Ron Paul

Five years ago last week, the U.S. military’s "shock and awe" campaign lit up the Baghdad sky. Five years later, with hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and nearly 4,000 Americans dead, we should pause and reflect on just what has been gained and what has been lost. From the beginning, the march to war was … Continue reading “The Iraq War Ledger”

It has been said that "he who lives by the sword shall die by the sword." And in the case of Eliot Spitzer this couldn’t be more true. In his case it’s the political sword, as his enemies rejoice in his downfall. Most people, it seems, believe he got exactly what he deserved. The illegal … Continue reading “Living by the Sword”

On Wednesday, March 13, Rep. Ron Paul addressed the House of Representatives on the costs of intervening around the world. I am pleased to address the House tonight about the budget because there has been a lot of concern expressed here today on both sides of the aisle about the kind of financial trouble we’re … Continue reading “Intervening Our Way to Economic Ruin”

On Tuesday, March 11, the US House of Representatives voted for the version of the Intelligence Authorization Act of 2008 that banned waterboarding and other forms of torture. The measure, previously passed by Congress, was vetoed by President Bush. This vote was an attempt to override the veto. It passed 225-188, but failed to get … Continue reading “No to Torture, Yes to the Constitution”

On Wednesday, March 5, the US House of Representatives passed a resolution (HR 951) condemning Palestinian rocket attacks that include a strident defense of recent Israeli tactics in the Gaza Strip. The resolution also condemned Iran and Syria for "sponsoring terror attacks," and demanded that Saudi Arabia publicly condemn Palestinian actions. The resolution was originally … Continue reading “Stop Choosing Sides”

In recent months the undeclared war in Iraq seems not to have been on the minds of most Americans. News of the violence and deprivation which ordinary Iraqis are forced to deal with on a daily basis rarely makes it to the front pages. Instead, we read in the newspapers numerous slanted stories about the … Continue reading “War at Any Cost?”

Before the US House of Representatives, Jan. 30, 2008 Madame Speaker, I rise in opposition to the extension of the Protect America Act of 2007 because the underlying legislation violates the US Constitution. The misnamed Protect America Act allows the US government to monitor telephone calls and other electronic communications of American citizens without a … Continue reading “Protect America from the Protect America Act”

I recently highlighted the irony of sending nearly $1 billion overseas in military earmarks as we close down bases here at home to save money. Our government’s flawed foreign policy troubles me especially in light of recent events in Pakistan. Benazir Bhutto’s assassination was a great tragedy. Pakistan is now more than ever teetering on … Continue reading “The Ties That Strangle”

The latest National Intelligence Estimate has been greeted by a mixture of relief and alarm. As I have been saying all along, Iran indeed poses no quantifiable imminent nuclear threat to us or her neighbors. It is with much alarm, however, that we see the administration continue to ratchet up the war rhetoric as if … Continue reading “Bombed If You Do, Bombed If You Don’t”

Before the US House of Representatives, December 5, 2007 I regret that I was unavoidably out of town on October 23, 2007, when a vote was taken on HR 1955, the Violent Radicalization & Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act. Had I been able to vote, I would have voted against this misguided and dangerous piece of … Continue reading “‘Homegrown Terror’ Act an Attack on Internet Freedom?”