Romney, Perry slap at Paul on Iran

**Curt James** · 12-28-2011, 02:38 PM

Romney, Perry slap at Paul on Iran

By PHILIP ELLIOTT and KASIE HUNT
Associated Press

MUSCATINE, Iowa (AP) -- Mitt Romney and Rick Perry on Wednesday assailed Republican presidential rival Ron Paul for saying the U.S. has no business bombing Iran to keep it from acquiring a nuclear weapon, drawing a sharp contrast with their rising rival as he returned to Iowa to campaign before the lead-off caucuses.

"One of the people running for president thinks it's okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon," Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, said in this eastern Iowa city in response to a question from the audience. "I don't."

It was the first time Romney has challenged Paul directly since the Texas congressman jumped in polls. Neither Romney nor Perry, the Texas governor, named Paul, but the target was clear.

"You don't have to vote for a candidate who will allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. Because America will be next," Perry said in Urbandale, reiterating a line of argument from a day earlier.

"I'm here to say: You have a choice," Perry added.

As if in rebuttal, Paul's campaign launched a new television ad describing him as "principled, incorruptible, guided by faith and principle" and the man to restore the economy. "Politicians who supported bailouts and mandates, serial hypocrites and flip floppers can't clean up the mess," it says as photos of Newt Gingrich and Romney appear on screen.

The stepped-up criticism of Paul, the libertarian-leaning Republican, comes as surveys show he's in contention to win Tuesday's caucuses.

In recent days, conservative opponents including Perry and Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann have increased their criticism of Paul on social issues, foreign affairs and inflammatory comments in his decades-old newsletter. By tearing him down, they hope voters will give their campaigns another, closer look after a season marked by candidates who have risen quickly in public standing only to fall back down.

Gingrich, whose slide in surveys over the past week has come as Paul has risen, said Tuesday he couldn't vote for Paul if he were to become the GOP nominee and called his views "totally outside the mainstream of every decent American" during an interview with CNN.

Gingrich, the former House speaker, began Wednesday, the second day of his Iowa bus tour with a speech to about 200 people in the atrium of the Southbridge Mall in Mason City. He plugged his support for supply-side economics favored by President Ronald Reagan.

Gingrich said the primary is giving voters a "choice between a populist supply side approach ... and a much more timid Washington-centered approach that will not create jobs."

Bachmann, who was on the 86th stop of her tour of Iowa's 99 counties, criticized both of her rivals from Texas. She accused Perry of spending "27 years as a political insider." He was a Texas legislator and agriculture commissioner before becoming governor in 2001.

Bachmann said Paul would be "dangerous as president" because of his hands-off views on national security.

Paul, for his part, was meeting with supporters near Des Moines, his first visit to the state since before the campaigns went dark for the Christmas holiday. He planned a series of events over the next two days as he looked to take advantage of a burst of momentum.

A conservative, Paul commands strong allegiance from his supporters but appears to have little potential to expand his appeal and emerge as a serious challenger for the nomination. Yet he could complicate other candidates' pathway to the nomination.

His opponents were spreading out across the state to woo potential caucus-goers, many of whom are still undecided amid a flood of television and radio ads.

In Independence, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum mingled with 25 people at a diner and touted his plan to give a tax break to businesses that bring their operations back to the United States.

He told diners: "Things are going great, we've got momentum." He began airing a new radio ad Wednesday that promotes his hardline opposition to abortion and describes him as a "father of seven, a home-schooler and a devoted husband for 21 years."

Romney kicked off a three-day bus tour in the eastern edge of the state, in Muscatine, and shook hands with an overflow crowd at Elly's Tea and Coffee House. The line to get in stretched into the street.

Beginning the day, Romney told Fox News Channel that he was only joking Monday when he criticized Gingrich's failure to earn a spot on the Virginia ballot as something out of the sitcom "I Love Lucy."

"I hope the speaker understands that was humor, and I'm happy to tell my humorous anecdote to him face to face," Romney said.

Gingrich on Tuesday challenged Romney to make the "I Love Lucy" comparison to Gingrich's face.

Perry, looking to recapture the enthusiasm that greeted his entry into the race in August, railed against Washington and Wall Street insiders as he met with conservatives for breakfast near Des Moines.

