Last week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton testified before the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and I had the opportunity to raise some of my concerns regarding US government policy and the cost of our interventionism around the world. Many observers claim that the recent overthrow of governments in Northern Africa and the Middle East will result in more liberty for individuals across those regions. I sincerely hope this proves to be true, but history is replete with revolutions that began as a cry for freedom against oppressive governments but ended badly. There are no guarantees that Egyptians, Tunisians or others will be better off after these heralded “regime changes.” We do know, however, that there conflicts in Africa and the Middle East can be made worse if the US government attempts to intervene and support certain candidates or factions.
Such intervention would not further US interest or win new friends, but in fact, would undermine the legitimacy of any government that may emerge after the end of the old regime, just as we would resent and reject any political force that came to power here with the sponsorship of a foreign government. Egyptians, Tunisians, Libyans and others are not likely to take kindly to what they view as one US puppet being replaced by another US puppet. It is ironic, but the US government’s endless promotion of democracy overseas actually distorts and undermines democracy in targeted nations. The involvement of a foreign power often undermines true self-determination. Radicals who understand this may use rising resentment and anti-Americanism as leverage to gain power, thus defeating the stated purpose of US government in the first place.
I have never understood how the US government justifies subsidizing a newspaper or political party abroad in the name a promoting independence and pluralism. It makes no sense. Unfortunately, it seems to me that the administration has learned nothing from recent events in the Mediterranean region. Secretary Clinton emphasized several times at the Committee hearing that “nothing is off the table” with regards to a US response to internal civil unrest in Libya. Since when is it our obligation to use political pressure or even military force to solve every problem overseas? Washington is currently buzzing with talk of no-fly zones and even a land invasion of Libya to aid rebel groups seeking to overthrow the Gaddafi regime. Some military leaders, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates, have rightly warned the more enthusiastic interventionists that such military operations can be enormously costly both financially and in lives.
The costs of trying to run the world are unsustainable, and we simply don’t have the money. Morally, it is inexcusable for the US to pick sides in such conflicts overseas, no matter how odious either side may be; financially, it is no longer possible. The 2012 budget request from the administration for “international affairs,” which is a code word for “foreign aid,” is two and a half times larger than was it was just nine years ago. As our economy shrinks at home, our obligations increase abroad. As our infrastructure crumbles at home, we continue to spend billions of dollars expending infrastructure in places like Afghanistan and Iraq.
If the interventionists have their way, no doubt we will soon pay to reconstruct the infrastructure we destroy in Libyan military operation. It does not take a genius to see that we are going broke, but Washington remains in denial and intent on business as usual. I fear that if we continue this way, we may soon be out of business altogether.
- Ron Paul: How Foreign Aid Creates Instability and Isolates America How Foreign Aid Creates Instability and Isolates America by Ron Paul The events in Egypt...
- Ron Paul: Let the Egyptians Solve Their Own Problems Ron Paul speaks out against the U.S. government interfering in the affairs of other nations:...
- Ron Paul on Egypt: U.S. Meddling Leads to Unintended Consequences In his latest update for Campaign for Liberty, Ron Paul discusses recent events in Egypt,...
At some point, the American public will likely learn that the rebel uprising in Lybia was actually orchestrated by covert American forces.
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Rand Paul is better than Ron Paul because he is more realistic.
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I like ron paul but … he didnt change anything till now and he will not …
there will be ppl that come after him that will do that right way
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Dr Paul is a statesman, a man to be admired, not many of them around.
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Profit can be made from wars. More things are destroyed, more jobs can be made to fix them. Same as illness and hunger. US couldn’t survive without killing people, destroying homes and monopolizing countries. More things that go wrong, more money can be made from people buying things to fix them. It’s the way economies worked since 1750. We must find an economy that doesn’t require consumerism and cyclical consumption to grow. But that would make sense. Can’t have that.
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Yes, there are a LOT more people than 3 but they all “report” up to the same neocon globalist ideology, called Zionism. Follow the money trail up through AIPAC, the people who do indeed run all our foreign policy.
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3 People think that it’s America’s Duty to Police The World!
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Run Ron Run
Dr. Ron Paul Hope for America!
info at Liberty Poet
website
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I am not going to sign a petition to murder innocent women and children…
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Dont you think it’s time to keep our nose out of other countries business?And become isolationists..
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NO to US world interventionism ! NO to the No Fly Zone !!!
STOP McCain and Obama !
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Too late the world doesn’t take US too seriously anymore.
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clinton is an evil hag ,and generates hatred for the USA
she needs to go !
