The Warrior Ron Paul: 'Ron Paul Interview on Fox News Sunday With Chris Wallace'

 

Source:The Warrior Ron Paul- U.S. Representative Ron Paul (Libertarian, Texas) on Fox News Sunday, with Chris Wallace.

"Ron Paul Interview on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace - August 28, 2011. Visit Ron Paul Daily News for the latest news interviews and articles on Congressman Ron Paul." 

From The Warrior Ron Paul

It's refreshing to hear Representative Ron Paul honestly talk about reforming FEMA and disaster relief in general. But it's also refreshing to hear Representative Paul moderate his position on how to reform FEMA (the Federal Emergency Management Agency) and not be in favor of getting rid of a Emergency Management Agency, without replacing it with anything else. 

The way we've dealt with natural disasters in the past, is essentially wait for a disaster and then borrow the money to pay for the disaster relief. When Congress comes back into session in September and the White House most likely sends a bill to them to borrow money from China or Russia or some other country to pay for it. 

House Leader Eric Cantor who doesn't make intelligent statements everyday, is right to take the position that Congress shouldn't allow a bill that would borrow the money to pay for this disaster relief to come out of the House at least meaning it wouldn't come out of Congress either. Because the House and Senate have to agree first before any bill can pass Congress. The Democratic Senate will probably borrow the money to pay for their Disaster Relief, that the Senate Republican Leadership will probably successfully block. 

And I know this will start another partisan political fight the victims of Hurricane Irene at stake so they can get the resources they need to rebuild their communities. And another political fight is probably the last thing Americans want to see Washington doing right now, but I believe this is a fight worth having. Because we are talking about the health of our economy and getting our fiscal condition back to a place where we can manage it with a much lower national debt and deficit. 

I'm not saying that we should ignore the victims of Hurricane Irene and do nothing for them. I'm just saying that we should pay for our disaster relief now and going into the future and do a better job of how we pay for it by putting money down and up front. And using the money to pay for the disaster relief from that fund, the cleanup and insurance. 

Reforming our Emergency Management System as well as a Disaster Insurance System I believe is fairly simple. What I would do is to eliminate FEMA, but then replace it with cooperative between the Federal Government states, and even private sector, where the Federal Government would be more of a regulator of this Emergency Management System as well as the Disaster Insurance System. Then trying to run both of them and they would both be financed by essentially a property tax and a payroll tax, to fund for the cleanup of disasters and when a disaster happens in a state, then they would be able to use this property tax to pay for the cleanup. 

With a new disaster relief system like this, they would hire private companies to handle the cleanup. And this property tax would be assigned by how much property is worth for owners and renters and how high at risk they are prone to a disaster: hurricane, earthquake whatever it might be and then their would be a payroll tax to pay for the disaster insurance. 

The Federal Government would regulate, but not run and each state would have their own Disaster Insurance System that they would regulate as well. That the people would be able to select for themselves where to get their Disaster Insurance, including a public option for each state. And again this payroll tax would be assigned by how much property is worth and how prone they are to disasters.

A PAYGO (pay as you go) system like this, paying as you putting money down and collecting it when you need it to pay for the cleanup of disasters, as well to fix and replace property thats harmed from these disasters, is a much better way to pay for Disaster Relief, then to essentially wait for a disaster to hit and then borrowing the money to pay for it. And putting it on the National Credit Card and letting nations that don't have your best interest at heart, own part of our debt.

Euro News: 'UN Mission: 'Urgent Need to Protect Syrian Civilians'

 

Source:Euro News- Don't ask me to translate that. LOL

"Euronews is a European pay television news network, headquartered in Lyon, France. The network began broadcasting on 1 January 1993 and aimed to cover world news from a pan-European perspective.

It is jointly owned by several European and North African public and state-owned broadcasting organizations, and is currently majority-owned (88%) by Media Globe Networks, led by Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris, who is the chairman of the supervisory board. It is also a provider of live streaming world news, which can be viewed via its website, on YouTube, and on various mobile devices and digital media players." 

From Wikipedia 

"Syrian security forces have been accused of shooting dead two demonstrators as they came out of mosques during the most sacred night in Ramadan. 

 The deaths reportedly occurred in separate towns after al-Qadr prayers, the night when Muslims believe the Prophet received the Koran.

 The latest amateur pictures, difficult to verify, show protesters in buoyant mood calling for President Assad's downfall.

The United Nations said at least eight people were killed as thousands rallied around the country on Friday. Euro News." 

