Globe

Ron Paul: “Hands Off Ukraine!”

“LET THEM SOLVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS” By Ron Paul || Last week Ukraine saw its worst violence since the break-up of the Soviet Union over 20 years ago. Protesters occupying the main square in the capitol city, Kiev, clashed with police leaving many protesters and police dead and many more…

“LET THEM SOLVE THEIR OWN PROBLEMS”

By Ron Paul || Last week Ukraine saw its worst violence since the break-up of the Soviet Union over 20 years ago. Protesters occupying the main square in the capitol city, Kiev, clashed with police leaving many protesters and police dead and many more wounded. It is an ongoing tragedy and it looks like there is no end in sight.

The current conflict stems from a divide between western Ukraine, which seeks a closer association with the European Union; and the eastern part of the country, which has closer historic ties to Russia.

The usual interventionists in the U.S. have long meddled in the internal affairs of Ukraine. In 2003 it was U.S. government money that helped finance the Orange Revolution, as U.S.-funded NGOs favoring one political group over the other were able to change the regime. These same people have not given up on Ukraine. They keep pushing their own agenda for Ukraine behind the scenes, even as they ridicule anyone who claims U.S. involvement.

A recent leaked telephone conversation between two senior government officials made it clear that not only was the U.S. involved in the Ukrainian unrest, the U.S. was actually seeking to determine who should make up the next Ukrainian government!

Senator John McCain, who has made several trips to Ukraine recently to meet with the opposition, wrote last week that the U.S. must stand up to support the territorial integrity of Ukraine, including Crimea.

Why are U.S. government officials so eager to tell the Ukrainians what they should do? Has anyone bothered to ask the Ukrainians? What if might help alleviate the ongoing violence and bloodshed if the Ukrainians decide to re-make the country as a looser confederation of regions rather than one tightly controlled by a central government? Perhaps Ukraine engaged in peaceful trade with countries both to the west and east would benefit all sides. But outside powers seem to be fighting a proxy war, with Ukraine suffering the most because of it.

If you asked most Americans how they feel, my bet is that you would discover they are sick and tired of the U.S. government getting involved in every crisis that arises. Certainly the American people want none of of this intervention in Ukraine. They understand, as recent polls have shown, that our interventionist foreign policy is only creating more enemies overseas. And they also understand that we are out of money. We could not afford to be the policemen of world even if we wanted to be.

And I bet if we asked the Ukrainians, a vast majority of them would prefer that the U.S. — and Russia and the European Union — stay out their affairs and respect their sovereignty. Is it so difficult to understand why people resent being lectured and bribed by foreign governments? All we need to do is put ourselves in the place of the Ukrainians and ask ourselves how we would feel if we were in the middle of a tug-of-war between a very strong Canada on one side and a very strong Mexico on the other. We would resent it as well. So let’s keep our hands off of Ukraine and let them solve their own problems!

ron paul

Ron Paul is a former U.S. Congressman from Texas and the leader of the pro-liberty, pro-free market movement in the United States. His weekly column – reprinted with permission – can be found here.

Related posts

US & World

Amanda Cunningham: The Reach For Freedom

Amanda Cunningham
Globe

Letter: About That Semiconductor Guest Column …

FITSNews
Globe

Joe Biden Dials It Back In Ukraine

Will Folks

40 comments

Frank Pytel February 24, 2014 at 7:56 am

Agreed Mr. Paul. Let them solve their own problems. Thank you Sir. +1

Reply
Nölff February 24, 2014 at 8:34 am

Agreed. Let’s keep our pants on.

Reply
GrandTango February 24, 2014 at 8:46 am

America became great despite ignorant people like RonPaul. Thank God he never is taken seriously by reasonable people, and only nutjobs and misfits waste their time with him.

Ron-Paul has a one-size-fits-all approach to all world conflicts. The US, as the world’s moral leader, cannot afford such stupidity.

