To the regular Paulites, it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that Ron Paul calls the latest Iran sanctions an act of war. Paul is not quiet about his belief in non-interventionism. But it may be surprising to some that he considers economic sanctions “weapons of trade,” arguing that sanctions set the stage for war:
And continuing the current sanctions or imposing new ones will lead the United States closer to war with Iran, according to Paul. “Sanctions were the first step in our wars against Iraq and Libya,” he writes, “and now more sanctions planned against Syria and Iran are leading down the same destructive path.”
The overwhelming sentiment of our representatives is in conflict with Ron Paul’s conviction, evidenced by the House and Senate vote to increase sanctions against Iran just two days ago.
While we have clearly placed all options on the table in this standoff with Iran, our goal is not to pick a fight with Iran, but to politically isolate Iran and deprive Iran of the resources and technology it needs to achieve its goal, said Sen. Bob Menendez.
True to form, Paul and Kucinich spoke in opposition to the bill,
[V]oicing concerns that it would spark an armed conflict with Iran. Mr. Paul insisted that Iran is not a threat and is “incapable of attacking us.” He maintains that the U.S. is “beating the war drums once again,” according to a Digital Journal report.
Whose right on this one? (and as a side note, if you are interested in Ron Paul’s foreign policy, I would recommend reading his book, “A Foreign Policy of Freedom.“)
Here’s Ron Paul denouncing Iran sanctions way back in 2010. “Here we are looking for another war … the conversation today is nothing more than war propaganda.”