Steve Pope/Getty Images

Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul spoke out against President Obama’s plan to send 2,500 U.S. troops to Australia today in Iowa at the Warren County GOP breakfast fundraiser.

“We are so broke and there’s no hesitation with this administration or with previous administrations to continue to go in more and more countries,” Paul said. “My position has been very clear, we spend way too much money overseas, it’s a good place to start bringing the troops home from around the world.”

Paul said Obama does not agree with stance of bringing U.S. troops home that are based internationally.

“He thinks we need more troops spread around the world. So he’s over in Australia, promising to send thousands of our troops to Australia. Why do we have to occupy Australia? I mean what’s going on? He said well maybe the Chinese will attack us. The Chinese are our banker, they’re not going to attack us— you know it’s not going to happen,” Paul said.

Paul pointed to the fact that the U.S. is in debt to China and said while we are sending troops to Afghanistan and China is investing in their mineral resources.

Obama said the U.S. troops will be there to ensure increased security in the Asia-Pacific region.

“Are they getting ready to invade us? No they don’t have to,” Paul said. “With my visit to the region, I am making it clear that the United States is stepping up its commitment to the entire Asia-Pacific region,”  Obama said in a news conference Wednesday.

“The notion that we fear China is mistaken. The notion that we are looking to exclude China is mistaken,” Obama said.

But Paul told the crowd of more than 150 people that spending on troops in Australia is an unnecessary cost.

“Defense spending is different than military spending. Sending troops to Australia, that’s not defense, we don’t need troops in Australia to protect against anybody invading this country. It’s all just mischief,” Paul said.