Friday, August 12, 2011

Republican Kabuki Theater

As if we had any doubt that this is what would happen -

During a heated back and forth with Rick Santorum regarding a potential conflict with Iran, Paul showed true statesman qualities, arguing that merely slapping sanctions on the country and refusing to even entertain the idea of negotiating with the Iranian leadership would lead directly to conflict further down the line.

“They have no evidence that they are working on a weapon,” Paul said. “At least our leaders and Reagan talked to the Soviets. What is so terribly bad about this? Countries you put sanctions on, you are more likely to fight them. I say a policy of peace is free trade, stay out of their internal business. Do not get involved in these wars and bring our troops home.” The Congressman added.

When Santorum insisted that Iran had “killed more American men and women in uniform in Iraq and Afghanistan than the Iraqis and Afghans have,” Paul urged the American people to see through such examples of war propaganda.

When Santorum added that Iran had been “at war with us since 1979″, Paul countered that it was the meddling of the CIA in Iran in the 1950s that had directly caused such “blowback”.

“The senator is wrong on his history,” Paul urged. “We’ve been at war in Iran for a lot longer than ’79. We started it in 1953 when we sent in a coup, installed the Shah. The reaction, the blow-back came in 1979, it’s been going on and on because we just plain don’t mind our own business. That’s our problem!” The Congressman asserted as the crowd in attendance erupted into riotous applause and cheering.
The Real Effect
This is where we move from the theater of the absurd to abject lunacy. Perhaps Santorum and Bachmann have noticed that the United States received a debt downgrade recently? I wonder exactly how they would plan to pay for such military exploits? By borrowing from China? The country that has stopped buying our treasuries and has alliances with Iran? Or perhaps we can just print money and destroy our country in a way that Iran never could?!?

There are reasons why we elect leaders and not individuals who will kow tow to the 'Israel first' lobby. If Israel has a beef with Iran, let them deal with them. But 100 years of interventionist policy and forced democracy has helped foster countless wars, a bankrupt economy and millions of deaths that have made our country significantly less secure as a whole.

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