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What would we do if we were occupied by China? OR, Is it wacko to believe that our occupation of Ira by Thom Jefferson Jul 13, 2007 What would we do if we were occupied by China? OR, Is it wacko to believe that our occupation of Iraq pre 911 has something to do with 911? Sounding like one of those "blame-America-first" wacko leftists, Paul said U.S. foreign policy was a "major contributing factor" to 9/11. "Have you ever read the reasons they attacked us? They attacked us because we've been over there; we've been bombing Iraq for 10 years." The U.S. is building 14 permanent bases in the Middle East. "What would we say here if China was doing this in our country or in the Gulf of Mexico? We would be objecting. We need to look at what we do from the perspective of what would happen if somebody else did it to us." |
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From: http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070612/OPINION/706120348/-1/OPINION0303
June 12, 2007 A belated, Texas-sized hats off to Congressman Ron Paul. I still haven't gotten over what he said during the Republican presidential debate in South Carolina a few weeks back on live TV! When he was asked if he really wanted the troops to come home, Paul pointed to the BIG elephant in the elephant party tent. Paul provided a quick GOP history lesson for dummies, reminding his uncomfortable audience that "the conservative wing of the Republican Party always advocated a noninterventionist foreign policy." He reminded them about Taft's objection to joining NATO; about Bush campaigning in 2000 espousing "a humble foreign policy — no nation-building, no policing of the world;" about Republicans being elected to end the Korean and Vietnam wars; about the "strong tradition" of anti-war Republicanism going back to the Founders' noninterventionist ideas. The predictable paranoiac — I mean "patriotic—" question followed. But didn't 9/11 "change everything?" Sounding like one of those "blame-America-first" wacko leftists, Paul said U.S. foreign policy was a "major contributing factor" to 9/11. "Have you ever read the reasons they attacked us? They attacked us because we've been over there; we've been bombing Iraq for 10 years." The U.S. is building 14 permanent bases in the Middle East. "What would we say here if China was doing this in our country or in the Gulf of Mexico? We would be objecting. We need to look at what we do from the perspective of what would happen if somebody else did it to us." (After hearing that, I imagined Dick Cheney sending his "dear friend Ron" an invitation to go hunting.) Ron went Professor Chalmers Johnson on 'em. (Johnson is the author of "Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire".) The incredulous inquirer asked: Are you suggesting we invited the attacks? "I'm suggesting that we listen to the people who attacked us and the reason they did it, and they are delighted that we're over there because Osama bin Laden has said, 'I am glad you're over on our sand because we can target you so much easier'," Paul said. And that's when Ring Master Rudi Guiliani pulled the curtain back so the circus audience could be introduced to Blowback, the Great American Elephant. With a straight-face, Guiliani says: "That's really an extraordinary statement...as someone who lived through the attack of September 11, that we invited the attack because we were attacking Iraq. I don't think I've heard that before, and I've heard some pretty absurd explanations for September 11th." Small-time columnists like me writing about the genocidal impacts of Iraqi sanctions over and over again going back to 1995 aside, Guiliani played the role well, whip in hand — meaning: he was either lying or exhibiting a severe case of cognitive dissonance — denying even the possibility of what the CIA (and "wacko leftists") call "blowback." Ron Paul: "I believe very sincerely that the CIA is correct when they teach and talk about blowback" — the 1953 "regime change" operation in Iran, for example. "If we think that we can do what we want around the world and not incite hatred, then we have a problem. They don't come here to attack us because we're rich and we're free. They come and they attack us because we're over there. I mean, what would we think if we were — if other foreign countries were doing that to us?" I feel such gratitude toward the distinguished gentleman from Texas for his words alone that I just might vote for the guy — as a write-in, of course. You sure as hell don't hear Democrats talking like that, other than Dennis Kucinich who's been given the short-guy-with-big-ears treatment by the "liberal" media and, therefore, doesn't have a snowball's chance, unless the real conservatives stand up. And then maybe, just maybe, "progressives" and "conservatives" could get together to effect "regime change" in Washington. Sean Gonsalves is a Cape Cod Times staff writer and a syndicated columnist. E-mail him at sgonsalves@capecodonline.com. |
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(2007-07-13 09:41:07) I think we would do the same thing if someone was on our land with their bombs and infantry. Remember this- we were over there for years before 911. Can you consider yourself an educated person if you think our occupation has no consequences? I can't even believe Guilianni obvious ignorance when he said "With a straight-face, Guiliani says: "That's really an extraordinary statement...as someone who lived through the attack of September 11, that we invited the attack because we were attacking Iraq. I don't think I've heard that before, and I've heard some pretty absurd explanations for September 11th." Is that so absurd of a reason for 911? Why? Some people don't want us to occupy their country. Some people don't want a McDonalds on every other block. Some people don't want to be westernized. Some people think greed is bad. Some people don't sit and watch as we occupy and bomb their country killing innocent civilians, women and children (pre 911). Oh wait- that's not happening is it- that's just wacko propaganda. What would you do? | |