Maine candidate says President Obama wrong on Syria intervention

BELFAST – As U.S. military intervention in the Syrian civil war seems imminent, Republican candidate for Maine’s second district congressional seat Blaine Richardson has announced his opposition to President Barack Obama’s latest foreign policy endeavor.

“As both a candidate for Congress and a Veteran of four American conflicts, I call on President Obama and his administration to stop all American involvement in Syria,” said Richardson in a written statement.

“Enough American resources have been spent on wars in the Middle East. We have been tearing fathers, mothers, sons and daughters away from their families here in Maine and sending them to war in Afghanistan, while we are arming forces affiliated with Al-Qaeda in Syria,” said Richardson.

“This foreign policy is not in the best interest of the citizens of Maine,” he said.

Richardson, a libertarian-leaning conservative, said the president should seek congressional approval prior to any military strike, as required by the U.S. Constitution.

According to Richardson’s campaign website, the candidate is running on a five-plank platform. If elected, his priorities will include congressional term limits, a balanced budget constitutional amendment, tax reform, repealing the Affordable Care Act, and repealing onerous regulations imposed by the Obama administration.

With less than a year to go before next summer’s GOP primary, Richardson is showing that he has the chops to defend a less interventionist, more libertarian foreign policy at the national level.

As of Tuesday, two other Republicans have official declared their candidacy: Assistant House Minority Leader Alexander Willette (R-Mapelton) and former State Treasurer Bruce Poliquin.

S.E. Robinson
MaineWire Reporter
serobinson@themainewire.com