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The Spectacle Blog
Ron Paul (a.k.a. Tehran Ron) is once again apologizing for the Iranian regime. He insists they don’t have a weapon but if they do obtain a weapon then it’s our fault. Tehran Ron claimed we’re “encouraging them to have a weapon.”
Given that Iranian children chant “Death to America” and “Death to Israel” each day at school I don’t think we’re exactly doing all that much encouragement.
View all comments (55) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Aaron Goldstein
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/02/22/tehran-ron-blames-america-firs
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winston | 2.22.12 @ 9:54PM
Ron Paul is a vile person. I hope he drops out of the race soon.
Clint| 2.22.12 @ 10:19PM
Ronald Reagan,
"Ron Paul is one of the outstanding leaders fighting for a stronger national defense. As a former Air Force officer, he knows well the needs of our armed forces, and he always puts them first. We need to keep him fighting for our country."
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
Byron Keith| 2.22.12 @ 10:28PM
I'm not here trying to stir up trouble, & I'd really like to learn something if I can.
What is a "brokered convention?" Is that when the convention opens with no candidate having enough delegates to clinch the nomination?
Sean| 2.22.12 @ 10:35PM
Yes
Byron Keith| 2.22.12 @ 10:43PM
Thank you.
Nock| 2.23.12 @ 9:46AM
"He insists they don't have a weapon..."God are you a dunce Goldstein. The experts all say Iran is two years away from a weapon, but you have inside information, I presume? You have seen the bomb? It is your kind of idiotic hubris that got us mired in Iraq for absolutely NO REASON, unless your reason was to bankrupt America!
9thID| 2.23.12 @ 10:37AM
As we have pointed out numous times before Lord Farquaad Clint, that quote came long before Tehran Ron stabbed Reagan in the back and left the GOP to run as a Liberal-tarian...
Vern Crisler | 2.22.12 @ 10:24PM
He is a follower of anarcho-capitalist Murray Rothbard, and hangs out with the loony LewRockwell crowd. Let's see, Ron Paul hangs out with those who hate Sarah, Rush, Buckley, Reagan, Lincoln, Washington, and now Madison. Why would anyone think he has America's interests at heart? So his vileness comes not from his person, but from his ideology, and it would be nice, though unlikely, if he would drop out.
Clint| 2.22.12 @ 10:51PM
Dr. Ron Paul Is A Constitutional Conservative, And A Follower Of The Free Market Austrian School Of Economics, Ludwig von Mises, Freidrich Hayek. Read Hayek's, The Road To Serfdom.
Milton Friedman,Nobel Prize Economist,
"I strongly support Ron Paul. We very badly need to have more Representatives who understand in a principled way the importance of property rights and religious freedom."
Aaaand,
Read George Washington's Farewell Address, Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address, The Old Right And Get Back To Us.
" George Will, "Today, we have a very different kind of foreign policy. It’s called Wilsonian. And the premise of the Bush Doctrine is that America must spread democracy, because our national security depends upon it. And America can spread democracy. It knows how. It can engage in national building. This is conservative or not?"
William F. Buckley, " It’s not at all conservative. It’s anything but conservative. It’s not conservative at all, inasmuch as conservatism doesn’t invite unnecessary challenges. It insists on coming to terms with the world as it is …”
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
Dan Phillips| 2.22.12 @ 11:53PM
"Abraham Lincoln is thought of by many as not only the greatest American statesman, but as a great conservative. He was neither. Understanding this is a necessary condition for any genuinely American conservatism." Dr. Donald Livingston, Professor of Philosophy, Emory University
http://www.freerepublic.com/fo.....7270/posts
Read it and weep Vern
Vern Crisler | 2.23.12 @ 1:08AM
I rest my case.
Dan Phillips| 2.23.12 @ 2:32AM
Don't you first have to make a case before you can rest it?
Vern Crisler | 2.23.12 @ 8:15AM
When it comes to Lincoln haters, there's no need.
