Congressman Ron Paul is right.
The terrorist threat is primarily blowback from decades of bad foreign policy in the Middle East, much of it hidden from the American people. As Congressman Paul has noted, this is the conclusion of studies by both the CIA and the Defense Department.

Sadly, U.S. foreign policy has only gotten worse since 9-11. Nearly everything our politicians have done has only served to further radicalize the Islamic world.

Yes, we know, the reasons for Islamic extremism have now moved beyond U.S. foreign policy, to include cultural issues. This is a cancerous development. But this tumor was first created by our foreign policy, and that is also where the cure must begin.

We can start by restoring our own values.

The use of torture, the repeal of habeas corpus, and the creation of Kangaroo Court military tribunals, has made us look like hypocrites, creating anger and distrust around the world. But it isn't too late to turn the tide back in our favor.

The effort in the Senate to pull-back in Iraq is going to fail. That's okay. It was a weak proposal anyway. But the possibility of victory in restoring habeas corpus and ending the military tribunals remains strong. A vote on these issues could happen today, as soon as the debate over the Iraq proposal ends.

AlterNet: War on Iraq: Why Is the White House Pretending That Saudi Insurgents in Iraq Are Iranian?

AlterNet: War on Iraq: Why Is the White House Pretending That Saudi Insurgents in Iraq Are Iranian?: "The Los Angeles Times is reporting nearly half of all foreign militants targeting U.S. troops in Iraq have come from Saudi Arabia – one of Washington's closest allies in the Middle East. U.S. officials have so far refused to publicly criticize Saudi Arabia's role in Iraq, focusing instead on Iran. Democracy Now! spoke with an L.A. Times correspondent in Iraq, Ned Parker, and Toby Jones, a former Persian Gulf analyst with the International Crisis Group and history professor at Rutgers University."

Ron Paul warns war with Iran 'inevitable'

Presidential candidate Ron Paul says unless U.S. policies are changed, a conflict with Iran is "about as inevitable as you can expect."

Paul, a Texas Republican congressman who espouses libertarian ideals, told WND in an exclusive question-and-answer session that people need to understand that such a conflict would be just one more result of a long history of U.S. intervention in actions in the Middle East.

"I think if our policies don't change it's about as inevitable as you can expect because we're unwilling to talk to them and every week we're passing more sanctions and rules and intimidations and accusations and provocations," he said.

"We're surrounding Iran and there's very, very little understanding of that history, the American people don't know how we have been involved since 1953 in interfering with their government and it has hurt us," Paul said. "We're failing in Iraq and our government would like to have a distraction from that so they are blaming the Iranians."

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He said that's why "the war propaganda is building."

"I don't think we'll have an old-fashioned invasion but, you know, when you put blockades around a country and people suffer from it and you try to starve people and humiliate them and take away their source of energy those are acts of war.

"Then if you start bombing them, others are going to come in. By that time maybe the Chinese will find out it's in their interests to defend the Iranians, and who knows what kind of financial attacks they can place against us, against the dollar. Yes, I think our policies if not changed will end up with a war against Iran," Paul said.

Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., has gone so far as to say the Iranian government already has declared war against the United States, "by its actions." He said the U.S. has a responsibility to stop attacks against its soldiers, and he includes "the possibility of using military force against the terrorist infrastructure inside Iran."

His comments had been prompted by confirmation from the military of the funding, training and arming of militia extremists in Iraq "by Iranian Revolutionary Guard … operatives."

Lieberman has said in the past that the U.S. should be ready to pursue a military resolution with Iran if it continues helping those who are battling U.S. forces in Iraq.

Belitteling Ron Paul

Since it is becoming increasingly clear that there is only one front runner in the GOP race, the mainstream media and supporters of other GOP candidates are frantically trying to continue the belittlement of the Ron Paul phenomenon.

The DesMoines Register reported that yesterday's Ron Paul rally in Des Moines drew "over 600" supporters (which in and of itself is a respectable number even if erroneously reported) supporting Dr. Paul's alternative to the Iowans for Tax Freedom Forum.

The New York Times, rather than do their own research, parroted the Register when in fact the event drew well over 1000, enthusiastic Ron Paul supporters. The day of Ron Paul's candidacy being an internet-only phenomenon is dead. His support is now demonstrably real, and his supporters cross all political and socio-economic boundaries. He also has risen in at least one scientific poll to 3.2% from 2%.

The next phase in the battle against Ron Paul will be the personal attacks. Expect more over the "earmark" issue and more regurgitation of the 1992 newsletter which he has disavowed and didn't write.

Both the Dallas Morning News and the Houston Chronicle have attempted to paint Paul as a hypocrite for passing on constituent's request for federal spending in his district. The fact that he responds to his constituent's requests but then votes no on the final bill is either not noted or given little attention.

Ron Paul supporters can take heart in these attempts. At each and every turn, the mainstream media is proving that it cannot be trusted to fairly cover his campaign. The more the MSM attempts to control the news, the more people will flock to the internet to seek the truth, which can only help Paul's campaign. Everywhere one turns, Paul's supporters are making Paul's views known and organizing real world events.

