Long time anti-war former US Congressman Dr. Ron Paul, has spoken of his dismay at Donald Trump’s war on Syria.
Calling it a ‘victory for neo-cons’, Paul explained the similarities and differences between yesterday’s attack and a false flag incident in Syria in 2013 which almost led to full-war, but faced Congressional resistance.
“…I don’t know why they couldn’t wait and take a look at it. In 2013, there were similar stories that didn’t go anywhere, because with a little bit of a pause, there was a resistance to it built in our Congress and in the American people. They thought that it was a fraud and nothing like that was happening, and right now, I just can’t think of how it could conceivably be what they claim, because it’s helping ISIS, because it’s helping Al-Qaeda”.
He continued,
“From my point of view, there was no need to rush. There was no threat to national security. They have to give a reason to do these things”.
Dr. Paul seemed as confused at Donald Trump’s sudden foreign policy about face as everyone else who took much of Trump’s campaign and early Presidential rhetoric at face value. Speaking of Trump’s frame of mind, the Liberty Report co-host said,
“I have no idea what his purpose was. Maybe he just didn’t want to hear the debate, because the last time they debated it, they lost. And this time, it was necessary for them to jump onto this, before people came to know what was really going on”.
Dr. Paul’s assessment of the situation was far from optimistic,
“They (neo-cons) want to get rid of him (Assad), and you have to look for who is involved in that. Unfortunately, they are the ones who are winning out on this, and the radicals, too! There is a bit of hypocrisy going on here, because at one minute we say, well, maybe Assad has to stay, the next day he has to go, and we’re there fighting ISIS and Al-Qaeda. At the same time, what we end up doing is we actually strengthen them! It is a mess.
I don’t believe that our people or the American government should be the policemen of the world, it makes no sense, it causes us more trouble and more grief, it causes us more financial problems, and it’s hardly a way that we could defend our constitutional liberty.
The peace talks have ended now. They’re terrified that peace was going to break out! Al-Qaeda was on the run, peace talks were happening, and all of a sudden, they had to change, and this changes things dramatically! I don’t expect peace talks anytime soon or in the distant future.”
Dr. Paul also mentioned the China angle which many are curiously ignoring. The attack came shortly after Trump had dinner with Chinese President Xi Jinping. After making Jinping wait an hour to meet him, Trump arrived and shortly after the meeting concluded, the attack on Syria had begun.
It is also noteworthy that members of the Chinese delegation had to stay in a nearby hotel as the facilities at Trump’s Mar-A-Lago estate proved too small for the sizeable delegation of the superpower.
These seemingly un-related events all demonstrate that the US intended to send a subtle message to China; one of bravado and arrogance that could be described as a not so subtle slap on the face. China, which stridently opposes western meddling in Syria, will have taken notice, in spite of appearances.
Dr. Paul said the following of the clear provocation of China,
“I was wondering about the fact that the announcement came when Trump was talking to Xi. And of course, (North) Korea’s high on the list of targets for our president and our administration. It might be a warning: this is what’s going to happen to you if you don’t do what we tell you. I just don’t like us being involved in so many countries, in their internal affairs; I think it’s so detrimental”.
After testing Russia’s determination to secure Syria, could the newly hawkish Trump administration be doing something similar with China in respect of North Korea?
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