12/7/09 Ron Paul: Who Wants War?

http://www.house.gov/paul
http://CampaignForLiberty.com

If anyone still doubted that this administrations foreign policy would bring any kind of change, this weeks debate on Afghanistan should remove all doubt. The Presidents stated justifications for sending more troops to Afghanistan and escalating war amount to little more than recycling all the false reasons we began the conflict. It is so discouraging to see this coming from our new leadership, when the people were hoping for peace. New polls show that 49% of the people favor minding our own business on the world stage, up from 30% in 2002. Perpetual war is not solving anything. Indeed continually seeking out monsters to destroy abroad only threatens our security here at home as international resentment against us builds. The people understand this and are becoming increasingly frustrated at not being heard by the decision-makers. The leaders say some things the people want to hear, but change never comes.

One has to ask, if the people who elected these leaders so obviously do not want these wars, who does? Eisenhower warned of the increasing power and influence of the military industrial complex and it seems his worst fears have come true. He believed in a strong national defense, as do I, but warned that the building up of permanent military and weapons industries could prove dangerous if their influence got out of hand. After all, if you make your money on war, peace does you no good. With trillions of dollars at stake, there is tremendous incentive to keep the decision makers fearful of every threat in the world, real or imagined, present or future, no matter how ridiculous and far-fetched. The Bush Doctrine demonstrates how very successful the war lobby was philosophically with the last administration. And they are succeeding just as well with this one, in spite of having the so-called peace candidate in office.

We now find ourselves in another foreign policy quagmire with little hope of victory, and not even a definition of victory. Eisenhower said that only an alert and informed electorate could keep these war racketeering pressures at bay. He was right, and the key is for the people to ensure that their elected leaders follow the Constitution. The Constitution requires a declaration of war by Congress in order to legitimately go to war. Bypassing this critical step makes it far too easy to waste resources on nebulous and never-ending conflicts. Without clear goals, the conflicts last forever and drain the country of blood and treasure. The drafters of the Constitution gave Congress the power to declare war precisely because they feared allowing the executive unfettered discretion in military affairs. They understood that making it easy for leaders to wage foreign wars would threaten domestic liberties.

Responses to attacks on our soil should be swift and brief. Wars we fight should always be defensive, clearly defined and Constitutional. The Bush Doctrine of targeting potential enemies before they do anything to us is dangerously vague and easily abused. There is nothing left to win in Afghanistan and everything to lose. Todays military actions are yet another futile exercise in nation building and have nothing to do with our nations security, or with 9/11. Most experts agree that Bin Laden and anyone remotely connected to 9/11 left Afghanistan long ago, but our troops remain. The pressures of the war racketeers need to be put in check before we are brought to our knees by them. Unfortunately, it will require a mighty effort by the people to get the leadership to finally listen.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• congressman
• ron
• paul
• texas
• straight
• talk
• who
• wants
• war
• afghanistan
• iraq
• obama
• peace
• president
• quagmire
• non-interventionist
• foreign
• policy
• preemptive
• middle
• east
• karzai

[mcgrawtim123]

Obama's speech at West Point is just plain depressing.

[nvsyru]

Ron Paul speaks a trillion times more truth in 4 minutes than Obama said in nearly 40 minutes of the West Point speech.

I'm starting to think Obama should be called ARES (The mythical Greek God of War)!

It seems everything Obama says is mythical. Do you believe it or not? Many Americans believed and hoped that Obama and his administration would bring Change to their personal lives as their belief and hope fades only to come to understand that all he has says is nothing but a MYTH! Very Sad!

[dapop1001]

To black america O was their change, their dream come true. To white americans O was the only real choice from war monger Mccain. Most people thought a vote for O would get us out of Iraq and afghanistan. The moral and constitutional obligations of our representatives in Washington are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing bankruptcy and economic turmoil to our people. Ron Paul IDK if any of them will listen to us,but RP walks the talk. PEACE

[dpremi1126]

All the world war supporter now crying because of their mistake due to which thousands of innocent people died when day by day its uncover the bitter truth that the war on terrorism is not war for peace of the world or secure world it was a war between the 2 rich community of the world. One side Zionist American rich group other side bin laden rich group. In this war game American innocent and European innocent army and Iraq and Afghanistan innocent Muslims life losing.

[trakkaton]

Obama = Bush III. That was clear long ago, long before the election. Those who didn't vote for Nader are beyond hope.

[mark695847]

It's not him, It's the power behind the closed doors that needs to be looked at!!!! Ron Paul 2012

[quizerry]

If the people in congress have any morals they would listen to this mans truth. Ron Paul is the only one who seems to love this Country and our Constitution and who understands our Constitution.

[sparky42]

Ron Paul & Jessie Ventura in 2012

[imagrandpa]

Those who voted for Obama got Hoodwinked!

[liveguns]

from your best man in politics today ladies and gentleman.

[TheDigitalWeb]

Our men & women in uniform are being sent to war by a fraud and impostor posing as the U.S. president. Any legislation signed by O'billary is immediately null and void. Like signing over U.S. land to china as collateral for more loans, etc., etc., etc.. We need to focus on stopping this impostor from signing the COP15 treaty, before the whole world believes it, and damns us all to poverty and slavery!

[grantchristy]

Maybe your blaming obama too much for previous mistakes. Are you guys over rating the reagan years? These were the years that ruined the UK & now we see that ruin unravel b4 our eyes. We were sold out many years ago all of us. The only way forward is to change the establishment totally get rid of the old world order & bring in our world order.

We need a revolution!