Republican hopefuls Paul and Rubio clash over Cuba policy
Rand Paul accused fellow Republican Marco Rubio of being 'isolationist' signalling foreign affairs rift ahead of 2016 White House race
Two of the Republican Party's top White House hopefuls have clashed sharply over US President Barack Obama's new Cuba policy, signalling a growing rift over foreign affairs that could shape the party's 2016 presidential primaries.
Senator Rand Paul, who backs Obama's move to normalise relations with communist Cuba, accused Senator Marco Rubio of being an "isolationist" with his hard-line opposition to opening up trade and diplomatic engagement with the island nation. Paul suggested Rubio "wants to retreat to our borders and perhaps build a moat".
Paul's comments came after Rubio - the son of Cuban exiles who is a leading voice of resistance to Obama's policy - told Fox News that Paul had "no idea what he's talking about" when it comes to Cuba.
The feud is the loudest public dispute so far between potential Republican 2016 candidates and lays bare the divergent world views of traditional hawks - including Rubio and past Republican presidents and nominees - and the emerging, younger libertarian wing represented by Paul.
For decades, Rubio's position has been the Republican Party's natural default. But Paul is testing that convention.
"Are we still cold warriors or are we entering a brave new world in diplomacy?" Republican strategist John Feehery said. "Rubio's perspective is we have Cuba, we have North Korea, we need a bold, internationalist, America-led world that fights the bad guys. Rand Paul is taking his father's position to a new level, which is constructive engagement, but America isn't really the policeman of the world."
