Halt Missile Sale to Bahrain!: Sen. Rand Paul

A letter from Sen. Rand Paul to his Senate colleagues:

November 14, 2018

Dear Senate Colleague:

Tomorrow the Senate will vote to proceed to S.J. Res. 65, a resolution of disapproval that would block the sale of offensive weapons to Bahrain, a member of the Saudi-led coalition that has devastated Yemen. This vote is about more than weapons; this is a vote against the war in Yemen. This vote will send a message to the Saudi coalition that the Senate will not support further destruction in Yemen, and that further arms sales to participants in the Saudi coalition will be restricted until the war in Yemen is ended. Bahrain itself has been an ally of the United States in the past, and this would not be an open-ended ban on arms sales to Bahrain. Rather, this is a one-time action limited to Bahrain’s proposed purchase of rockets. Blocking this sale is a small step that could nonetheless serve as the beginning of the end for the war in Yemen.

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Sen. Rand Paul: The New AUMF Codifies ‘Forever War’

April 18, 2018

Dear Colleague:

For some time now, Congress has abdicated its authority to declare war. The status quo is that we are at war anywhere and anytime the President says so.

So, Congress’s new solution is not to reassert Congressional prerogative but to codify the status quo.

It is clear upon reading that the Kaine/Corker AUMF gives nearly unlimited power to this or any President to be at war anywhere, anytime and against anyone, with minimal justification and no prior specific authority.

This is not an AUMF, it is a complete rewriting of power of the executive and constitutional separation of powers.

The new Kaine/Corker AUMF declares war on:

  1. The Taliban
  2. Al-Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula
  3. ISIS anywhere
  4. Al-Shabaab in Somalia and elsewhere
  5. Al-Qaeda in Syria
  6. Al-Nusra in Syria
  7. The Haqqani Network in Pakistan and Afghanistan
  8. Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in Niger, Mali, Algeria, Libya, and Nigeria
  9. AND ASSOCIATED FORCES (as defined by the President) throughout the globe.

Previous AUMF have never codified associated forces. The Kaine/Corker AUMF not only codifies associated forces, but by conservative estimates declares war on over 20 nations with forces "associated" with either Al-Qaeda or ISIS.

Should Congress declare war or not declare war? Absolutely. Should we be having this debate? Absolutely.

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Sen. Rand Paul’s Response to Obama’s War Speech

The Senatorial leader of the new antiwar movement takes on Obama’s Syrian war plans:

Twelve years after we were attacked by al-Qaida, 12 years after 3,000 Americans were killed by al-Qaida, President Obama now asks us to be allies with al-Qaida.

Americans by a large majority want nothing to do with the Syrian civil war. We fail to see a national security interest in a war between a leader who gasses his own citizens and Islamic rebels who are killing Christians.

Some argue that American credibility is on the line, that because President Obama drew a red line with chemical weapons, America must act or lose credibility. I would argue that America’s credibility does not reside in one man.

If our enemies wish to know if America will defend herself, let them look no farther than our response to 9/11. When attacked, we responded with overwhelming force and with the military objective of complete victory over our attackers.

The Reagan Doctrine grew out of his experience in the Middle East. Reagan’s defense secretary spelled out a systematic approach to our involvement in Middle Eastern conflicts. First, the American people must be supportive – overwhelmingly supportive – but most importantly our mission must be to win.

There is no clearly defined mission in Syria, no clearly defined American interest. In fact, the Obama Administration has specifically stated that "no military solution" exists. They have said the war will be "unbelievably small and limited."

To me that sounds like they are pre-announcing that the military strikes will not punish Assad personally or effect regime change.

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