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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Wow, some anti-semities supporting Dr. Paul, I doubt that is the type of support he’s looking for. Israel is a key ally for us, yet I agree we should stop just giving them money, as well as all other nations, because we give 3 bill to israel but 12 bill to her enemies. That does not mean we will stop sharing intelligence, technology, & trade in the free market.
To “Toni” the person who said we should have put UN sanctions on Israel, I don’t know if you really follow Ron Paul or are just a pro-palestinian. Ron is firmly against Globalism, and is all about sovereignty for all Nations, which is the core reason for his stance on 9/11 & our occupancy. He supported Israel’s sovereignty & right to defend herself, in 1981 when Israel bombed Iraq, & both Repubs & dems wanted to sanction Israel.
Ron, I can understand your stance on our probable mistreatment of foreign nations, & our certain mistreatment of their people, & agree with that aspect, but Israel’s actions against “palestine” are in their own national interests, their interests being existance. I know you were only stating what our enemies have said their reasons for attacking us were, but you made it sound as though you agree with them on the topic of Israeli / “palestinian” relations. If you do agree with them, you are truly misinformed &/or mislead on this issue.
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I am a huge supporter of Ron Paul. I am also a
9/11 witness and survivor.
I lived and Battery Park NYC, working across from the Trade Center, climbed down 46 flights
Of stairs in the dark, and walk out into the ashes,
And debris on LIBERTY Strett, walked to the river to take a tug boat to New Jersey.
I did not feel safe again when win invaded Afghanistan, I was ashamed when we invaded Iraq, However when an Aircraft Carrier was parked in the Hudson River in front of my apartment.
Ron Paul is right on this and on foreign policy. Bring the troops home. We will all feel safer with the troops defended our shores at home, and our enemies will have less desire to “hate” us.
Finally on Israel, those that feel compelled to aid Israel can donate privately, Ron Paul will reduce taxes for them to do so, it is not the government’s position to unilaterally take all tax payer monies to support Israel.
Ron Paul 2013
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I am a big Ron Paul supporter & will vote for him in 2012, because of his ideals, honesty, consistancy, libertarianism, & constitutional conservativism. However, while I do agree with much of his assessment of 9/11, & the reasons we were attacked, I do not agree that Palestine should get any recognition or support from the U.S., nor do I believe we should give money to any other nation. I am a messianic Jew & a Zionist. Zionism, is the belief that Israel is the G-d given homeland of the Jewish people. Israel allows people of all faiths to live freely in Israel, unlike any other country in the region, which are all Muslim (only) nations. Israel is a very small country about the size of New Jersey, yet is surrounded by vastly large muslim nations, who all want more land from Israel, to eventually kick out (or kill) all non-muslims. The “palestinian people” all come from Jordan & Syria, there are few to no native palestinian muslims. Ron Paul you are a devout Catholic, so you say, & if you read your Bible, the Old Testament part, you will see that Israel was given to the Jewish People, the People of the Messiah. We have been there for almost 4000 years, 2500 years before Islam was invented. The “palestinian peeple” could easily choose to peacefully co-exist in Israel with Jews & Christians, they refuse to do so, & demand their own Islamic state. They use terrorist tactics to attack Israel daily, & Israel does what it needs to do in retaliation to defend the lives of their citizens. If you, Dr. Paul, can understand the plight of these foreign nations who are bombed & invaded by Nations like us, then surely you can understand the bombings & attacks Israel endures, & it IS only because they are Jews.
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Nothing to disagree with!
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Nothing to disagree with!
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You hit the nail on the head! It’s the support of Israel and voting down the UN Sanctions against Israel for it’s Occupation of Palestinian Land that causes young boys to flock to the Bin Laden’s of this day. Think about it….If you lived like a caged animal in your own country, denied the right to work and live on the land of your ancestor’s wouldnt that enrage you? We have to ask ourselves why would these men be so eager to strap bombs on themselves? Their oppressors have nothing to be afraid of, the US vetoes every unanimous vote that is made by the UN. Shame on us for not paying attention to what is really going on.
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I’m a (legal) US resident, though not yet a citizen, and fairly liberal on most topics but I absolutely would vote for Mr Paul in 2012 if I was able to.
I don’t fully agree with all of his policies but I have the utmost respect for a characteristic he has which none of the other presidential candidates, including the incumbent, truly embody: integrity.