Unfounded charges sabotage the prospect of bilateral negotiations

On Monday, July 2nd, a US military briefing in Iraq alleged serious Iranian complicity in anti-US insurgency in Iraq. Brigadier General, Kevin Bergner, an army spokesman, made specific allegations that the Iranian Quds Force had colluded in an assault on American servicemen in Karbala in January during which 5 Americans were killed. Far from presenting a smoking gun (or any actual evidence), this well-orchestrated media event is part of a familiar repetitive pattern of demonization designed to bolster the notion of an "evil" Iran in the minds of the American public. It is aimed at justifying continued occupation of Iraq and hostilities towards Iran, as well as sabotaging the prospect of further US-Iran negotiations which have been requested by Iraq and supported by the Iranian government.

Within hours of the press conference, U.S. Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-CT), put out a press release that the Iranian government "has declared war on us.", and "our diplomatic efforts are only likely to succeed if backed by a credible threat of force [1]."

Much like Colin Powell's speech at the 2002 United Nations General Assembly, the venue and aura of Monday's event were fashioned in such a way that one might expect to receive serious evidence that would prove beyond a reasonable doubt the validity of an important accusation, such as "Iranian government is ordering the killing of Americans."

However, the presentation was devoid of any tangible facts and consisted largely of recycled allegations. The only difference, this time, was that US was willing to make a direct statement on the record, implicating Iran in the Karbala attack, something the military had been reluctant to do in the past. Otherwise it was simply a government press release which was echoed almost verbatim, enthusiastically and uncritically, across the spectrum of the major western media.

When the Karbala raid occurred on January 20, 2007, the Bush administration wasted no time pointing fingers at Iran, with no evidence other than the fact that the operation was "meticulously planned" and "sophisticated," essentially saying that this would preclude Iraqis or other Arabs from being able to carry it out.

The Pentagon announced that it was investigating possible Iranian involvement. Noting the lack of evidence, the January 31 story by New York Times suggested a political objective: "tying Iran to the deadly attack could be helpful to the Bush administration, which has been engaged in an escalating war of words with Iran."

On January 26, Bush issued the extraordinary blanket order which authorized the U.S. military to kill or capture Iranian operatives inside Iraq. The order had nothing to do with Iranian involvement in the Karbala raid, other than the fact that the raid provided an opportune time. As noted by Washington Post:

The decision to use lethal force against Iranians inside Iraq began taking shape last summer, when Israel was at war with Hezbollah in Lebanon. Officials said a group of senior Bush administration officials who regularly attend the highest-level counterterrorism meetings agreed that the conflict provided an opening to portray Iran as a nuclear-ambitious link between al-Qaeda, Hezbollah and the death squads in Iraq [2].

In February, the administration released a series of ridiculous pictures depicting collected mortars and other ammunition supposedly supplied by Iran. The pieces had writings like "9-2006" circled by red marker with arrows pointing to the piece saying "this indicates a 2006 production date [9]." Then as now, no actual evidence of Iranian complicity was presented. But, the media frequently repeated the unsubstantiated claim that such evidence did exist.

The program to blame Iran for Iraq violence was underway well before the compound raid now portrayed as central to the case against Iran.

Rudy’s Twelve Days of Christmas

Presidential Commitments:
What you’ll get from a President Giuliani

“I am making 12 Commitments to the American People. They are intended to lift our vision from the rearview mirror to the road ahead. If I am elected president, I want to be held accountable for the progress we make as a nation.”
–Rudy Giuliani

“… from the rearview mirror to the road ahead…”
Whoa!… The Bandit couldn’t have said it any better. You copy that, Snowman?
——-


Rudy’s 12 Commitments, and the 12 Days of Christmas…

1. I will keep America on offense in the Terrorists’ War on Us.
(A partridge in a pear tree)

2. I will end illegal immigration, secure our borders and identify every non-citizen in our nation.
(Two turtle doves)

3. I will restore fiscal discipline and cut wasteful Washington spending.
(Three French hens)

4. I will cut taxes and reform the tax code.
(Four calling birds)

5. I will impose accountability on Washington.
(Five golden rings)

6. I will lead America towards energy independence.
(Six geese a-laying)

7. I will give Americans more control over their health care with affordable and portable free-market solutions.
(Seven swans a-swimming)

8. I will increase adoptions, decrease abortions, and protect the quality of life for our children.
(Eight maids a-milking)

9. I will reform the legal system and appoint strict constructionist judges.
(Nine ladies dancing)

10. I will ensure that every community in America is prepared for terrorist attacks and natural disasters.
(Ten lords a-leaping)

11. I will provide access to a quality education to every child in America by giving real school choice to parents.
(Eleven pipers piping)

12. I will expand America’s involvement in the global economy and strengthen our reputation around the world.
(Twelve drummers drumming)

You can read Rudy’s brief description of his… 12 Commitments here