Sen. Rand Paul Blocks New Iran Sanctions

[Matt Collins]

Sen. Paul Blocks New Iran Sanctions

Demands Amendment to Stop Administration’s Unilateral Use of Force

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Sen. Rand Paul took to the Senate floor to oppose unanimous consent of a new set of sanctions on Iran and introduced an amendment that would ensure that nothing in the act shall be construed as a declaration of war or an authorization of the use of force against Iran or Syria, and that any such use of force must be authorized by Congress.

Below is video and transcript of that exchange:

TRANSCRIPT:

Reserving the right to object, I’m amazed the Majority Party objects to an amendment which simply restates the Constitution.

Our Founding Fathers were quite concerned about giving the power declare war to the Executive. They were quite concerned that the Executive could become like a king.

Many in this body cannot get boots on ground fast enough in a variety of places, from Syria to Libya to Iran. We don’t just send boots to war. We send our young Americans to war. Our young men and women, our soldiers, deserve thoughtful debate.


Before sending our young men and women into combat, we should have a mature and thoughtful debate over the ramifications of and over the authorization of war and over the motives of the war.


James Madison wrote that the Constitution supposes what history demonstrates. That the Executive is the branch most interested in war and most prone to it. The Constitution, therefore, with studied care vested that power in the Legislature.


My amendment is one sentence long. It states that nothing in this act is to be construed as a declaration of war or as an authorization of the use of force in Iran or Syria. I urge that we not begin a new war without a full debate, without a vote, without careful consideration of the ramifications of a third or even a fourth war in this past decade. I, therefore, respectively object.

[NewRightLibertarian]

But.. But.. But.. He's really bad and stuff!

[John F Kennedy III]

But.. But.. But.. He's really bad and stuff!

[UWDude]

But.. But.. But.. He's really bad and stuff!

Or... maybe he felt a little heat from the torches and pitchforks.

[GeorgiaAvenger]

Neocon! Garrote him!

[Jeremy]

[RickyJ]

The first sanctions he voted for are bad enough.

[jmdrake]

The first sanctions he voted for are bad enough.

If voting for sanctions against Iran's central bank is the price to pay for the political capital needed to block sanctions against the Iranian people and to slow down the steady march to war with Iran that we seem locked into....well to me that's worth it.

Please read: http://www.dailypaul.com/217658/rand...iran-sanctions

[RickyJ]

If voting for sanctions against Iran's central bank is the price to pay for the political capital needed to block sanctions against the Iranian people and to slow down the steady march to war with Iran that we seem locked into....well to me that's worth it.

Please read: http://www.dailypaul.com/217658/rand...iran-sanctions

From the email response from Rand Paul:

The Iranian regime is engaged in the pursuit of nuclear weapons and supports terrorism across the globe. I supported S.Amdt.1414 because the sanctions are targeted to the regime's financing of those activities through the central bank and unlike other sanctions, not against the Iranian people.

This is flat out wrong. The Iranian regime is not in pursuit of nuclear weapons or supporting terrorism around the globe. And despite his claims that these sanctions do not hurt the Iranian people they do! Inflation is sky high in Iran now, believe me, it is hurting them!

[jmdrake]

From the email response from Rand Paul:


This is flat out wrong. The Iranian regime is not in pursuit of nuclear weapons or supporting terrorism around the globe. And despite his claims that these sanctions do not hurt the Iranian people they do! Inflation is sky high in Iran now, believe me, it is hurting them!

Oh I believe you. Well...let me qualify that. I believe that this hasn't been proven. I agree with Rick Santorum (the one who tells the truth when he thinks nobody is looking) that if Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons it's for defensive purposes only and not to attack Israel. I also don't believe that Obama's "raid" killed Osama. But those positions are not politically expedient. Rand took a politically expedient position that not only got him elected senator of Kentucky, but that gives him political cover to actually slow down the anti-Iran war machine. I give him kudos for doing that. I was critical of Rand before it was popular to be critical of Rand and caught hell here for doing that. I think I've paid my dues.

[ZanZibar]

This is flat out wrong. The Iranian regime is not in pursuit of nuclear weapons

Really? Are you sure about that? Even Ron asks the question "why wouldn't they want nukes, it's natural for them to want them?"

[anaconda]

Really? Are you sure about that? Even Ron asks the question "why wouldn't they want nukes, it's natural for them to want them?"

Google laptop of death. There is no credible evidence. It's as cheesy as Curveball and Iraq.

[specsaregood]

The first sanctions he voted for are bad enough.

[RickyJ]

Facts are not hate. I never expected a Ron Paul supporter to act like a mind numb robot.

[specsaregood]

Facts are not hate. I never expected a Ron Paul supporter to act like a mind numb robot.

And when somebody comes around and votes the way you want them to; the best response is to not piss in their cherios but congratulate them on coming around and changing their point of view. I never expected a Ron Paul supporter to be an unforgiving absolutist, oh wait, nm.

[NewRightLibertarian]

Facts are not hate. I never expected a Ron Paul supporter to act like a mind numb robot.

I think that it's better that Rand is a little more compromising than his father. It makes our movement more effective than having two Ron's

[John F Kennedy III]

I think that it's better that Rand is a little more compromising than his father. It makes our movement more effective than having two Ron's

I fully agree.

[tttppp]

The first sanctions he voted for are bad enough.

He's probably gotten a lot of crap from his supporters over that, and is trying to make up for it.

[ryanmkeisling]

He's probably gotten a lot of crap from his supporters over that, and is trying to make up for it.

It is called throwing those of us who didn't like his first vote and don't believe what he says about Iran developing nuclear weapons and supporting terrorism, a bone. Remember the wmd's that were in Iraq? Remember how al queada was linked to Iraq? Is that all they need to say these days, that a country is developing nuclear weapons and supporting world wide terrorism? Isn't out military industrial complex and our CIA number one at this?

When will Rand vote for sanctions against them? Or at the very least call them out for it? These are the liberty candidates I will get behind. Not these guys who are going to become part of the current structure, i.e. part of the problem. The current governmental structure is the problem, we are fast becoming a failed state because of it. Only 40% of the population turns out to vote and they are the important ones? They have voted this country to the $#@!s with their failed presidents and a congress that cannot seem to do anything but screw their constituents.

[EBounding]

The first sanctions he voted for are bad enough.

Maybe he's changing his mind? Up until 8 months ago, I would have been A-OK with all sanctions.

[jmdrake]

+rep to Rand!

[LatinsforPaul]

Truly impressed

[NIU Students for Liberty]

So why did he support the first set of sanctions?

[anaconda]

So why did he support the first set of sanctions?

See post #8 directly above yours.

[Sola_Fide]

Randtastic!

[Crotale]

Good news. I really hope that Rand turns out like his father.

[ZanZibar]

Good news. I really hope that Rand turns out like his father.

He's essentially identical to Ron, he just shapes his rhetoric in more friendly and less caustic language.

[trey4sports]

[Seraphim]

Good for Rand.

I was not impressed with the first round of sanctions, but this is certainly very positive.

No one is perfect. This time he's got it right.

[moderate libertarian]

Democrats (war wing) are not going to be happy about this.