No Fly Zone Over Libya Would Be an Act of War

He really is an anomaly is yer man Ron Paul. A Republican from Texas of all places, that talks common sense, don't beat the war drum, and ain't impressed with all the jingoistic patriotic shite that every other Congress Critter revels in. Or better said, hides behind, because there isn't a patriot between the whole disingenuous bunch of 'em, not one. There isn't one of them that puts country first, it's party or self first and the country go to hell in a handbasket, which of course it is. How different a world we might be looking at today if Ron Paul had won the Republican Presidential nomination in 08. Even Democrats would have voted for this guy. I guess he just wasn't dumb enough.

Ron Paul says no-fly zone over Libya is an 'act of war,' needs approval from Congress
By Pete Kasperowicz 03/10/11

Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) argued Thursday that establishing a no-fly zone over Libya would be an act of war that should require congressional approval.

He said he will introduce a sense-of-Congress resolution saying the administration should seek input from the branch before imposing a no-fly policy.

"Congress should act," Paul said. "I'm preparing to introduce a resolution next week, and it's a sense of Congress, that the executive branch can't do this without approval from the Congress.

"We have to remember, a no-fly zone is an act of war," he added.

Paul equated a no-fly zone with an act of war based on the U.S. experience in Iraq, which started with a no-fly zone in the 1990s and ultimately ended in war. He also said it is difficult to establish a no-fly zone without some military activity.

"You can't just all of a sudden turn a switch and say don't fly over Libya," Paul said. "You have to bomb a lot of anti-aircraft sites and a lot of military establishment. So the war is on."

Paul also argued that there is no legitimate reason for a no-fly zone over Libya, which is entering a civil war but does not pose any national security threat to the United States.

"Now, what moral right do we have to participate in war activity against Libya?" he asked. "Libya hasn't done anything to the United States. It would be foolish, it would have a downside, and we should think very, very carefully before we go expanding the wars that we're already involved in."

Paul is one of 10 House members who sponsored a resolution on Wednesday to direct the president to remove U.S. troops from Afghanistan. The Hill

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Linguist and philosopher Professor Noam Chomsky talks to Jeremy Paxman about the impact of uprisings in the Middle East and Africa. BBC Newsnight