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Rand Paul on War & Peace
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It is unacceptable not to hate war
I'm not a pacifist, but I do think it unacceptable not to hate war. I'm dismissive of those who champion war as sport and show no reluctance to engage in war. Any leader who shows glee or eagerness for war should not be leading any nation.
I believe truly great leaders are reluctant to go to war and try mightily to avoid war. Though I detest violence, I could kill someone who injured or threatened my family. Though I hate war,
I could commit a nation to war, but only reluctantly and constitutionally and after great deliberation. I believe that though some would find this a contradiction in terms that there is a such thing as a Christian or just theory of war, that a just war
is a war of self-defense. At the same time I'm conflicted. I don't believe Jesus would have killed anyone or condoned killing, perhaps not even in self-defense. I'm conflicted.
Source: Speech at 2012 Values Voters Summit
, Sep 14, 2012
Opposed to Iraq War; no direct threat & no declared war
Unlike Afghanistan, I would not have voted to go to war with Iraq, not only because there was no link between Saddam Hussein and 9/11, but because that country did not pose a threat to the United States.
I will not vote to go to war without a formal declaration of war, as our soldiers deserve and the Constitution demands.
Source: The Tea Party Goes to Washington, by Rand Paul, p.143&246
, Feb 22, 2011
Would have voted against a declaration of war against Iraq
In contrast to Palin's rote recitation of justifications for overthrowing Saddam, Paul says he would have voted against a declaration of war against Iraq. During the runup to the U. invasion, he says that there "was some question whether intelligence was
manipulated.""The strange thing about Hussein & Iraq is that we actually had been their biggest ally for 20 years because we saw them as a bulwark against the Iranian dominance of the region. I don't think there was a reason to go into Iraq," he said.
Source: CBS News, Coop's Corner, "Palin: Big Tent Republican?"
, Feb 1, 2010
Page last updated: Apr 23, 2013
