Ron Paul Quotes.com 2003 Ron Paul Chapter 70 Ron Paul Quotes.com: Keep Out Of Middle East Conflicts 25 June 2003 Home Page   Contents Congressional Record (Page H5864)   Cached Not linked on Ron Paul’s Congressional website.

Keep Out Of Middle East Conflicts 25 June 2003 2003 Ron Paul 70:1 Mr. PAUL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in opposition to this measure. Of course we all deplore terrorism and violence that any innocents are forced to suffer. There is, sadly, plenty of this in the world today. But there is more to this resolution than just condemning the violence in the Middle East. I have a problem with most resolutions like this because they have the appearance of taking one side or the other in a conflict that has nothing to do with the United States. Our responsibility is to the American people and to the Constitution, not to adjudicate age-old conflicts half-way around the world. 2003 Ron Paul 70:2 When we take sides in these far off conflicts, we serve to antagonize the people affected and end up no closer to peace than when we started. This bill makes reference to the need to have solidarity with Israel. Elsewhere people say we should have solidarity with the Palestinians and the Arabs. So, as I have said before when bills such as this are on the floor, it is sort of a contest: Should we be pro-Israel or pro-Arab, or anti-Israel or anti- Arab, and how are we perceived in doing this? It is pretty important. 2003 Ron Paul 70:3 But I still believe, through all these bills attempting to intervene in the Middle East, that there is a third option to this that we so often forget about. Why can we not be pro-American? What is in the best interests of the United States? We do not hear much talk of that, unfortunately. 2003 Ron Paul 70:4 As I keep saying when votes such as this come to the floor, the best foreign policy for the United States is noninterventionism. It is a policy American interests first, costs must less money, and is in keeping with a long American tradition so eloquently described by our Founders. 2003 Ron Paul 70:5 I hope the peoples of the Middle East are able to resolve their differences, but because whether they decide or not is not our business I urge a no vote on this resolution.

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