RE: Not what he said at all.
It would be helpful to copy and paste his exact quote:
http://therightscoop.com/rand-paul-america-partly-to-blame-for-pearl-harbor-world-war-ii/
“There are times when sanctions have made it worse. I mean, there are times .. leading up to World War II we cut off trade with Japan. That probably caused Japan to react angrily. We also had a blockade on Germany after World War I, which may have encouraged them … some of their anger.”
Sanctions are provocative. That’s the point of them. But they are an “effect” in themselves...not a cause.