Paul Says It Was a Mistake to Topple Saddam Hussein

[DonViejo]

Source: PoliticalWire/NYT



Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) “said flatly that it had been a mistake for the United States to remove Saddam Hussein from power in Iraq. And he suggested that the situation in Libya had deteriorated because of the overthrow of Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi,” thew New York Times reports.

Said Paul: “Each time we topple a secular dictator, I think we wind up with chaos, and radical Islam seems to rise.”

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Read more: http://p.feedblitz.com/r3.asp?l=104648865&f=17571&u=37190363&c=4937023

[cosmicone]

1. No shit sherlock n/t

[ForgoTheConsequence]

14. Says the Hillary supporter.

[jamzrockz]

15. We all have blind spots

But some people have ones the size of 2 semi trucks. Those people don't seem to realize that we are making the same mistake now in Syria and just did it in Libya. A war Hillary really, really supported

[leveymg]

31. Hillary really supported all three regime change wars: Iraq, Libya, and Syria. Add Iran, next.

[cosmicone]

34. I support Hillar Clinton and that doesn't mean I agree with her 100%

I support the overall candidate because she would be better than any of the repukes in terms of supreme court nominations, a woman's right to choose, LGBT and other civil rights issues and immigration reform.

If I wanted someone with whom I agreed 100%, I'd run for office myself.

[mike_c]

29. some serious irony here....

eom

[cosmicone]

35. See post No. 34 n/t

[avebury]

2. Ya think?

Everybody with a functioning brain could have told you that.

Rand Paul's statement could be incorporated into a political ad on why none of the Republicans are adult enough to be President (or to control Congress for that fact).

[Paladin]

3. I hate it when a Republican says something that smart. (nt)

[wordpix]

4. wow, a repug who can add up 2+2=4

most can't do it

[SwankyXomb]

36. It's an alternating Tuesday

Their one time to get anything correct.

[TexasProgresive]

5. I still won't vote for you Ayn Paul. n/t

[C Moon]

6. The article left out...Rand Paul suggesting we work on bringing Saddam Hussein back to life.

[0rganism]

7. find a way to blame it on Obama in 3, 2, 1...

seriously, if the repubs can figure out a way pin the mess on Obama or either Clinton, expect it to run 24/7 on Fox and CNN.

[beerandjesus]

19. Oops, you beat me to it!

I even scanned the previous replies... I must have been distracted by Benghazi or something!

[Wellstone ruled]

8. Wake the hell up!

It was all about keeping 6 million Barrels of Oil off the market. BP Amoco and British Royal Dutch Shell as well as Exon-Mobile wanted this done and if you think other,well,sorry you did not do the DD.

[Fumesucker]

9. My dear Rand, it is more important who said that at the time not now with the privilege of hindsight

Now that the Iraq war is classified by all but the most delusional as an awful failure mistakes were made because patriotism it's easy to come out and say that it was wrong.

When it really counted Republicans were for the Iraq war, indeed they performed a pathetically transparent song and dance to convince Democrats that the threat from Iraq was existential to the USA, a song and dance I'm happy to note most Democrats did not fall for.

[mainer]

17. I do seem to recall that his dad Ron Paul was against the war, too.

One of the few Republicans who said so at the time.

[Purveyor]

25. Yepper. eom

[OldRedneck]

10. Dictators

While it may make us feel good to overthrow dictators, there's a real problem and Paul put his finger on it: What next?

Dictators rule by controlling things. They use secret police, informers, spies, and all sorts of other coercive measures to keep the population under control and to PREVENT THE FORMATION OF ANY POLITICAL ORGANIZATION OTHER THAN THEIR OWN.

Dictators also do not groom replacements. After all, if you the dictator start teaching a young fellow how to be a dictator, at some point he may turn on you -- and you can't have that.

Thus, I say again: Overthrowing dictators may make you fell good but once the dictator is gone, then what?

Because the dictator kept a lid on things, there is no viable alternative -- no person or group of people who can pick up the reins of power and govern, because they have had no experience.

The best way to overthrow a dictator is the way that takes a LONG time: Support local or national opposition groups and help them grow into a force that can overthrow the dictator themselves. In the course of developing, these opposition groups will establish roots throughout the country, enabling them to move into power fairly readily. Of course, this takes a LONG time and lots of patience. Military power won't do it -- clandestine, covert, and overt support to opposition groups is what it takes. We don't have patience.

[jamzrockz]

11. Funny how some people are acting

as this is common sense in Washington. Like something every politicians now knows. But essentially the same thing he is talking about was done in Libya and is being attempted in Syria. With the administration still training and arming Syria rebels. A secular dictator will be replaced with some Sunni Islamic leader.

The chaos and destruction can stop now, but some people refuse to learn from other people's mistake.

[FreakinDJ]

12. WOW another No Shit Sherlock moment

[Xolodno]

13. Sadam was a monster...

...but a monster that could have been removed without war.

[Diclotican]

23. Xolodno

Xolodno

If US really would, they could have getting rid of Sadam Hussain in many ways, othert han run the country over - and destroy the country for a generation or two in the prosess...

But then again - thats not cool - and cost far less money than to put 150.000 american soldiers, with equipment in Iraq, and ruin the country....

Diclotican

[jtuck004]

30. The world is considerably less safe with that "monster" gone. Weird, that. n/t

[vkkv]

16. I agree, religious extremism is a horrible thing.. ""and radical Islam seems to rise.”""

Xtian or otherwise.

[beerandjesus]

18. Thanks, Obama!

[Jefferson23]

20. Says the man who promotes savagery here at home..his message is fuck you if you're

poor. You can die, but you have your freedom while suffering.

Fuck him and his lying father.

[Purveyor]

21. So Paul get this one right. Blind squirrel and all but still spot on. eom

[Diclotican]

22. DonViejo

DonViejo


You dosen't say it was a wrong thing to topple Sadam Hussain - oh, that would burn many who supported the toppling of him when W was in office - and who flew to the unknown when the reality of it all started to came into light....

Diclotican

[candelista]

24. He is anti-imperialist, but also anti-working class.

The first is good, the second not so much.

[Kelvin Mace]

26. Paul is "anti-whatever gets me elected"

and pro "whatever gets me paid".

[candelista]

28. No. He's trying to spread his right-wing nut-case philosophy.

Just like old Dad. He's the Norman Thomas of the right.

[NickB79]

27. Even a broken clock is right sometimes. NT

[Blue_Tires]

32. The last time Paul commented on mideast policy

I seem to recall him saying something like "Bomb the hell out of Syria"...

Sadly, the Paul cultists have short memories, and none of them will remember that...

[MosheFeingold]

33. He's correct n/t

[awoke_in_2003]

37. There is only one good response to Rand Paul threads

"Fuck Rand Paul"