Senator Paul Tells NBC on Regime-Change Wars, ‘This Is the Time To Come Home’

Jan. 12, 2020 (EIRNS)—Despite being interviewed for a very brief seven minutes on NBC News “Meet the Press” Jan. 12, Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul delivered a strong call for withdrawal of U.S. forces from regime-change wars quickly. He also implied a criticism of President Donald Trump for the “security” officials (including Cabinet) he appoints to advise him.

Paul said:

“You know I’m on the Foreign Relations Committee and all of his nominees come before me. And I even warned some of them in private, ‘I’m going to ask you, “Do you agree with President Trump that the Iraq War was a mistake?’ ” You know what? Most of them don’t agree with him. He keeps appointing people to represent him that think the Iraq War was just great. They loved Dick Cheney’s position and they still don’t admit it was a mistake. So that’s why he keeps getting policy that isn’t his policy. I do think his instincts are pure. He’s been saying it for 20, 30 years. He’s been saying it for a long time that the wars have drained our treasury and that he’s not in favor of these wars. But then they convince him if we leave, we’ll look weak.”

Senator Paul continued, concluding his brief appearance: “I actually think this is a time of strength right now. ... This will be the time to come home. The Iraqi government, the democratically elected government, wants us to come home. We should come home.”

A national poll released today, by ABC News/Ipsos Public Affairs, found that opposition to the killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani is pretty broad—showing more than a simple Republican-Democrat or never-Trump split. On the question of “approval of President’s handing of the situation with Iran,” 56% of those polled did not, while 43% did. And on whether “the strike on Soleimani made America safer,” 52% said America was less safe as a result; just 25%, more safe. It was not associated, in this poll, with any change in Americans’ views regarding impeachment, or regarding Trump’s overall “job approval.”

Senator Paul also said, on the question of whether Congress must now authorize any war powers against Iran, that he did not think the Congress in voting the 2002 authorization for use of military force (AUMF) “meant to bind another generation” to war. He said, “So my point in being for this war powers debate is that we really need to have a debate about whether we should still be in Iraq or in Afghanistan. ... And I, frankly, think we ought to end those wars.”