Posted on 12/30/2007 12:07:19 PM PST by jdm
The more Ron Paul talks, the more he demonstrates his unfitness for the office he seeks — and maybe for the office he holds. Yesterday on Meet the Press, Paul came up with a number of stunners, but his take on Iran may have been the most clueless of all:
MR. RUSSERT: So if Iran invaded Israel, what do we do?
REP. PAUL: Well, they’re not going to. That is like saying “Iran is about to invade Mars.” I mean, they have nothing. They don’t have an army or navy or air force. And Israelis have 300 nuclear weapons. Nobody would touch them. But, no, if, if it were in our national security interests and Congress says, “You know, this is very, very important, we have to declare war.” But presidents don’t have the authority to go to war.
Paul shows himself to be completely clueless in this passage. Iran does have an army; in fact, their Revolutionary Guard comprises not just a military but also a financial and intelligence apparatus that keeps the mullahcracy safely in power. The Artesh (regular forces) consists of a navy, an air force, and ground forces, all of which are duplicated in the Revolutionary Guard. Instead of having no military, Iran effectively has two of each branch.
The military expenditures in Iran mirror that of the US. Teheran uses 2.5% of its GDP on military spending, while the US hovers around 4% — and our forces reach all around the world. Iran has a substantial military, one that is well-funded and one that serves a dual purpose of threatening its neighbors and cowing dissent at home. It also funds a serious ballistic missile threat which affects the balance of power in the region. The new Shahab-3 can reach to Europe and certainly represents an existential threat to Israel.
But that isn’t the extent of the Iranian threat. Iran also funds terrorist movements, especially Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad in Syria and Lebanon. Those funds don’t get counted in the percentage of GDP, but they sustain an important column in the aggressive Iranian strategy for hegemony in the region. Any consideration of the threat Iran represents to the world has to include this — which once again Paul inexplicably ignores.
More than anything else Paul has said or done in this cycle, this statement should disqualify him for any consideration, serious or not, for the Presidency. His constituents in Texas ought to rethink his qualifications for Congress, too.
Because there's no way RP is a viable candidate.
He’s a Loony Toon.
“He clearly meant that they don’t have a credible military force, no matter how much they spend.”
Sure it was. Does not matter much, soon he will be out of it and it will be back to the “crazy uncle attic room” for him.
Iran is a country? ;O)
And .. he’s wrong about the President’s ability to wage war .. it is allowed .. under certain conditions.
Such as .. after 9/11 - we went into Afghanistan WITHOUT THE APPROVAL OF CONGRESS to declare WAR. But .. according to Ron Paul, doing such a thing is not even in his playbook, and he’s openly stated that an attack SHOULD NEVER BE ANSWERED.
I’m glad to see this guy debunk himself with his innacurate, ignorant, idiotic statements about the govt and the world and how things operate.
And .. to know this kind of person can get elected to Congress is mind-boggling and proves our schools have done a very, very bad job in teaching how our govt works.
So are his supporters. I saw a fairly new SUV in town yesterday almost completely covered with Ron Paul bumper stickers.
I agree with your interpretation of his remarks, but he’s still a loon. He thinks if we ignore the world, it will go away.
According to the US gov’t, Tehran uses 2.5% of its GDP on military spending. I’d say that would buy a lot of military might for them.
Run Paul ping.
all of which are duplicated in the Revolutionary Guard. Instead of having no military, Iran effectively has two of each branch.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
...And lest we forget Iran’s Expeditionary Army, that’s allready right across the border from Israel...the HizbAllah ...born in. trained by, armed and funded by Iran. Mentored by ex President Khatami...” Mr Reformer”. Who was/is among those who tell Nasrallah & Mugniyah, how high to jump....
YEP...we have a group of Republicans that meets and has a straw poll monthly.....they’ve been bringing people in from the Canadian border and other hinterlands to vote for months.......
“He clearly meant that they don’t have a credible military force, no matter how much they spend. The headline is a real stretch.
That was clearly shown, when they fought the fine Iraqi military to a stalemate.
Well that settles it. He’s my man.
/s
“I thought Europe was a country.”
“I know they speak French there.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANTDkfkoBaI
“And .. to know this kind of person can get elected to Congress is mind-boggling and proves our schools have done a very, very bad job in teaching how our govt works.”
Schooling doesn’t have anything to do with it. It’s all that pork for his district he applies for and then votes no on because he knows it’ll be approved anyway.
RP thinks we can stay home, smoke dope, listen to Willie Nelson and everything will be just fine.
He is a naive loon...
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