No Such Thing as an Idependent Israel.

by **Stephanie** Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:23 pm

http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=79752&sectionid=3510302

Sun, 28 Dec 2008 14:03:57 GMT
By Jihan Hafiz, Press TV, Washington

The following is an exclusive Press TV interview with US congressman Ron Paul, a unique conservative politician who wants an end to US military presence on foreign soil, advocates US withdrawal from the UN, NATO and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and opposes the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Ron Paul, House representative of the 14th district of Texas, believes that US foreign policy must be reformed to avoid conflicts around the world.

The interview was conducted outside the Foreign Relations Committee.

Press TV: What is your opinion on the idea of the US blocking Iran's oil exports and preventing its gasoline imports from reaching the country (based on H. Con. Res. 362 previously sought by US congressmen)?

Paul: I think it is an outrage I think it is a blockade. It is the use of force to stop the inflow of petroleum products and people and goods, banking, trains, cars, trucks, cargos. It's all prohibited. How can we stop that without the use of the navy and without the use of force? This idea is not a blockade it is just pure silliness on their part [US senators and congressmen].

If we bomb them, that's the start of hostilities. They (US policy makers) are never willing to take anything off the table, which includes a nuclear-first strike. So, if they do that do you think the Iranians are going to sit still? They are going to react!

The opposition said that, well, we don't want them to block the Strait of Hormuz [the Persian Gulf waterway which allows the passages of a third of the world's daily oil supply]. They ought to change their policy because they are more likely to get the Strait of Hormuz blocked if we persist on this. If we do any bombing or we put on a blockade, it's going to lead to big trouble.

Press TV: There has been a lot of speculation that Israel may act on its own and conduct an independent air strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. Do you think that's possible?

Paul: I don't think there is such a thing as an independent Israel doing anything, because I think no matter what they do its our money, its our weapons, and their not going to do it without us approving it and if they get into trouble we're going to bail them out, so there is no separation between the two.

Press TV: During your line of questioning at the Foreign Relations Committee you mentioned the Seymour Hersh article, which was among the articles that revealed that the Congress had awarded the Bush administration hundreds of millions of dollars for a covert operation to overthrow the Iranian government. Why did you mention those stories?

Paul: Well it's something that I have known about and heard about and it does go on. It goes on all around the world. To me it was a surprise that it was news, because we have been doing that and people do talk about it. I think it's an outrage. How would we react if somebody did it to us? We would be infuriated, willing to go to war. The fact that somebody came and tried to undermine our government.

by Aaron Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:34 pm

Stephanie wrote:Press TV: During your line of questioning at the Foreign Relations Committee you mentioned the Seymour Hersh article, which was among the articles that revealed that the Congress had awarded the Bush administration hundreds of millions of dollars for a covert operation to overthrow the Iranian government. Why did you mention those stories?

Paul: Well it's something that I have known about and heard about and it does go on. It goes on all around the world. To me it was a surprise that it was news, because we have been doing that and people do talk about it. I think it's an outrage. How would we react if somebody did it to us? We would be infuriated, willing to go to war. The fact that somebody came and tried to undermine our government.

For those interesteed. I'll read it tonight.

by **Stephanie** Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:50 pm

Just make sure to remind them all of Congress's role in this, Aaron.

You know, Congress......not just Boosh & that devil Cheney flying solo.

by Aaron Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:58 pm

Yes, I know Congress, the body that has abdicated their constitutional authority for a very long time.

We’re they only neglecting their authority, that would be one thing but for them to succeed their enumerated constitutional legislative ‘check and balance’ powers to the executive branch AND then cry about what the executive does with that power is inexcusable.

If were going to start impeachment proceedings, those would be the individuals we should start with as they are the ones who are in truth guilty of high crimes and misdemeanors against the United States.

by Aaron Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:05 am

This is utter madness. Our government, in their attempt to overthrow the religious govermnent of Iran, is contracting with insurgent groups in Iran.

One, the Mujahideen-e-Khalq, also known as the M.E.K. has been on the state departments terrorists list for more then a decade yet they are still receiving funds, intelligence and weapons from the C.I.A.

Another, the "Buluchi are Sunni fundamentalists who hate the regime in Tehran, but you can also describe them as Al Qaeda,” Baer told me. “These are guys who cut off the heads of nonbelievers—in this case, it’s Shiite Iranians. The irony is that we’re once again working with Sunni fundamentalists, just as we did in Afghanistan in the nineteen-eighties.” Ramzi Yousef, who was convicted for his role in the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, who is considered one of the leading planners of the September 11th attacks, are Baluchi Sunni fundamentalists."

And a third group. "the Jundallah, also known as the Iranian People’s Resistance Movement, which describes itself as a resistance force fighting for the rights of Sunnis in Iran. “This is a vicious Salafi organization whose followers attended the same madrassas as the Taliban and Pakistani extremists,” Nasr told me. “They are suspected of having links to Al Qaeda and they are also thought to be tied to the drug culture.”

Our government knows all of this yet we continue to fund them and it's not just Republicans, it's both parties. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

by **Stephanie** Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:07 am

Aaron,

This is what our government does time and again. This is precisely why I am so firmly committed to a noninterventionist foreign policy. We arm and fund terrorists, we prop up dictators and despots, we instigate and perpetuate violence and real human beings suffer and die because of it.

We should have trade and dialogue with other nations. We shouldn't choose sides funding and arming whoever is the "lesser of two evils" at the moment. Our government commits atrocities thinking it can control the monster it creates but that simply does not work and eventually it comes back to bite us in the ass and the American people wonder why there is so much anti-American sentiment in the world.

Can you imagine, just try for a moment to imagine what would happen if Russia or China, or Canada for that matter, tried these stunts on US soil? We'd be every bit as bitter and angry as the Muslims.

Our government isn't looking for a peaceful solution, if that were the case then perhaps one could argue some justification for US intervention.

I'm really very pleased you read that material because from now on when I promote the end to choosing sides and interferring in the internal operations of other nations I think you'll be less inclined to ridicule that stand as isolationist. I don't want to isolate the US from the rest of the world, I want to build good relationships through travel and trade and discussion etc.

by Aaron Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:49 am

Knowledge is a good thing Stephanie. The more you know, the more informed decisions one can make and I'm not so set in my ways that I'm not willing to learn, grow and adapt.

I still believe we should have the strongest military operated by the best trained soldiers and that we do need to do what is in the best interest of Americans but that doesn't mean forcing our way of life on others.

And I certainly don't believe in the "your enemy is my enemy so we must be friends" approach. Some people you just don't deal with for any reason.

by Cato Wed Dec 31, 2008 2:02 pm

Aaron wrote:Knowledge is a good thing Stephanie. The more you know, the more informed decisions one can make and I'm not so set in my ways that I'm not willing to learn, grow and adapt.

I still believe we should have the strongest military operated by the best trained soldiers and that we do need to do what is in the best interest of Americans but that doesn't mean forcing our way of life on others.

And I certainly don't believe in the "your enemy is my enemy so we must be friends" approach. Some people you just don't deal with for any reason.

That is a wise statement, Aaron. Too bad our leaders don't share your understanding.

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