"One of the reasons ISIS grew is because the neoconservatives like [Marco] Rubio ... wanted to topple Assad," the Kentucky senator says. | AP Photo Paul hits back at Rubio for ISIL claims

Rand Paul ripped Marco Rubio on Wednesday for his insinuation that he is partly to blame for the rise and growth of the Islamic State terrorist group, getting in a few digs of his own at his Senate colleague and fellow Republican presidential candidate.

Appearing on the set of MSNBC's "Morning Joe," the Kentucky senator responded to Rubio's foreign policy speech on Monday in which he slammed "isolationist candidates." Though he mentioned none of them by name, Rubio remarked at one point that "ISIS cannot be filibustered," a shot at both Paul and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who have used the legislative maneuver during their time in the Senate.


“Well you know the opposite is kind of true," Paul began. "I’ve been saying that one of the reasons ISIS grew is because the neoconservatives like Rubio wanted to push [Syrian President Bashar] Assad back, they wanted to topple Assad, and that’s created a space for ISIS to grow and I think that’s a legitimate foreign policy point."

Saying that the bulk collection of data by the NSA, a practice ended with the expiration of the PATRIOT Act and the new USA Freedom Act which lapsed those techniques last year, is helping ISIL misses the point, Paul argued.

"I could equally argue that Rubio’s Gang of Eight bill is allowing ISIS to attack us," he said, referring to the ultimately failed bipartisan immigration reform group of which Rubio was a part in 2013. "It’d be equally valid or invalid as a point. But I think it is a valid point. We had this debate, you know, in the presidential debate about regime change, and I think that is a really important debate. Is it our role in the world to decide who the leaders are in the Middle East, and have we at times toppled secular dictators that have allowed chaos, instability and the rise of radical Islam like ISIS?”

Paul also brought up the fact that Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.), one of the co-sponsors of the USA Freedom Act, endorsed Rubio, even though the Florida senator would appear to be at odds with the very legislation Gowdy co-sponsored.

“So Marco Rubio’s buying into the fear. He wants you to trade your liberty for a false sense of security, and I object to that," Paul said. "And I think it’s a really important debate to have, but I think he’s on the wrong side of history, and I think if he finds that he’s going to tout across the country that he is for generalized collection of records of all Americans, I think he may be surprised that most Americans don’t want that.”

He also talked up his chances despite sagging poll numbers, noting that the same surveys show large shares of undecided voters who say they are leaning in one direction but have not fully made up their mind.

“I think one of the things is, it’s unknown. I think we’re being led by the nose by polls, and there’s a lot of evidence that they’re not very accurate," he said, remarking upon the gubernatorial race in his home state in which Republican Matt Bevin pulled off an upset.