From Euro News

With the fall of the Gadaff Regime in Libya, I believe it's now time to put the international focus on Syria and the Assad Regime there to try to force President Bashar Al-Assad to step down from and power and his regime as well to bring a transitional government there while the Syrian people move to rebuild Syrian and rewrite their national constitution and form a new government there. 

Because of the brutal crackdowns there, that Assad security forces have put the Syrian opposition through just because they are fighting for their liberation there, I don't believe the United Nations, European Union, United States, and the Arab League should step aside and watch this brutal authoritarian regime of President Assad murder his own people because they are fighting for freedom and to end the fifty year reign of the Assad Regime. From Father Assad to his son Bashar and to try to establish some type of peaceful respectful government there that would respect human rights. 

I'm not making this argument as a Neoconservative because I'm not: I'm a Liberal Democrat who believes in liberal internationalism. And that means working with our allies to deal with the issues of the world, like government's murdering their own people because they want freedom for example. 

Syria is not a country that America can invade and occupy on its own: Syria is a pretty good size country of 22M people. About the size of Iraq but smaller and America as far as I'm concern is already overcommitted in the world. And not just in Afghanistan and Iraq, but Europe, Saudi Arabia, Japan and Korea as well. 

But just because we are overcommitted in the World, doesn't mean we should sit on our hands and watch innocent people be murdered by their own governments. We are still the strongest leader in the world that needs to work with our partners the other leaders in the world to deal with these issues when they come up. Along with the United Nations, European Union, Arab League as well. With Syria clearly being in the Arab League's neighborhood along with Turkey a major ally of America. 

This is an area where I believe the Arab League should step up to the plate a play a major role in trying to knock down the Assad Regime peacefully or otherwise, hopefully peacefully of course, to limit innocent people from being killed. And that might mean that they have their own defense force and foreign Service, similar to NATO thats made up of its own members. That the European Union is trying to build for themselves, that don't have brutal regimes. That can step in to deal with these authoritarian regimes as they come up that murders its own people. 

An Arab coalition could work with Syria and the European Union and the United States to knock these regimes out of power when they go too far. And I believe Syria would be a great opportunity where an international coalition could step up to knock out the Assad Regime. That where the United States could still play a valuable role, but more from the outside with supplies and resources but where are partners step up and do the work. Like with a no fly zone and perhaps even ground troops to defend the Syrian opposition. 

I'm for a four step process to taking the Assad Regime out-of-power in Syria. First, with economic sanctions in coalition with our partners. Then freezing the assets of the Assad Regime to keep money from the Assad Regime from leaving Syria or going into the Assad Regime. Supplying the Syrian opposition with resources and supplies so they can play a major role in this operation. 

And then if necessary a no fly zone and ground troops over Syria if necessary. In coalition with NATO and the Arab League.

Euro News: 'What Will NATO's Role be in a Post-Gaddafi Libya?'

Source:Euro News- Admiral Gianpaolo Di Paola: Chairman of the NATO Military Committee.

"Euronews is a European pay television news network, headquartered in Lyon, France. The network began broadcasting on 1 January 1993 and aimed to cover world news from a pan-European perspective.

It is jointly owned by several European and North African public and state-owned broadcasting organizations, and is currently majority-owned (88%) by Media Globe Networks, led by Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris, who is the chairman of the supervisory board. It is also a provider of live streaming world news, which can be viewed via its website, on YouTube, and on various mobile devices and digital media players." 

From Wikipedia 

"Nato warplanes have once again been in action in the skies over Libya. On Friday it was confirmed a formation of Tornado jets fired precision-guided missiles against what has been called, "a large headquarters bunker" in Sirte.

Since NATO took command of air strikes on March 31 they have conducted over 20,200 sorties while off the coast of the North African country 16 ships under NATO command are enforcing an arms embargo." Euro News"

From Euro News

NATO including the United States except for the fact that we played a much smaller but still vital role in Libya, unlike Afghanistan and Iraq in providing the air cover and security for the Libyan rebels so they could take down the Gadaffi Regime and NATO has proven that they still play a valuable role in helping to bring stability to trouble nations that aren't used to stability. 

But NATO's role in Libya isn't over: they need to stay there to help provide the security for the Libyan Transitional Council and the Libyan people as they try to bring stability to that country and to write a National Constitution, form a new national government and hold national elections. 

Building a stable, functional, and responsible Libyan government, is not something the United States can do on its own We are already overcommitted and need to bring our troops home in places like Europe, the Middle East, Japan, and Korea. And demand that these nations take the lead role in defending themselves, while we get our national debt and deficit under control and rebuild our economy. 

