Written by Ron Paul; Originally appeared on ronpaulinstitute.org
Just two weeks after President Trump pulled the US from the Iran nuclear agreement, his Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, issued 12 demands to Iran that could never be satisfied. Pompeo knew his demands would be impossible to meet. They were designed that way. Just like Austria-Hungary’s ultimatum to Serbia in July, 1914, that led to the beginning of World War I. And just like the impossible demands made of Milosevic in 1999 and of Saddam Hussein in 1991 and 2003, and so many other times when Washington wanted war. These impossible demands are tools of war rather than steps toward peace.
U.S. Navy/M.C.S. 2nd Class Sean M. Castellano/Reuters
Secretary Pompeo raged at Iran. The mainstream news media raged at Iran. Trump raged at Iran. But then a strange thing happened: nothing. The Iranians announced that they remained committed to diplomacy and would continue to uphold their end of the nuclear agreement if the Europeans and other partners were willing to do the same. Iranian and European officials then sought out contacts in defiance of Washington in hopes of preserving mutually-beneficial emerging commercial relations.
Washington responded to the European snub by threatening secondary sanctions on European companies that continued doing business with an Iran that had repeatedly been found in compliance with its end of the bargain. Any independent European relationship with Iran would be punished, Washington threatened. But then, again, very little happened.
Rather than jump on Washington’s bandwagon, German Chancellor Angela Merkel made two trips to Russia in May seeking closer ties and a way forward on Iran.
Russia and China were named as our prime enemies in the latest National Security Strategy for the United States, but both countries stand to benefit from the unilateral US withdrawal from the Iran deal. When the French oil company Total got spooked by Washington threats and pulled out of Iran, a Chinese firm eagerly took its place.
It seems the world has grown tired of neocon threats from Washington. Ironically the “communist” Chinese seem to understand better than the US that in capitalism you do not threaten your customers. While the US is threatening and sanctioning and forbidding economic relations, its adversaries overseas are busy reaping the benefits of America’s real isolationism.
If President Trump’s canceled meeting with North Korea’s Kim Jong-Un remains canceled, North and South Korea have shown that they will continue with their peacemaking efforts. As if Washington was no longer relevant.
I’ve often spoken of the unintended consequences of our aggressive foreign policy. For example, President Bush’s invasion of Iraq only helped Iran – our “enemy” – become more dominant in the Middle East. But it seems new consequences are emerging, and for the neocons they must be very unintended: for all of its bellicosity, threats, demands, sanctions, and even bombs, the rest of the world is increasingly simply ignoring the demands of Washington and getting on with its own business.
While I am slightly surprised at this development, as a libertarian and a non-interventionist I welcome the growing irrelevance of Washington’s interventionists. We have a far better philosophy and we must work hard to promote it so that it can finally be tried after neocon failure becomes obvious to everyone. This is our big opportunity!
it’s always a pleasure reading Ron Paul’s comments on US politics. He offers unique insights, and does it with a positive, constructive-critical attitude.
one of the few sources inside the US political circles still worth listening to.
the swamp, aka “deep state” would choose mass suicide over having him as President, or even letting him run as a candidate (something that I don’t think will ever happen).
OK. Then what ???
Like we say : “In dictatorship, you can’t speak. In “democracies”, keep talking”. XD.
Americans always need an ennemy. And the most hilarious part is that they don’t see their real ennemies. XD.
..Like these ones? https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dd0_yaqVwAAm6-B.png
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DbpJmGUV0AEiGx9.jpg
Glad to see that not all Americans are mad or brain dead. Respect to Ron Paul.
Respect to Presidet Swamp for “making America Insignificant Again” ! Just keep it up you are doing great job !
:) Great job, Teflon-Don! ;).. https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DW6JY2IVwAAgwW3.jpg https://hailtothegynocracy.files.wordpress.com/2016/08/anti-semitic-meme.png https://img.ifcdn.com/images/4ee0334a66a8f1548c881e07918904becb4f732e9e051777a99a9742cfaaf96e_1.jpg
Thankyou Dr Paul!
Why confederate and nazis joined together during Charlottesville events ?
My theory explains it. Indeed, all that shit began during the Civil War in USA. Indeed, the confederate were the american nationalists and the union were the globalists. Then, came WW1 and WW2. Then creation of UN. Then, creation of israel.
