Althouse: "I’m supporting President Trump because he believes as I do, that a strong America cannot fight endless wars."

August 26, 2020

"I’m supporting President Trump because he believes as I do, that a strong America cannot fight endless wars."

"We must not continue to leave our blood and treasure in Middle East quagmires.... President Trump is the first president in a generation to seek to end war rather than start one. He intends to end the war in Afghanistan. He is bringing our men and women home. Madison once wrote, 'No nation can preserve its freedom in the midst of continuous warfare.' I’m proud to finally see a president who agrees with that. Compare President Trump with the disastrous record of Joe Biden, who’s consistently called for more war. Joe Biden voted for the Iraq War, which President Trump has long called the worst geopolitical mistake of our generation. I fear Biden will choose war again. He supported the war in Serbia, Syria, Libya. Joe Biden will continue to spill our blood and treasure. President Trump will bring our heroes home. If you hate war like I hate war, if you want us to quit sending $50 billion every year to Afghanistan to build their roads and bridges instead of building them here at home, you need to support President Trump for another term."

Said Rand Paul on the second night of the GOP convention. Video. Transcript.

43 comments:

mockturtle said...: Amen!; 8/26/20, 7:22 AM
rehajm said...: Pointless from a voting persepective. Lefties claiming to be anti-war would rather have the wars than vote Republican.; 8/26/20, 7:26 AM
Mike (MJB Wolf) said...: Once in a while Rand is spot on. This is one of those times. Peace appears to be scaring the hell out of the swamp foreign policy eggheads. How many more political phonies and failed tropes must be exposed by this bad orange man before the peaceniks give him his due?; 8/26/20, 7:28 AM
TreeJoe said...: This is perhaps the single most important achievement of President Trump and not frequently enough trumpeted.

He did a minor cruise missile bombing in Syria early on, he conducted a targeted killing of a foreign general who was in the midst of leading attacks on Americans. And both did exactly their goal: Stop fucking with us. And it DE-ESCALATED REGIONAL CONFLICTS.

He was supposedly not to be trusted with nukes, he was going to be a war-president, he was going to be a loose cannon.

Compared to Biden, Trump is the first president I know who has actually wielded American power to AVOID war while not doing it by giving to adversaries (I.e. OBama/Biden & Iran); 8/26/20, 7:28 AM
Kevin said...: Team Biden is trying to start a war right now— in America.; 8/26/20, 7:29 AM
Dear corrupt left, go F yourselves said...: why GWB was not there.; 8/26/20, 7:32 AM
Craig said...: He's right, of course, about an important issue.

But the majority of voters will never hear this or believe it because the media has already hate-brainwashed > 50% of the country that Orange Man is a racist who only cares about himself.; 8/26/20, 7:34 AM
hombre said...: ‘Nuff said!; 8/26/20, 7:35 AM
Bill Harshaw said...: His $50 billion is nonsense. https://www.foreignassistance.gov/explore/country/Afghanistan; 8/26/20, 7:37 AM
MayBee said...: It is fascinating to me that the "anti-war" Democrats don't notice that Trump is not a very war-ish president.; 8/26/20, 7:41 AM
gspencer said...: War is the best means of getting big and bigger government. Biden supports war as Rand Paul listed. Consider these two other outstanding examples.

Democrat Wilson.

Democrat FDR.

And both did it through duplicity which is stock-in-trade for Democrats.

While campaigning for his 1916 re-election WW employed the popular slogans "He kept us out of war" and "America First" to appeal to those voters who wanted to avoid a war in Europe.

While campaigning for his 1940 re-election FDR stated, "I have said this before, but I shall say it again and again and again; your boys are not going to be sent into any foreign wars." He lied, as Democrats are wont to do, while planning out his war moves.

And Democrat JFK got us into Vietnam.; 8/26/20, 7:41 AM
traditionalguy said...: The CIA Masters of War are mad at DJT. As are the masters of selling drugs, both illegal drugs and the Rx Pharma middlemen. As are the cults for capturing and selling of women and children for sex slavery. Now is the time our first President needs the support of all of the good men and women. Vote in person.; 8/26/20, 7:42 AM
MayBee said...: In the back of my mind, I believe it is Trump's desire not to engage in wars that makes the "NatSec" people like Brennan so strongly against him. What is going on out there?; 8/26/20, 7:43 AM
wendybar said...: He is the most pro life, anti war President in my lifetime, and the two biggest reasons why I voted for, and will vote for him again. Peace in our time?? It could happen, if Democrats would stop rioting and burning down our cities.; 8/26/20, 7:52 AM
Tina Trent said...: Rand Paul's foreign policy views are at least consistent. Too bad he lacks the integrity to be as forthcoming about his behind-doors push for open borders, which is also foreign policy of a sort. And since he works in medicine, there's a professional upside to this view, as he works in a field in which he may profit directly from providing medical services to indigent illegal immigrants while the rest of us foot the bills. He foots those bills too, but he also profits, and I have never heard him pledge that he would refuse the subsidies legal citizens are forced to pay for the consequence of his political choice to try to undermine borders.

