Rand Paul: Obama Has Right To Make Afghanistan War Decisions

LEXINGTON, Ky. — A constant critic of President Barack Obama, Republican Rand Paul on Saturday defended the president's right to make decisions on the war in Afghanistan without interference from Congress.

Without mentioning Obama by name, the U.S. Senate candidate said Congress shouldn't micromanage the war in Afghanistan and should leave the decisions on troop levels to the White House. Paul spoke Saturday in Lexington at a Fayette County GOP picnic mostly about his conservative fiscal positions that have drawn him strong Tea Party support.

"I think when they have long-winded debates over how many troops there should be in a particular location, I don't really think that's the proper role of Congress," he said.

Still, he said he has some questions about the number of Afghan security forces after nearly nine years of war.

He said he's put that question to soldiers he's met during campaigning this year. Kentucky is home to two large military installations, Fort Knox and Fort Campbell, and many National Guard members.

"The answer I get from them is they would like to see the Afghanis step up more, too," he said.

Paul stuck to his points on how to strengthen the economy during his speech, including jabs at Democrats, to approximately 200 Republicans on a stormy summer evening in the heart of Kentucky's horse country. Paul has also become known for criticising Obama, particularly for his handling of the Gulf oil spill.

"The other side believes that government creates jobs and that government is the answer," he said. "Our side believes that entrepreneurs and businesses in the private sector create jobs."

He warned that if tax cuts from former President George W. Bush are allowed to expire next year, it could push the economy over the edge.

"If we allow the tax cuts to expire, it will be the equivalent of the largest increases in our taxes in history," he said. "If there is any one thing that could push us from a recession into a depression possibly... it would be a large tax increase."

Comments

[geodi]

08:16 PM on 07/20/2010

I reject the terminology "war in Iraq" or "war in Afghanistan". It is "occupation of Iraq" or "occupation of Afghanistan" or if you want to be politically correct call it "nation building". By using the term "war" you obfuscate the real nature of our involvement and the reason we are meeting so much resistance.

[LauraNo]

11:59 AM on 07/20/2010

"The other side believes that government creates jobs and that government is the answer," he said. "Our side believes that entrepreneurs and businesses in the private sector create jobs."

This is what the right-wing does. Everyone believes entrepreneurs and businesses in the private sector create jobs, so he's just plain lying ala typical right-winger. It's also not true to imply 'the other side' believes government creates jobs. This person on 'the other side' believes the government has a role to play in guiding the economy and stimulating it and regulating those companies who would poison us for their own profit. The whole rest of the world (sans communists, maybe) believes the same things. Everyone but the looney tunes.

[exmas]

01:47 AM on 07/20/2010

The Republicans have realized that if you shout even blatant lies loudly and often enough in the echo-chamber, the media will rush to cover the noise rather than seek to inform the public about the substance of the assertion. Spreading a blatant lie, like say "death panels," should get you exposed and pilloried by honest journalists. In this era of faux jurnalism, however, getting caught lying doesn't end your political career, it is considered good "political theater" and gets you hired as a network regular for millions. The best part is you get to appear night after night, and then complain about the unfairness of the President requesting air time for addresses to the nation. What a world.

[stape45]

09:38 PM on 07/19/2010

I was at first, quite shocked to hear Rand Paul say something positive as regards the White House, but then I immediately understood, once I noticed the rug was on backwards.

[kburgoyne]

09:08 PM on 07/19/2010

Since Rand Paul is obviously concerned with higher taxes, I say we cut taxes for the middle and lower classes immediately after the upper class tax cuts expire. That should definitely put a smile on Rand Paul's face. Particularly since the majority of owners of SMALL businesses are middle class Americans.

What exactly is the government impact difference between unemployment insurance for those who have lost their jobs due to Wall Street recklessness, and continuing tax cuts for those people who don't need the money? Both leave the government with less money. BOTH INCREASE THE DEFICIT.

This is more double-talk from Republicans, and now a “Tea Party” Republican. This “Tea Party” Republican is advocating INCREASING THE DEFICIT by continuing to give away government revenue to wealthy individuals who don’t need it.