"Why should you settle for less than an authentic conservative who will fight for your views and your values without apologies?" he asked, delivering the core rationale for his candidacy.

The packed crowd of conservatives in Urbandale applauded as he pledged to champion a constitutional amendment to balance the federal budget, secure the border within a year and crack down on illegal immigration. He also said he would bring his faith with him into the Oval Office, a nod to the Christian conservatives who have strong sway in the nominating process.

From The Associated Press

**troubador** · 12-28-2011, 02:53 PM

If you don't vote for an establishment candidate you (and your kids) will die. It's that simple, vote for Perry or die.

**DOMS** · 12-28-2011, 03:09 PM

I excited for Iran to get nukes. I'm betting that less than two years after they get them, the Middle East will be a radioactive wasteland.

Win!

**GearsMcGilf** · 12-29-2011, 02:58 AM

I doubt they'll use them. They may be crazed religious fanatics. But, they're not stupid. After watching what happened to Iraq, which had no WMD (and our dear leaders knew it), they probably felt the need to aquire them just as NK did in order not to be attacked. The Bush admin made it pretty clear that, if you are our enemy and don't hav WMD, you're a target; if you have WMD, then we'll negotiate.

**squigader** · 12-29-2011, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by GearsMcGilf

I doubt they'll use them. They may be crazed religious fanatics. But, they're not stupid. After watching what happened to Iraq, which had no WMD (and our dear leaders knew it), they probably felt the need to aquire them just as NK did in order not to be attacked. The Bush admin made it pretty clear that, if you are our enemy and don't hav WMD, you're a target; if you have WMD, then we'll negotiate.

Exactly. They're not idiots, and just like any other nation, they want one in order to deter potential attackers.

BTW, anyone else disturbed by the fact that the other two candidates are talking military action AGAIN in the middle east?

**myCATpowerlifts** · 12-29-2011, 12:11 PM

Perry's still campaigning?

**BP2000** · 12-29-2011, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by GearsMcGilf

I doubt they'll use them. They may be crazed religious fanatics. But, they're not stupid. After watching what happened to Iraq, which had no WMD (and our dear leaders knew it), they probably felt the need to aquire them just as NK did in order not to be attacked. The Bush admin made it pretty clear that, if you are our enemy and don't hav WMD, you're a target; if you have WMD, then we'll negotiate.

damn these fuckheds are running for PRESIDENT? Good greif. Yeah let's keep bombing nations overseas. No wonder they want a bomb they are scared shitless that they are next.

How fucking stupid can you be. You just saw the last president waste a trillion dollars of our money 4k American deaths and now they hate us even more than ever. Wonder why.

**BP2000** · 12-29-2011, 12:19 PM

Why not just follow the lead of our founding fathers. They said don't fuck with other nations but we can trade with them.

Makes me mad as hell that our leaders are so reckless w/ our military and our money. Time to take back control of this debacle.

**troubador** · 12-29-2011, 01:01 PM

Originally Posted by BP2000

Makes me mad as hell that our leaders are so reckless w/ our military and our money.

Yeah but that's who the people keep voting in office. When I was younger I thought we just didn't have any options and we had to choose between two candidates we didn't really want. But now we have someone like Paul who is driven by principle, principles against the warmongering, debt, and infringement of liberties. It still amazes me that there are people supporting candidates like Bachmann who clearly is just pandering to the tea party, Romney who clearly panders to whoever is his voting base at the time, and Newt who seems to just be after the next step in his career and more power.

**Woodrow1** · 12-29-2011, 06:17 PM

Ron Paul is STILL WINNING IOWA POLLS! WOOHOOO!!!

Nothing bad to say about ron paul!

**Woodrow1** · 12-29-2011, 06:19 PM

Iran's military is piss poor btw. They aren't stupid enough to try to use a nuke on Isreal.....

Isreal has 300+ nukes.

I think Iran just want some respect! We have been meddling with Iran's affairs since 1953 over oil!

**BP2000** · 12-29-2011, 07:39 PM

Amen. Isreal can take care of themselves. Let's quit giving them money and weapon's.

