The Trouble With Unconstitutional Wars
by Ron Paul
Our foreign policy was in the spotlight last week, which is exactly where it should be. Almost two years ago many voters elected someone they thought would lead us to a more peaceful, rational co-existence with other countries. However, while attention has been focused on the administration’s disastrous economic policies, its equally disastrous foreign policies have exacerbated our problems overseas. Especially in times of economic crisis, we cannot afford to ignore costly foreign policy mistakes. That’s why it is important that U.S. foreign policy receive some much needed attention in the media, as it did last week with the leaked documents scandal.
Many are saying that the Wikileaks documents tell us nothing new. In some ways this is true. Most Americans knew that we have been fighting losing battles. These documents show just how bad it really is. The revelation that Pakistani intelligence is assisting the people we are bombing in Afghanistan shows the quality of friends we are making with our foreign policy. This kind of thing supports points that Rep. Dennis Kucinich and I tried to make on the House floor last week with a privileged resolution that would have directed the administration to remove troops from Pakistan pursuant to the War Powers Resolution.
We are not at war with Pakistan. Congress has made no declaration of war. (Actually, we made no declaration of war on Iraq or Afghanistan either, but that is another matter.) Yet we have troops in Pakistan engaging in hostile activities, conducting drone attacks and killing people. We sometimes manage to kill someone who has been identified as an enemy, yet we also kill about 10 civilians for every 1 of those. Pakistani civilians are angered by this, yet their leadership is mollified by our billions in bribe money. We just passed an appropriations bill that will send another $7.5 billion to Pakistan. One wonders how much of this money will end up helping the Taliban. This whole operation is clearly counterproductive, inappropriate, immoral and every American who values the rule of law should be outraged. Yet these activities are being done so quietly that most Americans, as well as most members of the House, don’t even know about them.
We should follow constitutional protocol when going to war. It is there for a reason. If we are legitimately attacked, it is the job of Congress to declare war. We then fight the war, win it and come home. War should be efficient, decisive and rare. However, when Congress shirks its duty and just gives the administration whatever it wants with no real oversight or meaningful debate, wars are never-ending, wasteful, and political. Our so-called wars have become a perpetual drain on our economy and liberty.
The founders knew that heads of state are far too eager to engage in military conflicts. That is why they entrusted the power to go to war with the deliberative body closest to the people – the Congress. Decisions to go to war need to be supported by the people. War should not be covert or casual. We absolutely should not be paying off leaders of a country while killing their civilians without expecting to create a lot of new problems. This is not what America is supposed to be about.
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huh…obama’s wars?
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This war belongs to the commander and chief of the US army who directs foreign policy.
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Does he want Paskistan’s nuclear weapons to fall into the hands of the Taliban? That is why America “bribes” Pakistan.
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You have my vote Ron – you had it in 2008 and will have it again in 2012
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“Ron Paul: Congress Could End Obama’s Wars”
I am sorry Dr. Paul for losing hope but….
If Obama, a top high ranking figure in this country is a puppet, what can I except from congressmen?
Did congress voted to audit the Federal Reserve? 198 Yea or 229 Nay
What do we think they would vote for Obama’s war? Yea or Nay? I will expect the same number 198-229
We all know that the congress is bought and paid by the foreign banks, If they ever happen to vote Yea to end Obama’s wars, they would lose that extra paycheck for sure. The congressmen won’t let that happened on their watch.
RON PAUL 2012
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On a recent Peter Schiff video I stated in my comment that “Schiff and Paul were wrong about history, economics and political reality”. I was promptly banned. I am not going to comment further on this point, but I wonder if Ron Paul also agrees with limiting free speech and other/different ideas. Being banned was a shock to me because I had (I guess) a false idea that libertarians were champions of free speech.
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How could you be banned and still write on the forum? doesn’t make much sense.
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It is unfortunate that in today’s Department of Defense, “classified” = “covering up failure”. They wonder why they have lost credibility with the American people, but everytime the American people find out what’s been classified as something “secret” or “top secret” it often has nothing to do with saving lives so much as it does saving some high ranking dolt’s career or saving face.
