Posted on 08/21/2011 3:23:27 PM PDT by mnehring
US Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul has criticized Washington's policy toward Iran, particularly the sanctions imposed on Tehran over its nuclear program.
During a heated debate between GOP presidential contenders in Ames, Iowa aired on Fox News, Paul questioned the value of the sanctions policy against Iran.
He added that he would prefer more diplomatic discourse and trade with Tehran rather than relying on threatening rhetoric.
“People in the countries you put sanctions on, you are more likely to fight them. I say a policy of peace is free trade. Stay out of their internal business, don't get involved in these wars, and just bring our troops home,” said the Texas congressman, who has emerged as one of the GOP front-runners and is currently polling third in the United States after Mitt Romney and Rick Perry.
Commenting on Iran's nuclear energy program, Paul referred to a CIA report that says there is no evidence showing that Tehran's nuclear program has been deviated toward weapons production.
Paul noted that the idea of a nuclear threat posed by Iran has been exaggerated over time, saying that the reasons behind the tensions between Washington and Tehran go far back.
“We've been at war in Iran for a lot longer than '79. We started it in 1953 when we sent in a coup, installed the shah. And the reaction, the blowback, came in 1979. It's been going on and on because we just plain don't mind our own business. That's our problem,” he said.
*Facepalm*
Look at the comments.
Ron Paul’s is Iran’s useful idiot now.
Ron Paul is as goofy as a two peckered billy goat....
or Perry and Romney have......
"The Mahdi fell down that well." Said Paul
"We should, instead of sanctioning, help to pull the Mahdi up!"
Ron Paul, the gynecologist with the rope ladder.
Yay him.
Ugh
I just loved the comments. The ones from Iranians are precious. Because of Ron Paul indicting the USA, they have conveniently forgotten all the historically crappy actions of their government in favor of a new attitude that anyone but Paul will bomb them and they must get a nuke.
And this treasonous lunatic wants to be president? Pfffft.
I just blew through the comments. They read like the Conspiracy Kooks Guide to America. Totally mindless garbage. Paul is a dangerous man and should be nowhere near the Oval Office.
A lot of Paulbots in the comments section.
...not provided ammunition for our enemies.
Thanks for posting something that BEGS for my new analogy:
Ron Paul is nuttier than a port-a-potty at a peanut festival!
I can only help but think of all the fallen uniform men and women in the last 10 years. Without going into politics, just looking at the human factor.
Some people are absolutely DEFICIENT when it comes to picking up a history book. Too many of the Paulbots are freakishly isolationist ... and ignore the fact that in history when nations don’t engage in the balance of power on a global level, other nations will step in the fill the void. What were the RUSSIANS doing when we did all these supposedly egregious things back in the days of the frost of the cold war?
Russia gets a pass now ... but we are still expected to somehow atone for what others perceive as “intervention.”
We are “guilty”!
The world has forgiven Germany for the NAZIS ... but Paul’s weaseling about Cold War foreign policy and saying he wouldn’t blame a doomsday cult if they wanted to get a nuclear bomb.
The sad thing is, some of those commenters may be Iranians.
And they now think that Paul has just admitted that the USA means them harm and they need the bomb.
Good point. He is pandering to antisemitic scumbags with these positions.
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