RonPaul’s way is very simple and narrow-minded. Not saying he is necessarily wrong all the time, but it’s people like him that allow monsters to grow to the size in which they can kill millions and cost freedom. People like Paul cost us trillions to solve problems, instead of millions…

Reply
USAFVetDan February 24, 2014 at 11:20 am

Oh brother… another of your usual empty, baseless, anti-Paul ad hominem rants – void of any substance whatsoever. I laughed outloud at the “US as the world’s moral leader” crap. Do you actually believe that or are you that brainwashed by the military industrial complex’s glittering generalities propaganda campaign? Pathetic.

Reply
GrandTango February 24, 2014 at 12:53 pm

Get F*#ked Idiot…from freeing slaves from democrat owners to liberating Europe from the Nazis..the US fights for the good of others, not domination…You American-hating fascist…

Reply
USAFVetDan February 25, 2014 at 12:23 am

Careful there chief… you’re going to break your mom’s keyboard.

You discrace the heros of the several just wars you mentioned by implying that ALL therefore must be just. It is every resposible American’s duty to be informed and to reject abusive use of our military. George Washington warned us to avoid conflict and entangling alliances. I reject our modern foreign policy that bullys the world in the name of freedom and “democracy”. Our soldiers’ lives should not be spent pursuing the interests of oligarchic billionaires. And the resulting chaos, instability, deaths and “blowback” are cetainly not in our best interests – morally or with regard to national security.

So wake up and lose the nationalistic “my country – right or wrong” mentality. Blind nationalism worked for Hitler for only a short time. Stop being a chump.

Reply
GrandTango February 25, 2014 at 7:46 am

You’re a manipulated and broken cliche.

USAFVetDan February 25, 2014 at 8:02 am

I expected such an empty, baseless response. You curse and throw insults because you can neither understand nor defend your position. Too bad you have the right to vote because you do not uphold the responsibility that comes with it. And because there are millions like you of both liberal and conservative ilk, our once great nation has fallen like the Roman Empire.

“If we are to guard against ignorance and remain free, it is the responsibility of every American to be informed.”
Thomas Jefferson

GrandTango February 25, 2014 at 8:35 am

Hilarious you’d choose Jefferson to quote regarding freedom….

Didn’t Jefferson rape and impregnate his slave…like all your democrat slave-owner heroes?….

It may be smart to buy a history book and study it, before you try to preach and judge others…Dumb@$$…

USAFVetDan February 25, 2014 at 8:43 am

I can see you are the product of a bad public education. Get a real history book. Jefferson’s positions on slavery actually paved the way to eventual emancipation… positions considered radical in his day.

GrandTango February 25, 2014 at 9:10 am

Jefferson’s “positions considered radical in his day.”….LMAO…..

Is that a Sally Hemings’ quote…LMAO…I bet the “positions” he liked were radical…Jefferson the first US “FREAK” in the White House……Hahaha…Did he get a Lewinsky, too….Hahahaha…

You liberals NEVER change. You were OK w/ Slavery because your guy was against it, while he was using the slave woman for his personal pleasure…

Jefferson: “I was Against Slavery, before I was for it”…hahahah……John Kerry eat your heart out…Hahahahaha…LMAO…

You people are so effing funny..and what’s more, you have NO IDEA how EFFING stupid you are….

USAFVetDan February 25, 2014 at 9:22 am

At least I’m smart enough to see you trying to use Alinsky-ish tactics to attempt to “nudge” the subject away from that which you had your ass kicked. And by the way… I am well outside the preformed boxes of “liberal” and “conservative”. I’m a constitutionist (and the Constitution happens to be a libertarian document). I believe in the rule of law – the law that states that we don’t go to war without congressional approval. WTF do you believe in?

GrandTango February 25, 2014 at 9:47 am

At least you admit you’re all over the place w/ no core values…which is why I wiped the floor w/ you…

No matter what you take from this: I can honestly say, I enjoyed toying w/ you..