Some classic examples of this kind of cover up include the Advanced Tactical Fighter program, where out of three airplane options the worst of the three was chosen, the airplane that became the F-22. The F-23 was a better option, but some of its strengths that were demonstrated late in the prototype evaluation were not considered in the competition. In fact, they were classified and covered up, and a phoney story was concocted to discredit the performance of the YF-23 prototype. Even at that, there are those who hold that Grumman’s version of the ATF that never left the drawing board was even better than either of the 2 prototypes. We’ll never know because the General in charge of the program made a brainless edict that took that airplane out of the running. Now the performance predicted by the Grumman engineers for that plane, even it’s shape are all classified.
The airplane rumored to be the Aurora that was supposed to replace the SR-71 was a failure. You can’t know why or how much was spent because all that information was classified. Much of the aerodynamics that made the SR-71 successful are classified and thus these features have not been used on follow on aircraft such as the F-22, which is much of why it is such a poor performing airplane compared to what it could have been. You’ll never know that because all this information is classified. Who are they really saving?
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Excellent writing – keep it up
Ron Paul 2012
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Ron Paul is losing friends in Congress…its unfortunate that he wont even be elected after the machine gets to him. Remember, Obama had good intentions, then the machine got to him too. Ron Paul should flat out run as an independent, so he can stay away from the ‘strategists’ who will eventually destroy his goals and turn him into another typical president
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Ron Paul for Pres.2012
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YES! THE REVOLUTION CONTINUES! RON PAUL 2012!!
from australia, which needs a ron paul!!!
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I agree with everything except that the wars are Obama’s doing. They were Bush’s wars. Obama didn’t end the wars but he never promised that he would. He pandered to the defense industry and lost.
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I agree with you that he didn’t promised to end it. As matter of fact he said he would send more of our boys and girls to Afghanistan. He also stated that he would pull troops from Iraq in 16 months.
We have to ask ourselves some serious questions related to Afghanistan
1- what did we achieve in the last 9 years in Afghanistan?
The answer is nothing. we kicked the so called Jihadist Taliban (US version of Islamic fighters) which we promoted and created them back in the 80s indirectly via Pakistan against Russian in Afghanistan. Back then we called them the “mohajadeen” The freedom fighters.
Now we installed another (US version of Islamic) government that is far more dangerous to peace and prosperity in the region then the pathetic Taliban.
Osama Bin Laden killed 3000 people in New York but the current drug issue that propped up ever since our invasion of Afghanistan, the Russian are losing 30,000 people due to Afghanistan drugs – PER YEAR THAT IS.
So if US has the right to respond to Bin Laden in Afghanistan, Don’t you think the Russian should invade that country and treat the US like Osama Bin Laden and kick them out of Afghanistan?
Basically the Nato is in charge of Afghanistan just like Bin Laden was in charge of Afghanistan. If we have the right to fight for our loved one and innocent one in New York, Why shouldn’t the Russian fight for their kids that are dying to Afghanistanies Drugs?
You can check on some archived news from any source that when the pathetic Taliban was running that country, They almost eradicated the drug issue completely but ever since the US invasion, the drug flourished the region.
The Iranian has complained to UN. The Russian Complained to UN because of the Afghanistani drug flow to their country.
SO, If nothing was done right nothing will be done right – It is time to bring our boys and girls back home and keep them away from harm way.
RON PAUL 2012
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Just what America needs not one but two doctors Paul/Paul 2012
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Ron Paul- A Right to Many Wrongs
We DO need him, and WE the people need to support the shit out of him and help him to continue to lead us. Come 2012, we must put him above the rest, where he belongs, and work with him to restore our own dignity as a nation. We need to see how much politics has effed up and hurt this country more than it has helped it.
We are strong together, and I truly believe we can collectively change the ways we live here on earth, for the better. Who agrees with me?
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Hey citizens,
American has the best friends MONEY CAN BUY,
Yep, we can count on they’re friendship as far as we can throw them, sure nuf!
