Expressing concern over Russian involvement in Alexander Litvinenko’s murder
Ron Paul
1 April 2008
2008 Ron Paul 17:1
Mr. Speaker: I rise
in strong opposition to this ill-conceived resolution. The US House of
Representatives has no business speculating on guilt or innocence in a
crime
that may have been committed thousands of miles outside
US territory. It is arrogant, to say the least, that we
presume to pass judgment on crimes committed overseas about which we have seen no evidence.
2008 Ron Paul 17:2
The resolution
purports to express concern over the apparent murder in London
of a shadowy former Russian intelligence agent, Alexander
Litvinenko, but let
us not kid ourselves. The real purpose is to attack the Russian
government by
suggesting that
Russia is involved in the murder. There is little evidence of
this beyond the feverish
accusations of interested parties. In fact, we may ultimately discover
that
Litvinenko’s death by radiation poisoning was the result of his
involvement in
an international nuclear smuggling operation, as some investigative
reporters
have claimed. The point is that we do not know. The House of
Representatives has
no business inserting itself in disputes about which we lack
information and
jurisdiction.
2008 Ron Paul 17:3
At a time when we
should be seeking good relations and expanded trade with
Russia, what is the benefit in passing such provocative
resolutions? There is none.
2008 Ron Paul 17:4
Mr. Speaker, I would
like to enter into the Congressional Record a very thought-provoking
article by
Edward Jay Epstein published recently in the
New York Sun, which convincingly calls into question many of the
assumptions and accusations made in this legislation. I would encourage my colleagues
to read this article and carefully consider the wisdom of what we are doing.