There’s two distinct layers to Dr. Paul’s answer to the challenge issued by the New Hampshire voter and Mr. Santorum that this article does not fully address.
1) The first layer deals with the terrorists motives for attacking us. Experts who have read their rationale agree that simply put: it is because we are over there.
This point alone does not dictate our foreign policy. Our proper foreign policy becomes apparent only when combined with the second layer. But you can’t formulate a realistic foreign policy without knowing your enemies, and this requires comprehending their motives.
If you go swimming in an alligator infested creek and get attacked and the local alligator expert says that was probably a dumb move because gators are hungry and ferocious the expert is not justifying the alligator attack, he is explaining it. Contrary to what Mr. Santorum says, the expert is not being “irresponsible”, in fact, it is exactly the opposite.
2) Being “over there” is not in our national interest. Pretty much every Mideast intervention besides going after bin Laden was not defensive, it was not declared by the proper authority (Congress), it was very expensive in blood and treasure, and not in our national interest.
If 1) and 2) are both true, and they are, then Ron Paul is right.
Posted by: axiomata | November 6, 2011, 9:27 pm 9:27 pm