[Peace-discuss] Congress could end Obot's Wars.

[E. Wayne Johnson]

*Congress Could End Obama's Wars*

*by Ron Paul*

Our foreign policy was in the spotlight last week, which is exactly 
where it should be. Almost two years ago, many voters elected someone 
they thought would lead us to a more peaceful, rational coexistence with 
other countries. However, while attention has been focused on the 
administration's disastrous economic policies, its equally disastrous 
foreign policies have exacerbated our problems overseas.

Especially in times of economic crises we cannot afford to ignore costly 
foreign policy mistakes. That's why it's important that U.S. foreign 
policy receive some much-needed attention in the media, as it did last 
week with the leaked documents scandal. Many are saying that the 
Wikileaks documents tell us nothing new. In some ways that is true. Most 
Americans knew that we have been fighting losing battles; these 
documents show just how bad it really is. The revelation that Pakistani 
intelligence is assisting the people we are bombing in Afghanistan shows 
the quality of friends we are making with our foreign policy.

This kind of thing supports points that Rep. Dennis Kucinich and I tried 
to make on the House floor last week with a privileged resolution that 
would have directed the administration to remove troops from Pakistan 
pursuant to the War Powers Resolution. We are not at war with Pakistan. 
Congress has made no declaration of war. Actually, we made no 
declaration of war on Afghanistan or Iraq either, but that is another 
matter. Yet we have troops in Pakistan engaging in hostile activities, 
conducting drone attacks and killing people. We sometimes manage to kill 
someone who has been identified as an enemy, yet we also kill about ten 
civilians for every one of those. Pakistani civilians are angered by 
this, yet their leadership is mollified by our billions in bribe money. 
We just passed an appropriations bill that will send another $7.5 
billion to Pakistan. One wonders how much of this money will end up 
helping the Taliban.

This whole operation is clearly counterproductive, inappropriate, 
immoral, and every American who values the rule of law should be 
outraged. Yet these activities are being done so quietly that most 
Americans as well as most members of the House don't even know about them.

We should follow constitutional protocol when going to war. It's there 
for a reason. If we are legitimately attacked it is the job of the 
Congress to declare war. We then fight the war, win it and come home. 
War should be efficient, decisive and rare. However, when Congress 
shirks its duty and just gives the administration whatever it wants with 
no real oversight or meaningful debate, wars are never-ending, wasteful 
and political.

Our so-called wars have been become a perpetual drain on our economy and 
liberty. The founders knew that heads of state are far too eager to 
engage in those very conflicts. That is why they entrusted the power to 
go to war with the deliberative body closest to the people: the 
Congress. Decisions to go to war need to be supported by the people. 
Wars should not be covert or casual. We absolutely should not be paying 
off leaders of a country while killing their civilians, without 
expecting to create a lot of new problems. This is not what America is 
supposed to be about.

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