Dan Phillips| 2.23.12 @ 12:37PM
Well isn't that convenient. Who needs to be bothered with that pesky thing called debate?
Dan Phillips| 2.22.12 @ 11:46PM
Vern, Lincoln is a conservative litmus test. If you don't think he was a horrible President who wrongly invaded the South, then you ain't one.
And re. Madison, who first came up today at Lew Rockwell as far as I know, I think the suggestion is that he was a mixed bag. What do you do? Check out Lew Rockwell everyday so you can add to your list of outrages against the conventional wisdom you so dutifully spout?
Nock| 2.23.12 @ 9:50AM
Rothbard has a brain, unlike Hush Bimbo and Sarah the Bimbo. The idea that Ron Paul hates Reagan, Lincoln, Madison, is what I expect to hear from a grade A moron like our buddy Vern.
9thID| 2.23.12 @ 10:41AM
I was almost shocked when Tehran Ron came out of the closet as a "Voluntaryist". In hind sight, I should have seen it coming. Just more proof that all libertines are a clear and present danger to our republic...
Nock| 2.23.12 @ 11:19AM
War is not conservative. It ‘devastates communal and family life—and, in the modern industrial era, can lead to barbarism that mocks any pretense of humanity.’
Jack in Wi.| 2.22.12 @ 10:54PM
Iran is not and never has been a threat to the USA. All our combined intelligence agencies, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, The head of The NSA, and the Secrtary of Defense have all said just recently that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons. Iran is a country who has attacked no-one in 300 years. Why should it start now, when to do so would led to it's destruction? The delusional warmongers on the Israeli right and their enablers here will have us with 20 dollar a gal. gas and a world war which will destroy the world's economy and lead to millions of deaths.
Ron Paul and Pat Buchanan have been right for decades. We should have pulled out of the Middle East, Europe, and the Far East 20 years ago and cut all foreign aid. We have bankrupted ourselves fighting wars with no benfit to the USA. Our active military know it. That why they give Ron Paul 70% of their monetary contrbutions over the chicke hawk contingent. There was a large rally of Ron's military supporters in Washington a couple days ago. Heaven forbid that a neocon like Arron would comment on these items.
Jack in Wi.| 2.22.12 @ 11:13PM
There is a tremendous debate going on right now in Israel. Sane Israeli's want no attack on iran. Meir Dagan the receently retired Mossad chief believes it would be a big mistake. He believes it would have bad repercussions in the region for at least a century. He has been joined by Efriam Halevey another former Mossad chief who calls it the dumbest idea ever. Yucal Diskin the former head Shin Bet and many other members of the Israeli intelligence community think it is a bad idea as well. Iran offered to settle all outstanding differences with the USA in 2003. Powell, Rice, and Armitage wanted to begin immediate negotiations. Cheney and his puppet Bush, as well as the neocons would have none of it. Bush finally had enough of Cheney and his nonsense and refused to bomb Iran. So far Obama hasn't either. No sane person in Israel or the USA wants this war. Lets do what we did with China, a far worse country. We should send an ambassador, open diplomatic relations, end sanctions and get on the business of peace.
The lies and nonsense that the Israeli Lobby, and its pals are peddling in this country are very similar to the propaganda the British and Roosevelt were spreading in prewar America. I suggest the great revisionist history book by Herbert Hoover ' Freedom Betrayed.' It will give you an idea of the tactics being used today to lie us into another possible world war. It is a great read and was well reviewed on the pages of this magazine.
Ryan| 2.23.12 @ 8:23AM
Again with the misconception about not attacking in 300 years. Iran funds, supplies, and supports terrorists and military indiscriminate strikes on civilian populations outside of its own borders.
