5 Things You Need To Know : Ron Paul Editorial

Today, the Washington Times printed an editorial that was authored by Ron Paul. In it, Dr. Paul, on the day that was listed as the deadline for pulling out of Iraqi cities, restates the need for anti-interventionist policies and I (as is usually the case) couldn't agree with him more.

I don't want to just repost the entire article here, but if you want the brief version, here it is (in a new segment I like to call, "5 Things You Need To Know"

1. The idea of "fighting them over there so we don't have to fight them here" represents a false choice. This is not a simple choice between two poles, there is much more complexity to the issue and other alternatives do, in fact, exist. If "war is the health of the state", as George Orwell once said, then false choices between two non-existent extremes is certainly the doctor that keeps the state healthy (and in a constant state of war).

2. We should spend whatever money is necessary to make sure that the American people are as safe as they can be. This is the primary purpose of any government. However, this does not justify the fact that we have 700 military bases in 135 nations around the world. We have over 100,000 troops stationed in Germany, Japan, and South Korea alone.

3. We should stay out of the internal affairs of other nations, and never, EVER, try to engage in "nation building". I'm just going to quote Dr. Paul on this one: "Nation-building does not work. It places a tremendous burden on our military and takes directly from the pockets of the American taxpayer. The best thing we as Americans can do is offer friendship while setting a good example of what a free and prosperous society looks like."

4. When it becomes necessary to engage in conflict with other nations, we should follow the rules laid down in the Constitution. Only Congress can declare war, and military intervention should only happen following a declaration of war. Undeclared wars drag on with no end, no goal, and no objective way to declare victory or defeat.

5. We should follow the examples of our Founding Fathers, such as George Washington, who stated in his farewell address that America should seek "commerce with all nations, alliances with none", or John Quincy Adams, who warned that America should not "go abroad looking for dragons to slay".