Congressman Ron Paul's Speech Against Iran Sanctions August 1, 2012

I yield two and a half minutes to an American patriot someone has been relentless in his efforts to stop America from blundering into foreign adventures congressman Ron Paul from Texas gentleman from Texas is recognized for two and 1/2 minutes I thank the gentleman for yielding like this I think this bill would be better named if we called it obsession with Iran Act 2012 because this is what we continue to be doing is obsessed with Iran and the idea that Iran is a threat to our national security Iran happens to be a third world nation they have no significant Navy Air Force intercontinental ballistic missiles the IAEA and our CIA said they're not on the verge of a nuclear weapon it's so similar to what we went through in the early part of the this last decade when we were beating the war drums to go to war against Iraq and it was all off Assad there was no danger from Iraq so this is what we're doing beating the war drums once again now since the bill has come back from the conference if we're going to deal with civil liberties in Syria well I happen to be a civil libertarian I'm very concerned about civil liberties but let me tell you this bill is not going to do anything to enhance the Civil Liberties of the individuals in Syria now if we were really interested in the civil livery in civil liberties why when we look to ourselves why wouldn't we look to the things that we do here what about our warrantless searches under the Patriot Act what about the policy of assassination in Sasson aiding American citizens what about arrest by the military National Defense Authorization Act what about the drone warfare that we go on do you think we are protecting civil liberties by arbitrarily dropping drones or threatening to rob drones any place in the world with innocent people dying if we want to really care about civil liberties in Syria why don't we care about the secret prisons we have in the history of torture that we've had in this country what about the fact that kill lists are being made by the executive branch of government and we sit idly by and approve of it by saying nothing and the American people put up with it and we march in this direction marching into a determination to have another war when you put on sanctions on the country it's an act of war and that's what this is all about the first thing you do when war breaks out between two countries is is you put sanctions on come you block aid the country so this is an act of war what would we do if somebody blockhead and put sanctions on us and prevented the importation of any product in this country we'd be furious with declare war we'd go to war so we are the antagonist we're over there poking our nose and poking our nose in other people's affair just looking for the chance to start another war first it's Syria then Iran we have too many Wars we need to stop the wars we don't have the money to fight these wars any longer gentleman for yielding I'm still rather impressed with the obsession over a weapon that does not exist and no concern whatsoever about many nuclear weapons that are held by countries that never even join the nuclear non-proliferation treaty it is called for in the debate that Iran should end all its nuclear programs but they're permitted to have their nuclear programs under the non-proliferation treaty and the other countries that have weapons and including the countries that hold the weapons that came from the Soviet system seems like that would be a much greater danger you know the the the investigation by the UN or by our CAS never indicated that they've ever enriched above 20% and they said they won't even do it to 20% if they would merely allow it the West would cooperate and sell them this material they said we don't need it but we need 20 percent enrichment for nuclear isotopes medical isotopes so our refusal to deal with them prompts them to take it up enrichment to 20% 5% of course is what they're allowed to do for nuclear nuclear energies but this this idea that we can badger people and then defy the law what we're asking them to do if they're closed on their program is you're asking them to defy international law they agreed to this they have a right to do this under this treaty and for that for us to come and say well they must quit it I think it really is very close to an obsession on a country then isn't capable of attacking us or attacking they don't have a history of invading their neighboring countries that last time they were at war was with Iraq and we bugged Iraq to go into Iran so I I find this very distressing that the obsession continues I find it very very upsetting that this vote will of course be overwhelmingly in support of correcting the Civil Liberties of Syria and making Iran toe the line and give up on something that they're permitted to do a vote for this in my opinion in time will show that it's just one more step to another war that we don't need we have not been provoked they are not a threat to our national security and we should not be doing this we've been doing it too long for the last 10 15 years we're just obsessed with this idea that we go to war and try to solve all the problems the world at the same time it is bankrupting us I strongly urge a no vote on this resolution

Channel: CongressmanRonPaul

Views: 128,078

Rating: 4.961165 out of 5

Keywords: Iran, Freedom, Liberty, Congressman Ron Paul

Id: Bn1o2p9VBiw

Length: 5min 57sec (357 seconds)

Published: Wed Aug 01 2012

Reddit Comments

[u/fandabian]

Unfortunately only six congressmen, including Paul, voted No on this bill. Justin Amash and Dennis Kucinich were two of the six as well. I don't know the other three.

Edit: Duncan(TN), Jones, Johnson (IL) http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2012/roll546.xml

[u/jana67]

Ron Paul: "I think this bill would be better named if we called it Obsession With Iran Act 2012"

[u/Riceater]

It's unfuckingbelievable that the American people chose a guy like Romney over Ron Paul.. it's so pathetic. This country deserves to fail.

[u/windwaker02]

I think the saddest part is the guys in the background paying absolutely no attention

[u/iffraz]

He truly is a man of the people. I wish he was a better speaker though. What he says is always pure gold and sound logic, but it always seems that their is too many pauses and stuttering that hinder the strength of the message. And unfortunately the significance and impact a speech has is highly dependent on the delivery. Just some constructive criticism :)

[u/[deleted]]

It's a shame it will fall on deaf ears.

[u/nathangnu1]

I saw it live on C-SPAN!

[u/Gratefulhead]

Jesus Paul is absolutely killing it. No matter how soulless these congressmen are they know in their heart they agree with him.

[u/imasunbear]

He ended up abstaining on this, not voting no.