If Republicans are willing to increase the deficit in order to give money to their wealthy neighbors, then Republicans need to stop lying about their stance on the deficit and vote in favor of extending unemployment insurance and tax breaks for small businesses. Republicans need to stop treading on the backs of the Main Street American worker class. They need to vote to extend unemployment insurance for the real American working class citizens who were tossed out of work to protect the salaries and bonuses of the wealthy CEOs. These real American workers will immediately go out and spend the money to boost the economy, rather than the wealthy Republican donors who have no need for the money.

[SCStoday]

08:56 PM on 07/19/2010

If extending the tax cuts could create jobs we would have evidence of it by now. After all the tax cuts have been in affect for a number of years already. That didn't stop the decline in jobs. The tax cuts about to be restored are one of the reasons this country is in such a decline. The corporations are raking in bigger profits than ever while not paying a fair share of the taxes and not hiring. I don't believe for one minute continuing the tax cuts on the wealthy corporations will work. That is nothing but a political con game.

[littleblackcat]

06:10 PM on 07/19/2010

We should have repealed those tax cuts immediately! And they are NOT "tax increases", merely the restoration of fair taxation by discontinuing a practice that has nearly bankrupted this nation by giving money to the uber-rich.
Those cuts should never have been given in the first place. The miserable "leadership" of the bush/cheney cabal lied the nation into two wars and STOPPED all funding for them by setting up the biggest welfare-for-the-rich program known to man.
rand paul needs to go away. He lacks smarts.

[NonConforming]

05:55 PM on 07/19/2010

That's right!

Talk about stone-age mentality - balancing budgets? How archaic.

Trillion $ deficits paid for by China, that is the new economic reality.
Everyone knows the only way to get out of an economic hole is to borrow more money.

[Gray Mouser]

05:45 PM on 07/19/2010

This is no tax increase, despite what Rand and his republican cronies state. This is simply restoring taxes to the levels they were at when we actually were able to balance the budget.

I thought that was a primary tenet of the conservatives. I guess not. It must then be "I have mine, good luck getting yours".

[Henri101]

05:17 PM on 07/19/2010

Who cares about the thoughts of this socially misfit?

[msbeal]

04:43 PM on 07/19/2010

Has anyone else noticed how Paul has rachceted towards the center on what he says? I guess he took a real spanking on some of things that come out of his mouth.

[lownote]

09:11 PM on 07/19/2010

Him and Sharon Angle both have no chance of getting elected when they reveal what extremes they really believe in!.

[thecoffeegod]

03:32 PM on 07/19/2010

Is he waiting for someone to pull his finger in that picture?

[dmcconn]

02:51 PM on 07/19/2010

I know many people would LOVE the chance to speak or go to an event with Obama. Especially to speak about the country's current issues. Anyone in Chicago or Chicago area or willing to come to Chicago can go to this event at the Cultural Center with him. Check out the details here: http://bit.ly/93iTC8

[Scent]

02:30 PM on 07/19/2010

So Obama HAS rights - as long as he does what You want?

You drove the nation into the ground and the world right along with it. You better be happy You are not in jail instead of mumbling about how others who do better should do as badly as You.

[davcrock]

05:36 PM on 07/19/2010

In his official capacity, a President has only authority or powers, not rights, more precisely put, exclusively those granted by the Constitution or by statute. Only individuals in their individual capacities have rights.

And why should this man be in jail? How did Paul drive the country into the ground since he wasn't in office while the Democrats and Republicans who were in office are actually the ones to blame? The 1st Amendment protects us all, no matter how controversial or disagreeable the statements made are, short of the few that cross the line ("fire" in the crowded theater things).

[REDSTATEREFUGEE]

12:22 PM on 07/19/2010

Article One, Section Eight of the Constitution states that Congress shall have the right to declare war. For a Tea Partier, RP sure does seem to gloss over much of the source document for their alleged beliefs...

[Scent]

02:31 PM on 07/19/2010

Nope. He took üpart in trashing the constitution to give Bush the rights to not give a f**k about congress. He does not say it because he is ignorant but because that was one of the goals the GOP had under Cheney.

[REDSTATEREFUGEE]

05:08 PM on 07/19/2010

Good point, Scent.....what is "upart"? Is that a German term of which I am unfamiliar? Thanks.....