by Ron Paul
Ten years ago shocking and horrific acts of terrorism were carried out on US soil, taking over 3,000 innocent American lives. Without a doubt, this action demanded retaliation and retribution. However, much has been done in the name of protecting the American people from terrorism that has reduced our prosperity and liberty and even made us less safe. This is ironic and sad, considering that the oft-repeated line concerning the reasoning behind the attacks is that they hate us for who we are – a free, prosperous people – and that we must not under any circumstances allow the terrorists to win.
Though it is hard for many to believe, honest studies show that the real motivation behind the September 11 attacks and the vast majority of other instances of suicide terrorism is not that our enemies are bothered by our way of life. Neither is it our religion, or our wealth. Rather, it is primarily occupation. If you were to imagine for a moment how you would feel if another country forcibly occupied the United States, had military bases and armed soldiers present in our hometowns, you might begin to understand why foreign occupation upsets people so much. Robert Pape has extensively researched this issue and goes in depth in his book “Cutting the Fuse: The Explosion of Global Suicide Terrorism and How to Stop It”. In fact, of 2,200 incidents of suicide attacks he has studied worldwide since 1980, 95% were in response to foreign occupation.
Pape notes that before our invasion of Iraq, only about 10% of suicide terrorism was aimed at Americans or American interests. Since, then however, not only is suicide terrorism greatly on the rise, but 91% of it is now directed at us.
Yes, the attacks of 9/11 deserved a response. But the manner in which we responded has allowed radicals in the Muslim world to advance a very threatening narrative about us and our motivation in occupying their lands. Osama bin Laden referred to us as “crusaders” with a religious agenda to convert Muslims, westernize their culture and take control of their resources. If we had targeted our response to only the thugs and criminals who attacked us, and refrained from invading countries that had nothing to do with it, this characterization would seem less plausible to the desperate and displaced. Blaming Islam alone is grossly misleading.
Instead, we chose a course of action that led to the further loss of 8,000 American lives, left 40,000 wounded and has hundreds of thousands seeking help at the Veterans Administration. We are three to four trillion dollars poorer. Our military is spread dangerously thin around the globe, at the expense of protection here at home. Not only that, but we have allowed our freedoms to be greatly threatened and undermined from within. The Patriot Act, warrantless searches and wiretapping, abuse of habeus corpus, useless and humiliating searches at airports are just a few examples of how we’ve allowed the terrorists to “win” by making our country less free.
Suicide terrorism did not exist in Iraq before we got there. Now it does. There are no known instances of Iranians committing suicide terrorism. If we invade and occupy Iran, expect that to change, too.
Sometimes it can be very uncomfortable to ask the right questions and face the truth. When a slick politician comes along and gives a much more soothing, self-congratulating version of events, it is very tempting to simply believe what we would like to hear. But listening to lies does not make us safer, even though it might make us feel better about ourselves.
The truth is that ending these misguided wars and occupations will make us safer, more prosperous and more free.
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Sorry Ron but Jihadists are attacking peolpe all over the world. There not all occupying. Crying about occupation is just an excuse. This angle may appease liberals who won’t vote for you anyway but it will cost you the election if you keep pretending Islam didnt bring this on itself. I’m voting for you and want the troops home because they are not allowed to win the war and a strong economy is what we need to defeat them. They are comming for us no matter what we do. Allah demands it.
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yes, but the NUMBER of ‘jihadists’ is a lot LESS than you’ve been led to believe.
Do you think some poor schmuck in Yemen could care less about global Jihad? No he doesn’t give a damn. He cares about taking care of his son and daughter and wife, and when a US drone kills his wife and children as ‘collateral damage’ THEN he will join the Jihadists to rid his land of the ‘infidel’. But the actual number of crazies who want global jihad is very limited, there are a lot of upset people who will support these crazies because of our foreign policy.
Enemy of my enemy is my friend.
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This man is a once in a lifetime civil servant. I used to “identify” with the Democratic party, until the events of recent years showed me how they are as corrupt and elitist as their Republican counterparts. It’s really not the fault of either party per se – the system itself has become crony capitalism.
Ron Paul is the only person in the current political arena that sees this, and I will, as in 2008, write him in for President regardless for 2012.
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Thank god somebody is brave enough to speak truthfully about this.
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We ARE under occupation, by the globalists and their cronies.
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Essentially Rons Pauls nice way to say that we’re an occupying militant nation who setup 9/11
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For promoting the enemy’s propaganda, Dr Paul should be hanged for treason.
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I deeply, deeply hope the American people vote Ron Paul for President. The WORLD needs it!
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Ron Paul is on the record that he would re-open the investigations.
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He speaks of government in secrecy all the time. He speaks of their underhanded, unconstitutional dealings all the time. Just because you don’t like the fact that he states the reason for it is our FOREIGN policy, doesn’t make it a lie. We shouldn’t be there in the first place & then maybe THE WORLD wouldn’t be able to be played.