WL| 2.22.12 @ 11:28PM
Yes....he is a vile little man...just like the bond villian "with a golden gun"
Clint is the little sidekick...
winston | 2.22.12 @ 9:55PM
YOU MEANT death to Israel.. not Iran. LoL
Clint| 2.22.12 @ 10:17PM
Dr.Ron Paul, I Would Ask Congress For A Declaration Of War Against Iran, If Necessary."
9thID| 2.23.12 @ 10:44AM
Only after the nukes hit our cities, but don't worry, you will be safe in Canada...
Aaron Goldstein| 2.22.12 @ 11:13PM
Yes I did. All fixed up.
Clint| 2.22.12 @ 10:12PM
" Dr. Ron Paul served in the United States Air Force as a flight surgeon for several years (1963-1965). While in the air force, Paul reached the rank of Captain. Directly after his service in the air force, Paul worked again as a flight surgeon for the United States Air National Guard (1965-1968).
" Paul served as a flight surgeon in the U.S. Air Force in the 1960s, spending time on the ground in countries like Ethiopia, Iran, Pakistan, South Korea, and Turkey. He also sits on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs."
Where'd Your Chickenhawk Serve, Israel Firster Smear Bund Canuck ?
Robert| 2.22.12 @ 10:27PM
Quote: "Given that Iranian children chant "Death to America" and "Death to Iran" each day at school" - OOPS! Don't type faster than you can think "TYPO Arron!"
yuk yuk yuk!
I am pretty certain that "Thinking Ron" had garnered much more applause and cheers too!!!!!
Aaron Goldstein| 2.22.12 @ 11:13PM
Noted. All fixed up.
SCPOret| 2.22.12 @ 10:36PM
Clint you are as full of **it as a Christmas Turkey! Ron Paul has been my congressman since he was first elected. His economic policies are great but his foreign policies suck. Being in the military in the 60's as a flight surgeon giving physicals to flyboys, and fixing their hangnails does not make him an expert on military policy. I served from 1961 to 1988, and unlike Paul I served where there were actual wars going on. Having seen the horrors of war, I don't want to get involved recklessly but I don't blame America when we get sucked into wars. Paul says it's our fault that the Islamists attacked us. How does he explain why the Islamist attacked us in 1802. We certainly hadn't done anything to them because we were barely able to wipe our a$$ at the time.
You sir aree an idiot who continues to spout the same senseless crap without having any idea as to how the world works.
Clint| 2.22.12 @ 11:18PM
You're An Over-opinionated Uninformed Bloviating Asshat, Swabbie.
Read George Washington's Farewell Address, Thomas Jefferson's First Inaugural Address, The Old Right And Get Back To Us.
" George Will, "Today, we have a very different kind of foreign policy. It’s called Wilsonian. And the premise of the Bush Doctrine is that America must spread democracy, because our national security depends upon it. And America can spread democracy. It knows how. It can engage in national building. This is conservative or not?"
William F. Buckley, " It’s not at all conservative. It’s anything but conservative. It’s not conservative at all, inasmuch as conservatism doesn’t invite unnecessary challenges. It insists on coming to terms with the world as it is …”
Our American Warriors Are Not To Be Used As Cannon fodder And Our American Treasure Pissed Away Policing The Middle East For The Israel Firster Agenda.
" As Ralph Waldo Emerson warned when he wrote, “A nation never falls but by suicide.”
The fall of Rome and other dominant civilizations manifest similar pathologies—imperial overreach, runaway spending, erosion of money’s purchasing power."
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
WL| 2.22.12 @ 11:30PM
SCPoret...
I see you have met Clint...our resident butt hair...
SCPOret| 2.23.12 @ 12:43AM
Between Clint and Jack, I don't know which one is the most obnoxious.
Clint| 2.23.12 @ 6:24AM
You Say That To All The Real Conservatives, Bibi's Deck Hand.
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
Ed| 2.23.12 @ 9:14AM
Under Clint's theory, those were just pirates ie. guys with eyepatches that say "Arrr, matey". Don't try to explain history to a Paultard-they are just too dumb.