Dr Paul is correct that if we were a little more selective on who we try to buy, we might actually have a halfway realistic foreign policy. As it is now we throw money around like it was cow manure dropped from a helicopter.
The time is fast approaching when $100 USD will be used primarily as kindling to ignite yak dung overseas and toilet paper here at home.
Obama’s Afgan war is a miserable half heart attempt to “appear” to be politically tough, while here at home B. Hussein O. does everything he can to promote Islam, just short of an outright conversion and flying the Muslim flag on the white house lawn.
I swear this man Obama is priming the fuse in the powder magazine below the deck of the Constitution and fiddling with matches.
Just smile and wait for the flash… BOOM!
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how about end the war on drugs? the one where you pay to be brutalized by your government.
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What I love about Ron Paul is that this man INSPIRES loyalty, by being truthful, constitutional, sensible, and principled. Our current leadership attempts to manipulate people into loyalty. “An army of inspired soldiers always wins against an army of manipulated soldiers.”
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people we need to vote this man our next president. Obama is not real change and made big promises just to get elected. Times have changed and Ron Paul would do a much better job of leading this country
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We of the NWO will continue these “wars”, which are just revenue producing activities for our central banks. We will use your young people to die for us in the name of “patriotism”. You have responded well to our brainwashing campaigns.
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go ron paul
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please run in 2012. You’re what America needs to get back on track and reverse several laws. I’d definitly donate money to your cause.
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As for our troops, it’s a shame that our so called leaders disregaurd the fact that kids from poor working class families are willing to put on a uniform and defend both their Republic as well as other peoples working towards the same goals. The fact that that these wars are about money and control, I think everyone is well aware this now. I just hope that when these kids come home, we don’t hit them with these politics and make them feel like asshole for doing “the right thing”!
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!!!!Ron Paul Rocks!!!!
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I´m a fan of Ron Paul, but… “Obama´s war”?
Come on!
Bush created this whole mess! Their idea was for America to stay there for years! They knew that, after overthrowing Saddam Hussein and the Taliban, those countries would be politically unstable! Simply getting out now would be irresponsible!
I agree that it´s too costly, but America can´t simply leave after creating such a huge mess!
“You break it, you buy it”!
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Yes it’s Obama’s war. Do people just fall in love with a celebrity type figure and forget common sense and/or basic logic? No one is saying Obama started the war. Obama is continuing the war. George Bush started the war (past tense). Obama is continuing the war (present continuous tense). Nobody here is saying they are the same thing. Do you believe they are the same thing? In terms of basic logic they simply are not, just a fact.
Obama is commander and chief of the US army. He directs foreign policy.
And as I’ve stated elsewhere, Obama always was for this war. Make no mistake. During the presidential elections he has said “this is the good war.” He has sent 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan. This peace candidate from the presidential election and Noble Award winner promised he would take the troops home in 16 months. He has continually lied and backtracked on this issue. The only promise the “peace” candidate kept once he was in power was to support the war in Afghanistan. One promise I wish he hadn’t kept.
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EVEN IF Ron paul won and made a positive change, some dimwit like Bush or bullshit saleman like Obama would soon win again and screw things up. It’s up to the armed Patriots of America actually get off their sorry NRA wanna be, Nascar watching fat asses and use the guns they love to DEFEND the constitution. As it is now, they’ve sat on their asses so long, the USA is beyond hope. Only a full blown execution of ALL federal agnets & agencies would make real change.
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When are people going to get off their asses and stop accepting this crap?! Stand up America! Stop this crap!
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Ron Paul 2012!
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Obama still wants to leave 50,000 troups behind in iraq as per msn.com this morning. I thought taking the troups out meant all would be gone, thus letting Iraqis make decisions for themselves. Lackey Obama and his puppeteers are still playing mind games with the public, trying to look good in the public eyes. Whom are you trying to fool? Unfortunately, the majority will be tricked. Obama knows his approval ratings are dropping and trouble is coming – he appears to “fulfil” his election promises.
