Representative Ron Paul (R-TX) spoke today in favor of a House resolution that would have required the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan by the end of the year. “A message needs to be sent,” said the Texas Republican of the legislation, which was offered by Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH).
Paul, a libertarian, has a certain cache in liberal and left circles because of his seemingly staunch opposition to US military adventurism abroad. Five years ago, a Republican in the White House, Paul had an opportunity to really “send a message.” Instead, he blinked.
Facing intense pressure from the Republican leadership at the time, Paul voted “present” on a resolution in the House Foreign Relations Committee that would have forced a full scale debate on the war. Paul’s vote doomed the resolution, which never reached the House Floor. (NCR’s coverage of the 2005 committee action can be found here.)
Since Paul’s vote, the US has spent more than $360 billion to wage war in Afghanistan.
Today’s resolution was overwhelmingly defeated.
