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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US FUNDS THE TALIBAN????
One of the most important issues today is the war in Afghanistan-Pakistan and the fact that US
Military Aid to Pakistan is being used to fund the Pakistani ISI which is in turn funding Taliban
and Al Quada fighters. While this has been reported sporadically in the media for whatever
reason political pundits on the left and right have effectively ignored this issue.
Joe Klein in an article for Time, August 9, 2010, p. 19, has written an article that every American
citizen should go to their library and read, he writes,
“The commanders are unanimous in their belief that the ISI is running the show….And so,
despite professions of alliance with the US by Pakistan’s then dictator Pervez Musharraf, a
decision was made to keep the Taliban alive. A spigot of untargeted military aid from the George
W. Bush Administration helped fund the effort. A commander of the vicious Haqqani Taliban
network tells Waldman that their funding comes from ‘the Americans–from them to the
Pakistani military, and then to us.’ Waldman reports that the commander receives from the
Pakistanis ‘a reward for killing foreign soldiers, usually $4000 to $5000 for each soldier killed’”.
American tax dollars if not directly, then indirectly are being used to fund the Taliban and put
a bounty on American boys and girls head… Makes one wonder why the establishment right
or left is not reporting on this? If the right is covering for
the mistakes of the Bush administration…why is the establishment left not reporting on this???
…this is the most important issue of the day…we will never win a war where if not directly then
indirectly the US is funding the opposition!!!!
woody voinche
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Congressman Ron Paul…..
I have sent you a copy of my book …MidEast ChessBoard…and have
a Chapter on April Glaspie’s “green light” to Hussein to move into
Kuwait…Below is a summary of the events covered in my book…your
constructive criticism ….please…if i have quoted anything out of context
please inform me….
woody voinche
MIDEAST CHESSBOARD
by Woody Voinche
This book is an overview of the major events that have
contributed to the history of three major countries in the
mideast: Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan. From the coup d’etat
that brought about the downfall of Mossadeq and the rise
to power of the Shah of Iran; to the arming of the Shah and
his final downfall(with Iranian Air Force General Rabii telling his
Judges “General Huyser threw the Shah out of the country
like a dead mouse.”); the hostage crisis in Iran and the use
of this event by both Republican and Democratic groups in
what became known as the October Surprise; the rise and
arming of Saddam Hussein and the part played by western
interests; the US support of the mujahadeen in Afghanistan
and the role played by Bin Laden and other Islamists culminating
in the breakup of the Soviet Union; the Islamist group on
the periphery of the Alkifah Refugee center in New York and
the 1993 World Trade Center bombing; the events leading up
to 911 and the evidence suggesting the Intelligence agencies
had advanced knowledge of this event; And the evidence that
US forces have had the opportunity to eliinate top al Qaeda
and Taliban forces in Afghanistan and Iraq but for whatever
reason have failed to do this…
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=woody+voinche&x=14&y=18
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The motion to recommit with instructions is a tactic used to get politicians on record for a particular vote. There’s basically two parts to the vote…one, to send the bill back to the committee and two, to debate on the amendment. So what Daily Kos says is not 100% true and not 100% false. It’s like when Ron Paul voted against the entire financial reform bill. It’s hard to say that since he voted against financial reform that he voted against auditing the fed.
Ron Paul already voted No on the entire resolution to cut $4 billion and extend the government for another two weeks. Here’s the roll call vote:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2011/roll154.xml
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Exxon Mobil had a reported 2011 first quarter NET CLEAR TAX FREE PROFIT of $10.7 BILLION! All the while they received subsidy welfare checks and raised at-the-pump prices to a whopping $4.50 a Gallon.
Ron Paul voted AGAINST ending their government subsidies.
There is a SUCKER born every minute!
»crosslinked«
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Those are SUCKERS who are not in Washington therefore DON’T count as “the other side of the aisle”.
Now are you EVER going to end your embarrassment?
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Your right, I gave many more than that…like the thousands of democrats signed up for the “Democrats for Ron Paul” facebook page. You really should stop now….while your still clinging to that ultra-thin slice of credibility you have left.
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NONE of your examples are from people on the other side of the AISLE! What a MORON!
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Those aren’t the names you gave. You are an assclown and you can NEVER recover from that pathetic embarrassing display.
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There’s difference between a typo and ignorance. Thank you for demonstrating the difference. Stossell is not an entertainer, neither is Celente or Schiff. You should research before you open your pie hole…it only makes you look like a clown. Or troll.
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It’s YOURSELF! Not YORUSELF. ALL of the names you gave are TV entertainers.
WOW you are clueless(hence the support of Ron Paul)
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I didn’t dance around antything, check again. Three responses, 1 answer.
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Okay you’ve tried dancing around the question, now how about an answer.
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isle = aisle. The metaphor is not a tropical piece of land surrounded by water…..its an AISLE.