Sir, it seems like the odds are against you but I wish you the best for this campaign.
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watch?v=h4ljr45Gs1c
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Hats Off to Ron Paul, the only US politician brave enough to promote truth and independent thought. The rest of the US so-called leaders have actively promoted false reasons for 9/11 and have gone to great lengths to make sure the general public never seriously addresses the question “why”. The vast majority of US voters seem incapable of thinking for themselves and resort to accepting whatever the lobby-led “leaders”and their media outlet tell them to believe.
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The 9/11 attacks were never justifiable. Killing innocent people for some misguided ideology is insanity. The US response in invading Afghanistan was justified. When the Bush Administration then decided that Iraq must also be attacked, the US lost their way.
There were world wide protests, complaints from non US Intelligence Agencies, all to no avail. The US knew there were no weapons of mass destruction(WMD’s) – their own CIA told the administration that Iraq destroyed these weapons. UN weapons inspectors had found no evidence of WMD’s, but sadly Iraq was invaded without UN approval. Iraq and Saddam Hussein had zero to do with the 9/11 attacks.
The US knew how their “shock and awe” would bring a quick victory. Destroying the rigid Iraqi system led to anarchy and the opening of the old factional hatred. The world may be a better place with the passing of Saddam Hussein, but is Iraq any safer in 2011 than it was before the US invasion?
Why was Osama Bin Laden killed? Surely he could have provided much information – but obviously some of that information may have proved embarrassing to too many nations.
Despite the enormous sacrifice of thousands of lives, the US has wasted trillions on their “war on terror”. Now if some of that money could have been used to help create jobs for unemployed youth in the middle east or work on improving efficiency of renewable energy.
The world is not a safer place as there must be thousands of young Iraqi and Afghani men who feel the US is their enemy and they may seek revenge.
Dialogue and offering an olive branch may appear weak, but surely all sides would be better off with more tolerance for their opponents and a move away from the “gung ho” tactics of all extremists who promise much but only deliver death and misery.
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Ron Paul is wrong on why the radical Islamist attacked our nation on 9/11. Ever since their false prophet Mohammad said “death to all infidels” who do not believe in their way of life. That is when countries all over the world began to be attacked and their women raped and treated like animals. Ron Paul is a good man. He just will never be elected as President. His supporters need to wake up and save their money and efforts. Ron Paul will never be elected to the Oval Office. Sorry but it is the truth. Wake up now and see it. Don’t be disappointed later! Sorry Ron! You are a good man! However, the American people do not want you as their president.
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it’s a shame ron can’t lie as well as the rest of them, as well as the one who will eventually make it into office. maybe if he lied to the people, told them what they wanted to hear and played into their sympathies and egos like all of the other candidates, and then intercepted the white house with his real values, this nation might stand a chance. sad really, that deception is the only way to win this silly game. good luck paul, voting for you!
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For those who would suggest that Bin Laden became anti-american because of the US support to Israel, he had no problem with this when he was on the CIA payroll in the 1980′s. He changed his mind when the Saudi king refused his proposal to use his mujahedin group as a protection force against Iraq when Kuwait was invaded, but king Fadh turned down the offer and allied himself with the USA, so he got furious. But the US involvment in the Middle East, especially on the side of Israel, made it easier for him to recruit people and present himself as an anti-israeli hero.
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Come to PA Straw Poll this Friday! (http://www.pagop.org/2011/09/presidential-straw-poll-and-fall-dinner/) Young Republican tickets are half price ($50 instead of $100) and Young Republican tables are ($500 instead of $900, a table seats 10 people). Note you must contact Angela Nielsen (anielsen@pagop.org) at phone number 717-234-4901, ext. 131. to order tickets at the YR rate.
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If you research Middle Eastern history, Ron Paul’s “terrorist” assessment is accurate. We are not attacked because we are free. These “terrorists” groups are not attacking other free societies like Austria, Belgium or Brazil…just our country. Why? They (Al-Qaeda) have said why. We have been on their land for decades. If the tables were turned and America was the one being occupied I guarantee you we would feel the same way.
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Ron Paul’s is right on with his answers concerning 9/11. I am slightly dissappointed that when the question arose tonight (9/12/11) about whether or not he believed we were (in part) responsible for the attacks of 911.