There is a class of people, who so much think they are so different, and not soiled by any affiliation…But in truth, you are nothing but the same old media-led cliché that does the bidding of the people who control the stupid…

You need to find an original thought, based on actual experience, and be influenced by that. As it is you are a product of pop culture pack-think, but you are convinced you are unique…

You are as transparent as every other Dumb@$$ walking around with the idea he is the “Best and the Brightest”…You are neither, based on what you’ve offered here…

USAFVetDan February 25, 2014 at 9:51 am

You are the only one who believes all the BS you just posted. We’ll let the readers decide who posted cogent content and who parroted mindless jingoisms.

GrandTango February 25, 2014 at 10:23 am

LMAO….I accurately accused you of pack-think, idiot…how the H#!! else would the ‘pack’ judge me..and/or you???

Thanks for proving EXACTLY what I said about you…Hahahaha…

USAFVetDan February 25, 2014 at 10:28 am

You’re a legend in your own mind.

GrandTango February 25, 2014 at 11:23 am

That’s very original…and why am I not surprised???

SCBlueWoman February 24, 2014 at 8:47 am

Seems to me that we are hands off in the Ukraine…. bless his heart.

Reply
GrandTango February 24, 2014 at 8:49 am

Current events lesson 100: If Muslims, Communists or any group of idiots claiming to be minorities are threatened…you can bet Obama will be all over that, ready to defend….

Of course, if Christians or freedom loving Conservatives are being slaughtered, Obama will send money to help in the murder.

Reply
SCBlueWoman February 24, 2014 at 9:13 am

Bless your heart. STFU.

Reply
GrandTango February 24, 2014 at 9:42 am

Just what we need…another ignorant Cliché trying to be relevant, when you have not a clue…other than what the DNC and Obama tell you…

Reply
Torch February 24, 2014 at 10:43 am

I see you don’t know anything about southern expressions.

SCBlueWoman February 24, 2014 at 11:47 am

It’s just his usual brainwashed, brain dead responses. SSDD.

easterndumbfuckastan February 24, 2014 at 9:31 am

Not quite hands off, The State Department is pulling strings in the background.This call was leaked by Russian Intelligence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QxZ8t3V_bk

Reply
RAS February 24, 2014 at 5:43 pm

The Russians might now regret leaking this call. Probably made the Ukrainians willing to take more risk, knowing the US was so “engaged”.

Reply
Mike at the Beach February 24, 2014 at 8:51 am

We should keep our “hands off” in the sense that we should not physically meddle in their formation of a gov’t or early decision-making process, but not recognizing that a non-Putin aligned Ukraine is in the best interests of the US is naive and amateurish. Helping them along here and there could pay big dividends for us in the region. Luckily for the US, the French felt the same way during our Revolution. They wanted to check the British a bit, and sent coin (and eventually troops and ships). We should absolutely avoid the troops and ships part, but body-checking Putin wouldn’t be a bad thing for interests worldwide. The Paulites don’t believe we have any interests outside of our borders, but that’s simply not reality.

Reply
The Enquirer February 24, 2014 at 9:22 am

“non-Putin aligned Ukraine is in the best interests of the US”

How so? What’s Russia doing that harms our interests right now?

Reply
Mike at the Beach February 24, 2014 at 10:00 am

Seriously?! I really don’t have the energy to debate a point that conservatives and progressives actually kinda agree on, but if you aren’t just trolling I guess we can start cataloging everything…

Reply
The Enquirer February 24, 2014 at 10:20 am

I really don’t see it as obvious myself. If the continuation of cold war era style foreign relations with Russia seems to make sense to you, I guess you have a lot more knowledge than me.

Sorry I troubled you for an exasperating explanation of the all the problems Russia is causing the US.

Btw, conservative and progressives agreeing on something means, well, absolutely nothing. They agreed for another debt limit raise for example. I could go on and on, but clearly you aren’t in the mood for that.

Reply
On the Neo Con Watch February 24, 2014 at 3:17 pm

He has no explanation.Just that we are Americans and we have a role to play because thats what we do,in other words, sort of a typical Neo Con.