But this is an area we can help with supplies and resources like releasing frozen assets to Libya so they can use that money to rebuild their country. This is something that NATO is going to have to play a lead role, with even ground troops even, along with the Arab League, especially Egypt. And where the European Union and United Nations can play a role in helping Libya form its new national constitution and government. 

The West including America can help Libya with supplies and resources as well like getting the Libyan oil industry up and running again. Lifting economic sanctions and trade agreements. This is another area and more evidence that the United States can no longer be the sole policemen of the world and that we have to work with our European and Arab partners, African partners as well to help bring stability to these trouble areas in the world. 

Somalia would be another example where an international coalition can work together to bring stability. And help them build a stable government that respects human rights and serves its people. The United States is 14T$ in debt with a 1.8T$ budget deficit and a weak economy to go along with that. And we have our own bills that we have to start paying that we owe to a lot of these countries. 

America needs to start paying our own bills and rebuilding our own country and putting our own people to work before we decide upon ourselves that we need to try to do that for other countries, especially on our own. And I'm thinking of Iraq of course and to a certain extent Afghanistan where some of our partners are starting to pull out of there as well. 

Libya is not Afghanistan, they have money and an educated class that will be a big help in rebuilding this very large but lightly populated country. It's more like Iraq though that going to need a lot of help in putting these resources together for the good of Libya.

Euro News: 'Moammar Gaddafi's Deadly Weapons Arsenal Prompts US Concern'

Source:Euro News- don't ask me to translate this for you. LOL

"Euronews is a European pay television news network, headquartered in Lyon, France. The network began broadcasting on 1 January 1993 and aimed to cover world news from a pan-European perspective.

It is jointly owned by several European and North African public and state-owned broadcasting organizations, and is currently majority-owned (88%) by Media Globe Networks, led by Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris, who is the chairman of the supervisory board. It is also a provider of live streaming world news, which can be viewed via its website, on YouTube, and on various mobile devices and digital media players." 

From Wikipedia 

"As the Gaddafi regime hangs by a thread the United States is becoming increasingly concerned about the fate of Libya's weapons stockpiles.

US intelligence fears that Gaddafi may use the weaponry in a bloody last stand. But there is also the prospect of dangerous material falling into the hands of al Qaeda or other militant groups, even if the rebels consolidate victory.

 Libya possesses a huge and varied arsenal including chemical agents and raw nuclear material as well as some 30,000 shoulder-fired rockets." 

From Euro News

Libya in the short and long-term is going to need protection and the transition from the authoritarian dictatorship of Moammar Gadafi, to a transitional government, to a permanent national government that can defend itself and respects human rights. But at this point the Libyan Transitional National Council isn't capable of defending and governing this very large country on their own. 

Libya is going to need short-term protection as they rebuild their military and National Law Enforcement or Interior Department. But again the Libyan TNC won't be able to do this on their own and this is where NATO, the European Union, Arab League, United Nations and the United States to a smaller extent will have to play a major role in order for Libya to be able to make successful transition from the Gadafi Regime to a more stable government. 

Libya is going to need foreign troops to help defend and secure the country, the Libyan Rebels can play a role in this, as well as be part of the new Libyan military and law enforcement, but they are going to need reinforces to protect the country. But to also rebuild its military to retrain the military and rebuild its law enforcement. As well as find the Gaddafi weapons of mass destruction, that apparently the Gaddafi military had a better supply of then the Saddam Hussein Regime when it was kicked out of power back in 2003. I don't believe they'll have to be destroyed like they were in Iraq or what's left of the current Libyan Military will have to be destroyed either. 

Libya is already going to need more than enough help to secure the country as they transition from Gaddafi to a more respectful government. And dismantling what's left of the current Libyan Military won't accomplish that, which is what was done in Iraq. I believe the fastest and most responsible way for Libya to rebuild its military and security forces, to build on what they already have by bringing ex Gaddafi fighters as well as the Libyan rebels. 

Once Libya is somewhat secure with an international coalition of NATO the EU, AL, UN perhaps the African Union as well, then they can move transitioning from the TNC to a permanent national government. With a national constitution and having elections in the future, rebuilding the Libyan oil industry which will be critical to providing the resources necessary to rebuilding the country. As well as new trade agreements with Libya, releasing frozen assets to the TNC. Where hopefully they'll make a smooth transition from authoritarianism to democracy that the Libyan people will have to figure how to accomplish this. 

But before Libya can accomplish and of this, they are going to have to secure the country and not just Tripoli but the other cities and the thirty two provinces that are in this very large country.

Euro News: 'Libya Puts The E.U. To The Test'

Source:Euro News- Catherine Ashton: Chief of Foreign Policy, for the European Union.

