Date: 01/20/2011
Transcript
Ron Paul: We’ve been militarily involved in the Persian Gulf region now for 20 years. Experts have predicted that the cost of this continuous and expanding war will reach 6 trillion dollars. The hostilities and our overt involvement in Iraq can be dated back to January 16th, 1991 when the defensive operation, Desert Shield, became the offensive operation, Desert Storm. Though the end of the Persian Gulf War was declared on April 6th, 1991 with a U.S. military victory, the 20 year war was just beginning. The U.S. and Britain have had an intense interest in controlling the oil of the Middle East dating back to the overthrow of the Ottoman Empire during World War I. This interest expanded during World War II with FDR’s promise to protect the puppet governments in the Persian Gulf region, especially Saudi Arabia. Though this arrangement never sat well with the citizens in the region, a fairly decent relationship remained between the Arab people and the American public. But animosity continued to build with our ever-present military involvement in Iraq. Our military assistance to the Mujahedeen in the 1980s, now the Taliban, helped the Muslim defenders, one of whom was Osama Bin Laden, oust the Soviets from Afghanistan. At that time, we were still not seen as occupiers, and the radical Muslims, encouraged by the U.S., were expected to direct all their efforts toward the communist threat. That all changed with the breakup of the Soviet system and the end of the Cold War when, as the lone superpower left standing, we named ourselves the world policeman. It was then that the resentment by Arabs and Muslims became directed toward the United States, now seen as an invader and an occupier.
Continuous bombing and crippling sanctions against Iraq during the 1990s, the appearance that the U.S. did not care about the plight of the Palestinians, and our military bases in Saudi Arabia, led to attention getting attacks against the United States. The 1998 embassy attacks in Kenya and Tanzania and the attack of the U.S. Cole in the year 2000 were warnings that war was far from over. The horrible tragedy of 9/11 shouldn’t have been a surprise, and many believe it was preventable. Currently, the war has morphed into a huge battle for control of the Persian Gulf region and Central Asia. This involves Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia and Iran. Foolish policies lead to foolhardy conflicts. Foolhardy conflicts lead to unsustainable costs and a multitude of unintended consequences. To name a few, we have spent trillions of dollars based on the false pretense of defending freedom and our Constitution. The notion has been furthered solidified that war no longer needs to be declared by Congress, and can be pursued as a prerogative of the president. We are now seen by the world not as a peace maker, but rather a trouble maker and aggressor.
Thousands of American service members have been killed and tens of thousands wounded with a sharp increase in service-connected suicides. Over 500,000 veterans are seeking medical treatment and disability benefits. Millions of citizens have been killed, wounded, and displaced in the countries on the receiving end of our bombs, drones, sanctions and occupation. The region has suffered huge environmental damage as a consequence of our military occupation. Christians from Iraq have suffered the worst rout in the history of Christendom. Iran and Iraq are now better allies than ever with strong anti-American sentiment. Iraqi political stability is a joke. Ending hostilities in Afghanistan is a dream. China and Iran have been drawn into a closer alliance against the United States. America’s uncontrolled deficits are senselessly fuelled by needless militarism. We are now much poorer and less safe.
There was no Al-Qaida in Iraq before we invaded in 2003. Today, there is. No weapons of mass destruction were ever found in Iraq. War always leads to government growth and the sacrifice of civil liberties. In the past 10 years, this has been particularly costly to us, with the acceptance of military tribunals, torture, assassination, abuse of Habeas Corpus and PATRIOT-Act-type legislation. Senseless war and senseless destruction and death should not be rationalized as providing a great service in protecting our freedoms, our Constitution, or maintaining peace. The only value that can come of this is to recognize that our policies are flawed and they need to be changed. Without this history will record that the sacrifices were all in vain.
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Ron paul was right, all along. let’s push other congress men to follow him.
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You are right. I saw that Lawrence O’Donnell shill say ” And coming in second in the straw poll is the unelectable Ron Paul”. That really pissed me off. Yes, the ptb do not want him or his message to be heard. If Ron Paul does run for president this time, which I hope he will, we must push back harder than ever before to have his voice and ours heard.
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Now that is a truthful history lesson. No spin, no b.s.This man needs to be our president.
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ron paul is the only hope for USA and the world
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The truth.
It seems so obvious when you hear it, doesn’t it?
English for Ron Paul!
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The truth.
It seems so obvious when you hear it, doesn’t it?
English for Ron Paul!
