Posted on 05/03/2011 5:10:47 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
Ron Paul: Troops should come home now that bin Laden is dead By Jordan Fabian - 05/03/11 05:37 PM ET
Rep. Ron Paul (Texas), a possible Republican candidate for president, said Tuesday that the U.S. should bring its troops home from Iraq and Afghanistan now that Osama bin Laden has been killed.
Paul, a long-time skeptic of American interventionism, said that "like all other Americans, I'm glad he's gone," but raised multiple questions about the costs associated with the 10-year manhunt for the al Qaeda leader behind the 9/11 attacks.
"If we got him, I guess it's time to come home as far as I'm concerned," he said during an interview with Fox Business network.
Unlike other GOP presidential hopefuls, Paul waited until Tuesday to offer his official response to bin Laden's slaying, which took place on Sunday.
The content of Paul's response also differed from the potential candidates. He did not credit President Obama or former President George W. Bush for the military's ability to carry out the attack.
"There's a little bit of luck in all of this," Paul said.
The congressman also expressed doubts that the killing would make the U.S. safer, saying that it "might stir up more hatred — not that we should have changed our mind about it."
He suggested that some might raise conspiracy theories about bin Laden's death due to the lack of photo or video evidence released.
Paul also expressed concerns about the casualties incurred by America in Iraq and Afghanistan, which number above 6,000, and the $1 trillion-plus spent on the wars, all while bin Laden remained in hiding.
"Why did it take 10 years to get one guy?" he said.
But like other lawmakers and politicians, Paul questioned the U.S.'s foreign aid to Pakistan, where bin Laden was hiding in a town close to the country's capital of Islamabad. The congressman, long an opponent of most foreign aid, said that he would vote to cut off assistance to Pakistan.
Amid a debate over how bin Laden's slaying will affect Obama's chances of reelection, Paul said that it likely won't have an effect on the 2012 campaign
"The American people shift their views rather quickly," he said, citing the fact that former President George H.W. Bush's failure to win reelection in 1992 followed the Persian Gulf War.
"I think economics will dominate the campaign next year ... I don't think there is any guarantee he will have smooth sailing next year at all."
They were lovers.
He’s a complete douchebag
I think Ron should also come home from Planet Idiot. On the other hand, he has a point. I don’t like our soldiers being based in ungrateful countries and using them to protect their worthless hides.
Not likely, I think Perot is more stable than this guy.
Where did the jobs go?Not America as Ross said.
Sub, I’ll stack my patriotism and service (USAF ‘62-’68) up against anyone’s, but SOME of us — especially the families — are getting tired those horrible aluminum containers arriving at the freezer at Dover AFB. Been there, seen that!
Wish we had some politicians with the balls to issue this.
NOTICE TO ALL FOREIGN CITIZENS and THEIR GOVERNMENTS!
(EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY)
1. As a sovereign nation, you have the same rights to govern your nation as we have. Whether freely elected or despotic tyranny, how you run your government and DOMESTIC affairs is between you and your leaders. If you people don’t like how your government is behaving, we suggest you read some American history for the period between, say, 1774 and 1789. The world is awash in various sorts of small arms and other weapons. Getting enough to turn out your tyrant-du-jour ought not be a problem. Yes, many people will die (just as they did HERE in the late 1700s). It’s the price of freedom. But — and this is important to us — our SOLDIERS will not be among the dead. And even MORE importantly, MY kids and grandkids won’t be there. And trust us when we tell you that the casualties of your revolution will pale compared to those you will suffer should we be forced to invoke Clause 3!
2. Please pay SPECIAL attention to the word “domestic” in number 1.
3. The MINUTE we become privy to firm, corroborated intelligence that you have plans to harm the United States or one of our recognized allies — or, worst case — DO, in fact carry out such an operation, the United States and any such allies who wish to assist will come to you and request that you cease and desist. If you refuse to do so, we will TURN MOST OF YOUR LAND INTO A SMOKING RUIN. If you’ve never seen RUBBLE BOUNCE, it’s quite a sight. Just as the Japanese saw that in 1945, we saw a good bit of that on 9/11 – and will never forget it. The Japanese never forgot it – and neither will those of you who survive! We include in this list of threats AIDING, ABETTING, HARBORING, TRAINING OR SUPPLYING THOSE WHO, ALTHOUGH NOT CITIZENS OF YOUR NATION, MAKE PLANS TO HARM US OR AN ALLY.