Nock| 2.23.12 @ 9:55AM
“There is nothing new in the world except the history you do not know.” Harry Truman
As far as Ed is concerned, the history he doesn't know could fill the library of congress.
Drek| 2.22.12 @ 10:40PM
I want the Iranians bombed so, so bad...........
aware| 2.23.12 @ 5:31AM
Why don't you enlist? You can get all the fun you can stand.
Clint| 2.23.12 @ 6:33AM
These Chickenhawks And Their Chickenhawk Candidates Want American Warriors To Do Their Fightin' For Their Chickenhawk Agenda.
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
Nock| 2.23.12 @ 9:57AM
Drek thinks it is all a video game he can watch some one else play. And it doesn't cost anything in blood and treasure. The NeoCons have brainwashed simpletons like him.
MikeN| 2.22.12 @ 10:49PM
Libya gave up its weapons, and in return got bombed. What incentive is there for Iran to stop? If Iraq had nukes, they would not have been attacked by us. If Serbia had nukes...
How is Ron Paul wrong on this obvious point.
WL| 2.22.12 @ 11:41PM
Because 1 + 2 does not always equal 3 in world affairs...
The point is this, and I mean it as respectfully as I can:
Young people and people new to this game (newly observing, that is) like Ron Paul...they also like Democrats. There is a reason for this similar attractiveness you are now seeing in Ron Paul.
His explanations are all the same and simple.
He can't understand why war is ever necessary.
He fails to see any dynamic characteristics in any remote region...
To him, and to you 1 + 2 ='s 3 in whatever part of the world the math equation is observed.
However, that is not the case.
With Quadaffi 1 + 2 equaled NOT BOMB THE U.S. or Isreal.
With Iran 1 Bomb + 2 Extremist Leaders equals Death to both Satan's....as in Isreal is the Little Satan...and the U.S. is the BIG Satan.
Ron Paul will get us attacked. You can bet on that.
aware| 2.23.12 @ 5:40AM
"Ron Paul will get us attacked."
While you are looking into that crystal ball see if you can tell what happens when the Debt Bubble goes pop.
Of course, neocon meddling and threatening has sure made us safe hasn't it?
Dan Phillips| 2.23.12 @ 12:14AM
Aaron, you are a shameless demagogue. "Tehran Ron?" Really?
If you would quit appealing to emotions and use your head, you would see that Ron Paul is clearly correct.
“He insists they don't have a weapon…”
Umm … they don’t. Even the most obnoxious Iran hawks do not suggest that Iran already has a nuke. They say at most that they are developing one and may be near completion. Of course whether they are attempting to build one is hotly debated, but that is even beside the point because you criticized Paul for speaking an obvious truth that is conceded by all.
“if they do obtain a weapon then it's our fault. Tehran Ron claimed we're "encouraging them to have a weapon."”
I didn’t see this debate but what Paul has said in the past is something along the lines of “who could blame them for wanting a nuke? Getting a nuke automatically makes you a player and stops the saber rattling.” This too is true as the example of North Korea shows. You would recognize this if you weren’t so busy feigning indignation in order to play on people’s emotions.
Ryan| 2.23.12 @ 8:25AM
Ummm....both NK and everyone else have been rattling sabers for years...
Dan Phillips| 2.23.12 @ 8:55AM
North Korea acquiring the bomb took attacking them off the table. Do you disagree with that?
Nock| 2.23.12 @ 9:59AM
Aaron is just hoping for a gig at The Weekly Standard, the losers who brought us the last two wars.
Ryan| 2.23.12 @ 10:35AM
Yep. They've been contained by other means, and don't have very good technology otherwise.
Nock| 2.23.12 @ 11:23AM
War is not conservative
By Rep. John J. Duncan, Jr. (R-Tenn.)