He and his crazy father are brainwashing generations of youth who are so terrified of being called racist that they fall for the Pauls' libertarian gobbledygook through their crazy Young Americans for Liberty (not YAF). And they're telling those young people to support open borders, to legalize all drugs, to demonize police and eliminate incarceration, and that Trump is a fascist who is attempting a coup. So I was surprised as heck at Paul's speech. He's a skilled liar, though.; 8/26/20, 7:57 AM
Kai Akker said...: It's Rand Paul who is the James Madison of this era. I hope that was the speech of a future president. No wonder that lefty was so tormented he had to try to kill him -- Paul makes too much sense for the devil's crew.; 8/26/20, 8:10 AM
todd galle said...: I think Rand's wrong about the 'first president' to stop wars line. I would credit Eisenhower with that title, with his "I will go to Korea" speech.; 8/26/20, 8:23 AM
traditionalguy said...: Besides Chinese cash bribes, the only source for DC Swamp rats to steal their usual billions of dollars is using the Defense Dept in time of war and the Foreign Aid slush funds that get kicked back to Soros organizations in time of peace. That Bad Orange Man has screwed up their robbery system. Now for China!!!; 8/26/20, 8:45 AM
Paul Snively said...: wendybar: He is the most pro life, anti war President in my lifetime...

Two reasons, coupled with his insistence on sound money and his filibustering drone surveillance of American citizens, that Rand Paul was my preferred candidate in the 2016 Republican primaries.; 8/26/20, 8:46 AM
Robert Cook said...: "President Trump is the first president in a generation to seek to end war rather than start one. He intends to end the war in Afghanistan."

He's been "seeking" and "intending to" for four years. As with many of the things he says, there's no follow up, no action to fulfill the promises.

If only Trump would end our disastrous, pointless, ruinously expensive military intrusions in other countries around the world, (not just leaving--completely leaving--Afghanistan), I would have to give him kudos. I'm not, as they say, holding my breath.; 8/26/20, 8:49 AM
Rick.T. said...: " And since he works in medicine, there's a professional upside to this view, as he works in a field in which he may profit directly from providing medical services to indigent illegal immigrants while the rest of us foot the bills."

If I was in the medical field, I'd hate to rely on Medicaid/Medicare reimbursements for a living.; 8/26/20, 8:51 AM
Joe Smith said...: They can never call Trump a warmonger...

It seems like now the Dems are tied in big with the defense contractors.

Ike was correct...; 8/26/20, 8:56 AM
Francisco D said...: Robert Cook said...

If only Trump would end our disastrous, pointless, ruinously expensive military intrusions in other countries around the world, (not just leaving--completely leaving--Afghanistan), I would have to give him kudos. I'm not, as they say, holding my breath.

I think Trump would like to leave Afghanistan completely, except his "experts" are telling him that any terrorist activity that hits directly at the US will be blamed on leaving Afghanistan.; 8/26/20, 9:00 AM
mockturtle said...: RickT opines: If I was in the medical field, I'd hate to rely on Medicaid/Medicare reimbursements for a living.

Yep. Not much 'profit' there. None, in fact.; 8/26/20, 9:06 AM
wendybar said...: Paul Snively said...
wendybar: He is the most pro life, anti war President in my lifetime...

Two reasons, coupled with his insistence on sound money and his filibustering drone surveillance of American citizens, that Rand Paul was my preferred candidate in the 2016 Republican primaries.

8/26/20, 8:46 AM

Trump wasn't my first choice either...I was a Cruz girl (and I love Rand Paul too), but when left with the choice we had, I am thrilled with the choice I picked, and will pick again. He has pleasantly surprised me!!!; 8/26/20, 9:14 AM
bleh said...: I’m reminded of the MSM’s and Democrats’ extreme outrage at Trump withdrawing troops from Syria. Remember that? “We’re abandoning the Kurds and letting the Turks slaughter them!!”

“Atrocities will follow!!”

