During the GOP Presidential Debate in Ames, Iowa, on August 11, the most significant exchange between any two candidates came when Rick Santorum called Congressman Ron Paul out for his position on our relationship with Iran. by Kenn Jacobine
(libertarian)
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Santorum, neoconservative extraordinaire, accused the congressman of being nave about the seriousness of Iran developing a nuclear weapon of its own. The accusation brought an emotional rebuke from Dr. Paul as he delivered a history lesson of Iran/American relations to Santorum while at the same time launching an emotional appeal for the policy of endless wars to seize. The exchange highlighted the irreconcilable differences that exist between those who believe there is a bad guy under every rock and those who actually know history and understand international relations. Santorum and his neoconservative brethren are the former while Ron Paul represents the latter.
Its only common sense that if you corner an animal it will act aggressively in order to defend itself and escape. Countries are no different. As Congressman Paul noted in the debate, the United States military has Iran surrounded on all sides. Our military currently occupies Iraq to Irans east, Afghanistan to Irans west. Obama has escalated U.S. bombings in Irans other neighbor to the east, Pakistan. There are also 3 American military bases in the Persian Gulf south of Iran. A large naval base is in Bahrain and army and air force bases are in Qatar. With all of that hostile American fire power situated so close to its borders, its no wonder Iran is feeling a bit vulnerable and in need of a little defensive weaponry.
Santorum argued that we have some special obligation to protect Israel from a potentially nuclear Iran. Its amazing how Israel seems to enter the conversation when our politicians speak of war. In Santorums case its all a part of his pandering to Jewish and Evangelical voters. But, as Ron Paul indicated to the former senator from Pennsylvania, Israel can defend itself. As a matter of fact, Israel possesses nuclear weapons of her own. Even Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has stated that he doesn't think Iran will drop a bomb on Israel or any other country in the region. The ruling cabal in Teheran may be brutal to its own citizens but it is not suicidal.
This, of course, is reminiscent of a former foe, the Soviet Union. As Congressman Paul continued to school Santorum he pointed out that there was no regime more brutal to so many people for so long as the communist Soviet Union. Under Joseph Stalin and various other crazy Soviet dictators, millions were slaughtered or left to die of starvation and all of Eastern Europe was subjected to Soviet domination for close to forty-five years. After the Soviets stole our nuclear secrets and developed their own bomb we sold them grain and negotiated arms deals with them. Both sides realized the importance of doing what was necessary in order to co-exist in a vastly more dangerous world. At the end of the day, Iran has no chance of attaining the economic, political, and military capabilities of the now defunct Soviet Union. As a matter of fact, chances are very good that if the Iranian leadership took the same path (military buildup) as the Soviet oligarchs they would end up ultimately in the same place on the ash heap of failed regimes in history.
When the Soviet Union collapsed and the Cold War ended neoconservatives like Rick Santorum needed a new enemy. Given Americas decades long meddling in Middle Eastern affairs and our unconditional support for the State of Israel, it was only a matter of time before blowback for our past sins would come to fruition. September 11th 2001 was that blowback. Santorum and his ilk had their enemy Islamists. In ten short years they have spent trillions on that foe with no let-up expected any time soon. Now they have their sights set on Iran. In order to prevent the next catastrophic war, the choice is clear in the next presidential election. You can either vote for the candidates who see bad guys under every rock or you can vote for the candidate who actually knows history and understands international relations. That candidate is Ron Paul.
Kenn Jacobine teaches internationally and maintains a summer residence in North Carolina
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Posted By: Mark Vogl
Date: August 22, 2011 11:00:59 AM
Israel is central to all else that occurs within the United States. This article lays out the two opposing views on Israel - US policy, but it does not touch how that issue is the center gravity of all American domestic and foreign policy.
The Mid East situation, the prophecies of Armageddon and the pandora's box effect of Iran securing nuclear weapons is the ultimate policy consideration. If you believe that nuclear exchange could happen in the Mid East than all foriegn policy revolves around that question. And if you are a conservative who believes that, than the military commitments in the Mid East are non negotiable. From there, all domestic spending issues gain leverage. The liberal left, led by a large Jewish contingent uses conservative sensitivity to Israel to manage all other policy questions. And so we have 14.5 trillion in debt, and another 2.5 authorized. Limbaugh, Hannity, Beck and the rest of the conservative talk show hosts sustain American commitment to Israel and the war against Terrorism.
I am torn. No doubt if the nuke genie is let out of the bottle, Armageddon becomes a real scenerio, without possiblity of real control. Anything could happen. The way out is for a regional non nuclear pact..but Israel would never agree. And so we are faced with a reality worse than Hitler, worse than the USSR. We are faced with no way out.
The liberals do NOT seem to realize that they are destroying the one nation that is holding the nuke genie at bay. Either they honestly dont understand that globalism, diversity, redistribution of wealth etc is sapping the moral and physical vigor and wealth of America, or they believe in some other protector for Israel..somewhere. But, America is dying, atleast the America that was able to maintain a Cold War Super Power presence for half a century. America is losing its credibility with its own citizens. I would never fight to defend what we are now. And I am a Citadel graduate and a former Regular Army officer. But I served because I believed in John Wayne's America...and that doesn't exist. The values of America are not my values, and our collapse is as a result of pushing out a Christian God, and erjecting American exceptionalism and self-sufficiency.
Without the proper values, all else fails in time.
It is always interesting to me how perspectives can be so different after viewing the same presentation. I didn't see Senator Santorum get "schooled" by Congressman Paul during that last Republican Presidential Candidate debate, but I experienced the same thoughts while listening to their exchange. Every time I listen to Ron Paul I have the same thought time and again, this man, & possibly Libertarians in general, is too extreme of an isolationist for me to ever seriously consider voting for him.
With respect to Iran specifically, I don't believe it is a prudent approach to let even a self-proclaimed leader within the Middle East become a nuclear power or even close to a nuclear power, due primarily to the posture that they maintain as a country with respect to neighboring countries. Saddam Hussein in Iraq had worked his way as close as he could to getting the components in place to achieve that end & many of the other countries within the Middle East were fearful of Iraq in that respect & are fearful of Iran for that very same reason.
Right now, relative to the United States, Iran is the insignificant bully on the international playground, however, relative to other Middle Eastern countries throughout that region, & especially Israel, Iran is a extremely bothersome, if not blatantly threatening bully. We have a responsibility as one of the more/most significant players on the international playground to not simply support those other Middle Eastern countries, but also to dissuade by any means necessary & in a way that there will be no mistake in their understanding, that nuclear arms proliferation is not in the best interests of the citizens of Iran.
