In case you haven’t heard, Rand Paul is taking shots at the Obama Administration over it’s policy of bring detainees from Gitmo to the United States:
Rand Paul, who has surprised a lot of people by becoming a real contender for a U.S. Senate seat in Kentucky, bows to political reality — he’s blasting the Obama administration’s policy on terror trials and proposing to “try, convict, and lock up terrorists in Guantanamo.”
Paul’s father, Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), is one of the very few Republicans pushing for the closure of Gitmo. The Rand Paul press release was pointed out to me by a supporter of the elder Paul, who’s furious that libertarian-minded donors are flocking to the younger Paul.
I know a lot of folks inside the liberty movement are disappointed in Rand Paul’s position on this issue. Unlike others, I’m not going to call him a neo-con or blast him for it, although I disagree with him.
Rand Paul is running a different type of campaign. Despite leading in a recent poll, he is considered to be an underdog running against the Republican establishment.
Kentucky is still a conservative state. He has to be very careful with what he says, because of who he is. Like I said, I don’t agree with it, but I can understand the politics behind making this statement. However, his campaign risks alienating his base of donors that come from mostly out of state.
United Liberty
I don’t understand why pro-freedom liberty minded people would have a problem with Rand’s position. He simply makes the case that 911 was an act of war and should be treated as such. The accused should be brought in front of a military court and are not entitled to the same protections as US criminal courts.
I also agree that if we’re going to be in Iraq or Afghanistan through military force it should be done with a declaration of war and a willingness to fully occupy the country until we determine it is fit for independence same as we did in Germany & Japan. It is quite understandably debatable as to whether the situations warrant declarations of war but that should be the bar that must be achieved for us to engage in the actions we have to date. Either declare war or go home.
I see no philosophical differences in the two Paul’s positions at all and people need to quit confusing differences in opinions on principled action with acting without principle.
Ben,
I agree some of what you wrote, particularly the second paragraph. The lack of a formal declaration of war is one of the big issues with me.
I agree with Ben. I haven’t heard any good reasons (or any reasons at all really) why enemy combatants captured on foreign battlefields have the same Constitutional protections that we do. I’d be interested in hearing how our Constitutional protections extend to these people, and what pro-freedom/liberty minded people think should be done with these terrorists, combatants, militants, muslims or whatever you feel like calling them.
This was always an area where my views differed from those of Ron Paul. I’m very pleased that Rand Paul has taken this position. I may grow to become a bigger supporter of him, than of his father. Rand Paul & Peter Schiff 2010!
Not to sound bigoted at all, but I doubt that the average Kentucky voter understands the nuances of the terrorism issue and that maintaining a hugely visible detention facility is very counterproductive. This kind of talk may help Paul get elected. I wish him the best.
“Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.” - Thomas Jefferson
You’ve got this bass ackwards. The NeoCon position is aligning with Islamo-Fascism, like his Dad Ron Paul and his goofy isolationist views.
Rand Paul is coming home to the truly principled LIBERTARIAN stance of fighting Islamo-Fascism.
There are numerous Pro-Defense Libertarians who were not going to support him. Now, we’re fully on board. He’ll not only get our shoe-leather support but our $$$, as well.
For every America-hating Islamo-Fascist ‘D’ sucking (pun intended) supporter Rand will lose over this Pro-America stance, he’ll pick up 10 others he wouldn’t have otherwise had, amongst us Pro-Defense Libertarians.
Eric Dondero, Fmr. Senior Aide
US Cong. Ron Paul (R-TX) 1997-2003
I’m afraid that after that post, Eric, you may be the last person who can righteously accuse others of being “goofy.”
“Timid men prefer the calm of despotism to the tempestuous sea of liberty.” - Thomas Jefferson
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