Washington on fast track to war with Syria: Ron Paul

In an article published on Information Clearing House website, Ron Paul criticized the US government for hastily accusing the Syrian government of the massacre before a thorough investigation into the incident.

Paul said available evidence shows that armed rebels with reported al-Qaeda ties are behind the recent bombings and attacks which have been carried out in various parts of Syria.

“With the stakes so high, it would make sense to wait for a full investigation -- unless the truth is less important than stirring up emotions in favor of a US attack,” he added.

However, Paul said, “as might be expected from an administration with an announced policy of regime change in Syria, the reaction was to blame only the Syrian government for the tragedy, expel Syrian diplomats from Washington, and announce that the US may attack Syria even without UN approval.”

The congressman stated that the Obama administration is in such a hurry to attack Syria that it has apparently forgotten that to launch war, the administration should follow the Constitution and seek a Declaration of War from Congress.

    “Last week General Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said about Syria, ‘I think the military option should be considered.’ And here all along I thought it was up to Congress to decide when we go to war, not the generals,” he said.

Bringing examples from past US military interventions in different countries, Paul argued that there is ample cause to be skeptical about US government claims which are amplified in mainstream media reports.

“How many times recently have lies and exaggerations been used to push for the use of force overseas?” he asked.

The congressman enumerated NATO’s war on Libya, as well as US invasion of Iraq in 2003, and even former President Bill Clinton’s “bombing campaign against Yugoslavia” about 12 years ago, as blatant cases in which Washington resorted to lies and baseless accusations to justify its interventionist policy.

Paul then accused Washington that, in the case of Syria, it is also resorting to similar lies in order to justify its intended war against Damascus.

He added that the US is using the Libyan model in Syria by “facilitating the transfer of weapons from [Persian] Gulf States” and providing “semi-covert assistance” to rebels.

“An unnecessary war brought about by lies and manipulation never ends well.… We are on a fast track to war against Syria. It is time to put on the brakes,” the congressman concluded.