"Euronews is a European pay television news network, headquartered in Lyon, France. The network began broadcasting on 1 January 1993 and aimed to cover world news from a pan-European perspective.

It is jointly owned by several European and North African public and state-owned broadcasting organizations, and is currently majority-owned (88%) by Media Globe Networks, led by Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris, who is the chairman of the supervisory board. It is also a provider of live streaming world news, which can be viewed via its website, on YouTube, and on various mobile devices and digital media players." 

From Wikipedia 

"The flag of the Europe Union was raised in the rebel held town in Benghazi four months after the revolution in Libya started. It was more than symbolism and backed with the opening of an office by Catherine Ashton after politics and posturing within member states. In Brussels on Tuesday she outlined the bloc's latest response saying she will sit down with the UN, African Union and Arab League in New York at the end of the week. It is, Ashton admitted a test on how the EU can act effectively. Euro News." 

From Euro News

With the United States facing a national debt of 14T$ and a budget Deficit of 1.8T$ and with a weak economy with very little economic or job growth, where we are already over committed in the world, the last thing we should do right now is have more American troops on the ground in another country, especially another Middle Eastern country. 

We need to step back and play a major role from the outside with things like foreign aide and helping them form their own national government. But don't do it for them, but Libya is an example of where the European Union which is just a short swim away from Libya. (Not literally in case, you are thinking of swimming from Italy to Libya or something)

Here's an example of where the European Union could play a major constructive role in their backyard. In areas like helping Libya developed its new military, law enforcement, developing their provincial government's. With their troops as well as foreign aide and having trade agreements with Libya which is something the United States should do as well. 

This is an opportunity where the E.U. can step up of show some influence in the world and not just in Europe and be a real player and partner on the world stage by helping Libya close this ugly forty two year chapter in their history of the Gadafi Regime. And move to form a responsible government that respects its people and respects human rights. 

This is also an area where the Arab League can step up and play a major constructive role as well, especially Egypt to help secure the new Libya as they work to build their new government and country. With troops and other resources as well. 

Libya is a very large country about the size of Iran physically with thirty two provinces. And will need additional armed forces to defend this large country especially as the Libyan rebels and NATO beat down a lot of the Gadafi military. Libya will also need help rebuilding its military. 

Libya is an opportunity where the European Union can influence what type of national constitution and national government Libya will have going forward. And developing those things and show them what type of governments are in Europe and to influence them in that way as well. Not to try to make them set up their type of government, only Libya can decide that for themselves, but to have a say in what type of government they have through influence. 

Libya has a long way to go before they'll have a functional government that will be able to defend the country in a responsible way. And will need help in developing that especially since the Gadafi Regime did almost nothing to develop its own governmental institutions. The European Union and Arab League could help play a vital role here while the United States steps back instead of trying to be the sole policemen of the world. 

Euro News: 'Winning Unity Next Challenge for Libyan Rebels'

Source:Euro News- Libyan rebels.

"Euronews is a European pay television news network, headquartered in Lyon, France. The network began broadcasting on 1 January 1993 and aimed to cover world news from a pan-European perspective.

It is jointly owned by several European and North African public and state-owned broadcasting organizations, and is currently majority-owned (88%) by Media Globe Networks, led by Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris, who is the chairman of the supervisory board. It is also a provider of live streaming world news, which can be viewed via its website, on YouTube, and on various mobile devices and digital media players." 

From Wikipedia  

"There is nothing like a common enemy to unite old foes but the speed and manner of the rebel advance on Tripoli has been astonishing. NATO's bombing campaign may have evened out the battlefield against Gaddafi's troops giving the poorly armed and ill-equipped forces the chance to take the capital. But only last month divisions and disarray threatened to rip the rebels apart. The murder of the rebel army chief, Abdul Fatah Younis, exposed the difficulties for Libya's future government. Euro News." 

From Euro News

Now that Moamar Gadhafi is apparently out-of-power and no longer running Libya and is perhaps more of an opposition force to the Transitional National Council in Libya and it's just a matter of capturing Gadhafi and his deputies, Libya can move to build their own country that respects it's people as well as their human rights and rule of law.

But assuming Libya can start their own personal nation building process fairly soon, the next step for Libya and the TNC as well as the Libyan people, is how do they build up Libya as a functioning country with a functioning national government and functioning provincial and local government's as well, so the people can be free to live their own lives, send their kids to school, have a functioning health care system, legal system, etc. Libya is going to need a national constitution, rule of law, law and order, all things that any functioning nation need that Libya currently doesn't have. 