Those dickheads over there in the Mideast have been blowing each other up for 1,000's of year's. Let them do what they will.

We are the young country of freedom. We aren't suppose to be meddling in the mideast or other's affars but to be an example of freedom, equality, and peace.

Iran's leader know's he ain't shit. And he is making a big mistake by trying to throw his weight around. We got power hungry dickwads in our government that would love to blow his ass out of the water. And it aint about nukes. Damn feels like de ja vu.

**lnvanry** · 12-29-2011, 07:52 PM

Originally Posted by Woodrow1

Iran's military is piss poor btw. They aren't stupid enough to try to use a nuke on Isreal.....

Isreal has 300+ nukes.

I think Iran just want some respect! We have been meddling with Iran's affairs since 1953 over oil!

Its a bit more than respect (although that is a baseline desire)...its regional influence/power and a bigger seat at the OPEC table

**LAM** · 12-29-2011, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by Woodrow1

I think Iran just want some respect! We have been meddling with Iran's affairs since 1953 over oil!

yep...everybody in the middle east wants the US out, they know what time it is. that's why Pakistan basically said if if comes down to it then it would be the (and Iran, etc.) v the US. most of those country's over there like Iran, Syria, N. even N. Korea, etc. are all tired of being poor and don't trust anyone from the west.

**Woodrow1** · 12-29-2011, 08:49 PM

we jack with them to much. Im sure the middle east would be far better off without us there.

The PM of Isreal has even said it himself, they dont want our help.

**DOMS** · 12-29-2011, 09:02 PM

Originally Posted by LAM

yep...everybody in the middle east wants the US out, they know what time it is. that's why Pakistan basically said if if comes down to it then it would be the (and Iran, etc.) v the US. most of those country's over there like Iran, Syria, N. even N. Korea, etc. are all tired of being poor and don't trust anyone from the west.

They'd go down faster than a Chinese hooker.

**myCATpowerlifts** · 12-30-2011, 07:38 AM

China just signed an oil treaty/agreement/whatever with Afganistan...

Looks like it will truly be a battle between East and West soon enough....

**lnvanry** · 12-30-2011, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by myCATpowerlifts

China just signed an oil treaty/agreement/whatever with Afganistan...

Looks like it will truly be a battle between East and West soon enough....

Small oil field...and they bid for the win, so they deserve to get the lease for the field. Its capitalism working.

its does kinda suck we spent billions of dollars building Afghan up and now we have no statutory advantage to win oil field leases, but something tells the larger fields and/or pipeline rights will be have a different outcome than the China win.

**Big Smoothy** · 01-02-2012, 10:59 AM

Mitt Romney and Rick Perry on Wednesday assailed Republican presidential rival Ron Paul for saying the U.S. has no business bombing Iran to keep it from acquiring a nuclear weapon, drawing a sharp contrast with their rising rival as he returned to Iowa to campaign before the lead-off caucuses.

India has the bomb; Pakistan has it, Israel has it.

Iran? It's not the US's problem.

**LAM** · 01-02-2012, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by Big Smoothy

India has the bomb; Pakistan has it, Israel has it.

Iran? It's not the US's problem.

it's just an excuse for the US to use it's military you know that. it's also easier to sell arms when they have not only been tested but have been used in conflict and are proven.

**Big Smoothy** · 01-02-2012, 10:54 PM

Originally Posted by LAM

it's just an excuse for the US to use it's military you know that. it's also easier to sell arms when they have not only been tested but have been used in conflict and are proven.

Military-Industrial Complex. Power-bomb-spend-create fear-ask for more appropirations ($$$) and so on....it's a cycle.

AIPAC has also been stirring the "need for the US to get involved in Iran" for at least 7 years now.

Nuclear proliferation.

How much will it cost? What will be the consequences?

Hard to say.

The US & UK have been involved in Iran for a long time and it was because of: oil.

Some nuts leading Iran from their Supreme Council but there are a lot of nuts in the world, and the US does not have the money nor need to get involved, considering all of the other problems America has domestically.

**lnvanry** · 01-02-2012, 11:43 PM

Originally Posted by Big Smoothy

India has the bomb; Pakistan has it, Israel has it.

