Posted on 08/08/2007 1:30:04 PM PDT by CJ Wolf
Ron Paul was right during the Des Moines Republican debate when he said that our going into Iraq had nothing to do with al-Qaeda. And Mitt Romney was wrong when he interrupted him.
At the Republican debate in Des Moines, Iowa, on August 5, Congressman Ron Paul made clear that our going to war against Iraq had nothing to do with going after al-Qaeda, the terrorist group that attacked us on 9/11.
"The neoconservatives promoted this war many, many years before it was started," Paul said during the debate. "It had nothing to do with al-Qaeda. There was no al-Qaeda in Iraq." As Ron Paul elaborated on how wrong the neocons have been, Governor Romney, apparently attempting to telegraph his disgust with the congressman’s remarks, snidely said to the audience, "Has he forgotten about 9/11?" as he gestured with his hands. A couple seconds later, Romney again rudely interrupted — "Have you forgotten about..." — as Paul continued using the time allotted to him.
Later in the debate, Paul revisited the subject of al-Qaeda. "I supported going after the al-Qaeda into Afghanistan," he said, "but, lo and behold, the neocons took over. They forgot about Osama bin Laden. And what they did, they went into nation- building, not only in Afghanistan, they went unjustifiably over into Iraq. And that’s why we’re in this mess today."
Put simply, Ron Paul does not believe we went into Iraq because of 9/11. But Mitt Romney obviously believes we did. So who’s right?
It is true that President Bush and other neocons in his administration have repeatedly juxtaposed references to Saddam Hussein’s Iraq to those of 9/11 in their public statements. In so doing, they have created the impression among many Americans — apparently including Romney — that Saddam Hussein had attacked us on 9/11. But the administration did not explicitly say this and did not even present evidence supporting this allegation. As President Bush himself said on September 17, 2003: "We’ve had no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved with the September 11th [attacks]."
The administration did portray an al-Qaeda/Iraq connection as a concrete fact. Yet in a January 8, 2004 press conference, then-Secretary of State Colin Powell acknowledged: "There is not — you know, I have not seen smoking-gun, concrete evidence about the connection, but I think the possibility of such connections did exist and it was prudent to consider them at the time that we did." In truth, the evidence simply was not there.
By interrupting Congressman Paul with his "Has he forgotten about 9/11?" protestation, Governor Romney not only made himself appear less than presidential, he also confirmed that, where Iraq is concerned, he does not know what he’s talking about.
Is the subject of this thread Paul, Romney, or Birch?
Now, unless Ron Paul thinks he knows more or better than Tommy Franks about the first hand situation in the fight, he really need to get a clue.
We had AlQeda in Florida, but there were no Al Qeda in Iraq.
Repeat until believed.
” ...the impression among many Americans ... that Saddam Hussein had attacked us on 9/11 ...”
and the same folks who buy that also believe the CIA spread AIDS in the black commmunity and/or that the US government itself actually plotted the 9/11 attacks. No accounting for what folks will believe.
We heard Ron Paul say it was the Jews fault we went into Iraq over and over again during the debate... ok he used the word “neocon” but ask any Bircher and they will tell you that neocon==Jew. Glad Ron Paul and his feathered friends got together finally.
What I am still baffled at is why so many Freepers still are trying to defend Ron Paul? Do that many Freepers want to legalize drugs?
About 1/3 of Al Queda fled to Iran including Osama's son and heir apparent. I wish we would invade Iran.
I think Saddam needed to come down, regardless if he was involved in 911 or not.
..and if someone has a history of spreading myth after myth after myth, with very few of their predictions shown to be truth, what is the chance they are proclaiming the truth now? (For the record, I'm a former John Birch Society member.)
Tech control, capture "The-Victor’s" ip, triangulate and forward coordinates...
Command, deploy the hit squad and coordinate with tech... Priority Alpha...
Agree with you 100%!
Supposed to be paul and romney, but I have no control over any other direction this takes. It might end up being a shrimpfest.
Many have been tricked into thinking he is the only(sic) 'true Conservative' or Constitutionalist in the race.
How’s life in Al Finbar?
“Is the subject of this thread Paul, Romney, or Birch?”
Ron Paul believes in the same thing as the Birchers so it hardly matters.
Bush never said Saddam participated in 9/11.
But this much I’m sure of:
If Saddam was still in power, there would be a whole lot of big-ticket, state-sponsored, ready-for-export terrorist plotting, planning and conspiring going on in Iraq today.
Instead, the terrorists are fighting for their lives, and dying in droves.
Reading my Harry Potter book and dreaming of my upcoming vacation. I'm about to turn in. ;-)
I am a libertarian and want to legalize drugs, but I sure as hell don’t support Ron Paul and his ‘cut and run’ bullshiite.
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