Sen. Rand Paul: Why I’m Voting ‘No’ on Syria

Time ^ | September 4, 2013 | Rand Paul

[grundle]

War should occur only when America is attacked, when it is threatened or when American interests are attacked or threatened. I don’t think the situation in Syria passes that test. Even the State Department argues that “there’s no military solution here that’s good for the Syrian people, and that the best path forward is a political solution.”

The United States should not fight a war to save face. I will not vote to send young men and women to sacrifice life and limb for stalemate. I will not vote to send our nation’s best and brightest to fight for anything less than victory.

Bashar Al-Assad is clearly not an American ally. But does his ouster encourage stability in the Middle East, or would his ouster actually encourage instability?

Are the Islamic rebels our allies? Will they defend American interests? Will they acknowledge Israel’s right to exist? Will they impose Sharia law? Will they tolerate Christians or will they pillage and destroy ancient Christian churches and people?

The president and his administration have not provided good answers to any of these questions. Those who seek military action have an obligation to publicly address these concerns before dragging our soldiers into another Middle Eastern war. Shooting first and aiming later has not worked for us in the past, and it should not be our game plan now.

In 2007, then-Sen. Obama stated that no president should unilaterally go to war without congressional authority unless there is an actual or imminent threat to our nation. James Madison argued this same position. Our Founding Fathers understood that the executive branch was the most prone to war. That is the constitutional position.

President Obama’s new position, though, is that while he requests congressional input, he doesn’t necessarily need Congress’ approval.

[stars & stripes forever]

“And now brit hume telling greta why we need to strike syria.”

The Saudis own a portion of FOX news. Follow the money.

[mylife]

*Shaking Head,Pinching Nose*

[Bluestocking]

If Congress votes against supporting Obama’s attacks on Syria, the pro-Obama media will immediately ask the question, ‘’Will Obama attack Syria alone without Congressional support?’’ — as if there would be nothing wrong with his doing so, as if the whole Congressional decision-making process had been a meaningless exercise, as if Obama’s going it alone had been merely a Plan B that Obama would now implement.

And the public would be angry and confused as Obama’s cruise missiles hit Syria but unable to do anything to stop what was happening. And that would be it. We’d be at war with Syria.

Since that’s what is likely to happen, all of the Congressional hearings and statements and endless considerations everyone is so seriously engaged in now are nothing but a complete farce. No matter what Congress does, Obama will attack Syria.

It’s nice to hear someone like Rand Paul speak up against attacking Syria, but doesn’t he realize that his words are futile, that he’s part of the Big Lie Obama and his media supporters are perpetrating that this is still a democracy where his words might count rather than an Obama-run dictatorship where nothing anyone says except Obama means anything?

[Revolting cat!]

Well, they say the third time’s a charm, don’t they? After the Libya and Egypt disasters they’re gonna get it right in Syria, just you wait and see!

[Alberta's Child]

None of this makes any sense until you step back and realize that the U.S. is functioning like a global empire right now. That's why there is no tangible difference between the track records of George W. Bush and Barack Hussein Obama. They are big-government globalists whose foreign policy is consistent to a "T" -- interventionist at its core, with expensive, idiotic nation-building even in far-flung places that have no tangible value to the citizenry of the U.S.

In terms of "American blood" ... Let's be blunt about it and ask ourselves -- in light of what we've witnessed unfolding over the last 12 years in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Egypt -- just how many people out there in the U.S. military are still delusional enough to believe that there is anything honorable and patriotic about signing up to get sent to some sh!t-hole halfway around the world just because some @sshole in the White House tells you it's important to do it.

[dfwgator]

That's why there is no tangible difference between the track records of George W. Bush and Barack Hussein Obama. They are big-government globalists whose foreign policy is consistent to a "T" -- interventionist at its core, with expensive, idiotic nation-building even in far-flung places that have no tangible value to the citizenry of the U.S.

It goes back even to Willard (Bosnia, Kosovo anyone?) and of course Bush I.

[madison10]

Tea party people have to work for a living and/or they are low on funds due to this awesome recovery.

[sargon]

Sen. Rand Paul: Why I’m Voting ‘No’ on Syria

These damn libertarians and their ilk are going to be the downfall of this once great country.</sarc>

[Greysard]

.... and it would be a war started by a false flag.

World War II started with a carefully planned false flag event.

World War I started with a deliberate provocation.

Perhaps we can learn something from history?

[Mike Darancette]

Are the Islamic rebels our allies? Will they defend American interests? Will they acknowledge Israel’s right to exist? Will they impose Sharia law? Will they tolerate Christians or will they pillage and destroy ancient Christian churches and people?

Can we get them on the payroll?

[raisetheroof]

The biggest reason I'm opposed to this action in Syria is that it'll be like poking at a big hornet's nest with a stick.

It will do nothing to stop them, it will only make them mad, and we're the ones likely to get stung.

[kiltie65]

And Rangel wants to re-initiate the draft. If Syria is “punished” by the U.S. that draft could well become a reality. Obama needs to step down and all his cronies with him.

[mouske]

“Where are the protests?”

I think the Tea Party has scheduled a “massive” demonstration in D.C. on 9/10/13. Will you be there?

[mylife]

I doubt it due to personal finances.
Where are the organized Tea Party Protests we saw in the first 2 years?

It is dead quite since Pelosi ,Emmanual Cleavers and John Lewis played the race card during the Obamacare protest in DC, Mar 2010.

They played the race card, showed no proof even with a tea party sponsored reward for proof and the RINOS folded like a cheap suit.

[mylife]

I have 6 days?

Great organizing. /s

[gunsequalfreedom]

Hello Senator Any Name. We need your support for Obama’s Syria war plan.

I’m opposed. I can’t support it.

Did we mention the NSA file we have on you. We sure would hate to see your career and marriage ruined.

I of course support the President’s Syria war plan. We must save face as a nation, we must stand up for...blah’ blah, blah.

[gunsequalfreedom]

Does the NSA have a file on Brit Hume too.

I say send his kids in with the first wave.

[nathanbedford]

Minutes after Obama made his climbdown speech undercutting Kerry, the odds were overwhelming that this would not clear Congress. But from the minute John Boehner walked away from the microphones outside of the White House where he had announced his support for bombing, it was clear this would get through Congress. It will get through Congress the same way amnesty will get through Congress, with Democrats voting their party and Rinos crossing over.

There are very few options left now but a real revolt by conservatives within the Republican Party against the leadership on the issues of amnesty, Obamacare, and Syria. It is clear that we are going to take massive losses in the 2014 off year elections whether we openly split or not because the base is so thoroughly disillusioned now they probably will not once more go meekly to their shearing but will stay home and let the Democrats take a ton of seats back.

We might as well further pursue a vigorous primary policy and when we lose the primaries against entrenched Rino leaders like Boehner and McConnell, we should either run a third-party candidate or support the Democrat in the general. We simply have got to make the Republican Party more afraid of us than they are afraid of the mainstream media, or Barack Obama, or K Street lobbyists.

[GeronL]

Sad that the Republican Party is run by the Democrat Party

[hummingbird]

"Does the NSA have a file on Brit Hume too.

I say send his kids in with the first wave.

IIRC, Brit Hume had a son who was also a journalist. The kid was found dead = I don't recall if it was suicide or murder and he was working on an article about the Clintons.

That certainly led to speculation but I don't remember how it all shook out.