Texas Rep. Ron Paul, anti-war voice of the Republicans, continues to blast his party for its militaristic stances.
The New York Times reported a testy exchange on Iraq between Paul and ex-Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee in Wednesday's GOP debate.
"The American people didn't go in," Paul said. "A few people advising this administration, a small number of people called the neoconservatives hijacked our foreign policy."
"Congressman, we are one nation," Huckabee replied. "We can't be divided. We have to be one nation, under God. That means, if we make a mistake, we make it as a single country: the United States of America, not the divided states of America."
This isn't the first time Paul has drawn ire from his conservative colleagues. Pat Buchanan listed as "the decisive moment of the (Republicans' May) South Carolina debate" a confrontation between Paul and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani.
"Hearing (Paul) recite the reasons for Arab and Islamic resentment of the United States, including 10 years of bombing and sanctions that brought death to thousands of Iraqis after the Gulf War," Buchanan wrote, "(Giuliani) broke format and exploded:
"'That's really an extraordinary statement, as someone who lived through the attack of 9-11, that we invited the attack because we were attacking Iraq. I don't think I have ever heard that before, and I have heard some pretty absurd explanations for Sept. 11.
"'I would ask the congressman to withdraw that comment and tell us what he really meant by it.'"
CNN reported in October 2002 that Paul was one of six House Republicans to vote against President Bush's resolution on Iraq. Consistency hasn't distinguished most of the other GOP presidential candidates. Can Paul's persistence make an impact?
Reader Comments ( Page 1 of 2)
1. At least Huckabee admitted the war was a mistake from the beginning.
Steve Bonomo at 4:08PM on Sep 7th 2007
2. Indeed, he did admit that the war was a mistake from the beginning. But it's important to remember that the whole reason Ron Paul is so angry with the current trends with the Republican elite, is that they make their decisions with little to no regard for the laws established in the U.S. Constitution.
But laws and cold observation aside, I was personally outraged when Huckabee (and McCain) said that we should stay to preserve our honor. The honor of the army reflects the honor of the men in office who give their orders, and the only way to serve our men and women in the army is to keep them from needless war.
Huckabee and McCain admitted in the face of everyone who watched that debate that the only reason we should stay is so that the American Government can save face. I'd rather have my friends and family back, then get rid of the men and women in the executive branch that put them in harms way to begin with.
I'm glad Ron Paul is standing up to men like this. Our freedoms are indeed in danger after 9/11, but not because of a guerrilla faction in the middle east. Our freedom has been under attack from within, from the bits and pieces of the Patriot Act that still remain, and especially from the Military Commissions Act that took away the writ of Habeas Corpus. (The right to know why you're being imprisoned.)
Yes, a guerrilla faction can make people fear for their lives, and they should be dealt with accordingly. But if you give up your freedom for safety, you will have neither. 70% of the American people don't want this war to continue. When a government doesn't act on the will of it's people and seeks to strip their freedom, that is the definition of tyranny. Do not let the American government become the tyrant it seeks to destroy.
Vote Ron Paul.
Heidi Slade at 5:52PM on Sep 7th 2007
3. Your paragraph implying that Ron Paul drew the ire of Pat Buchanan is either worded poorly or plain wrong. It was Giuliani who received Buchanan's ire; Paul he praised. Here is what Buchanan wrote (the full text of which can be found at: http://buchanan.org/blog/?p=822)
"On that fateful day, it was long-shot Ron Paul who would shine brightest. It was he who had the guts to say, in front of a hostile crowd, that anti-American sentiments in the Middle East were the result of our involvement in the area over the past half-century as opposed to the mumbo-jumbo of the other candidates, who arrogantly believe that we were attacked because “they’re envious of our freedom. They hate our culture. They hate our religion, etc.” Never before had I heard a politician from a major party note that our involvement may have played a role. Rudy Guliani apparently had neither heard nor thought of such a concept either, and, to the glee of the crowd, crucified Rep. Paul. As the applause raged, my respect for the mayor died a cruel death."
Rolland at 6:08PM on Sep 7th 2007
4. American can leave Iraq with Honor. If we do what the British are doing right now in Basra. The British had 40,000 soldiers in Iraq. They talked to all factions involved and the Iraqis would rather the British leave without leveling the city. Orderly withdrawal and turn the city over to the Iraqi government is working.
It is working in the second largest city in Iraq. The British did a fine job turning the city over to the Iraqi Army. It did not look like Vietnam either. They did a job and did it well, now they get to come home. It is now time for the Iraqis to stand up, fight or die. Freedom is not Free. They have been given a better chance then most countries. I do not believe the prestige of Britain is in question right now.
I like this quote from the new leader of Basra.
“It was General Mohan who declared there was no longer any need for UK forces to stay in their last remaining base in the city, and by staying they were simply inciting violence.”
“If Tyranny and Oppression Come to this Land, it Will be in the Guise of Fighting a Foreign Enemy” James Madison
David at 6:27PM on Sep 7th 2007
5. at least Paul is keeping strong & not pandering to the GOP base.
for political commentary & blogs, visit:
http://www.politidose.com/
Patrick at 7:05PM on Sep 7th 2007
6. I am so disappointed with todays main media sources. They always try to hide the truth and this report is another example. They hide the honest words of Ron Paul and give little reverence and respect to those philosophies and laws which our this nation's foundation. Our government is at war with our Constitution and unfortunately there are those who applaud them in there efforts to destroy what makes this country great. Leaving Iraq is not stripping us of our honor. It is correcting our mistakes, and helping to restore the honor we have lost by raging wars illegally.
