Former President George W. Bush's foreign and military legacy is not one resplendent with great victories. He and his advisors -- with the help of an obedient media -- lied the US into a war on Iraq where the mission was claimed accomplished before the real war had even begun. The "victory" was soon proven to be a chimera, paving the way for the emergence of al-Qaeda and ISIS instead of the promised democracy and peace. The cakewalk was a death walk.
Afghanistan was not much different. The longest war in US history was lost almost as it began, and it is only a matter of time before the US defeat is complete. read on...
Speaking April 11 in Austin at the University of Texas, former presidential candidate and United States House of Representatives member Ron Paul stressed the importance of ending the Federal Reserve. In particular, Paul explains how the Fed allows the US to pursue “perpetual war” and to put war profiteers in the military-industrial complex “on the gravy train.” read on...
Many people perceive Texas as a bastion of rugged individualism and minimal government. Kansas not so much so. This month both states’ governments are moving toward implementing laws removing some restrictions on people carrying handguns. Yet only Kansas is doing so without requiring an individual to take a course, pay a fee, and put his personal information into a government database — perfect for facilitating surveillance — before being able to legally carry a handgun.
On April 2, Kansas Governor Sam Brownback signed into law SB 45. The bill legalizes the carrying of concealed handguns by many people in Kansas without the requirement that they first pay a fee, take a class, obtain a permit, or provide personal information for inclusion in a government database. read on...
We have yet another example of how we are wasting billions of dollars in Afghanistan where a combination of incompetence and corruption continues to drain the US treasury. This week, SIGAR released two reports showing how, an inspection of the $7.8 million Shorandam Industrial Park in Kandahar is an utter failure and how the money to create a sustainable source of power for Kandahar City has left the city literally in the dark. Once again, there is no indication of any discipline or action taken against those who approve such projects and oversee such failures. read on...
Why does the US have the largest prison population in the entire world? One reason is the massive incentives to send Americans to the corporatist-run prison-industrial complex. The Ron Paul Liberty Report with Ron Paul and co-host Daniel McAdams of RPI welcomes special guest Will Grigg to discuss how the state of Idaho is seeking to lock up parents who seek to treat seriously ill children with non-intoxicating cannabis oil. read on...
When President Obama welcomed Iraqi prime minister Abadi to Washington last week he glowed with optimism over the US fight against ISIS. The US is making "serious progress" against ISIS, he said, and "what is clear is that we will be successful." RPI Director Daniel McAdams is not so sanguine over the US "fight" against ISIS, because as he tells RT, the US still has no idea what ISIS is or how it was created. ISIS is the product of US interventionism in Iraq and the idea that more US interventionism will eliminate the problem is illogical... read on...
A February 2012 memorandum of understanding between the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) lays out a process pursuant to which the VA has been regularly sending to the FBI mental health information about VA patients. So reports Patrick Howley at the Daily Caller on Tuesday. The mental health information transferred is intended to aid the FBI in adding individuals to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) list of individuals restricted from owning or possessing guns. read on...
With the United States Supreme Court hearing oral arguments Wednesday in Horne v. Department of Agriculture — a case concerning the application of the US Constitution’s Fifth Amendment Takings Clause to raisin farmers, it seems an appropriate time to review some of the basics of American takings, or eminent domain, law. read on...
When the US-installed government of Ukraine went shopping for a finance minister last year, it found an American woman who had not only spent a good deal of time in Ukraine but who knew how to milk the USAID gravy train. Her ability to burn through US taxpayer dollars while feathering her own nest was impressive. And why not pick an American, a US government employee, to manage the economy of a basket case country that had been adopted by the US?
Jaresko's tenure in Ukraine goes way back. In the early 2000s she was selected to manage a USAID "enterprise fund" which was capitalized with $150 million in US taxpayer dollars. It was one of the usual crony faux-capitalist boondoggles that are supposed to demonstrate to emerging countries the benefits of a market economy but in fact just reinforce the idea that the well-connected can enrich themselves by stealing someone else's money. In short, it was the US foreign policy elites subsidizing the elites of recipient country in exchange for obedience to US dictates and special deals for well-connected Americans. read on...
Although Saudi Arabia just announced the end of its bombing campaign against Yemen -- they seem to have run out of targets -- the US administration is still sending more warships to the region. They are needed, it is claimed, to prevent Iran from supplying the Houthis in Yemen. How true is this US claim? Watch the Ron Paul Liberty Report to find out! read on...
