Rubio pushes U.S. strength

MIAMI - Sen. Marco Rubio called Wednesday for increased U.S. defense spending and greater intervention abroad, positioning himself as the leading foreign policy hawk among Republicans considering runs for the White House.

"The world needs American strength just as much as our people and our economy do," Rubio told a conservative gathering in Washington. "No other nation can deter global conflict by its presence alone."

The Florida senator and potential GOP presidential candidate voiced support for President Obama's strategy to arm moderate Syrian rebels battling Islamic State militants - but warned that American combat troops may be necessary to stop the march of extremist forces across the Middle East.

"We must be prepared for threats wherever they arise, because our nation is never isolated from the world," Rubio said. "Foreign policy is domestic policy."

Those positions create a contrast with some of his potential GOP rivals who remain wary of American intervention and could help repair Rubio's relations with conservative activists upset over his support for an immigration overhaul last year.

The tough talk about fighting Islamic State extremists also could quell concerns among a broader swath of Republicans about the 43-year-old freshman senator's inexperience in global affairs - seen as a key vulnerability if Democrats nominate former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton in 2016.

Republican leaders see Obama's focus on winding down wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a reluctance to use force as ripe for GOP critique in the coming presidential campaign. But some worry that their party's crop of young lawmakers would make less-than-convincing messengers.

Rubio's focus on foreign policy "allows someone who was the speaker of the House in Florida to preface his answers with, 'I said to the king of Jordan' and 'The prime minister of Japan said to me,' " said Elliott Abrams of the Council on Foreign Relations. "That kind of statement is important when you're trying to prove, 'I know what I'm talking about.' "

There also is significant political risk. Recent polls show strong public support for military action in Iraq and Syria. But public opinion can swiftly change after a decade of conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan. Experts forecast a prolonged campaign against a terrorist group that spans several countries.

In his address Wednesday, Rubio sharply criticized Obama for cuts in defense spending and plans to shrink the U.S. military.