Iran? It's not the US's problem.

eh, its not that simple...while I agree its a bigger problem for countries in the middle east than north america, it would have implications on the US and increase national security risk.

Paki made the bomb...then sold it to NK who fires test shots in the direction of JPN (prolly a top 3 or 4 ally). Now, Paki can barely protect its nuclear assets, which is problem for the entire world really. Iran could go down the same road...its not like Iran is on the path to economic prosperity right now and its populous is less than thrilled with their current gov't (remember the mass protests in 2010?)

In the end, it is a problem for the US....The question that needs to be asked, is the cost of intervening/"approving" Israel to invade/or US bombing worth the anticipated result.

**BP2000** · 01-03-2012, 12:10 AM

Originally Posted by lnvanry

eh, its not that simple...while I agree its a bigger problem for countries in the middle east than north america, it would have implications on the US and increase national security risk.

Paki made the bomb...then sold it to NK who fires test shots in the direction of JPN (prolly a top 3 or 4 ally). Now, Paki can barely protect its nuclear assets, which is problem for the entire world really. Iran could go down the same road...its not like Iran is on the path to economic prosperity right now and its populous is less than thrilled with their current gov't (remember the mass protests in 2010?)

In the end, it is a problem for the US....The question that needs to be asked, is the cost of intervening/"approving" Israel to invade/or US bombing worth the anticipated result.

You are completely missing the point. We have to stay out of the affair's of all these nation's. We should send help if they ask for help but never drop bombs and secretly aid people that we want in power like Carter did. It makes us look bad and that is why they hate us.

Policy should be not to intervene and re-establish our image of a nation of freedom. It's like we go to college and get a degree and start working in the field then all of a sudden we forgot everything we learned and are back in 3rd grade.

Violence beget's violence. That is why spiritual master's recommend to forgive your enemies. Because they know that if you re-act instead of act in a non-violent way more violence will result. Just ask the people in the middle east. Theyve been going at it for thousands of years and can't even remember why they are fighting. It is not our job to intervene. Especially in a violent way.

**BP2000** · 01-03-2012, 12:13 AM

Things will get so bad in America that we will forgot about these petty things. We will forget the Democrat and Republican war and will have to pull together to sort thing's out. Just watch. We are broke and talking about war's over seas.

**LAM** · 01-03-2012, 06:49 AM

Originally Posted by BP2000

Things will get so bad in America that we will forgot about these petty things. We will forget the Democrat and Republican war and will have to pull together to sort thing's out. Just watch. We are broke and talking about war's over seas.

they are already very bad unfortunately all of the economic indicators that are currently in use have been manipulated for decades to hide the truth (GDP, CPI, PPP per Capita, etc.). far to many averages used when income, wealth and capital in the US is far from any sort of equal distribution.

this thing with Iran has not to do with nuclear proliferation but with their/Ahmadinejad's continued efforts to have OPEC and the rest of the EU drop the dollar. the same applies to the war on terror it's nothing but a distraction. the real war that is being waged in the middle east is on the USD and has been for decades. they key to the economic dominance of the US lies in the USD and the rest of the world has just about had enough.

The "Axis of Evil" = Iraq, Iran and North Korea all country's that have dropped the USD as of the year 2000 or later.

there has been talk in DC about foreign nations using economic terrorism which may have made the housing market crash and banking collapse worst than it would have normally been. transparency between sovereign wealth funds, hedge-funds, etc. make it hard to track in regards to foreign investors activities into the US financial markets.

China, OPEC and US hedgefunds are all reducing their amounts of US holdings in T-notes. China and the Russians are now trading between themselves in a non-USD currency. the Russian have also turned down attempts to join the US in building a missile defense system against Iran.

the war on terrorism in terms of the middle east and Islam is total bullshit...US allies are starting to distance themselves from us

US workers are being fleeced out of their wealth by rent seeking activities by capitalists at the top before the dollar tanks and the US loses it's economic edge.

**FUZO** · 01-03-2012, 09:55 AM

lok no one has to wporry Ron Paul will not be the nominee of the Republican party he's a fruit ball. And now all those racist letters thsat have came out. Anyone seen how he reacts to them when a reporter brings them up,GUILTY

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