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Why does this say 9-12 if it was filmed and uploaded on 9-11? Wouldn’t it make sense to have it say 9-11, especially since it’s talking about 9-11 anyway?
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YOU MAKE WAY TOO MUCH SENSE RON.
RON PAUL FOR PRESIDENT!!!
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Stop funding Governments of the world = Stopping the actions of terrorists!
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check out the Registration Bomb
make sure you can vote in your primaries
Ron Paul must win in the primaries
Ron Paul 2012
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Ron Paul must win or America is dead.
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Dr. Paul thank you.
As a European I don’t find myself in the same situation as people in the middle east or elsewhere, but I definitely see it the same way.
It’s not acceptable for me to have these US military bases in my country. The sheer existence is outrageous and a product of imperialism. Besides the personel behaves very badly here.
In places like Japan it is even worse. US military has commited murder, rape and theft there and even raped and killed children.
We want the US out immeditely!
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I’m still waiting to see the videos of the airliner wreckage on the ground of the pentagon! No bodies…. No engines…. No seats…. Where’s the debris? How many aircrafts in any circumstance just flat out disappear? I know Lance Burton was behind 9-11 now. I’m mean for Christ sake are we to believe seriously that this is the first time a plane has Zero evidence of ever hitting accept the word of the government?
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I am still supporting you Dr. Paul. I understand what you stand for, and so does my entire family. We woke up and we are telling everyone we know, the best way we know how. Discussions concerning real value, God given rights, role of government, and peace. There is an honest sense of revolution swinging back to us. Stay safe and take care of you. May God bless and keep you and yours, and the USA.
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Ron Paul knows that his election depends on the people. The more votes you get the higher are your chances. Ron also knows that the majority of people are idiots therefore if one wants to be supported by idiots one must act like an idiot in order to fit in. Damn right Ron we know that you are aware of the truth. Smart man hiding his cards.
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The point was that occupation leads to the destabilization of sovereign countries, along with our own. Follow the facts all scripted by the Bush Admin to follow his fathers agenda and support the MIC.
It’s sickening and doesn’t work, yet we don’t reason with facts, we don’t have a real discussion of what happened, and ultimately have been manipulated to be silent through terrorism. What has happened is exactly what Bin Laden had in his agenda. Our government made sure his agenda was fulfilled.
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Ron Paul 2012!!! RON PAUL NOW!!!!
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Paul, you idiot. I will never support you as long as you support the official cover-up.
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Ron Paul, you are the only one who tells the truth. I admire you and respect you.
You have always been honest. God Bless You.
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Lets make this video viral.
This words known to everybody.
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OK, so now Ron Paul not only does support the Austrian School of Economics, which is completely hostile(though dangerously similar) to the” American System”, the ideas of founding fathers and true liberty, now he also supports the 9/11 official story. Vote for Ron Paul, but don’t support him! He’s nothing more than lesser evil to Rick Perry.
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How can you bring such nonsense? The austrian school of economy was the system under which the USA thrived in the 19 th century and the early 20 th century. It’s not a “new” system, it is a system that was _tested_ over more than a century.
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This man believes that anyone is innocent. Total fail.
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Its bigger than Hip Hop! Paul for Prez!
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islam respects christ…duh…………ask one………anyone that hates christ and his character is dangerous these days….or uses him for war is dangerous……..may peace instead of chem trails or terror fall from heaven this 9/11………their war is amoungst themselves ask glen beck…off the record of course…brainwashing dont last long on true believers in God i believe. …..may he cull cullers whether they b so called christians muslims jews…like gadaffi keep goin father
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Ron Paul we need you!
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While I think that there are Muslims who will attack us no matter what we do or don’t do, I basically agree with Paul on this issue. I don’t think “occupation” was the issue originally, but it is now. These people are just not like us, and do not think like us. Reagan understood that “nation building” s not the answer. Basically, the middle east is hopeless and we need to stay out of it.
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Ron Paul. I like you. However, i think I know the truth, because I have some certain information I think you MAY have..
It is surely not about us and what we stand for. It is about occupation, absolutely, but is not the same occupation you think it is, Ron Paul.
If you really don’t know, ask and I will tell. And yes, do remind people that we need to get out of other countries..
However, it was NOT the Muslim world that attacked US.. please stop that.
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http://www.skeptic.com/eskeptic/06-09-11/
I know that Bush ceased the opportunity but frankly before to embrace anything that circulate on the net it’s a good practice to google with the word “debunk” or any variant to see if someone hasn’t responded to the usual youtube videos regarding the theory of an inside job
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Thanks for listening Mr Ron Paul…
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Ron Paul knows it was an inside job he told me when he came to Wisconsin
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Constitution Day Money Bomb
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RP better get updated on the fake war on terror. Youtube……….The Plan — according to U.S. General Wesley Clark (Ret.)
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thank you Dr. Paul for all you do and have done, history should show you to be the hero you are
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