tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-808757926787581518.post5313298404237536037..comments2023-06-30T06:26:50.094-06:00Comments on Libertarian Spirit Shared By Everyone: Is Ron Paul's Anti-war More Honest?Christian Prophethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10020964652943679070noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-808757926787581518.post-64115842885059477022007-09-12T03:15:00.000-06:002007-09-12T03:15:00.000-06:00I plan to vote for Ron Paul in the primaries, and ...I plan to vote for Ron Paul in the primaries, and I have absolutely no enthusiasm for an Obama presidency. Not for the differences that this posting claims to find between the two candidates, however.<BR/><BR/>Paul wants to pull all servicemen out of Iraq, back to the United States, immediately. Obama (and all of the other leading Democratic candidates) wants to "redeploy" the majority of troops -- with many to be placed in Kuwait or other friendly gulf states -- and to leave a force of 30,000 or so in Iraq "to avert a bloodbath" (as if our 160,000 troops were able to avert the one that has been taking place for the last four years). Paul wants to end military operations in Afghanistan as well as Iraq. Obama not only wants to stay in Afghanistan, but talks about launching an attack on Pakistan (!). Paul opposes sanctions against Iran, and says that we should not threaten a nuclear strike against Iran. Obama supports sanctions and says that the option of nuking Iran should not be taken off the table... And on, and on, and on. Ron Paul is consistently opposed to military interventions abroad, while Obama supports many. <BR/><BR/>I don't see how this squares with your thesis that Obama's stance on Iraq betokens a wish that America fail. If he wanted America to fail, as punishment for its capitalism, and if withdrawal from military engagements constituted "failure," wouldn't he take positions more like Paul's? <BR/><BR/>What you miss is the real disagreement between the two candidates, which is a philosophical disagreement over the legitimacy and utility of interference in the affairs of other nations. If you want to tie Obama's foreign policy to "Left-wing" ideas, it would be far more logical to compare his willingness to threaten force against Iran and Pakistan, on the one hand, and his willingness to tax, regulate, and otherwise boss around Americans. (I happen to think that this is poppycock, as history has offered up for more leaders with a taste for warmongering than with a taste for "social justice" legislation, but I digress).<BR/><BR/>In any case, though, I'm glad that we can agree in our support of Ron Paul.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-808757926787581518.post-24447881913096253902007-09-06T15:10:00.000-06:002007-09-06T15:10:00.000-06:00Hello, I found you via a comment from a RP article...Hello, I found you via a comment from a RP article. I plan to read some of the articles from your blog. I was inspired to come up with a spiritual based libertarian blog too from my religious perspective:<BR/><BR/>http://libertarian-bahai.blogspot.com/Todd Steinberghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09561993587227917139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-808757926787581518.post-42424872278891706952007-09-06T14:24:00.000-06:002007-09-06T14:24:00.000-06:00I agree entirely. Ron Paul's antiwar position is f...I agree entirely. Ron Paul's antiwar position is from a truly individualist standpoint and Barack Obama's (along with most of the other Democratic candidates who claim to be for peace) is from the perspective of sheer subjectivism.<BR/><BR/>Ron Paul has convinced me, me who supported the invasion, that he is correct. That Barry Goldwater in saying war should be rare was correct. I still think the Iraq military effort was worthwhile but why did we stay?<BR/><BR/>Ron Paul recognizes something that only historical scholars and, actually, a number of people who lived through World War II understand. That is that we catch more flies with honey than with salt; in other words, war must be the last resort if we are to remain a free country and have allies around the world.<BR/><BR/>I hope that Ron Paul's campign continues to be as blessed as it has been... if he does not win, then he is still having an incredible impact on the general political landscape, and that is as important as anything.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com