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This has been the plan for many years. Our economic downfall. China’s massive growth. All planned. All these Old global elitist miss the good old days of ww2 and the cold war. Sick bastards. If we ever do start a revolution here, remember who the actual enemy is. The pyramidal power structure of the global elitists. Start at the top and work your way down.
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Whoever disliked this truly has no idea what is going on
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Our arrogance as the world police, and our wars around the globe, make us hated by much of the world.
Being hated doesn’t improve our National Security.
Not in the least bit.
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Ron Paul or revolt 2012!!!!
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First voice of sanity and reason from the US. thums up Mr. Ron Paul …. Bravo from Pakistan …
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So what type of leadership do you feel is appropiate for the country of Libya. When the old line school leaves and the new age arrives the problems of the Jewish State will be resolved by the Youth of the World. Get a light on in Houston and start drilling in the Gulf. Its time for an energy change.
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the feces is now impacting the air circulator..
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RON PAUL OR BUST 2012!!!! PASS IT ON!!!
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Remember when you could watch a video without having to sit through a commercial
Remember when music videos were uploaded by users and not VEVO
Remember when all the info was to the right of the video
Remember you could rate a video 1-5 stars
Remember the famous yellow subscribe button
Remember when the users controlled the site and now corporations?
WE MISS THE OLD YOUTUBE!
Post this in every video and lets start a youtube revolution
Thumbs up to keep top
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Meet the Press SHAMEFULLY did not mention Dr. Paul’s CPAC victory during a polling for President. They still have Romney, Palin, and Huckleberry ahead of the Good Congressman.
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bill orielly and glenn beck were the only ones to thumbs down this vid
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a lovely straight talk from Ron Paul on the importance of non-interventionism, and on my Birthday as well. (March 7)
thanks for the birthday present, Dr. Paul
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There are two nations in the United states right now: one that uses the US military and the currency to further the globalists’ agenda and another, the majority of the American people, that still thinks it lives in a free sovereign country.
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Stay out of Libya!
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I Love this man (Ron Paul), he is the last wise man in USA.
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I’m with you Paul!
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The Libyan rebels have said that they do not want a ground force invasion from any outside countries.
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RP 2012
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The important thing is to mobilise as many people as possible around Libertarian candidates — and Libertarian issues — every day of every year. Frequent days of air travel boycott, for example, could help to roll back the police state at the airports and maybe even get the damned TSA disbanded.
The time will soon be here for massive civil disobedience campaigns, too. What the USA needs is a new American Revolution — a Libertarian revolution.
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If Ron Paul does not win in 2012. Then we are fucked as a nation. I love Barack Obama but he doesnt have the spine that Ron Paul has. No politician does. He is a once in a lifetime candidate. Please America dont let this one pass us by.
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I pray that the world will recognize that the intervention in foreign affairs, is not the will of the American people, but of the military industrial complex that has enveloped our government. It is a business for profit, at the hands of globalists/banksters empowered by greedy political whores.
That’s why I’m voting for Ron Paul in 2012, weather he is on the ballet or not. This will be my finger to the New World Order.
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That sounds noble but really it’s bad stratagy, and an unnesessary waste of your vote. If Ron Paul doesn’t run that means he isn’t in the race, and can’t win, period. But there are will be other candidates worthy of your support who ARE in the race, and probably Ron Paul will put his support behind one of them.
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Anyone see those mass graves FEMA’s been digging? Dont kid yourself your next president will be whoever they say it will be. Indeed the information war is on educate yourself and if you know it educate your neighbours and your friends.
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We have become a force for big exploitive business supported by the US Govt and the Military. Oh yeah, and don’t forget the CIA who have created more havoc and destruction around the world than any Islamic terrorist or group.
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i hope he isnt a mason, though it looks like he is
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Vote for Ron Paul.
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it would be nice if this guy ran for president… but unless he gets more in the political spotlight in less than a year and a half… then he will sadly lose to Sarah Palin…
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Ron Paul doesn’t work out – he stays fit by exercising his civil rights.
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Interventionism is what caused so many nations to hate us. We used to be one of the most loved nations on Earth, even in the Middle East, prior to WWII. Our constant use of military force, and covert manipulations, has destroyed our standing in the world. We can no longer afford, financially or socially, to be the world’s police force. It does nothing but further erode the rest of the world’s trust in us.
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Only Ron Paul idea is close the people !
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Mr. Paul, I beg you. Run for president. Please.
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this times a thousand
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Ron Paul will be proven correct, but I fear that we will realize it too late.
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Dr. Ron Paul for President!
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” We can’t do less soon enough”… Dr.Paul
Ron Paul 2012
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