President Obama’s Libyan campaign represents “the continuation of a deeply flawed foreign policy.” That’s the assessment of U.S. Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, who used those words in a news conference two hours before the president’s televised address on the topic.
“It will not end well,” Paul told reporters at N.C. State University’s McKimmon Center, shortly before delivering a speech sponsored by the campus chapter of Young Americans for Liberty. “If for no other reason, people should be frightened about casually going to war [with] no permission and committing hundreds of millions of dollars. They think in the first month, we might spend another $1 billion, and they pretend they care about the spending and the deficit?”
“I think the American people are going to wake up and realize this,” Paul added. “I’m going to do my darnedest to wake up the people about how serious this is. Fortunately, so far at least, the young people have been very supportive of this position because they know they will suffer the consequences if we don’t change this policy.”
Paul was on stage in Raleigh as the president delivered his televised remarks. Reporters asked Paul before the speeches what he wanted to hear from the commander-in-chief.
“I want to hear him say, ‘I made a mistake, and I’m sorry, and we’re coming home tomorrow,’” Paul said. “Then he would get loud cheers, and people would say, ‘Well, finally, he’s telling the truth.’ This idea that we’re over there for humanitarian reasons, I don’t know how many people believe that.”
Weeks before the Obama administration pursued a Libyan no-fly zone, Paul had pushed a congressional resolution against that option. “My resolution said, ‘Mr. President, don’t do it,’” Paul explained. “’You don’t have the authority to do it. It’s not a wise thing to do it. If you do it, you should come to the Congress. If you do it without permission, it’s unconstitutional. It is an act of war.’”
During the 17-minute news briefing, Paul also addressed his concerns about the declining value of the dollar, key issues that will influence the 2012 elections, and his role in Congress now that Republicans hold a majority in the U.S. House. Watch the full news conference here.
Mitch Kokai is an associate editor of Carolina Journal.