Mike at the Beach February 24, 2014 at 3:39 pm

It’s not that I’m not in the mood, just busy. How ’bout a 30 second blast and then we agree to disagree. The RP set just never seems to let go; disagreeing on this site to any aspect of an RP story unleashes their ire and tends to create really long back-and-forths…

Here’s my only point: Putin’s Kremlin is waaaaay vested in the Ukraine, and his interests there almost to a line run counter to Western interests. Support of Iran through regional politics there (the biggie), access to Ukrainian deep water naval ports, missile defense issues, and even Putin’s still-brewing plan to form the Eurasian Union (of former Soviet republics). Keep in mind that Putin once called the 1991 collapse of the USSR “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century.” Most fair-minded people with an understanding of international geopolitics agree that we should at least stay a little engaged and not let Putin et al run the table against our other friends in Europe. Dig through a few past issues of the Economist or Foreign Policy magazine; the facts are all there, but it’s a very complex topic not amenable to handling within the confines of this venue.

Unlike some of the most ferocious RP types on here, I’ve spent a good bit of time in the Ukraine (and a few of the other former Soviet republics and Stans). In my opinion (with which I freely admit most Paulites vociferously disagree), the US will benefit from some level of engagement there to counter Putin’s (and the Iranians’) very active engagement all over that region. That doesn’t mean a kajillion dollars, and certainly not combat troops or aircraft. Engagement. That’s all, and there are many, many Ukrainians who are seeking that level of engagement. I get that you probably disagree. Okie dokie.

The Colonel February 25, 2014 at 6:17 am

Totally agree that “engagement” is the right level of involvement – as long as engagement doesn’t involve M-1s and AH-64s unless there is a clear national interest involved. RPs isolationist stane brought us two world wars.

The Enquirer February 25, 2014 at 8:50 am

“RPs isolationist stane brought us two world wars.”

RP has always been for “engagement”, meaning diplomacy. You just mischaracterized his views.

The problem is this, “engagement” is also a military word and doesn’t mean talking over tea and crumpets.

If the “engagement” is “do this or else”, that’s called a threat, which usually mire our nation is bullshit it can’t afford.

USAFVetDan February 24, 2014 at 11:03 am

Exactly what are those “big dividends” you refer to?

Reply
CorruptionInColumbia February 24, 2014 at 8:58 am

Paul was our last real hope to save this country from traitors and other vermin like McCain, Graham, Boehner, and the rest of the Obamanites.

Reply
Smirks February 24, 2014 at 9:37 am

Considering our track record in picking who should run various foreign governments, I believe Paul’s got the right idea. Also, it isn’t our business what these people do.

Reply
Philip Branton February 24, 2014 at 9:47 am

Don’t look NOW Mr. Paul; but those same corporate interests that support your campaigns have been bribing both side of this Kiev fiasco…..and for WHAT…..yep, Ron, you guessed it……..OIL Pipeline control going from Syria into Western EU….!!

Thanks a lot FITS “news”…….

Reply
dwb619 February 24, 2014 at 10:35 pm

I was just on the verge of asking if they had any oil.
On another note, what ever happened to the pipe line thru Afghanistan to get the Russian oil to warm weather ports?

Reply
Philip Branton February 25, 2014 at 10:17 am

Think back to the Rhine River in Germany and study the history of why all those castles were built.

…and world wide OIL consumers have no earthly idea how they can turn the tables…..

Stunning…..

Reply
Mike at the Beach February 26, 2014 at 1:11 am

Against my better judgment (and without comment), I post the following analysis of the Ukraine situation from a very reputable private sector (for the most part) intel / analysis shop. Pretty interesting take on things, I thought:

http://www.stratfor.com/weekly/ukraine-turns-revolution-recovery?utm_source=freelist-f&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20140225&utm_term=Gweekly&utm_content=readmore

Reply

Leave a Comment