Date: 01/26/2011
Transcript
Ron Paul: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, how did the 20-year war get started? It had been long assumed that the United States government, shortly before Iraq invaded Kuwait in August of 1990, gave Saddam Hussein a green light to attack. A State Department cable recently published by Wikileaks confirmed that US Ambassador April Glaspie did indeed have a conversation with Saddam Hussein one week prior to Iraq’s August 1st, 1990 invasion of Kuwait. Amazingly, the released cable was entitled, “Saddam’s Message of Friendship to President Bush.” In it, Ambassador Glaspie affirmed to Saddam that the President—this is in quotes—“the President had instructed her to broaden and deepen our relations with Iraq”—close quote. As Saddam Hussein outlined Iraq’s ongoing border dispute with Kuwait, Ambassador Glaspie was quite clear that—quote—“We took no position on these Arab affairs”—close quote. There would have been no reason for Saddam Hussein not to take this assurance at face value. The US was quite supportive of his invasion and war of aggression against Iran in the 1980s. With this approval from the U.S. Government, it wasn’t surprising that the invasion occurred. The shock and surprise was how quickly the tables were turned, and our ‘friend,’ Saddam Hussein, all of a sudden became Hitler personified.
The document was classified, supposedly to protect national security, yet this information in no way jeopardized our security. Instead, it served to keep the truth from the American people about an event leading up to our initial military involvement in Iraq, and the region, that continues to today. The secrecy of the memo was designed to hide the truth from the American people and keep our government from being embarrassed.
This was the initial event that had led to so much death and destruction, not to mention the financial cost these past 20 years. Our response and persistent militarism toward Iraq was directly related to 9/11, as our presence on the Arabian peninsula—and in particular, Saudi Arabia—was listed by al-Qaeda as a major grievance that outraged the radicals who carried out the heinous attacks New York and Washington on that fateful day.
Today the conflict has spread through the Middle East and Central Asia with no end in sight. The reason this information is so important is that, if Congress and the American people had known about this “green-light incident” 20 years ago, they would have been a lot more reluctant to give a green light to our government to pursue the current war, a war that is ongoing and expanding to this very day.
The tough question that remains is, was this done deliberately, to create the justification, to redesign the Middle East, as many neo-conservatives desired, and to secure oil supplies for the West? Or was it just a diplomatic blunder followed up by many more strategic military blunders? Regardless, we have blundered into a war that no one seems willing to end.
Julian Assange, the publisher of the Wikileaks memo, is now considered an Enemy of the State. Politicians are calling for drastic punishment and even assassination. And sadly, the majority of the American people seem to support such moves. But why should we so fear the truth? Why should our government’s lies and mistakes be hidden from the American people in the name of patriotism? Once it becomes acceptable to equate “truth” with “treason,” we can no longer call ourselves a free society.
And I yield back the balance of my time.
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Great speech!
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I do agree with all of the ideas you’ve presented in your post. They’re very convincing and will certainly work. Still, the posts are very short for newbies. Could you please extend them a little from next time? Thanks for the post.
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Thanks for the reply and sorry it took me two month to read it. I am Canadian. I have spent the last couple years wondering how and why this could happen. I am thankful the war in Iraq is over but I am afraid the damage has been done already. I like the way you worded that last part how others hate us because there bad. I often wonder how does someone feel living in a village with no tv or radio when suddenly there house is being raided for no apparent reason.
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What an incredible speech. Why is it so difficult for people who blindly support our government to listen to what he is saying? this is the question that really frustrates me. Are people simply scared to admit to themselves that they may be wrong or have been lied to and duped by their politician and favorite news outlets? Maybe they are scared to face the reality of just how many Americans have their facts wrong.
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The majority of Ron Paul supporters are young people, these young people need to tell there parents that there vote is your future so dont fuck me over mum and dad by voting for anyone else besides Ron Paul. Do what ever it takes to make them vote for Ron Paul because it’s the children’s future not there’s.
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The majority of Ron Paul supporters are young people, these young people need to tell there parents that there vote is your future so dont fuck me over mum and dad by voting for anyone else besides Ron Paul. Do what ever it takes to make them vote for Ron Paul because it’s the children’s future not there’s.