The issues that Libya have unlike Egypt, is that Egypt by in-large already had most of these things. And Libya is more like Iraq post-Saddam Hussein where the entire Hussein Regime fell and the United States literally had to install its own transitional government there before a new Iraqi Transitional Government could be formed. Libya does have a Transitional National Council, so at least they have something they can build on. 

Libya needs a national constitution that the Libyan people should have to approve. They are going to have to rebuild their law enforcement, their military, an interim President or Prime Minister or both, before they hold general elections to elect a new Parliament or Congress as well as President or Prime Minister. 

Libya is going to need transitional, provincial, and local government's, before they hold provincial and local elections. Establish political party's to compete for power of the country. A court system and they may have to bring in some of the former Gadhafi Regime members to help with this transition which could cause problems. 

Libya has a lot of work to do, but they do have a large oil industry that will help in providing the resources to do so but they are going to have to rebuild that as well. 

This as I see it is a huge opportunity for Libya obviously to go from an authoritarian regime to functioning country that respects human rights, if democracy all together, but its also a huge opportunity as well for the Arab League as well. 

Time the Arab League to move past the days of being in the pockets of these authoritarian Arabian regimes. And move to a place where perhaps they aren't speaking out in favor of liberal and social democracy, which I think would be a stretch. But at least get to the point and they've shown some progress in this direction on with Egypt and Syria. 

The Arab League needs to get to a place where they are no longer backing authoritarian regimes with brutal human rights records and at least speaking out against these regimes. And if anything working to get these regimes thrown out-of-power and installing government's that at least respect human rights. 

The Arab League could work with Libyan people to move past Moammar Gadhafi and work with them to build a respectful and responsible government there.

Euro News: 'Rebels Close In On Moamar Gaddafi's Tripoli Stronghold'

Source:Euro News- civil war in Libya.

"Euronews is a European pay television news network, headquartered in Lyon, France. The network began broadcasting on 1 January 1993 and aimed to cover world news from a pan-European perspective.

It is jointly owned by several European and North African public and state-owned broadcasting organizations, and is currently majority-owned (88%) by Media Globe Networks, led by Egyptian billionaire Naguib Sawiris, who is the chairman of the supervisory board. It is also a provider of live streaming world news, which can be viewed via its website, on YouTube, and on various mobile devices and digital media players." 

From Wikipedia 

"Who controls what in Libya? Amid fierce fighting, it is still unclear whether rebels have, as they claim, seized control of two key coastal cities." 

From Euro News

I supported America's role on the NATO no fly zone in Libya back in March when we first became part of it under the War Powers Act. But my problem with this operation since is how President Obama has interpreted the War Power Act using the WPA as justification to get involved in Libya but not living up to the WPA as far as reporting to Congress within ninety days after our involvement. 

I haven't supported basically any involvement in Syria or the gulf states because I don't trust the Obama Administration at this point in how they would handle potential American military operations there, because I believe they've basically taken this position that they have the authority to send American troops oversees on our own and even if they don't, who's going to stop us and the hell with Congress and everybody else involved, just send them the money to fund these operations. 

The Obama Administration's current position of the WPA looks very similar to the George W. Bush Administration on national security: it looks very neoconservative and not why Barack Obama was elected President. 

So with the Libyan Rebels starting to make real progress in Libya now and hopefully about to knock Moamar Quadaffi out-of-power, the time is very close for the United States to pull out of Libya and let NATO take complete control there with the help of the Arab League. And bring our planes home from Libya and start to pull out of Afghanistan and Iraq as well. 

The fact that we've been involved in Afghanistan our longest war ever for coming up on ten years (in October) Iraq for eight years and now Libya since March and with Iran pursuing nuclear weapons without us having much if any ability to do anything about it, the fact that we have the largest defense budget in the world by far (second place is not even close) with our defense budget being around 700B$ a year and of course our 14T$ national debt with 20% of that coming from our defense budget, is more then enough evidence that we can't be the sole policemen of the world and need more partners. 

What America should be doing instead as of right now and into the future is work with our allies to build up regional alliances to handle situations like this in the future. So when a murderous dictator like a Moamar Quadaffi or a Bashar Al-Assad decides to murder his own people in the future, because they decide that they don't like their government and want the freedom to live their own lives, there would be an international alliance ready and able to deal with thugs.

A alliance like this like the Arab League in Arabia or the African Union in Africa (to use as examples) can step and knock these authoritarian regimes down or at least hold them down, while rebels fight for their freedom. Like what is going in Libya right now, but instead of this no fly zone being an Arab League operation, its a NATO operation instead because the AL isn't equipped to do something like this right now. Which is a big problem and why we are there right now.