Then, NK and Vietnam to take over Asia.
Then, Balkan states.
Then, the “war on terror”, 9/11, al-qaeda, ISIS, …..
Your “theory” is just like the rest of you. Anything anti-all-Americans just has to be it. Hate, hate, hate, and then hate all Americans some more. Without ever doing one minute’s worth of actual research as to who is behind all the moves in the world.
1 – Civil War : destruction of nationalits americans. The globalists have won. 2 – WW1 : destruction of German empire and Ottoman empire. The globalists have won. 3 – WW2 : destruction of Germany and occupation of Germany. Destruction of Japan and occupation of Japan. Creation of UN. Creation of israel. The globalists have won 4 – Korea and Vietnam wars. First defeat of the globalists given by China in Vietnam. 5 – Balkan wars. The globalists have won. 6 – Start of the “war on terror”. 9/11, ISIS, …. Invasion and occupation of Afghanistan. Invasion and occupation of Syria. The globalists have won.
Note that the next step can’t be achieved without having completed the previous step. Note also that Russia never defeat the globalists once but collaborate many times with them.
QED.
Food for thought. But the US defeat in Vietnam was not “given by China”. In fact, Vietnam and China have historically been enemies, and China on occasion has invaded Vietnam, and been driven out (just like us!). Vietnam’s ally, supporter and arms supplier was the Soviet Union, not China. John McInsane’s deep hatred for Russia was incubated in a Vietnamese prison, where he had some unpleasant (I imagine) interactions with Soviet officers.
That’s the miracle of USA. USA can make ennemies fight together. XD. In the same way, germany empire and Ottoman empire allied in WW1 against USA.
Vietnam is now one country, not two countries like Korea.
china been helping vietnam since the french occupation including training viet regular military in chinese camps just over the border so the french cannot touch them. Their graduation exercise is an attack on the whole Route Coloniale french fortressed and destroy them all in single swoop causing massive french death and loss.
US lost because of the chinese threat to openly help vietnam if US invade north vietnam. Just like korean war.
basically US entererd vietnam war with no real strategy to win.
There was 1 month bloody war between China and Vietnam over Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia and removal of pro-Chinese regime there. War in which China has sustained very big losses. Animosity is real and live manifested now with the problem of imposed maritime Chinese borders of “9 dash line” in the South China sea. Vietnam is now drilling for oil in the region only thanks to the Russians. Because Russian “Gasprom” is very big exporter to China so Chinese do not want to create problems to them.
silly , china and vietnam conflict last quite long time but casualties is minimal on both sides. the viets know to lay low as they wont be able to stop the chinks if it is a real war..
china’s actions partly driven by racist vietnamese who kill chinese descent people , along with genocide of the tribal people in viet jungles..
in the rush to blame china , the media conveniently forgot the massive genocide of vietnamese hill people and the killing of vietnamese chinese..
I’m “silly”?! And your claims are opposite! “china been helping vietnam since the french occupation ” You contradict yourself .First you claim that they were “‘ helping Vietnam” and now you claim opposite that they are in conflict -war for “quite long time” So which one is it?!?
And you claim something you need proof. What is ” quite long time” for you and where are the proves for that “long time” war?
you are a fool because you dont know history and you dont want to learn history. It would so well for you to read and study indochina history.
pointless to discuss real history with a fool like you who do not want to learn or study history.
You are coling me a “fool” yet you do not answer my comment?!?! You contradicted your own claims you fucking stupid idiot ! —————————————————————– These are your own words: “china been helping vietnam since the french occupation ”
They couldn’t “helping Vietnam” and have conflict -war for “quite long time” in the same time!!! You fucking retard!
a fool , blathering like a mad man , because he didnt understand the topic at hand and too lazy to learn the basics , now posturing in fake anger to hide his lack of knowledge in an obscenity laden post..
so predictable
I still wait on answer on direct question I have asked you and I have received insults instead you fucking ASSHOLE !!
Who are the globalist now?
