The Most Serious Antiwar Candidate in '08

Is it former Republican Congressman and current Libertarian Party presidential nominee Bob Barr? Here's what Barr said today at an event sponsored by the Campaign for a New American Policy on Iran, where he was joined by lefty California Reps. Barbara Lee and Lynn Woolsey (via Reason):

"Neither Sen. McCain nor Sen. Obama can be trusted to keep the peace," says Barr.

The potential consequences of war, Barr explains, "include attacks on our troops stationed in Iraq, threats to the Gulf oil trade, terrorist attacks around the world, subversion of friendly Arab and Muslim governments, destruction of the democracy movement within Iran, and enduring hostility towards America throughout much of the world." To risk paying such a price without attempting to deal directly with the Iranian regime "would be counterproductive, costly, and dangerous. Even as our hand-picked and supported Prime Minister Maliki in Iraq talks with Iranian leaders, and even as the Olmert government in Israel talks with the Assad regime in Syria, the Bush Administration refuses to engage one of the largest and most important countries in that part of the world – Iran. This makes no sense."

Moreover, notes Barr, a former House member, "the power to declare war on Iran lies with the Congress, not the president." Unfortunately, presidents have routinely abused their role as commander-in-chief of the military. "The president is to direct any war, but the Constitution vests the power to decide if there will be a war in the legislative branch," emphasizes Barr.

Can anyone imagine Barack Obama talking like this, especially now that we're into the general?

Comments

The most serious antiwar candidate is Ron Paul, who, like Ralph Nader, is being ignored as usual by the powers-that-be.

Posted by: JM on 06/10/08 at 6:40 PM Respond

Controversial New Release: Terrorism And The Bush Doctrine
by John Maszka
ISBN-13: 9781606100103
Pub. Date: May 2008

"Terrorism and the Bush Doctrine is a must read for anyone concerned with terrorism. This title is both sensitive to the issue of terrorism and persuasive in its approach to solving it."

Terrorism is perhaps the greatest challenge facing mankind in the twenty-first century. It has been researched, debated, analyzed and contemplated by some of the greatest minds on the planet. And yet no known solution exists. When putting out a fire, while it is important to know what type of fire it is before attempting to put it out, firefighters understand that the key to putting out any fire is to remove its source of oxygen. Likewise, terrorism depends on popular support to sustain itself. Without popular support, the majority of funding, recruits and overall acceptance will disappear. Therefore, the primary goal for eliminating terrorism is to eliminate the sources of popular support. This book argues that this has to be the standard approach and strategy. These pages examine three primary components of contemporary American foreign policy: unilateralism, preemption and military hegemony, as well as how they impact terrorism.

Posted by: John Maszka on 06/10/08 at 7:01 PM Respond

Another war monger. Last I heard it was highly likely that Bush will engage Iran in war. Another war that shouldn't be.

Posted by: MarthaA on 06/10/08 at 9:36 PM Respond

Terrorism has existed since Cain slew Abel. There can't be a war on terrorism, there are too many kinds of terrorism. What the RIGHT WING EXTREME has done is declare an impossibility as a war, so that war can be continued endlessly, since the RIGHT WING EXTREME has determined that WE THE PEOPLE are all too much like cows to know the difference.

Posted by: MarthaA on 06/10/08 at 9:49 PM Respond

Barr is staying true to the Libertarian position: nothing more, nothing less.

Still, it's got to make Team McCain just a tad uncomfortable that some GOP voters may decide that Barr and the Libertarians are a closer match to their full menu than McCain. Enough to put Georgia "in play"? We'll see....

Posted by: Egalitare on 06/11/08 at 5:08 AM Respond

Countering International Terrorism should be a political exercise more than a military one.

Posted by: John Maszka on 06/14/08 at 10:55 AM Respond