12-15-2011 Ron Paul Highlights
Regarding Iran, please consider the following:
1st: If Iran acquired and used a nuclear weapon, it literally WOULD BE 'wiped off the map' instantly.
2nd: The issue is always framed to make it seem like Iran is 'anti Jew' rather than 'anti Zionist.' There is a HUGE difference. Zionism is a political movement, like NeoConservatism. As such, a person can oppose the policies of the Zionist-controlled Israeli government without 'hating all Jews,' just as a person can oppose the NeoCons' illegal and murderous 'foreign policy,' without 'hating all Americans.' More importantly, if Iran is so hostile toward Jews, why does Iran have the second largest Jewish population in the Middle East? (Second only to Israel.)
3rd: Even if you accept that Iran is building a 'bomb,' it is totally dishonest to suggest that it intends to use it for anything other than defensive purposes. In fact, some leading Neocons at the American Enterprise Institute actually see this as a PROBLEM...That is, if Iran gets the bomb and DOESN'T use it, those who said it wasn't worth starting another war for will be proven right. (http://youtu.be/MQrY59R1VfI)
Final point: These fear mongers are trying to manipulate us into multiple new wars based on the laughable assertion that their latest targets are a threat to our way of life. Well, let me put that into perspective: There is almost ZERO chance that Iran, Syria or Venezuela will bring down the U.S. and impose their will on us. There is a 100% chance that, if we don't stop the current un-American foreign policy, our country will be bankrupted and we WILL be weakened to the point of genuine vulnerability.
Now, regarding the exchange between Bachmann and Ron Paul on Iran (source:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45694263#.TuvN6HrfXjY )
MICHELE BACHMANN: "We have an IAEA report that just recently came out that said literally Iran is within just months of being able to obtain that (a nuclear) weapon."
RON PAUL: "There is no U.N. report that said that. It's totally wrong, what you just said."
Bachmann: "It's the IAEA report."
THE FACTS: As Paul said, the report of the International Atomic Energy Agency does not state that Iran is within months of having nuclear arms. The U.N. agency report does suggest that Iran conducted secret experiments whose sole purpose is the development of nuclear weapons but did not put a time frame on when Iran might succeed in building a bomb, and it made no final conclusion on Tehran's intent.
Bachmann also erred by arguing that Iran has "stated they will use it (a nuclear weapon) against the United States."
Iran vehemently rejects that it is developing a nuclear bomb, let alone that it plans to drop one on the U.S.