“Trump has given Erdogan the ‘green light’ to massacre Kurds!”

I bet most Democrats don’t even remember how outraged they were about this.; 8/26/20, 9:25 AM
Robert Cook said...: "I think Trump would like to leave Afghanistan completely, except his 'experts' are telling him that any terrorist activity that hits directly at the US will be blamed on leaving Afghanistan."

Why should he give a shit? I thought Trump was the great disrupter, the non-listener to "experts". Afghanistan did not commit terrorism in the US previously, and they have no means to do so. Why pretend to fear them now? (Those who accrue power and wealth through our bloated War Department and active use of it against other nations fear loss of their gravy train. Also, our War Department is the main tool by which the USA asserts its power throughout the world.)

If he wants to withdraw our troops--ALL our troops--from Afghanistan, he has the power to do so, and he should, post haste. (But not stopping there: he needs to remove our troops from all the many nations we currently occupy.); 8/26/20, 10:20 AM
Michael K said...: While campaigning for his 1916 re-election WW employed the popular slogans "He kept us out of war" and "America First" to appeal to those voters who wanted to avoid a war in Europe.

Our first experience with fascism. Maybe not our last depending on the election.

Anybody who thinks there is any money to be made operating on illegals doesn't know anything about Medicine. No Medicaid, just bad debt all written off. I wish I had a dollar for each hour I spent operating on illegals. I could use them now. My favorite was a 20 year old kid walking on the Amtrak tracks on Memorial Day 1986. I have the story in my book. After I pulled him through (63 units of blood) I learned that he worked for his brother as a gardener. I suggested he could repay me for saving his life by mowing my lawn once a month. "Too busy" he said.; 8/26/20, 10:33 AM
Narr said...: Say what you will about Rand Paul and Libertarians, they are not as low and power-hungry as Dims and almost all Republicans (especially self-described LLRs).

I'm with Cook on this one--get the troops the hell home. Like Vidal wisely observed many decades ago, the USA is too small and poor a country to police the world anymore.

Narr
We may need them here!; 8/26/20, 11:15 AM
Birkel said...: But how will billions of dollars be laundered into politicians' control without clandestine budgets in obscure agencies that don't suffer oversight?

Think of all the graft and corruption Trump is stopping.
What about the poor children of the connected who might not be able to buy their respective ways into high society?
Think of those children.; 8/26/20, 11:42 AM
Bay Area Guy said...: I stumbled with this for many years, but here is a good resting place:

While the USSR was intact and striving for world domination (1917 - 1989), it was necessary to be a war monger to thwart them. I am a Cold Warrior, and I'm proud of the guys who fought the Commies, despite many, many, many errors of judgment and even misdeeds.

Soon after the 2001 attacks, it became clear that militant Islam is not even close to the level of the Soviet threat. Indeed, engaging them in foreign lands may: (1) do nothing or (2) even make it worse.

So, it is a good time to strive for peace and de-escalation.

As for the ChiComs, well, we have to engage them in all sorts of conflicts (cyber crimes, trade, biowarfare, etc, etc), hopefully short of actual war.

That is my opinion. And, I could be totally wrong.; 8/26/20, 12:20 PM
Michael K said...: Cook, once again getting his "facts" from "The Nation" and other communist sources.

Give it up, Cook. Nothing anyone right of Stalin would ever satisfy you.; 8/26/20, 12:39 PM
CJ said...: This is yuge. Trump hasn't started a single new war, which fact alone makes him the best president of the last 30 years. He's reduced the size of all the pre-existing wars and has withdrawn military personnel from many places. He has defused tricky situations in Syria and North Korea (notice they're not firing off any missiles or exploding any bombs) and appears to have facilitated something of a breakthrough with Israel and the Emirates. All this in the face of total opposition from the cabal Eisenhower called the military-industrial complex (it was originally "military-industrial-congressional complex" before his speechwriters persuaded him to shorten it).

And for some reason the terrorist attacks which happened continuously during the Obama years seem to have stopped. What's not to like?; 8/26/20, 1:09 PM
Joe Smith said...: "Soon after the 2001 attacks, it became clear that militant Islam is not even close to the level of the Soviet threat."

I've always thought we should leave the crazy Islamists alone in their own countries.

But if they come here to commit (or foment) terrorism, then we bomb them back to the 2nd century (as they're currently living in the 7th).

Also, I would not take nukes off the table. If they want a holy war, bring it on.; 8/26/20, 1:11 PM
Robert Cook said...: "Think of all the graft and corruption Trump is stopping."

