Paul talks U.S. isolationism at conference

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WASHINGTON, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- The United States needs to extricate itself from international affairs, Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, told a conservative summit in Washington.

Speaking Friday at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, Paul expressed isolationist views that included criticism of the longstanding U.S. support for Egypt, where President Hosni Mubarak gave up power Friday after 18 days of national protests, The Hill reported.

Paul criticized the estimated $70 billion the United States spent in the past 30 years to support "that puppet dictator for all these years."

Paul also took swipes at Democrats' failed House efforts to amend the Patriot Act and reiterated his stance against the Obama administration's foreign policy.

"The Patriot Act is literally the destruction of the Fourth Amendment," he said of the provision that protects against illegal search and seizure. "I'm still against foreign aid -- for everybody."

The 76-year-old said earlier this week he was mulling another bid for the GOP presidential nomination for the 2012 election, the report said.

The CPAC convention that traditionally steers nominee leadership wraps up Saturday.