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by=buy
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Notice how you selected the one name you recognized? What about the other 2? They are not TV entertainers. There is a FB page called “Democrats for Ron Paul”. If you want names, go there and check it out for yoruself. There are people all over the world who support Ron Paul too….they blog, twitter, etc…on a daily basis about how they wish they were Americans just long enough to vote for him. You got anything else? I will accept your apology now, thanks.
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Colbert is on the other side of the isle? I am not talking about TV entertainers, I am talking about LITERAL people across the isle. NAME ONE!
NINCOMPOOP!
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Serous? Are you new to politics? I can name 20 ppl just off the top of my head. Maher, Colbert, Stossell…just do your research, I don’t need to prove anything to you.. And why would you say only a nincompoop would switch sides? Don’t you get it? He speaks for liberty! Libery is bipartsan!!!! And what do you mean by “act”??? You clearly have no idea what Dr. Paul is about. Come back after you’ve researched a little more.
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Name ONE person on the other side of the isle that agrees with Ron Paul. He is IN the GOP, and only a nincompoop would by his whole “libertarian” act. Are YOU that nincompoop?
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Have Ron Paul and Bernie Sanders get together.
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We have been sooooooo programed…..
to believe in bullshit………
It almost isnt right if some one tells us a little truth….
We, just, might, get, enlightened……
2012
the aztecs new…..
there was going to be change……
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and the truth will set you free……
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Why do so many say “I don’t agree with everything Ron Paul says” and leave it at that? Is it fear that drives you? “Maybe Ron Paul is too, extreme, just three years ago he was a freak” Its OK to agree with him on all things. He is always right. Take a chance, you will be fine and maybe sleep better at night.
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Ron Paul for president 2012!!
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Charlie Sheen’s rant on Youtube has 20 million hits yet a message as important as this only has 20 thousand. Is there hope for America?
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This is Old School Republican…no bullshit. Too bad the Republicans look nothing like this guy these days….all bought and sold by the highest bidder. Ron Paul is NOT bought and sold. I don;t agree with everything he says, but I DO think he is of the highest order…Makes me proud that he is from my district, in a sea of bullshitters, hypocrites and morons…this guy somehow floats to the top. Gives me hope that somehow the People will prevail.
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Obama and Bush are both twisted liars. Both recieve most of their political campaign money from AIPAC the powerful Zionist lobby which every American needs to google and learn about is actually for the last few decades controlled USA foreign policy NOT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE. Iraq and Iran are Israels enemies when it comes to Oil not USA enemies
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Thanks, Moxy! you rock ; )
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if you have the skills they have go get one of their jobs. It’s a lie that government salaries are “bloated”. they are the same or lower than equivalent jobs with people with the same education or experience than in the private sector.
Instead of attacking government workers, you should be asking why you’re not getting their deal if you think it’s so much better.
Working class wage earners need to stop the finger pointing and recognize what’s being done to us by the investor class.
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Saddam “outlined his ongoing border dispute with Kuwait”. “ongoing” for many years. never did anything about it, no reason to think he was about to then. We were diplomatically neutral.
“We took no position on these Arab affairs” was NOT saying “Oh by the way, if you want to settle your dispute over where the border should be, by invading and taking the whole country and Oil fields, it’s fine by us. ” Yea right, that’s what we meant.
Paul’s agenda is ALWAYS anti-government. Truth be damned.
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Great speech.
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“Once it becomes acceptable to equate truth with treason, we can no longer call ourselves a free society”
Holy crap that was deep. That woke me up. Take a good look around, were definitely living under tyranny. Were gonna have to fight for our freedoms all over again!
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this nigga spits the truth
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RON PAUL 4 PRESIDENT. I usually don’t get involved in such things but PAUL is our last chance – The constitution will be suspended A new system will be brought in We can’t allow that to happen- That will bring about a NWO.There will be no money or personal ownership A deception by the Illuminati- watch?v=LuocQZiXiJs
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Fannie and Freddie were profitable, PUBLICLY traded in the PRIVATE SECTOR, BUSINESSES.
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To blame OUR Democratic Government, for people acting out of GREED instead of using their OWN better judgment, is RETARDED. Business is RISKY.
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ACORN is about RACIAL discrimination. If Banks and Lenders could prove that decisions were based SOLEY on financial credibility, they were NEVER “forced” to give out Loans. Glenn Beck is a Charlatan.
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You are either a Fox News, Alex Jones or Ron Paul ZEALOT.
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FINALLLLLYYYYYY SOMEONE TOUCHED ON THE REASON FOR 9/11~ IDIOTS WHO THINK THE TERRORISTS’ WERE JEALOUS OF AMERICAN FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY ARE THE SAME PEOPLE WHO BELIEVED BUSH ADMINISTRATION ON THE LIES OF WMDS IN IRAQ! AMERICA NEEDS REFORM! THEY NEED RON PAUL!
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