Yep! ZERO.; 8/26/20, 1:53 PM
Robert Cook said...: "While the USSR was intact and striving for world domination (1917 - 1989), it was necessary to be a war monger to thwart them. I am a Cold Warrior, and I'm proud of the guys who fought the Commies, despite many, many, many errors of judgment and even misdeeds."

The USSR was striving mainly to not be a victim to the USA's striving for world domination, a striving that continues today.

"Soon after the 2001 attacks, it became clear that militant Islam is not even close to the level of the Soviet threat. Indeed, engaging them in foreign lands may: (1) do nothing or (2) even make it worse."

"Soon after?" It wasn't glaring apparent to you before that militant Islam was not a real world threat? "May do nothing or even make it worse?" Wasn't that also scorchingly obvious before we fell for bin Laden's trap? The whole point of 9/11 was to draw the USA into a ruinous military engagement in the middle east, intended to bankrupt our credibility on the world stage, (not to mention financially). He is dead, but he accomplished his mission, something we have failed to do, because we didn't and don't actually have a mission. We just stupidly lashed out.

James Madison foretold it all.

"In time of actual war, great discretionary powers are constantly given to the Executive Magistrate. Constant apprehension of War, has the same tendency to render the head too large for the body. A standing military force, with an overgrown Executive will not long be safe companions to liberty. The means of defence agst. foreign danger, have been always the instruments of tyranny at home. Among the Romans it was a standing maxim to excite a war, whenever a revolt was apprehended. Throughout all Europe, the armies kept up under the pretext of defending, have enslaved the people." ~ James Madison, Speech before Constitutional Convention (6/29/1787).

"Of all the enemies to public liberty war is, perhaps, the most to be dreaded, because it comprises and develops the germ of every other. War is the parent of armies; from these proceed debts and taxes; and armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few. In war, too, the discretionary power of the Executive is extended; its influence in dealing out offices, honors, and emoluments is multiplied; and all the means of seducing the minds, are added to those of subduing the force, of the people. The same malignant aspect in republicanism may be traced in the inequality of fortunes, and the opportunities of fraud, growing out of a state of war, and in the degeneracy of manners and of morals, engendered by both. No nation could preserve its freedom in the midst of continual warfare." -- James Madison, Political Observations, 20 April 1795

This last paragraph perfectly describes the modern day USA.; 8/26/20, 2:15 PM
Bob Smith said...: It’s not so much the war. That’s just some blue collar guy’s kid getting his legs blown off by an IED. What Trump wants to put a stop to are the retired senior military officers lucrative consulting gigs with the defense contractors.; 8/26/20, 2:34 PM
Drago said...: Cook: "The USSR was striving mainly to not be a victim to the USA's striving for world domination, a striving that continues today."

LOL

He really believes that....and its funny.

And sad.; 8/26/20, 2:52 PM
Drago said...: Cook: "The USSR was striving mainly to not be a victim to the USA's striving for world domination, a striving that continues today."

LOL

He really believes that....and its funny.

And sad.; 8/26/20, 2:52 PM
Gospace said...: Another thing that Trump has done that Cook probably disapproves of- targeting child porn producers, traders, and consumers. It's not possible to know everything about people you seal with on an occasional basis- er even your friends, for that matter.

Prior to the Trump administration, in 60 years, I didn't know anyone arrested or convicted of child porn possession, just an occasional news article on them. I'm now up to 4. My former doctor is now in jail for the rest of his life.

He was buying his child porn from servers in India. You know, I'd be perfectly OK if a few server farms in India were to be completely destroyed by unknown people or targeted KE weapons from an unknown party.; 8/26/20, 4:37 PM
Michael K said...: The USSR was striving mainly to not be a victim to the USA's striving for world domination, a striving that continues today.

And those 30 million Ukrainians were in the way. Jesus, you are a shit.; 8/26/20, 5:37 PM
Robert Cook said...: "And those 30 million Ukrainians were in the way. Jesus, you are a shit."

What does that have to do with the USA?; 8/26/20, 7:45 PM
Robert Cook said...: "Another thing that Trump has done that Cook probably disapproves of- targeting child porn producers, traders, and consumers. It's not possible to know everything about people you seal with on an occasional basis- er even your friends, for that matter."

Why would you think I "probably disapprove" of efforts to target child porn producers, trades and consumers? Smearing by insinuation is not the mark of intellectual good faith, and marks you as unprincipled.

Has Trump targeted these cohorts? I haven't heard a thing about it.; 8/26/20, 7:49 PM