Rubio, a son of immigrants who fled Cuba, spoke at the the Foreign Policy Initiative in New York City as Secretary of State John Kerry paid a visit to Havana to preside over the historic re-opening of the U.S. embassy.
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“I believe they represent the convergence of almost every flawed strategic, moral, and economic notion that has driven President Obama’s foreign policy”, Rubio said, “and as such are emblematic of so numerous crises he has worsened around the world“.
He would then terminate defense sequestration – the limitation of the US defense budget as part of across-the-board federal budgetary cuts – and “ensure our forces in the Middle East are positioned to signal readiness and restore a credible military option”.
A poll released Friday by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that only 1 in 3 Americans said it was important to hear from the next president about their approach to Cuba, compared with almost 9 of 10 who wanted to hear about terrorism and cyberattacks by foreign countries or terrorist groups.
“[The] deal with Iran isn’t a deal at all“, he said.
Rubio dismissed Friday’s flag-raising ceremony at the US embassy in Havana as “little more than a propaganda rally for the Castro regime”, complaining that no Cuban dissident had been invited.
Those who counsel Obama to be more conciliatory toward Republicans in defending an agreement that could block Iranian nuclear ambitions for at least a decade (and probably more) are nostalgic for a time when many Republicans supported negotiated settlements, saw containment policies as preferable to the aggressive rollback of adversaries, and were committed to building global alliances.
Hastings, a Senior Democratic Whip in the House, made his announcement in an op-ed published in the paper [non-paywalled version here].
Following his inauguration, Rubio says we would give the Castros an ultimatum in his first day in office: “continue repressing your people and lose the diplomatic relations and benefits provided by President Obama, or carry out meaningful political and human rights reforms and receive increased U.S. trade, investment and support“.
“I signed on because I think the deal is in the best interest of the United States“, said Zandi, who is a registered Democrat and whose father is Iranian.
After news of his decision to vote “no” on the Iran agreement first leaked Thursday night, Schumer (D-N.Y.) has spoken to 20 to 30 fellow Democrats about why he will vote with the GOP leadership against the deal, sources said.
President Obama has not only permitted Iran to retain its entire existing nuclear infrastructure, he has also endorsed the construction of a full-scale, industrial-size nuclear program within 15 years.
But Tehran need not wait that long because worldwide inspectors will be hard-pressed to confirm that Iran is abiding by the deal’s restrictions on how much uranium it’s enriching, how many centrifuges it’s operating, and what it may be doing at secret sites that the world has not yet discovered.
And Rubio said that Obama has misplace his priorities when it comes to Cuba and Iran – by focusing his criticisms at Republicans like himself who oppose resuming diplomatic relations with Cuba and his nuclear deal with Iran, instead of attacking the leaders of their repressive governments. People who take it seriously are disposed to regard the deal as dangerous-as Rubio put it, a “string of concessions to a sworn enemy of the United States“.
“President Obama likes to say Iran is this close to getting a nuclear bomb”, said Cassidy, holding his fingers inches apart.
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On the other hand, Rep. Donald Payne Jr. Or the Supreme Leader can say, “See, you can’t trust the Great Satan”.