There is nothing conservative about the war in Afghanistan. The Center for Defense Information said a few months ago that we had spent over $400 billion on the war and war-related costs there. Now, the Pentagon says it will cost about $1 billion for each 1,000 additional troops we send to Afghanistan. One Republican Member from California told me recently that we could buy off every warlord in Afghanistan for $1 billion.
Fiscal conservatives should be the ones most horrified by all this spending. Conservatives who oppose big government and huge deficit spending at home should not support it in foreign countries just because it is being done by our biggest bureaucracy, the Defense Department.
We have now spent $1.5 trillion that we did not have--that we had to borrow--in Iraq and Afghanistan. Eight years is long enough. In fact, it is too long. Let's bring our troops home and start putting Americans first once again.
Aaron Goldstein| 2.23.12 @ 3:40PM
Demagogue? Why how sweet of you? Actually, I think Tehran Ron has a very nice ring to it. Well, it was either that or Persia Paul.
All jesting aside, I think the moniker is a fair and accurate assessment of Ron Paul's whole approach to Iran and foreign policy at large. When confronted with the issue, Paul gives Tehran the benefit of the doubt and argues if we only we'd talk to them there would be sweetness and light. He likens talking to Iran to Reagan talking to the USSR. Except that Reagan spoke with Gorbachev, not Brezhnev, Andropov or Chernenko. Gorbachev was reforming Soviet society and Reagan rewarded him for that behavior. Ahmadinejad and The Mullahs are the antithesis of Gorby.
Given how much Paul is cited approvingly on Press TV, Tehran Ron is an apt description for him. He is the very personfication of a useful idiot.
Dan Phillips| 2.23.12 @ 11:00PM
Which candidate, pray tell, do you expect Press TV to cite approvingly? Rick Santorum who has virtually promised to bomb them upon assuming office? Of course they are going to cite the only candidate who has promised to have America mind its own business.
You are too smart a guy to struggle as much as you do with this. You are clearly allowing your emotions to cloud your ability to think straight. The problem is that you and Paul approach the issue of Iran from entirely different premises. Your premise is that the US has some sort of duty to protect Israel and otherwise provide a general policing function in the Middle East and around the world. Therefore America must "do something" about Iran and prevent them from getting a nuke. Therefore you attribute to anyone who doesn't want to "do something" about Iran malevolent motives. So in your mind Paul is an apologist for Iran or weak or whatever. The problem is that Paul does not share your starting premise so you can't make judgments as if he does. Paul does not believe the US has some sort of duty to protect Israel or police the Middle East or the world. He thinks we should simply mind our own business and trade with people. Therefore there is no imperative to "do something." The rest flows from that.
You can disagree with Paul's premise as I am sure you do. But you should at least acknowledge it. Attributing to Paul malevolent motives is simply unfair. You are either allowing your emotions to override your reason or you are deliberately playing rhetorical games and calling names. Either way you need to grow up and knock it off.
Aaron Goldstein| 2.24.12 @ 8:45AM
If Tehran Ron thinks we should mind our own business about what happens outside the United States then why he has described the Gaza Strip as a concentration camp? Of course, Press TV is going sing Paul's praises.
Nock| 2.24.12 @ 11:28AM
Tel Aviv Aaron.
JimH| 2.23.12 @ 7:12AM
Seeing how nasty regimes without nukes are treated such as Iraq and Libya where the West embargoes then invades and the leader is executed versus a nasty regime with nukes such as North Korea where we speak politely and give them food, money and other goodies, it makes perfect sense for such a country as Iran to want such protection. I think Herman Kahn considered having a nuclear arsenal as fundamentaly defensive in nature because there was no scenario where an attacker did not risk an existential threat from a counter attack.
Nock| 2.23.12 @ 11:07AM
TAS NeoCon Bloggers: Lord, Hillyer, Kaminsky, McCain, Goldstein, Tabin.
TAS PaleoCon Bloggers: Antle, R. Smith.
How about some balance?