We wish to live and have peaceful, honest and fair trade with all peoples — BUT harm us or injure/kill American/allied citizens AND YOUR WORLD AS YOU HAVE KNOWN IT WILL SIMPLY GO AWAY — FOREVER. No more PC “Nation Building” crap. Our military will be employed ONLY for those tasks for which they have been traditionally trained throughout history: TO KILL ENEMY TROOPS AND DESTROY ENOUGH OF THE ENEMY’S “STUFF” TO CAUSE THEM TO QUIT THE FIGHT. If some of you think we need “Nation Builders,” send in the UN — from which America will have withdrawn and “off-shored” to somewhere in Europe (and good luck with these clowns).
(If you have never seen it, slide on down to Blockbuster and rent “The Day the Earth Stood Still” with Arabic/Farsi or Chinese subtitles, of course. REREAD 3 AND THINK “GORT.”)
And also remember that, since we have pulled our guys out of other nations and closed those bases – horribly costly activities with which we are no longer burdened — we have devoted those diverted resources to new, more effective human intelligence gathering methods using many of YOUR citizens as paid snitches (no more stupid Church Amendment!) so we WILL KNOW when you’re up to no good. And don’t forget that those freed up resources will allow development of more devastating weapons should we need them. Trust us when we tell you that they’re really cool.
Speaking of “cool,” we’ll send all the Kool-Aid you might request but the FOREIGN AID FROM HERE IS OVER. Yep, the gravy train is out of fuel. Since so much of it has wound up in the Swiss accounts of your local despot (or back in a few international banks to cover their crappy “loans” to your dear leader to support his regime), your citizens probably won’t even miss it.
4. Once those smoking ruins have sufficiently cooled – and the radiation levels have fallen — we will put boots on the ground, clear any remaining resistance and seize your former property for the benefit of those who participated in the neutralization of the threat you posed. Casualties among our troops should be very limited because, as we think you have seen, the weapons possessed by the United States will leave very few to resist. REREAD 4 AND THINK 51st STATE!
Call us with any QUESTIONS. Or visit our web site at www.bendoverandkissyourassgoodbye.gov
Thank you for your support in this vital matter.
The SANE People of the United States of America (all 30 of us).
Until this becomes our policy, we continue to honor those who have paid the ultimate price for the freedoms so many of us now take for granted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WDrbbtaO0E
A photo was recently posted on the web showing a white board in a Marine barracks in Iraq on which one trooper had written the following:
“America is NOT at war. The United States military is at war. America is at the MALL!”
Indeed!
PS: Once we rid ourselves of Obama and his thugs, we’re going to tap our OWN natural resources so we won’t be need all that petroleum from the Middle East. You folks over there might want to accelerate your program to convert sand and oil into something edible. Later!!
I think this guy is a total moonbat but I also think we need to re-examine our foreign aid program. I am sick of sending tons of money to people who hate us and use it to our detriment. We should keep the damn money here and use it to pay down the debt and strengthen our dollar.
I agree if you Paul is just the opposite side of the same rubber wall, but I have to agree time for them to come home. Besides we more than likely will be needing them here soon.
Almost.
War,War,War,lets spend some more!
And Obama plays conservatives right into his hands.....
Get enough so-called conservatives to demand our troops come home, coupled with liberals who never wanted them there, then cut off all aid to Pakistan because they must have known Bin Laden was there (even though we could not capture Eric Rudolph for five years after the Olympic bombing)and he never left the area) and the stage is set for the radicals to control the entire middle east.
This will let Afghanistan go back to the Taliban, let Pakistan and its nukes go up for grabs and Iraq will be squeezed in the middle until it also falls into chaos.
Then, the caliphate can be built without any western objections.
Ping. Please Mr. elitist libertarian Paul, tell me how you would make up the US petroleum deficit if we cut and ran.
This man is a clown. I remember when I was in an orphanage as a youth. We had intraural sports. One of the teams was called the Dorks. Dorks are people who sit in the bath tub, pass gas and then try to burst the gas bubbles with their teeth as they surface. Mr. Paul seems to be certifiably in that group.
When will he go away?
“I don’t like our soldiers being based in ungrateful countries and using them to protect their worthless hides.”
I fully agree.
We really need to put those boots on the ground in Washington, D.C.
Sad. Most people write off the only man in Washington who is a true conservative. Since when did it become a Republican ideal to go into all the world and force our gospel upon the heathen foreigners?
bin Laden was a figurehead. And now he is a martyr. His name will be used as a rallying cry. 10 years to get one man is bad enough. 18 years and Al Queda is still a force that has to be dealt with. We sure are getting our money’s worth. (psst...I haven’t mentioned the 6000 dead soldiers since their sacrifice is immaterial. They signed up for it after all. /sarc)
Another one of the Paultards that infests FR like bed-bugs in a cheap motel is heard from!
Seems like I’ve been around a lot longer than you. Name calling is so mature. Let me know when you’d like to have a real conversation.
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