Join RPI August 24th in Washington! Tickets here.
Breaking Washington's Addiction to War
by The Ron Paul Institute for Peace and Prosperity
War and Threats of War: How to Detox Washington
You know you're in trouble when even the stated opponents of Washington's imperial foreign policy cannot put together an intellectually satisfying, philosophically coherent argument against the warfare state. Too often ostensible opponents of Washington's impossibly aggressive foreign policy believe they are being "reasonable" by couching their criticisms in banal technicalities or obscuring them in a cost/benefit argument that ignores what should be the threshold for initiating foreign policy action: "Why act?"
A recent piece of analysis from a not necessarily unfriendly Beltway organization argued that we should end the war in Afghanistan because, "the United States can’t win against the Taliban at a remotely acceptable cost." Again, this is not a terrible paper from our perspective, but, turning the argument around, on what planet is an aggressive war fought against those who have not attacked us justified if it has an "acceptable cost"? If we only could kill more with less, it would be OK?
The Taliban should be decimated because they have "weird" religious views and allowed al-Qaeda to train for 9/11 on their soil? The same could be said for Florida.
At this point Afghanistan is just a testing ground for US mega-weapons and a jobs program for well-connected weapons manufacturers. That's why up to late last year, the sine qua non of a peace agreement with the Taliban was that a US force must remain behind. To fight al-Qaeda and ISIS. That the Taliban was already fighting. It's like our idiotic illegal outpost on Syrian soil: we must remain in Syria to fight al-Qaeda and ISIS...but when the Syrian government actually attacks the last al-Qaeda stronghold in Syria, the State Department demands they stop fighting al-Qaeda. And Americans can't understand why the rest of the world is scratching its collective head at the schizophrenic irrationality of US foreign policy.
No, here's our view: A lower cost would not justify the US war on Afghanistan. If we could get Saudi Arabia and Israel to write the check, an attack on Iran would still be an abomination. And here's the bitter pill: Even if Congress authorized a US war on Iran, China, Venezuela, fill-in-the-blank, it would still be an illegal and immoral war unless they attacked the US. If we don't want the rest of the world with its boot on the neck of our sovereignty, we must accept the sovereignty of others. Even if they choose leaders Washington does not like or endorse economic systems we believe are goofy.
It's all common sense, but the mainstream media propaganda has Americans believing they are Popeye and there is a never-ending supply of spinach. We can "free the oppressed people" worldwide with enough sanctions, State Department regime change training, and a few bombs if needed.
It does not work. Even if "this time it's different," as we are hearing about the US-sponsored cook-up in Hong Kong. Lucy, hold that football.
This is the last RPI update before our Washington conference on Saturday. If you have not gotten your tickets I would urge you to do so immediately. We have less than two tables left before the venue will force us to stop selling seats. We have a great program of people you need to hear from and perspectives you will rarely hear.
I was sitting here starting this letter to you when my phone rang and it was Rep. John Duncan on the line, really excited about his scheduled speech at the conference on being an antiwar conservative. How often do you hear about that on Fox or MSNBC? But we all need to hear it, to take this message and churn it into our broader movement. We will win because we have the best ideas, and as Dr. Paul always says we do not need 50% plus one. We just need to understand the freedom philosophy and transmit it to the millions of receptive Americans, just waiting to hear something - finally - that makes sense!
Join us!
Get your tickets TODAY! This is an event like none other inside the Beltway. We are coming not to compromise or to make a deal. We are coming to Washington to demand a change in US foreign policy! Reserve your place at this critically important gathering of forces opposed to the neocon plan for endless war and destruction!
Breaking Washington's Addiction to War
August 24th, 2019
Dulles Airport Marriott, Dulles, VA
Program: RPI Washington Conference
8:30: Registration, store opens, coffee and tea
9:30 – 9:50: Daniel McAdams Welcome and Introduction, “Real Anti-Interventionism.”
10:00 – 10:20: Rep. John Duncan, “An Antiwar Conservative.”
10:30 – 11:00: David Stockman, “NATO’s Destructive Tentacles.”
11:00 – 11:20: Coffee break
11:20 – 11:40: Nathan Goodman, "The Economic Costs of US Empire."
11:45 – 12:05: Rick Sanchez, “US Media in Crisis.”
12:10 – 12:30: Larry Johnson, “Understanding the Intel and Law Enforcement Plot to Destroy the Trump Presidency.”
12:30 – 1:30: Lunch
1:40 – 2:00: Doug Macgregor, “National Security Without Constant Conflict.”
2:05 – 2:25: Lew Rockwell, “Rothbard and War.”
2:30: Ron Paul
***PLEASE NOTE***
The Dulles Airport Marriott hotel is booked solid for Friday night, August 23rd. Our overflow hotel is:
COURTYARD DULLES TOWN CENTER
45500 Majestic Drive
Sterling, VA 20166
To receive the discounted rate, attendees must request the Ron Paul Institute Conference room block at the Courtyard Dulles Town Center. Guests may also reserve online using the link provided below:
Book your group rate for Ron Paul Institute Conference
Guests may now begin to make their reservations, by calling central reservations at 800-369-3902.
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