Marco Rubio in Reuters

On Homeland Security: Increased military investment demonstrates leadership

Rubio has spent much of 2014 promoting himself as a foreign policy expert through a series of speeches: "Too many leaders in both parties, including our president and some who aspire to be president, have shown they would rather wait for poll numbers to change than demonstrate the leadership necessary to shape them," Rubio said while advocating increased military investment. Source: Reuters 2014 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Sep 18, 2014

On War & Peace: Confront and defeat ISIL now, or we will have to do so later

Three likely Republican White House contenders thrust the party's foreign policy divide into the spotlight with their votes and comments on a measure to arm moderate Syrian rebels. While Florida Senator Marco Rubio voted in favor of the plan, which passed, Kentucky's Rand Paul and Texas Senator Ted Cruz voted against it, with Paul opposing intervention.

"Intervention is a mistake. Intervention when both sides are evil is a mistake. Intervention that destabilizes the Middle East is a mistake. And yet, here we are again, wading into a civil war," Paul said.

His doubts ran contrary to the thinking of Rubio, who advocated an aggressive response, saying the threat should have been addressed earlier. "If we do not confront and defeat ISIL now we will have to do so later, and it will take a lot longer, be a lot costlier, and be more painful," Rubio said, using an acronym for Islamic State. "If we fail to approve this, the nations of that region will say America is not truly engaged."

Source: Reuters 2014 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls Sep 18, 2014

The above quotations are from Media coverage of political races in Reuters News Service. Click here for other excerpts from Media coverage of political races in Reuters News Service. Click here for other excerpts by Marco Rubio. Click here for a profile of Marco Rubio.
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