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Ron Paul Asks "Haven't We Already Done Enough Damage in Iraq?"
Submitted by Ron Paul via The Ron Paul Institute,
In 2006, I invited the late General Bill Odom to address my Thursday Congressional luncheon group. Gen. Odom, a former NSA director, called the Iraq war “the greatest strategic disaster in American history," and told the surprised audience that he could not understand why Congress had not impeached the president for pushing this disaster on the United States. History continues to prove the General’s assessment absolutely correct.
In September, 2002, arguing against a US attack on Iraq, I said the following on the House Floor:
No credible evidence has been produced that Iraq has or is close to having nuclear weapons. No evidence exists to show that Iraq harbors al Qaeda terrorists. Quite to the contrary, experts on this region recognize Hussein as an enemy of the al Qaeda and a foe to Islamic fundamentalism.
Unfortunately, Congress did not listen.
As we know, last week the second largest city in Iraq, Mosul, fell to the al-Qaeda allied Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Last week an al-Qaeda that had not been in Iraq before our 2003 invasion threatened to move on the capitol, Baghdad, after it easily over-ran tens of thousands of Iraqi military troops.
The same foreign policy “experts” who lied us into the Iraq war are now telling us we must re-invade Iraq to deal with the disaster caused by their invasion! They cannot admit they were wrong about the invasion being a “cakewalk” that would pay for itself, so they want to blame last week’s events on the 2011 US withdrawal from Iraq. But the trouble started with the 2003 invasion itself, not the 2011 troop withdrawal. Anyone who understands cause and effect should understand this.
The Obama administration has said no option except for ground troops is off the table to help the Iraqi government in this crisis. We should not forget, however, that the administration does not consider Special Forces or the CIA to be “boots on the ground.” So we may well see Americans fighting in Iraq again.
It is also likely that the administration will begin shipping more weapons and other military equipment to the Iraqi army, in the hopes that they might be able to address the ISIS invasion themselves. After years of US training, costing as much as $20 billion, it is unlikely the Iraqi army is up to the task. Judging from the performance of the Iraqi military as the ISIS attacked, much of that money was wasted or stolen.
A big US government weapons transfer to Iraq will no doubt be favored by the US military-industrial complex, which stands to profit further from the Iraq meltdown. This move will also be favored by those in Washington who realize how politically unpopular a third US invasion of Iraq would be at home, but who want to “do something” in the face of the crisis. Shipping weapons may be an action short of war, but it usually leads to war. And as we have already seen in Iraq and Syria, very often these weapons fall into the hands of the al-Qaeda we are supposed to be fighting!
Because of the government’s foolish policy of foreign interventionism, the US is faced with two equally stupid choices: either pour in resources to prop up an Iraqi government that is a close ally with Iran, or throw our support in with al-Qaida in Iraq (as we have done in Syria). I say we must follow a third choice: ally with the American people and spend not one more dollar or one more life attempting to re-make the Middle East. Haven’t we have already done enough damage?
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Down arrowed because Congress voted to go to war and war isn't a crime unless you are doing stuff like firing rockets into civilian locations or having drones drop bombs or fire missiles into civilian locations. In that case, you need to put at least the last 4 presidents in prison for war crimes not to mention the Congress that paid for the misuse of the military.
depleted uranium. Fallujah, et al.
Isn't depleted uranium an oxymoron? They say it really isn't depleted. They also say that depleted uranium dust, which is left on the ground and in the air after you shoot depleted uranium rounds, is very bad for the lungs. Like, often fatal. A clever weapon.
But then, not to worry. The VA will care for any exposed troops.
And civilians and others? They have Obamacare. Has Obamacare been extended to Iraqi civilians? Yes, they just have to get to the U.S.-Mexican border -- agree to vote Democrat -- and they'll be covered.
What a great country! Want it to continue? Hillary for President!
what is depleted uranium - good for sharing with anyone considering volunteering for a MIC job & bennies.
Depleted Uranium: The Trojan Horse of Nuclear WarBecause their enablers still infest Congress and nobody wants too much light shined into that dark corner. One enabler, HRC, is about to become the next president.
Well, you wanted to know.
Honestly, it's due to our apathetic and complacent population. Sheople Nation keeps sending the same thugs to DC, and aren't even aware they have blood on their hands.
The facts are all there, and the reality of our military imperialism is plain as day. The average American just chooses to ignore it, and fall back on the mental crutch of being "exceptional".
"What difference does it make?"
--HRH Hillary Clinton
Hillary quote,
we came, we saw, he died
If you want to stop sunni terrorists you have to invade Saudi Arabia and over throw the government. Do that, and everything in the Middle East stops... except the oil.
So...it looks like there's a blackwater type in the back of the mass execution firing line:
Ballcap, sun glasses, short-sleeve shirt. At least his gun is in the low-ready position but it certainly raises questions about who's really running this thing.
http://www.aljazeera.com/news/middleeast/2014/06/iraq-mass-execution-photos-201461622725264258.html
Al Jazeera English, eh?
I don't vouch for the accuracy or really all of the tone of the following - but it is awfully curious that an Arab station would utilize so many Jewish staff
http://www.radioislam.org/islam/english/jewishp/medias/aljaz_zion2.htm
Regardless, AlJ is about as trustworthy as CNN.
Sunni and Shia have been at each other's throat for centuries - no doubt - but to the extent their animosity is being exploited by the Americans, Brits, Saudis, Turks and Israelis.... they very well, or some of them, may catch on and decide they dislike being manipulated to kill apostates by infidels and turn their guns...
I wouldn't even say this is likely - but it is possible...
I love Ron Paul, but his nick name should be Captain Obvious. Sadly, it's probably only Captain Obvious to some of us.
If i were in europe i'd start thinking about what i was going to eat and how to stay warm this winter. Medieval baby Medieval.
"The best way to control the opposition is to lead it."
Thus we have Ron Paul.
Funny how this "ISIS" just comes into the American vernacular while they are taking an entire country. Where was the NSA on this one? Was their build up just ignored? did no one see this army coming or buliding? Did no one think to, ya know, get out in front of this? It's pretty obvious they want Iraq destabilized.
The powers that be are still trying to cover up what they did during the second battle of Falluja, Operation Phantom Fury, in November & December 2004. The Google Earth image of Falluja is dated 9/1/2004, and shows the city still intact. A short distance to the west, in the desert around Al Anbar, the imagery date is 4/9/2013. I can only assume that someone got to the Google boys and told them not to show what the Brits and Americans did to that city.
I know someone who was there, and he said the military threw everything they had at Falluja. The residents were given a short time to leave before the city was considered a "free fire zone," but for a variety of reasons many were unable to leave. A large number of innocent civilians were killed, and war crimes were committed.
Now apparently the ISIS have captured what's left of Falluja. What a stupid waste of blood and resources. I hate it that my tax dollars helped pay for that mess. The only sensible thing I can think to do is to stop contributing to the war machine and leave the USA as soon as I possibly can.
tragically, Fallujah won the experimental genocide lottery.
of course, those who delivered the poison also bear the genetic damage, and share this with their intimates, and their children. . . a kind of instant karma.