Santorum: Let's cut off Iran's oil supply

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum

/ AP Photo/Richard Shiro

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum moved to strike a chord with Jewish voters gathered at the Republican Jewish Coalition's candidate forum with his aggressive posture toward Iran and his blistering critique of the Obama administration's Middle East policies.

Like all the other GOP candidates, Santorum vowed to be a better friend to Israel. "We see this administration a blind eye toward radicals," the former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania said. "For every thug and hooligan, for every radical Islamist, [Obama] has done nothing but appease them."

Santorum said that as president, he would put into effect the strongest sanctions against Iran, including cutting off their oil supply. "There is no greater purveyor of terror in the world than Iran," he said. "There is no greater threat to the existence of Israel."

Santorum compared the current moment to the lead-up to World War II, when the United States tried to avoid war at all costs. He noted that today is Dec. 7, the 40th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. "I know people in this country are tired of war, but our Pearl Harbor already happened," he said. "It happened 10 years ago on September 11."

When asked about his conservative stances on such social issues as abortion rights and gay marriage--areas where Jewish voters have traditionally been more liberal--Santorum did not back away. Instead, he took the opportunity to make a subtle swipe at the relatively more liberal positions of others in the Republican field.

"We've had presidential candidates who have been pro-life or pro-marriage who have been uncomfortable talking about it," Santorum said. "I'm not one of them. ... What people are looking for is authenticity."

Santorum was among six Republican candidates who spoke at the forum in Washington, D.C.

[boatdocster]

Santorum, as usual, is clueless on history.

If his royal dumbness Ricko would refer back to history, he might recall that FDR getting off oil supplies to Japan was one of the main reasons why Japan had to expand and ultimately led to the Pearl Harbor attack.

Of course, since he is a member of the "Eternal War Party", his desire to cut oil (and start yet another war) may actually be by design.

[greenlantern1]

When Israel bombed Saddam Hussein's nuclear power plant, Reagan stopped the sale of jets to it>
Was Reagan right?
Clifford Spencer

[involved_indi]

Is he running for President on a dare or something? My dog has a better chance of getting elected. I don't have anything against Mr. Santorum, he just isn't it.

[esq777]

"For every thug and hooligan, for every radical Islamist, [Obama] has done nothing but appease them." Right Rick. Appeasement is sending in Navy Seals to kill Bin Laden and toss his body off of a warship. Appeasement is using drones to kill hundreds of Al Qaeda operatives, including top leadership. Appeasement is ordering a surge in Afghanistan. Is it any wonder that this clown is nowhere to be found in the polls. There are plenty of things to criticize Obama on, but "appeasement" of terrorists isn't one of them. But I guess a guy who thinks Pearl Harbor happened 40 years ago isn't all that concerned with reality.

[norcalruss]

Now Santorum is calling for something as ridiculous as Toad Gingrich did a couple of weeks ago. Toad said that the US should step up production of oil and supply it to Europe so that they can embargo Iranian oil. Apparently the Toadster forgot that the USA is a major IMPORTER of oil and hence we have nothing to EXPORT. We also have less than 5% of the world's reserves so we could NEVER again become a major exporter of oil. The stupidly of these GOP clowns is amazing. They will say and do whatever to kiss the Jews' @sses.

[jmsrmck]

The US has more oil reserves than any arab country. Due to restrictions we can't get to most of it, but we have far more. Where do you get your figure of 5%?

[retm-w]

So in other words rick, take care of Israel and the he11 with the citizens in this country. You would do away with SS and medicare so we coukld keep sending foreign aid to israel.

[norcalruss]

Sounds like he is sucking up to the Jew lobby, maybe he should just move to Israel.

[norcalruss]

Santorum: Let's cut off Iran's oil supply
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Does this Idiot even KNOW that Iran is a major SUPPLIER of oil? Just when you think these buffoons in the GOP are done with gaffes, out comes another one! It's truly amazing their propensity to illustrate their ignorance.

[imnho]

Iran has so much oil that cutting of there oil imports will have zero effect.

[petesis]

Doesn't Iran have huge oil deposits themselves?

[norcalruss]

Exactly! Iran is a major world SUPPLIER of oil. We don't get nay of it but other nations do.

[myronfagan]

These politicians who suck up for votes instead of looking for diplomacy and other ways to settle disputes are proving them selves to be pawns and not real leaders.. and will give you ZERO change from the present wars and complicity with the bankers.
The US with NATO are sabotaging and creating violent revolutions in the middle east to create takeovers.. and who gets control? Always it is international banker friendly pawns ... it s nothing but power grabbing for world government. Newt and Santorum are perfect stooges