ALBAWABA – Dubbed “Champion of Israel” by Haaretz, United States (US) presidential candidate Robert "Bobby" F. Kennedy Jr., also known as Young RFK, has been stirring controversy with statements blaming the US and the West, in part, for the Ukraine war. Not to mention reducing military spending.
"My primary platform is to cut the costs on the military," Kennedy said in a June interview on the "Breaking Points" podcast.
"Again, what we were told was a peace dividend after the collapse of the Soviet Union. … We were going to cut our military budget from about $600 billion a year to $200 billion a year," he said.
Meanwhile, he Ukraine-Russia War is one of two of the most contentious foreign policy topics in the United States. That and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Young RFK’s stand on the Ukraine-Russia war
Speaking at Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire, Young RFK delivered a significant foreign policy address.
On the topic of the Ukraine-Russia war, he made a bold statement, claiming that the US government bears some responsibility for Russia's invasion of Ukraine. This viewpoint contradicts the stance widely accepted in America and many Western countries, as per ABC News.
The "danger of reckless escalation and nuclear brinksmanship" is "real and present," he said.
According to Young RFK, the war in Ukraine has created “a relentless mentality of foreign domination" on the part of the US, accusing the “West” of intentionally sabotaging peace talks in the spring of 2022.
He also said the US appears to be interested in the removal of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Who is Young RFK?
Finally, Young RFK said: "I abhor Russia's brutal and bloody invasion of that nation [Ukraine]… But we must understand that our government has also contributed to its circumstances through repeated deliberate provocations of Russia going back to the 1990s."
On Israel and Palestine
Young RFK recently stirred controversy for initially praising Roger Waters, whose concert exhibited pro-Palestinian sentiment.
However, Young RFK quickly withdrew his support and reiterated his backing for Israel’s right to exist and its right to protect its security.
He also expressed a belief in the importance of recognizing the aspirations of the Palestinian people.
“I was unaware of his [Roger Waters’] position of Israel,” the candidate told The Hill in a televised Q&A. Adding that he took the tweet down the moment he learned about Waters’ position.
“I support Israel… My family has a long relationship with Israel. I support its right to exist and its right to protect its security,” he reaffirmed.
As for his position on Palestine, he said he supported a “humane outcome and a recognition ultimately of the aspirations [of the] Palestinian people is important for everybody”.
RFK Jr.’s foreign policy views have stirred controversy, reflecting his unorthodox approach and his willingness to express unpopular opinions.
His positions, although controversial, represent a new perspective that promises to reshape discussions on US foreign policy.
