Former Republican Rep. Ron Paul warned against sending financial aid to the struggled new Ukrainian government, claiming that U.S. aid “always backfires.”
Paul spoke with Fox News’ Neil Cavuto Wednesday about the $1 billion promised to the embattled regime in Kiev, which is deeply in debt and faces an aggressive Russia on its doorstep. The libertarian-leaning former presidential candidate sympathized with the pro-Western government, but insisted that the United States should remain uninvolved.
“You know about good intentions, where it gets you,” he began, “and that’s generally the case. As you mentioned Syria, we managed to get some money in to help people [and] we ended up helping al-Qaeda.”
“The new government wants some money, they say there’s a pressing need,” he explained. “Of course, we’re supposed to come up with a billion. But it’s going to be a lot more than that, because the Europeans promised $15 billion, and we’ll be obligated for some of that.”
Cavuto told Paul that while he believes our intentions are good, he’s worried “about follow-through. Because we have committed trillions over the years to various causes that just don’t — DON’T — pan out.”
“I think there are two things going on,” Paul responded. “I think the support from most members of Congress — as well as the people in this country — are well intended … but I think there are ulterior motives behind a lot of this, too. Our interventions overseas — we don’t have clean hands. Sometimes it has to do with energy, and special interests and the military-industrial complex — all kinds of special interests.”
“I think we should help the people here in this country by allowing them to keep their own money,” the former congressman continued. “And if they want to donate to these countries, fine and dandy.”
“It always backfires,” Paul later explained, “and it always ends up getting into the hands of the bad — I’ve always argued that foreign aid is a process where you take money from poor people in this country and give it to rich people in other countries. Because the people never seem to be helped, the special interests seem to be helped. It’s government to government.”
“I think the Founders were right: Stay out of the internal affairs of other nations,” he said. “Get away from these entangling alliances. Mind our own business.”
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