Your Zionist magg0ts and their puppets, who else?
go back to your cave you muzzy rat! LOL
Irrelevance is the key word for the rest of the world..Consumerism is the operative word..People want to live prosper and enjoy life…America believes it needs an enemy to divert attention from the flawed economic structure they have built for themselves… A military industrial complex that feeds off of fear and chaos…So they make enemies for the slightest pretext and feed their dumb as a block population the party line..anyone see any similarities to NAZI Germany? Guns or butter is their line…The next 20 years are going to be interesting bet you see a bankrupted America isolated within its borders with a modern version of the soviet style NKVD.
Flawed analogy. Hitler wasn’t interested in creating foreign enemies to divert attention, he had the Jews for that. He wanted to start another great war to rearrange Europe in Germany’s favor. Readdress the wrongs of Versailles, unite all Germans in one country and destroy Poland and Russia to create Lebensraum for Germany. That’s not constantly seeking new enemies, that’s a master plan.
If you’re looking for an example of creating a foreign enemy to divert attention from a failing economy, just look at Argentina and the Argentine Junta’s invasion of the Falklands.
Hmmmmm forgot about Argentina but you are quite correct but the guns or butter still stands….The USA is the number one arms exporter..
According to Business Insider the US may be the number one, but in the rest of the 2017 top 10 Europeans occupy 6 of the 10 spots.
1. United States 2. Russia 3. France 4. Germany 5. China 6. United Kingdom 7. Spain 8. Israel 9. Italy 10. Netherlands
And the US largest clients were: Saudia Arabia (18% of all sales), UAE (7.4% of all sales), and Australia (6.7% of all sales). So I doubt the US gains much in arms sales from fracturing or frightening Europe, Europe can produce plenty of its own.
USA sell ~35-40% of all weapons in the market https://www.businessinsider.de/top-countries-exporting-weapons-arms-sales-2018-3?op=1
another hasbara papa lies , hilter blame european victors of WW1 for german malaise , not jew.. the whole jewish hate propaganda is created by isrseli zionist to further their intent to steal land in palestine.
I read his book, its very MUCH jews this, jews that. There is a difference between redressing the wrongs of Versailles and annihilating an entire people. And guess what, he never talked about annihilating the French. He did talk a lot of getting rid of the Jews and conquering Poland and Russia.
Unless the jews rewrote Mein Kampf as well.
silly hasbara , always trying to insert the sad jew history and inflate it , as if it is historical fact. So called jewish hate is not limited to germans, other western nations also have reservation on the imbalance of jewish representation among the economic trade bank sector.
just like today
It was the actions of France and Britain that caused Hitler to come to power, they demanded so much money in reparations from Germany for losing WWI the country went into severe decline. Hitler came along and said he would no longer pay, and was an instant hero of the German people. And it was France and the UK that started WWI, they refused to allow Germany access to oil outside the BP/Total monopoly.
But some things never change, today the northern Europeans are starving the Greeks, and it’s the Americans trying to monopolize oil/gas supplies to Germany.
that is the historical fact than the notion of german as jew haters , as hasbara papa posted.. as if the whole germany at that time were anti jew , to gain sympathy to their cause..
There is a story regarding the Falklands which is completely different from what is told in MSM, it’s about Black Goo, Thule Island etc. It seems, the British desperately wanted to get access to Black Goo, which was blocked by Argentina. After Argentina was defeated, the Black Goo was researched in the Marconi Labs. A number of researchers died at that time under strange circumstances.
it’s nice to see, how wikipedia dismisses the deaths as conspiracy theory, but the mentioned deaths were real, a lot of strange suicides and accidents, every one was confirmed, there were even more, which weren’t counted, because they were deemd inconspicous https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GEC-Marconi_scientist_deaths_conspiracy_theory
Of course the people believing in MSM will just ridicule the mere idea of Black Goo.
Bankrupt yes. Along with Canada, UK, France, Italy, Spain, Ireland, and most of the western democracies. All these countries are becoming more irrelevant. Liberalism and mass immigration have brought the west to its knees. Communism and dictatorships have become trendy to fruitcake Liberals and therefore have won the day.
HA! No one in America takes Ron Paul seriously!
…and that is why Murica is going down the shi_tter….
Bitch! My 401k says otherwise LOL you broke, I’m rich! Trump is making America rich!
….you got hallucinations in your trailer pal?
You mean “No f*king Jewish Zionist and its concierges”
ALL EMPIRES grow, stagnate and then fall,. Mostly caused by stvpidities made INSIDE