I was watching a debate between the Republican candidates for President and I was awed by Ron Paul. What courage! He actually said, first, that our military had more than 700 bases in 130 countries. He actually decried American militarism.
He went on to say that the terrorists did not attack us because, as President Bush said, “they envy our freedom,” but for three specific reasons: our troops were on holy soil (at the time), our support for Israel and the blockade of Iraq (under Clinton) which killed hundreds of thousands of Moslem children from malnutrition and the attendant diseases.
Ron Paul was booed heavily. And then I realized something horrifying: They were not booing him because of a policy that they disagreed with, rather they were booing him because of the facts that he presented.
Ron Paul could not have attracted more vehemence if he had gone to a religious conference and informed the crowd that God did not exist.
So, a Republican stands against militarism (and he stands alone in the Republican Party), while, the abominable administration pursues war. And, we are continuing to “rendition” prisoners: this means that because torture is illegal in the United States, we send prisoners to be interrogated to countries where it is legal to torture.
Torturing prisoners is another example of abandoning one of our great strengths as a nation: the rule of law.
Similarly, the summary execution of Osama bin Laden was a departure from precedent: After WWII, the British wanted to simply shoot Nazi war criminals. The United States insisted on bringing them to justice before an international court of law and so, the Nuremburg Trials were held. The rule of law was sustained.
If we continue to support Obama, we condone war, the negation of the rule of law, and the abandonment of the most vulnerable among us.
The only reason some folks continue to support him is that they we feel an alternative would be worse, but, what can be worse than abandoning our core principles?
Nelson Strasser
Lakeport