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I was a supporter of Paul until I saw this video. He did what I thought only other politicians did: twisted facts. I decided to read the entire memo he cites,and he left out a few things:
“[Glaspie] MADE CLEAR THAT WE CAN
NEVER EXCUSE SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES BY OTHER THAN
PEACEFUL MEANS.”
and
“AS FOR THE INTRA-ARAB DISPUTES, SADDAM SAID
HE IS NOT ASKING THE USG TO TAKE UP ANY PARTICULAR
ROLE SINCE THE SOLUTIONS MUST COME THROUGH ARAB
AND BILATERAL DIPLOMACY.”
green light my ass, Mr. Paul.
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244 added to the list
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sometimes I feel like he’s not making that speech for congress, but for us, a small tireless minority that strives for truth and justice.
RON PAUL 2012!
»crosslinked«
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my ppl and your ppl (assuming your american) and many others suffer from the same govt and politicians. this is the most important thing ppl need to understand. i respect you for questioning and not excepting the the media machine lies that’s been thrown at you. every one most do the same. but unfortunately we as human our brain briefer a simply answers and as you know the truth is never simple. and the media give the ppl simple answer like (they hate us cause there bad).
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my ppl and your ppl (assuming your american) and many others suffer from the same govt and politicians. this is the most important thing ppl need to understand. i respect you for questioning and not excepting the the media machine lies that’s been thrown at you. every one most do the same. but unfortunately we as human our brain briefer a simply answers and as you know the truth is never simple. and the media give the ppl simple answer like (they hate us cause there bad).
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Interesting story. I agree with you. I have spent the past couple years searching for the truth about the Iraq invasion. It saddens me when people are so ignorant and the media takes advantage of it and spreads lies about your country. There are hundreds of examples of the govt and media lying to the public and when it is exposed the public chooses to ignore it.
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i am Iraqi living in USA. and whenever I tell anyone that USA gave the green light to my president Saddam Hussein back in the early 90′s ( this is well known info in my country) NO ONE believe me and start to look at me with suspicious. well me living here for 3 year’s talking with everyone here about similar subject and i achieve a conclusion that American ppl is not just ignorant BUT they chosen to be to be ignorant.
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i am Iraqi living in USA. and whenever I tell anyone that USA gave the green light to my president Saddam Hussein back in the early 90′s ( this is well known info in my country) NO ONE believe me and start to look at me with suspicious. well me living here for 3 year’s talking with everyone here about similar subject and i achieve a conclusion that American ppl is not just ignorant BUT they chosen to be to be ignorant.
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Ron Paul is in the TOP TIER!!!! Go check out official website!!! WE are in the TOP TIER!!! xD
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Polls are set up to convince people to vote for who the media wants in. America will in fact tank with any other candidate other than Ron Paul. NO one else will cut social programs which is what is sending America into the shitter.
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If there is one person who isn’t afraid to speak the truth, it surely is Ron Paul.
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Ron Paul should be giving speeches on how to suck dick because that’s clearly the only thing he is knowledgeable.
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I disagree with Paul on the first point, but agree with him on everything else. Our diplomat said we are not taking sides on the border issues between Iraq and Kuwait.
There’s a difference between fighting over a border, and the total invasion/takeover of Kuwait. Bush asked Saddam to leave Kuwait, and Saddam refused. At that point, we should have just driven his military out of Kuwait. Problem solved, and none of the other stuff would have happened.
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Good grief! Ron Paul is a Republican, not a Democrat; he has an M.D. not a Ph.D.; and regarding evolution, he merely believes that neither side of the argument has a monopoly on truth, a sentiment shared by scientists and rational human beings the world over. Regarding his candidacy, you may call him anything but stupid or incapable of defending his beliefs on matters of liberty, tyranny, or God for that matter. Listen to him, and your mind will be elevated even if you disagree on some points.
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Ron Paul is the best, and most honest, Democrat in politics today. Go figure.
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There was more truth in that general speech than in the entire history of speeches made in Congress.
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