The real answer is everyone who thinks we were bombed because we are “Americans” or “we are free”, believes exactly that. He needs to spin this fact in his favor. The only ones responsible for the attacks are the ones who participated in the planning, staging of or carring out of September 11, 2001.
The American population needs education on the prior events leading up to todays “march on Iran, 9/11, Federal Reserve, and troop occupation”. The US has controlled dabbled in politics of other countries too long, but for some reason the people believe we are responsible for fixing everything. Please do your best to educate the sheeple.
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intellectual heroes: milton friedman, walter williams, and RON PAUL. never stop speaking truth to power!
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We all hated what happened on 9/11. I think we should think and investigate why it happened. Why it happened to us and not to Holland, Denmark, Sweden, Italy, Canada, Austria, Norway or any country that have democracy and freedom like us. The reason is what Ron Paul have stated We occupy their holy-land and being unfair to the Palestinian since 1948. The media has worked hard to convince us that we have been attacked because the attacker hated our democracy ” I have never seen or read about a country being attached because of their freedom”. Most of the candidates will try to suck up to Israel to get the Jewish votes.
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I strongly support Ron Paul for president. He is committed to the most important issue in America, which is exposing the Federal Reserve as an un-constitutional parasite on the US. But it’s very important to be clear that 911 was a false flag attack. Although it’s difficult for many people to accept this, it’s necessary to face this truth if we are to truly heal our country.
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People don’t want to face the truth but we’re slowly making them.
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I’m changing and I hope I can help in anyway possible.
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I’m changing and I hope I can help in anyway possible.
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I’m changing and I hope I can help in anyway possible.
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He also supports the notion of launching an independent third party investigation into the events and what is left of the evidence regarding 9/11.
*He has never compromised on any of his principles.
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He also supports the notion of launching an independent third party investigation into the events and what is left of the evidence regarding 9/11.
*He has never compromised on any of his principles.
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He also supports the notion of launching an independent third party investigation into the events and what is left of the evidence regarding 9/11.
*He has never compromised on any of his principles.
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*He returns a portion of his annual congressional office income to the U.S. treasury every year.
*He wants to bring the troops home A.S.A.P. From EVERYWHERE to provide for the national defense.
*He wants to abolish the IRS and the income tax to replace them with nothing.
*He will end the Federal Reserve and legal tender laws to allow for competition between debt-free currencies.
*He wants to end the failed drug war, pardon non-violent drug-offenders from prison, and phase out the DEA.
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*He returns a portion of his annual congressional office income to the U.S. treasury every year.
*He wants to bring the troops home A.S.A.P. From EVERYWHERE to provide for the national defense.
*He wants to abolish the IRS and the income tax to replace them with nothing.
*He will end the Federal Reserve and legal tender laws to allow for competition between debt-free currencies.
*He wants to end the failed drug war, pardon non-violent drug-offenders from prison, and phase out the DEA.
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*He returns a portion of his annual congressional office income to the U.S. treasury every year.
*He wants to bring the troops home A.S.A.P. From EVERYWHERE to provide for the national defense.
*He wants to abolish the IRS and the income tax to replace them with nothing.
*He will end the Federal Reserve and legal tender laws to allow for competition between debt-free currencies.
*He wants to end the failed drug war, pardon non-violent drug-offenders from prison, and phase out the DEA.
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Vote Ron Paul!
*He has never voted to raise taxes.
*He has never voted for an unbalanced budget.
*He has never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership.
*He has never voted to increase the power of the executive branch.
*He voted against the Patriot Act.
*He has never voted for restrictions on internet anonymity/privacy.
*He voted against the Iraq war and all other illegal wars.
*He wants to get us out of the U.N. and NATO.
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spread ron pauls message
share this and all ron pauls videos on facebook!!
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This sounds like common sense straight thinking to me.
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he should be going more in depth into saying how alqaeda is cia trace it back to isi, he is a fraud just like any other politician. people will fall for him like they did obamas change
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1 – Google Ron Paul in 60 minutes petition
2 - Petition - CBS News 60 minutes - Get Ron Paul go to change.org
3 - sign the petition
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1 – Google Ron Paul in 60 minutes petition
2 - Petition - CBS News 60 minutes - Get Ron Paul go to change.org
3 - sign the petition
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