Ron Paul is not a RINO moderate like most RINOs, he’s a libertarian-style conservative, a different breed.
I was at the Texas conservative conference in Feb and Ron Paul spoke there and had some ‘handlers’ and supporters there.
I’d say that he opposition to Iraq war is a double-edged sword. For some it is the attraction, but for others like me it is a perfect example of why he is the wrong candidate. We cannot have an isolationist President while we are trying to fight against terrorists around the world.
Non-interventionalism is *not* Isolationism.
Here is Ron Pauls position in his own words.
Both Jefferson and Washington warned us about entangling ourselves in the affairs of other nations. Today, we have troops in 130 countries. We are spread so thin that we have too few troops defending America. And now, there are new calls for a draft of our young men and women.We can continue to fund and fight no-win police actions around the globe, or we can refocus on securing America and bring the troops home. No war should ever be fought without a declaration of war voted upon by the Congress, as required by the Constitution.
Under no circumstances should the U.S. again go to war as the result of a resolution that comes from an unelected, foreign body, such as the United Nations.
Too often we give foreign aid and intervene on behalf of governments that are despised. Then, we become despised. Too often we have supported those who turn on us, like the Kosovars who aid Islamic terrorists, or the Afghan jihads themselves, and their friend Osama bin Laden. We armed and trained them, and now we’re paying the price.
At the same time, we must not isolate ourselves. The generosity of the American people has been felt around the globe. Many have thanked God for it, in many languages. Let us have a strong America, conducting open trade, travel, communication, and diplomacy with other nations.