Posted on 05/24/2007 5:51:44 PM PDT by George W. Bush
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Longshot Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul on Thursday gave front-runner Rudy Giuliani a list of foreign-policy books to back up his contention that attacks by Islamic militants are fueled by the U.S. presence in the Middle East.
"I'm giving Mr. Giuliani a reading assignment," the nine-term Texas congressman said as he stood behind a stack of books that included the report by the commission that examined the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001.
Giuliani was mayor of New York when Islamic militants slammed two commercial airliners into the World Trade Center, a role that has vaulted him to the front of the Republican presidential pack despite his liberal social positions.
"I don't think he's qualified to be president," Paul said of Giuliani. "If he was to read the book and report back to me and say, 'I've changed my mind,' I would reconsider."
Paul advocates a limited U.S. foreign policy, including an end to the war in Iraq and a reduction in troop levels abroad.
Paul said he was unfairly attacked during last week's debate by 10 Republican presidential hopefuls, when Giuliani dismissed his contention that U.S. policies in the Middle East had contributed to the attacks in New York and Washington.
"I don't think I've ever heard that before, and I've heard some pretty absurd explanations for September 11th," Giuliani said to wild applause.
A spokeswoman for Giuliani derided Paul's latest comments.
"It is extraordinary and reckless to claim that the United States invited the attacks on September 11th," Maria Comella said in an e-mail.
"And to further declare Rudy Giuliani needs to be educated on September 11th when millions of people around the world saw him dealing with these terrorist attacks firsthand is just as absurd."
OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM
Paul barely registers in opinion polls of Republicans hoping to win their party's nomination to contest the November 2008 presidential election.
An obstetrician-gynecologist from the Houston area, Paul frequently strays far outside the Republican mainstream.
He voted against the Iraq war resolution in 2002 and has proposed abolishing the Homeland Security Department and diminishing the Federal Reserve. His 1988 bid for president as the Libertarian candidate drew just slightly more than 400,000 votes nationwide.
Paul said it was irresponsible of Giuliani and other leaders to not examine the motivations of al Qaeda and other radical Islamic groups.
Among the books on Paul's reading list were: "Dying to Win," which argues that suicide bombers only mobilize against an occupying force; "Blowback," which examines the unintended consequences of U.S. foreign policy; and the 9/11 Commission Report, which says that al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was angered by the presence of U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia.
Another book on the list was "Imperial Hubris," whose author appeared at the press conference to offer support for Paul.
"Foreign policy is about protecting America," said author Michael Scheuer, who used to head the CIA's bin Laden unit. "Our foreign policy is doing the opposite."
A Giuliani campaign official could not confirm whether he had read any of the books on Paul's list.
Personally, I'm just enjoying Ron Paul going after Giuliani. More and more analysts are grudgingly admitting that Ron Paul was correct about what the CIA and 9/11 Commission have said all along. And that Rudeo was wrong.
Ping ‘em if ya got ‘em.
He is irrelevant, un-American and dead wrong.
This is too funny. Ron Paul single-handedly resurrected Rudy’s campaign when it was floundering. He had had a terrible two weeks, and here comes Ronnie with his ludicrous comment. Bingo, Rudy now back in front of the issue on all the TV shows. Ron Paul has been wrong about virtually EVERYTHING with regards to the WoT. He’s in league with the traitorous rats.
It’s funny to see the two worst candidates argue with each other.
Might be fun to see if the press helps Ron Paul hound Rudi into the ground on this issue.
It sounds to me like Ron Paul and Ward Churchill should get together; they can talk about “little Eichmann’s.”
Yeah. But I don’t like WP and don’t like excerpts. The problem is the excerpt there doesn’t actually contain the list of books or the CIA’s bin Laden expert who showed up to support RP’s position against Rudy.
Paul doesn’t want USA intervention in foreign country’s anywhere for any reason.Problem with this thinking is we’re going to run out of skyscrapers and passenger jets real quick if we go along with his idea !!!
That’s the problem with these sanctimonious twits. Rather than debate issues and ideas, they present themselves as authorities and try to swing the discussion into a lecture. Maybe if they used a little of the openmindedness they automatically accuse their opponents of lacking, they would actually learn something instead of running at the mouth.
Me too, Rudi make it personal and now he is going to pay. The unintended consequence is that Paul is now a creature of Rudy making. Rudy figured he could just swat Paul out of the race but instead he created an enemy that will fight him all the way. LOL, tons of fun.
But who’s using who here? Ron Paul is digging himself a “America’s Fault” hole to lie down in.
It’s America’s fault is EXACTLY what he’s saying and I think the guy’s an F’ing nut !!!
Personally, I think Paul is way off saying that we incited the 911 attack.
So are the neo-cons.
He is irrelevant, un-American and dead wrong.
Apparently his lifelong committment to the Constitution means nothing to you.
I don’t think Rudy can read anything beyond a police report.
He didn't say this, Giuliani and his media flunkies are misrepresenting what he actually said.
Do you want a President, a Commander-in-Chief, who holds his own country at fault for an attack on its soil?
What kind of effective response is possible with that kind of thinking? At best, a weak one. At worst, an attack on those whom he feels ARE responsible - Americans.
What kind of insanity is that?
We may as well elect an Islamic fundamentalist.
Come on now,The Constitution does not PREVENT the USA from protecting itself beyond our borders. On 9\11 we were attacked and we knew where the bad guys were training and operating from and NOT taking action against these people because they were beyond our borders would have been inviting more attacks here on our homeland !!!
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