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im not an american, but I hope this man is the next american president. He seems one of the few man in American politics I would trust with the job, although I cannot agree with all of his views, I agree more with him than any other US politican I know of. as the US president is not only a internal us afair but has mondial influence I hope for RON PAUL for presiden, I hope he runs and wins in 2012, vote out this obama liar and vote in this is man who seems integer and wise.
greetz from holland
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I gave to Ron Pauls campaign when he was running for president. Two times actually, even though I really could not afford to. Now I get many requests for money from his SON and his political efforts. I don’t support his son and don’t understand why I should get on his mailing list even though they share he same DNA.
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Please, run for president Ron Paul. We would all support for you.
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Wars should be efficient decisive and rare. Well said!! Sun Tzu would agree
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Ron Paul 2012 for a real change!!
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Go-go Ron Paul!!!
Go-go Gadget!!!!!
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Yeah, what the hell happened to the sixties. The people got no back bone.. and neither does [most of] our congress. The war could be over tomorrow if we fought for it today here at home. BRING OUR TROOPS BACK.. WE FIGHT NOT A WAR FOR FREEDOM, NOT A WAR FOR DEMOCRACY, BUT A WAR OF HYPOCRISY AND GREED.
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No war without a declaration.
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i always felt right about writing his name on that ballot in ’08.still have no regrets.
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RON PAUL 2012
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The Korean War was a terrible precedent to set. No American lives should be forfeited for any reason other than the defense of American soil, period. Even then only as a last resort.
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“This is not what America is supposed to be about” -Ron Paul
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And sadly our masses of ignorant lemmings prefer to think that American Idol is more important than our nation being destroyed by illegal wars, illegal laws, corporatist, Marxist, and socialist bureaucrats. Perhaps the greatest mistake we ever made was not demanding a competence test for the electorate to cast their ballots.
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Ron Paul keeps on keeping on telling the truth! & Not going to stand back in doing it! He certainly gains my respect even more.
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Ron Paul knows what’s up! I voted for Obama last time, but he is a major liar and NWO scum! I am totally voting for Ron Paul this time, because he is honest, true, and knows what is really going on in the world!
Ron Paul 2012!!!!!
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Don’t feel bad about voting for Obama. He hoodwinked most people to begin with. Just his reasoned, intellectual speech differentiated him so much with Bush. That breath of fresh air was welcomed by many (including myself) after listening to Bush gaffes and watch Bush destroy the nation along with her reputation. In fact I owe Obama a debt. His wave of populism got me to watch the debates. I remember at the first I was so excited about the democratic debates. So excited that I started even to watch the boring Republican debates.
In the midst of those Republican debates I saw this one guy that was kinda different. And then one day he stood up to a Guiliani person. In a time when one wasn’t allowed to question what the american goverment was doing because it was unpatriotic. I think people forget that time now. I remember suppressing treacherous thoughts like maybe war isn’t a solution because saying it would get me dirty looks. And then a Dr. from Texas said to the nation aloud that war as an instrument of policy was wrong. I thought he’s right, I’ve always felt this way, I just wasn’t brave enough to say it because I felt alone. Then this Guilani told him to take it back. And I thought he’s going to retract his statements now before the shitstorm hits. But then he said ” I believe very sincerly…… and way too much blowback!!!”
I’ve been hooked ever since. I’ve learned so much since that time about the constitution, sound money, austrian econmics, central planning etc. etc. etc. I’ve learned so much in fact now if I was just a lone wolf screaming at the night I would because I have the strength of conviction at my back always now.
I’m just glad you’re with Ron now sir, and with me and an army of patriots. Keep up the good fight.
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Team Roomba made me promise to vote for Ron Paul.
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I want to vote for Ron, even if I can’t since not living in the us
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PETER SCHIFF http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jj1xlGHdx-A
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way to tell it like it is Ron…the only elected official that speaks to us.
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We’re oft to blame, and this is too much proved, that with devotion’s visage and pious action we do sugar on the devil himself.
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Leagalize the constitution Ron Paul Revolution
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Ron Paul is a American Hero!!!!!!!
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I pray it’s not too late to make amends…
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All they need to do is vote down appropriations bills for these wars!
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Ron Paul is my Home-boy!
Revolution 2012!
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