The Daily Campus

Issue date: 6/11/07 Section: Commentary

In addition, Paul is one of only six Republicans who voted against the use of force in Iraq. By invading Iraq, Paul says that Bush has betrayed the platform he was elected on in the year 2000. If anyone needs a refresher, during his campaign in 2000, George W. Bush argued against nation-building and foreign interventions. In 1999, he blasted President Clinton for not providing a timetable to withdraw troops from Kosovo, saying, "Victory means exit strategy, and it's important for the president to explain to us what the exit strategy is," and "I think it's also important for the president to lay out a timetable as to how long they will be involved and when they will be withdrawn." Bush's rhetoric impressed conservatives who were sick of the costly foreign interventions that were prevalent during the Cold War and to a lesser degree in the 1990s. After the Sept. 11 attacks, however, Bush changed his tune, invaded Iraq, and the rest is history.

Another stance that Paul has been reprimanded for is his assertion that American foreign policy is at least partly to blame for the Sept. 11 attacks. During a Republican primary debate on Fox News, Paul was attacked by Rudy Giuliani for saying the sanctions and bombing of Iraq, American troops in Saudi Arabia, the arming of Osama bin Laden by the American government and the coup that put the Shah into power in Iran have all made Middle Easterners angry. He asked how we would like it if China wanted to put sanctions on our country or build military bases here. In response, Giuliani spluttered indignantly that he survived the Sept. 11 attacks and that Paul should apologize, and the crowd applauded Giuliani wildly. Paul calmly told them that all of his assertions are backed up by the Sept. 11 Commission report and that maybe Giuliani ought to read it before making a fool out of himself again. The whole episode can be found on YouTube, so if you have any interest at all, I'd recommend you check it out.

Paul is also a vigorous supporter of personal liberties. To this end, he supports marijuana decriminalization and the repeal of the PATRIOT Act. He also advocates for a return to the gold standard, drastic spending cuts in government, and the elimination of the income tax. He wants to slash spending in useless areas such as the No Child Left Behind Act and slowly wean Americans off of the services of our welfare state while returning to a strict interpretation of the American Constitution.

Continued...

< prev Page 2 of 3 next >

Article Tools