Rand Paul on Iraq: ‘What’s going on now, I don’t blame on President Obama’

Washington Times ^

[SoConPubbie]

Sen. Rand Paul sided with President Obama over some of his more hawkish conservative colleagues, saying the recent surge of violence in Iraq at the hands of Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists is not the White House administration’s fault.

“What’s going on now, I don’t blame on President Obama,” Mr. Paul said during a “Meet the Press” interview. “Has he got the solution? Maybe there is no solution. But I do blame the Iraq war on the chaos that is in the Middle East. I also blame those who are for the Iraq war for emboldening Iran.”

Mr. Paul’s statements counter those of some of his fellow Republicans. Sen. John McCain, for example, along with Sen. Lindsey Graham have been consistent in their insistence that the United States needs a strong military presence in Iraq — one that remains on ground for some time, Time reported.

They’ve also placed blame for the uptick in violence in the region on the White House’s telegraphing of troops’ withdrawal.

“I predicted this fully and completely and did it time after time after time,” Mr. McCain said weeks ago, Time reported. Mr. McCain hasn’t yet called for more ground troops, but has pressed for the arming of Syrian rebels — something the White House has begun mulling — and for airstrikes over Iraq, Time reported.

Mr. McCain also said many in the Republican Party agree with him.

“I talk with them constantly,” Mr. McCain said in the Time report. “They understand what Sen. Graham and I are pushing. Most of them that I can see agree.”

Sen. Ted Cruz, meanwhile, said at an event last year: “I consider myself somewhere in between those two poles,” of foreign policy put forth by

[SoConPubbie]

"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton "We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan "A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792 "It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams

[2ndDivisionVet]

Just switch parties, nutcake.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Rand is Democrat who is even more dishonest than the average Democrat because he won't admit he's a Democrat.

[Jeff Chandler]

You just know that when the full impact of Obamacare hits the American people, high profile Republicans will come out in defense of it and Obama, effectively diffusing any Democrat culpability and negating Republican political gains.

Fish gotta swim.

[CivilWarBrewing]

So, if we had kept 25,000 strategically placed U.S. troops and our bases in Iraq, the ISIS incursion would’ve happened ANYWAY? I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT.

[rockinqsranch]

HEY RAND PAUL! Keep up the good work proving myself, and so many other FReepers to be correct “the nut doesn’t fall far from the tree!”

[justa-hairyape]

If Saddam was left in power, there would have been a war between Iraq and Syria. Saddam was the old ISIS without all that Islamic trapping.

[GraceG]

Hey Rand..... Even if Bush had stacked the kindling it was Obama that lit the match and threw it on the pile of firewood....

[stanne]

He’s just so politically inept.

Rubio did the same thing.

These two are not strong characters.

I imagine the pressure to be liberal and Obama apologetic when they get to the senate is tremendous. Weak characters falter. Dems haven’t got the pressure, they’re already there

Not surprised. When has he ever shown strength of character.

[Gaffer]

Well, I’d get booted for it if I spelled it out, but you can easily relate to the common expression, “N-word, Please!”

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

OK..THAT’S IT. I AM DONE WITH RAND.

[demshateGod]

The Liberaltarians, who typically side with big government leftist in order to advance their legalized depravity agenda, are all giddy about the disaster in Iraq. They ignore that Iraq was won and Bammy intentionally lost it. You have to ignore facts to be a Liberaltarian.

[RatRipper]

Doufus Paul. . . the scumbag president CREATED this problem!!!!! He deserves ALL the blame!!!!

[Don Corleone]

So, if we had kept 25,000 strategically placed U.S. troops and our bases in Iraq, the ISIS incursion would’ve happened ANYWAY? I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT.

That part of the world has been in turmoil for at least the last 4000 years. No nation, repeat, no nation has ever been able to realign the tribalism there into a stable government. The people are unable or unwilling to accept democratic style rule. They don't understand it. They don't believe in it. They don't want it. They want their tribal overlords and their colorful flags and that's a fact. Accept it.

[Theoria]

Saddam as a whole, was a stabilizer. He kept Iran and Syria in check. Once he was taken out, this is the obvious result. The ME and Iraq has never been kept in check unless with mass slaughter. War works, yet we don't do that these days.

[lormand]

As a Texan, I’m proud that we no longer have a ‘Paul’ representing one of our districts.

[GSWarrior]

I hardly expect Rand Paul to come out in defense of obamacare....but you never know.

[justa-hairyape]

That is false. Saddam destabilized the entire region by fighting a 10 war with Iran, using chemical weapons on the Kurd’s and invading Kuwait. He also wanted OPEC off the dollar and he wanted an oil embargo.

[Theoria]

Compared to the chaos today, that was nothing. Fighting Iran via Iraq was great, just ask Reagan.

[bgill]

This is what the GOP is thinking of running again. Rand, Rick, Romney and now Christie. What an embarrassment.