Ron Paul on 9/11: Ask the Right Questions and Face the Truth


Uploaded by RonPaul2008dotcom on 11.09.2011

Transcript:
Hello, this is Ron Paul with your weekly update for September 12th.
Ten years ago, shocking and horrific acts of terrorism were carried out on U.S. soil,
taking nearly 3,000 innocent American lives. Without a doubt this action demanded retaliation
and retribution. However, much has been done in the name of protecting the American people
from terrorists that has reduced our prosperity and liberty and even made us less safe. This
is ironic and sad considering that the oft-repeated line concerning the reasoning behind the attacks
is that they hate us for who we are - a free prosperous people - that we must not under
any circumstances allow the terrorists to win. Though it is hard for many to believe,
honest studies show that the real motivation behind the 9/11 attacks, and the vast majority
of other instances of suicide terrorism, is not that our enemies are bothered by our way
of life, neither is it our religion or our wealth - rather it is primarily occupation.
If you were to imagine for a moment how you would feel if another country forcibly occupied
the United States, had military bases and armed soldiers present in our hometown, you
might begin to understand why foreign occupation upsets people so much. Robert Pape has extensively
researched this issue and goes in-depth in his book "Cutting the Fuse: The Explosion
of Global Suicide Terrorism and How to Stop It". In fact, of the 2,200 incidents of suicide
attacks he has studied worldwide since 1980, 95% were in response to foreign occupation.
Pape notes that before our invasion of Iraq, only about 10% of suicide terrorism was aimed
at Americans or American interests. Since then however, not only is suicide terrorism
greatly on the rise, but 91% of it is now directed at us. Yes, the attacks of 9/11 deserved
a response, but the manner in which we responded has allowed radicals in the Muslim world to
advance a very threatening narrative about us and our motivation in occupying their lands.
Osama Bin Laden referred to us as "crusaders" with a religious agenda to convert Muslims,
westernize their culture and take control of their resources. If we had targeted our
response to only the thugs and criminals who attacked us, and refrained from invading countries
that had nothing to do with it, this characterization would seem less plausible to the desperate
and displaced. Blaming Islam alone is grossly misleading. Instead, we chose a course of
action that led to the further loss of 8,000 American lives, 40,000 wounded, and has left
hundreds of thousands seeking help from the Veterans Administration. We are $3 to $4 trillion
poorer. Our military is spread dangerously thin around the globe at the expense of protection
here at home. Not only that, but we have allowed our freedoms to be greatly threatened and
undermined from within. The PATRIOT Act, warrantless searches and wiretapping, abuse of habeas
corpus, useless and humiliating circumstances at the airport, are just a few examples of
how we have allowed the terrorists to win by making our country less free. Suicide terrorism
did not exist in Iraq before we got there. Now it does. There are no known instances
of Iranians committing suicide terrorism. If we invade and occupy Iran, expect that
to change, too. Sometimes it can be very uncomfortable to ask the right questions and face the truth.
When a slick politician comes along and gives a much more soothing, self-congratulating
version of events, it is very tempting to simply believe what we would like to hear.
But listening to lies does not make us safer, even though it might make us feel better about
ourselves. The truth is that ending these misguided wars and occupations will make us
safer, more prosperous and more free.
Thanks for calling this update. A new update is placed on this number, 888-322-1414 every
Monday morning. The written text can be found on my website www.house.gov/paul under the
heading "Texas Straight Talk". Thanks for calling.