In an interview published Sunday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich offered a frank assessment of neoconservatism, questioning the United States’ capacity to “export democracy” and suggesting that it may be time to consider “alternative strategies.”
The 2012 Republican presidential candidate said that, although he remains a neoconservative, he questions the success of America’s policy in the Middle East.
“I am a neoconservative. But at some point, even if you are a neoconservative, you need to take deep breath to ask if our strategies in Middle East have succeeded,” Gingrich told The Washington Times. “It may be that our capacity to export democracy is a lot more limited than we thought.”
Gingrich also praised Sens. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Ted Cruz (R-TX), both of whom have positioned themselves on the opposite side of neoconservatives in debates over drone and surveillance policy. Paul recently feuded with New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), who upset the Kentucky senator when he took a shot at libertarianism.
Gingrich will be a part of CNN’s revival of the political debate program “Crossfire,” which is slated to return to the cable news network this fall.
