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens.
Remembering Ambassadors Stevens
Sen. Paul's amendments would end the $4 billion a year of U.S. aid to Pakistan, Libya, and Egypt.
"I think until we have the assassins who killed our Ambassador and until both countries Libya and Egypt can verify they can provide support and protection for our embassies - I see no reason to keep sending our money." Sen. Paul told CNN's Erin Burnett, " We don't have any money to spend, we are bankrupt."
Should the United States end foreign aid to Libya and Egypt?
Watch Erin Burnett OutFront at 7p ET for the full interview with Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY).
Recommended: Sen. Rand Paul on Pakistan aid: "Affect their pocketbook, they will sit up and take notice."
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The most important thing Sen Rand stated was, "We're giving them borrowed money anyway." Why can't we stop spending money that we DON'T have? That's my larger concern than 'who gets aid from us'.
For those saying this is a distraction and that military spending should be the focus, Senator Paul is also calling for military spending cuts. His recommended cuts are not as large as the cuts recommended by his father but he is consistent on this issue. While I totally agree that we should end aid to Israel, he is just suggesting that we "start" cutting all foreign aid by cutting aid to countries that are engaging in violence against Americans. I disagree that it should be a country by country process like he is saying but he is ultimately saying we should end all foreign aid. So don't be so hard on him because he isn't advocating ending foreign aid all at once if you think it should all be ended.
I think that we need to stop sending money overseas. But once we do that who is gonna prop up the petro dollar? Time to face the facts we are broke and we have no money.
Discrimination? To decide who we want to help and how we want to spend OUR money? We get to decide which "select few" we support - and why in the world would we care what countries think that are completely anti-American? There is NO excuse for our government to continue to support countries that have killed our citizens and foment violence against us. ISRAEL has NEVER done anything against America.They appreciate our help and they, unlike other middle eastern countries, share many of our values and freedoms of a democratic country. We should stop supporting countries that are KILLING American citizens and fomenting hate against our way of life. Let them pay for their own civil wars and illegal elections and religious intolerance.
Why do we have to pay countries to be our friends? Why don't we charge them for being their bodyguards??
Any economist will tell you that this aid is a loan to these poor countries, returned with interest and helps check inflation back home by lowering other countries currency value. These help also influence other countries policies in our favor.The money that is given as a gift is called a grant and is not returned.
The "aid" never reaches the people in need anyway.
The economists will tell you that this aid is a loan to these poor countries, returned with interest and helps check inflation back home by lowering other countries currency value. These help also influence other countries policies in our favor.The money that is given as a gift is called a grant and is not returned.
Let's start spending cuts with his salary.
Bring all of the troops home now and pull out all military forces from foreign soil. Eliminate all aide as well. It doesn't matter what the intentions are our military or financial presence will always provide the excuse needed to attack us or whoever is in power in the countries in question. Will some trouble an pain result? It is likely. But whatever it is will be far less than what has occurred through our ham fisted attempts at intervention of all types.
While it's a little scary thinking about our having NO military stationed on foreign soil, at the very least, the tremendous cost of such large occupation should be reduced in a big way. Why aren't all embassies located on military bases in the first place, in countries where we have bases?
lets start with isreal
Aid to these countries is pennies. Stop talking about pennies!
If we are 'broke', like you say, cut the military! cut corporate welfare to corporations making billions!
Do things that make a difference, not just BS statements that will have no effect
So just because these billions only amount pennies in your mind, thought in reality it is about 4% of what we need to cut, you think we shouldn't bother. Good thing you aren't in charge of the budget.
If we stop aid, then stop it for all – that means Israel too. Stopping it for a select few is just discrimination – or would be viewed as such.