Sen. Rand Paul Warns, Bolton Is a ‘Malign Influence’

May 18, 2019 (EIRNS)—Sen. Rand Paul told a conference call with reporters on May 16, that he fears that John Bolton is “a malignancy, a malignant influence on the administration,” when asked about John Bolton’s role in the deployment of an aircraft carrier strike group and an Air Force bomber task force to the Persian Gulf, The Hill reported.

Paul is concerned about the intelligence reports coming in, including the New York Times report that the White House escalated its warnings about a potential attack from Iran or Iranian-backed forces, based on photographs of missiles being transported on small boats in the Persian Gulf. “My concern is that there are people that will overreact to this intelligence and somehow get us involved in a military conflict from which there’s no turning back,” Paul said.

“The question is, that’s being done in reaction to our increased presence there and our naming all of the Revolutionary Guards as terrorists—is this a reaction to our policy or is it simply an aggressive policy saying we’re going to start war? Iran knows you don’t start a war with the United States.”

He further said that he is worried that the U.S. military build-up could increase the chances of a confrontation spiralling out of control.

“I think the most important thing is to put the administration on notice that they do not have congressional permission to go to war with Iran, and we need to make sure we’re not involved in anything that is provocative enough to encourage a skirmish that leads to a bigger war.”