By Congressman Ron Paul

Statement of Congressman Ron Paul - United States House of Representatives

Statement on Motion to Instruct Conferees on HR 2194, Comprehensive Iran Sanctions,

Accountability and Divestment Act - April 22, 2010

April 23, 2010 "United States House of Representatives" -- Mr. Speaker I rise in opposition to this motion to instruct
House conferees on HR 2194, the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestment Act, and I rise in
strong opposition again to the underlying bill and to its Senate version as well. I object to this entire push for war on Iran,
however it is disguised. Listening to the debate on the Floor on this motion and the underlying bill it feels as if we are
back in 2002 all over again: the same falsehoods and distortions used to push the United States into a disastrous and
unnecessary one trillion dollar war on Iraq are being trotted out again to lead us to what will likely be an even more
disastrous and costly war on Iran. The parallels are astonishing.

We hear war advocates today on the Floor scare-mongering about reports that in one year Iran will have missiles that
can hit the United States. Where have we heard this bombast before? Anyone remember the claims that Iraqi drones
were going to fly over the United States and attack us? These “drones” ended up being pure propaganda – the UN chief
weapons inspector concluded in 2004 that there was no evidence that Saddam Hussein had ever developed unpiloted
drones for use on enemy targets. Of course by then the propagandists had gotten their war so the truth did not matter
much.

We hear war advocates on the floor today arguing that we cannot afford to sit around and wait for Iran to detonate a
nuclear weapon. Where have we heard this before? Anyone remember then-Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice’s
oft-repeated quip about Iraq: that we cannot wait for the smoking gun to appear as a mushroom cloud.

We need to see all this for what it is: Propaganda to speed us to war against Iran for the benefit of special interests.

Let us remember a few important things. Iran, a signatory of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, has never been found
in violation of that treaty. Iran is not capable of enriching uranium to the necessary level to manufacture nuclear
weapons. According to the entire US Intelligence Community, Iran is not currently working on a nuclear weapons
program. These are facts, and to point them out does not make one a supporter or fan of the Iranian regime. Those
pushing war on Iran will ignore or distort these facts to serve their agenda, though, so it is important and necessary to
point them out.

Some of my well-intentioned colleagues may be tempted to vote for sanctions on Iran because they view this as a way to
avoid war on Iran. I will ask them whether the sanctions on Iraq satisfied those pushing for war at that time. Or whether
the application of ever-stronger sanctions in fact helped war advocates make their case for war on Iraq: as each round of
new sanctions failed to “work” – to change the regime – war became the only remaining regime-change option.

This legislation, whether the House or Senate version, will lead us to war on Iran. The sanctions in this bill, and the
blockade of Iran necessary to fully enforce them, are in themselves acts of war according to international law. A vote for
sanctions on Iran is a vote for war against Iran. I urge my colleagues in the strongest terms to turn back from this
unnecessary and counterproductive march to war.

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Comments (56)
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Zengine · 13 weeks ago +1

Always have admired Paul. He speaks truth, even if he can't take a joke.

Reply 3 replies · active 13 weeks ago Report

 orbital · 13 weeks ago +1

Israel's too smart to launch a strike against Iran. They'll bide their time, ride the public wave of discontent and wait until they
can get the US/EU to do their bidding... just like they did with Iraq. It's all about timing.

Reply 2 replies · active 13 weeks ago Report

John S. Hatch · 13 weeks ago +2

Sanctions against Iraq didn't inconvenience Saddam in any way, but they killed up to a million innocent Iraqis, including a
half-million children, something that ex Secretary of State Madeleine Albright declared to be 'worth it'.

Iran never threatened or attacked the US, but the CIA removed a democratically elected Prime Minister in 1953. His 'crime'?
Wanting control of Iranian oil for Iranians. America installed the hated Shah, who could only maintain control through the use of
Savak, his savage secret police. Then America wonders why radical mullahs took over and expressed popular hatred for
everything American. Who could blame them?

Now, using the same tired old lies that led to the illegal and inhuman invasion of Iraq, America, which never seems to learn
anything, prepares to attack Iran, perhaps drawing China and Russia into a broader war, maybe the final one.

America remains the greatest purveyor of violence on earth. For shame.

Reply 1 reply · active 13 weeks ago Report

arthurdecco · 13 weeks ago 0

My gawd! What a sensible man! (At least on this subject.)

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carmen · 13 weeks ago 0

I met a friend of mine who get removed from government health insurance because his income of $ 1100 a $ 23 over the limit
of eligibility...a government that think $ 23 can makes a difference in a life or death situations to one of her citizen deserve to
spit on it...sorry can't find other more polite expressions...but they can spend trillions on a cause that will never benefit us
..benefits our parasite....

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oyate · 13 weeks ago 0

Here's one of his recent--AND ALL TIME BESTS. He talks to the Teocons and totally puts the whole deal in their faces.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zr8XSUTALYI

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Guest · 13 weeks ago +2

Both Houses of Congress have sold out to the jews.

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GORBALT · 13 weeks ago 0

I don't see Ron Paul as anyone special merely because he can recognize a few facts that any studious high-school boy or girl
could also find. But it's a wonder that so few members of Congress are familiar with these simple facts, a wonder that so few
can recognize lies and propaganda. What is the explanation of this? Is it that other members are just stupid, or that they have
all been bought off? If this is the case then why hasn't Paul been eliminated by the same methods? Why has an opponent not
run effectively against him and used lies and accusations of terrorist sympathies and disloyalty to the US to oust Paul from his
seat? What the hell makes him immune?

Who are Paul's constituents? I really don't know what part of Texas he's from and why the people there elect someone so
different. It's a similar situation with Kucinich, who mouths a lot of progressive principles whether you take him as genuine or
not, and who represents people of rust-belt Cleveland who I really don't think are as progressive as Kucinich sounds. I don't
understand how even a few reality-based people are still standing. Explain this to me.

Reply 9 replies · active 13 weeks ago Report

BDJUSA · 13 weeks ago +1

Was doesn't Ron Paul have the courage to admit that the Israeli Lobby is behind these sanctions and the clamor to murder
Iranians? The Israeli Lobby and the high ranking Zionists brought us the Iraq war. Israel's intelligence agency the Mossad
masterminded the 911 attacks. The Israeli governments our enemy not our friend.

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 Reply 2 replies · active 13 weeks ago

hayate · 13 weeks ago +1

The usa is gung ho for war against iran.

Why?

Because zionazis run the usa and zionazis want zionazi control over everybody and everything. This is of course ordained by
god.

But wont war with Iran further erode an already faltering ami economy.

Who cares, they're expendable, well worth sacrificing to further empower zionazi, inc. And besides, the zionazis own Europe,
as well, and whatever drop in baksheesh they skim in the usa, they can squeeze out of the European colonies. The usa is rich
enough, and big enough, that they wont go completely under, and will still be useful as cannon fodder and enforcers.

Reply 3 replies · active 13 weeks ago Report

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