Ron Paul you have woken me up! Keep up the fight cus you are right! Go Dr. Paul!
Justin Klingler at 7:38PM on Sep 7th 2007
7. RonPaul CAN make a difference and he WILL make a difference by WINNING this election! The grass-roots groundswell of support is growing by the day. The more people learn about Ron Paul, the more they KNOW he's right!
Tor at 8:30PM on Sep 7th 2007
8. What's Huckabee going to do about the mistake? NOTHING!
If any of us make a mistake it's our responsibility to correct the mistake, NOT to keep going down the same path. This is where Ron Paul is different. He tells the truth, but the neocon republicans don't want the truth they want to save Bush's face. It's time WE support our troops and bring them home. And I'm sorry, but Clinton, Obama, etc... have no interest in bringing our troops home either. Ron Paul is our ONLY hope.
www.ronpaul2008.com
rich at 9:25PM on Sep 7th 2007
9. What is not often considered is that most of the "top tier" candidates are members of the CFR (Council on Foreign Relations), an elite organizatin that has one world government as its goal. This includes Romney, Giuliani, McCain, Fred Thompson, Clinton, Edwards, Obama and Joe Biden. The only NON-CFR candidates are Huckabee, Kuchinich, Gravel and Ron Paul.
For CFR members to hold elective office is a staggering conflict of interest. This is like putting Klan members in charge of the NAACP.
The word most get out: the CFR is no good. It has been responsible for GATT, NAFDA, the WTO and the forthcoming North American Union. Bush, Cheney, Bill Clinton, select members of the media, industry, commerce and the Arts are all part of this elite "old boys" club and I hope that it is exposed for the rotten organization it is.
zenpiper at 9:51PM on Sep 7th 2007
10. Whoever wrote freedom is not free is clueless about Iraq. These are tribal wars which have been going on for thousands of years and they include the Israeli's who are cousins with the arabs. Iraq is not concerned with freedom. The factions are concerned with wiping each other out. All of the points Ron Paul made about the reasons they hate us are correct, Alquida (sic) spelled out three reasons for 911, they were that US Troops were in Saudi Arabia, failure to recognize Palestinians and Us support for Israel, who can As Paul stated easily defend itself having more nukes than anyone else in the middle east combined. So maybe people ought to start listening to someone who actually tells the truth, none of those other clowns do; none of em.
Its RP for me!
First, they ignore you
then they ridicule you (thats where we are now)
then they fight you (could get rough, protect RP)
then you win!
Ghandi
Ray at 11:36PM on Sep 7th 2007
11. Ron Paul has my vote.
Sports Bettor at 11:57PM on Sep 7th 2007
12. Oi Vey! These Paul bots will NEVER Learn.
I see they just continue to Cherry Pick Osama's words. Are they really that dumb or do they just think that WE are as dumb as they are?
I can't wait to get the transcript the latest Osama missive, but in case the Paulbots haven't heard, after we abandon Israel and all our allies in the Middle East Osama is STILL coming to the U.S.
Why? Because the U.S. Constitution offends his religious sensitivities. And until we abandon the Constitution, which your Paulbot cited above, and adopt Sharia, Osama is going to keep on truckin.
From Bin Laden's letter to the American People: "What are we calling you to, and what do we want from you?
(1) The first thing that we are calling you to is Islam.
...
complete submission to His Laws; and of the discarding of all the opinions, orders, theories and religions which contradict with the religion He sent down to His Prophet Muhammad
...
You are the nation who, rather than ruling by the Shariah of Allah in its Constitution and Laws, choose to invent your own laws as you will and desire."
Ready to toss over the U.S. Constitution and start wearing the burka Paulbots? Because that is the simple choice. Convert to Islam, submit to being ruled by Sharia Law or DIE!
You demand we "listen" to what our enemies say, but you stick your fingers in your ears and hum when the bad parts come out.
herschel at 10:05AM on Sep 8th 2007
13. Richard,
Why did you write this little regurgitation of events? Do you have an opinion or an insight to share? This article was so thin I could write more in 15 seconds than the effort you put into this.
I am searching for Ron Paul news on Google and I find this. What a waste of 30 seconds of my day. Do some journalism instead of just downloading porn from bit torrent on your computer all day.
Your readers comments are far more interesting than your little blurb.
libertyman at 1:26PM on Sep 8th 2007
14. Will our Constitution live through 9-11 like Guliani says he did?
I hope so.
If we had followed the Constitution to begin with, Arabs would be our allies, The Dollar would still be the worlds strongest currency, and America would be the America you want.
Cole Webb at 2:15PM on Sep 8th 2007
15. Well said Heidi Slade.
herschel, by calling U.S. citizens to Islam, Osama is fulfilling a requirement within the Koran to offer the enemy a chance to convert and be forgiven before being attacked or killed. According to Michael Scheuer, former head of the CIA Bin Laden unit (and someone who has done extensive studies on Islamic terrorism), this statement was meant more for the ears of the Islamic world than it was for us. Osama is a thoughtful, albeit evil, man who knows that to retain the support of the Islamic world he needs it to hear him issue this statement.
You are either deluded or brainwashed if you believe our Constitution is the reason they want to kill us. Osama may have wet dreams about a world ruled under Sharia law, but there would be absolutely no way for him to galvanize the support he has within the fragmented Islamic world if it wasn't for our dumb-headed foreign policy within the Middle East.
Hans at 3:07PM on Sep 8th 2007