The neocons cannot stand that Ron Paul was right on Iraq.
They ridiculed him as he argued — beginning at least in 1998 — against another US attack. They ignored his hundreds of House Floor speeches, television appearances, weekly columns, and more. What did he know, they asked. All the real experts knew it was going to be a great and easy victory that would remake the Middle East into a paradise of democracy and tolerance. It wouldn’t cost a penny, they assured us, because a grateful Iraqi population would be more than happy to re-pay the US for their liberation.
As Iraq burns, the neocons are still claiming to be “experts.” They are still demanding that we listen to their brilliant analysis and advice.
Faced with their misdeeds and dishonor, they want to blame the people, like Ron Paul, who were actually right about Iraq. Witness former President Bush Spokesman Ari Fleischer’s recent bizarre attack claiming that Obama’s foreign policy on Iraq is identical to Ron Paul’s:
Can someone tell me what the difference is between Pres O’s foreign policy and Ron Paul’s? They’re really the same, but O won’t admit it.
— Ari Fleischer (@AriFleischer) June 13, 2014
Thanks to an excellent website, RonPaulQuotes.com, we do not have to view history as filtered by Fleischer or Kagan or McCain or Cheney or any of the rest of the neocons.
Here is an exhaustive collection of each of Ron Paul’s statements on Iraq from 1998 until 2008.
Here is one excellent example from 1998:
America Should Move Cautiously Regarding Iraq
4 February 1998 1998 Ron Paul 3:2
In the next week or two, we may have a resolution coming to this floor endorsing the bombing and, in essence, allowing for a declaration of war. Saddam Hussein does not pose any threat to our national security. We should be going very cautiously. Bombing might cause some accident regarding biological warfare. It may cause an irrational act by Saddam Hussein with one of his neighbors. It is bound to kill innocent lives, innocent civilians in Iraq. It could kill many American flyers as well. It costs a lot of money.
And another:
Three Important Issues For America
11 February 1998 1998 Ron Paul 7:106
This whole approach of militancy, believing that we can force our way on other people, will not and cannot work. Matter of fact, the few quotes that I used here earlier are indicating that we are doing precisely the wrong thing; that we are further antagonizing not only our so-called enemies, but we are further antagonizing our allies. So if there is no uniformity of opinion of the neighbors, of Iraq, that we should be doing this, if we will not listen to the moral, if we will not listen to the constitutional issue, we should listen to the practical issue. His neighbors do not want us to do it.
Do yourself a favor and have a look at this amazing collection. And use these quotes against the neocon of your choice!
