United States to Iraq: "Vote All You Want, We Are Not Leaving!" by Ron Paul
(2020-01-15 at 17:15:19 )

United States to Iraq: "Vote All You Want, We Are Not Leaving!" by Ron Paul

President Trumps decision earlier this month to assassinate Irans top military general on Iraqi soil - over the objection of the Iraqi government - has damaged the United States relationship with its "ally" Iraq and set the region on the brink of war. Irans measured response - a few missiles fired on an Iraqi base after advance warning was given - is the only reason the United States is not mired in another Middle East war.

President Trump said his decision to assassinate Gen. Qassim Soleimani was intended to prevent a war, not start a war.

But no one in his right mind would think that killing another countrys top military leader would not leave that country annoyed, to say the least. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rand Paul (R-KY) said the Trump Administrations briefing to the United States Congress on its evidence to back up claims that General Soleimani was about to launch attacks against the United States was among the worst briefings they had ever attended.

After initially claiming that General Soleimani had to be taken out immediately because of "imminent" attacks he was launching against the United States, Donald Trump Administration officials including Secretary of State Pompeo and Defense Secretary Esper have been busy walking back those claims. Mr. Esper claimed over the weekend that he had not seen the intelligence suggesting an attack on United States embassies was in the works. If the Secretary of Defense did not seen the intelligence, then who did?

No doubt the Iraqi leadership recognized these kinds of deceptions: the same kinds of lies were used to push the United States into attacking their own country in 2003. So it should not have come as a big surprise that the Iraqi government met last week and voted that all foreign military personnel should leave Iraqi soil.

Then a funny thing happened when the Iraqi prime minister attempted to communicate to the United States government the will of the Iraqi people through their democratically-elected officials. On Thursday Iraqi Prime Minister Mahdi phoned Mr. Pompeo to urgently request that Washington,D.C. enact a United States troop "withdrawal mechanism" in Iraq. American troops are in Iraq by invitation of the Iraqi government and the Iraqi government had just voted to revoke that invitation.

The State Department responded with a statement titled "The United States Continued Partnership with Iraq," in which it essentially said that the United States would not abide by the request of its Iraqi partners because the United States military is a "force for good" in the Middle East and that as such it is "our right" to maintain "appropriate force posture" in the region.

The United States invaded Iraq based on President Bush Administration lies and a million Iraqis died as a result. Later, President Obama ramped up the drone program and also backed al-Qaeda affiliated terrorists to overthrow the secular Syrian government. Obama also attacked Libya based on lies, leaving the country totally destroyed. Donald Trump is assassinating foreign officials and threatening destruction of Iran.

And the State Department calls that a "force for good"?

The United States can be a true force for good, however.

End the military occupation of the Middle East, end foreign military aid, stop using the Central Intelligence Agency to overthrow governments.

Allow United States of Americans to travel and do business in any country they wish.

Lead by example and demonstrate how free markets and peace benefit all.

A "force for good" means not forcing others to bow to your will.

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