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This needs way more than 700 views! People need to listen to Ron.
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Ilove Ron Paul
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Well said this is not a American or British peoples war its are shameful Governments,WAR for Profit, from a unfortunate Brit. RON PAUL 2012 Needed by the people of this World
»crosslinked«
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That would be nobody so far.
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any one that messes with us period
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any one that messes with us period
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any one that messes with us period
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any one that messes with us period
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These sacrifices were “all in vain”.
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nations And in an attempt to hide from view the underlying hypocritical conspiracy existing May 1, 1776, it was decided that, in such public campaign, the manifesto 1848 should be heralded as the founding date of communism, and Karl Marx (the SHIT head lair) falsely proclaim as its author.”
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“In issuing the communist manifesto the conspirator evidently believe the time has arrived when, with the aid of ignorant victims. a world wide take over could be accomplish; but there were not enough ignorant victims then, and the experts coup failed. The communist conspirators thereupon conceived the plan, for the future, of supplementing long establish conspiracy in existence since may 1 1776, with an unremitting public campaign for victims among the ignorant of all
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“In issuing the communist manifesto the conspirator evidently believe the time has arrived when, with the aid of ignorant victims. a world wide take over could be accomplish; but there were not enough ignorant victims then, and the experts coup failed. The communist conspirators thereupon conceived the plan, for the future, of supplementing long establish conspiracy in existence since may 1 1776, with an unremitting public campaign for victims among the ignorant of all
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They’re already ignoring him. I’ve seen a few segments on mainstream media with the talking heads chattering about the recent straw poll results, and they always completely ignore him. They’ll never give him his due, unfortunately I think they’re going to black him out out again no matter what. i’m not going to go into any conspiracy theories on it, but it’s a fact, the people in power do not want his message out there.
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They’re already ignoring him. I’ve seen a few segments on mainstream media with the talking heads chattering about the recent straw poll results, and they always completely ignore him. They’ll never give him his due, unfortunately I think they’re going to black him out out again no matter what. i’m not going to go into any conspiracy theories on it, but it’s a fact, the people in power do not want his message out there.
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May the countries not judge us by our leaders and their actions but see we, the people of this america, are victims of their actions as well…I am an unfortunate American.
Go Ron go!
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stop war 4 petrol
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stop war 4 petrol
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I suspect he will have a tidal wave of support if he decides to run
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Why are you talking about bombing???
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a true freedon fighter,unfortunatly it doesnt matter if he runs because presidents are selected not elected,they the elite could never have someone this smart be president only dumb non us citizens and actors can be president.but ill say it anyway RON PAUL 2012 PRETTY PLEASE.
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America not at war with some poor sovereign nation? I’m ready for that! Just try to imagine a world with Ron Paul as president instead of that crack head Barry!!! Or a Bush or a Clinton? Bring the troops home to there families; enough lose of life on both sides just to prophet the elite! If they wont to fight a war? Let them send there own kids? It’s all for Freedom? Fuck off!!! We need to go after these criminals and jail them for mass murder!! Truth Rising!
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America not at war with some poor sovereign nation? I’m ready for that! Just try to imagine a world with Ron Paul as president instead of that crack head Barry!!! Or a Bush or a Clinton? Bring the troops home to there families; enough lose of life on both sides just to prophet the elite! If they wont to fight a war? Let them send there own kids? It’s all for Freedom? Fuck off!!! We need to go after these criminals and jail them for mass murder!! Truth Rising!
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Wikileaks just revealed that Saddam didn’t want to go to war. The docs were released around 1/17
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WOW!
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oh go finger your mom’s cunt you freak.
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oh go finger your mom’s cunt you freak.
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ANY ONE HERE WHO IS AMERICAN, VOTE RON PAUL! BELIEVE ME! IT’S FOR YOUR OWN GOOD!
It will be the single best decision of your life.
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Wish I was an American so I could VOTE FOR THIS MAN!
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Hey,
You don’t need to be an American to vote here!
Heck in Chicago even the Dead vote 2 or 3 times.
And forget about being a Natural Born Citizen to become President, why you can be from Manchuria or even Kenya and become Supreme Leader here!
Go ahead and mail in your vote… they’ll throw them out like they do all of our Military fighting for our freedoms abroad.
No don’t even hesitate… Vote Early and Often, that’s the Progressive Way!
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Soldiers die everyday in the Middle East and they lie an tell the its for Freedom T_T
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