Rand Paul decries 'war on Christianity'
Speaking at the Faith and Freedom Coalition's Road to Majority conference in Washington, D.C. today, Sen. Rand Paul, R-K.y., condemned persecution of Christians in Muslim countries and called for an end to U.S. aid to such nations.
"It angers me to see my tax dollars supporting regimes that put Christians to death for blasphemy against Islam, countries that put to death Muslims who convert to Christianity, and countries who imprison anyone who marries outside their religion," Paul said.
He cited Asia Bibi, a Christian in Pakistan, who is on death row for drinking from a Muslim co-worker's glass as an example, as well as the plight of Iraq's substantial Christian population in Iraq.
"These countries are not our allies, and no amount of money is going to make them so," Paul said. "It makes no sense. Should we be sending F-16s and tanks to Egypt when (President Mohammed) Morsi says Jews are descendants of apes and pigs?"
Earlier this year, Paul sponsored a measured to restrict foreign aid to Egypt, Libya and Pakistan until they turned over those responsible for the murder of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens during the Benghazi terrorist attack.
Paul's measure also required those countries to protect U.S. embassies on their soil and in Pakistan's case to release Dr. Shafil Afridi, who helped lead the U.S. to Osama bin Laden.
"How do your leaders respond? 90 % of them voted against my bill that would have put restrictions on this aid," Paul said.
"My bill said that Libya, Egypt, and Pakistan would get no more foreign aid from the U.S. taxpayer unless they turned over the assassins that killed our ambassador, pledged and verified that they can and will protect our embassies, and in the case of Pakistan they must release Dr. Afridi," he added.
"Overwhelmingly, I was voted down. Is it any wonder that Congress has a 10% approval rating? In Egypt, in Pakistan, they burn our flag, so I say not one penny more to countries that burn the American flag!"
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