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Texas Gov. Rick Perry offered the broad outlines of his foreign policy philosophy at an annual gathering of veterans Monday, telling attendees that he opposes "military adventurism" while also advocating for "taking the fight to the enemy" and decrying indecision by "multi-lateral debating societies" at times of international crisis.
"We must renew our commitment to taking the fight to the enemy wherever they are, before they strike at home. I do not believe that America should fall subject to a foreign policy of military adventurism," he said at the annual convention of Veterans of Foreign Wars in San Antonio. "We should only risk shedding American blood and spending American treasure when our vital interests are threatened."
But Perry -- who did not specifically critique American involvement in the ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan, Syria, or Libya -- added that while American military leaders should honor and coordinate with allies around the world, too much collaboration with other nations could put U.S. soldiers at risk.
"We must be willing to act when it is time to act," he said to a crescendo of applause during his remarks. "We cannot concede the moral authority of our nation to multi-lateral debating societies. And when our interests are threatened, American soldiers should be led by American commanders."
"I say this because we owe to them and to their loved ones the commitment that any war is led by the country with the most advanced technology and the best training," he added.
The Texas governor, who served in the Air Force and whose father is a World War II veteran, made a special point to laud veterans of the Vietnam War, saying that soliders at that time faced the uncertainty of "not knowing at times when the enemy lurked among them in the civilian population" as well as the dithering of leaders in Washington were "not prepared to win" the conflict.
Perry was invited to speak at the convention in his role as the governor of the state of its host city, San Antonio. He is scheduled to campaign in Oklahoma this afternoon.
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Sounds like Afghanistan and Iraq to me!!
Now I'm not a historian but I don't recall hearing that Vietnam, now a communist country thanks to the USA's war, has attacked the USA or any of it's interests since the Vietnam war ended.
If that isn't "winning", I don't know what is..
I like Perry because he's tough on criminals, but he is not presidential material.
Its time for the USA to take care of the USA, and not worry about other countries so much. If we did not have such an open door policy for all those foreigners from Islamic, Muslim countries we would not have this much trouble or so much paranoia.
Tough talk isn't going to go far with a war weary public, Mr. Perry. Better reconsider
Someone, hopefully a liberal, explain to me, what is Obama's foreign policy??
Vote Republican to continue the trickle-up and sale (out) of America.
Vote democrat and keep the union thugs drawing government funds and the welfare recipients breeding.
#472.1: Thanks so much for your inaccurate post. It is the republicans that shun birth control, family planning, and parenting responsibility. How many pregnant 16 year olds in Texas?
Trickle, a vote for Perry and you will open the flood gates for the final waterfall of wealth to the already rich. He wants to end Medicare, Social Security, Food Stamps, and every other way to keep small babies from starving to death in the streets of America, just so his good good ole boy buddies can afford two Bentleys instead of one. He's just another thinly veiled confederate that wants his n*ggers in the cottonfields again. If he wins this thing America will be in another Civil War within five years. Millions will die.
Where can I get a list of all pro-vetern bills proposed over the last eight years? If anyone knows please post. I would be willing to spend some time crunching the real numbers to see who from each of our two main parties voted FOR or AGAINST Veteran bills. I think I know the answer, but to put these names out in public might help our Vets make a decision in the next election. Personally, I believe in a strong, well equipped military, but if you talk about flexing our muscle (flesh and blood men and women) you better damn straight be willing to take good care of them when the come home! Other wise all their saber rattling and military actions make it look like you really just consider our military as mere cannon fodder, the cost of getting you re-elected again. That cost is way too high. (Vietnam Vet)
Go to the House Committe on Vetern Affairs, it might be there.
Vote Republican to continue corporate welfare, bought and paid for governance, and word-doctored spin and manipulation of and for We The People.
Vote democrat to continue funding NPR, United Nations, Planed Parenthood, trail lawyers,Obamacare, AFLCIO,etc.
Inde- Thanks we will!!! We fund the UN? LOL But thanks VOTE DEMOCRAT!!!!!!!!! ps spelling!
Ok. we know how Perry wants to handle the other 49 states.. What about the rest of the world?
Perry can see Mexico from his house.
If Ricky boy gets elected, he will make George W and Obama look like school children being trained to destroy America by Wall Street; but I'm sure anything is possible with America being ran by the banker crooks at this time!
Listen to Perry long enough and we'll all wind up with our head up our ass, right back where we started with Bush and Cheney.
A teenage girl took her car to a Republican and said it wasn't running right. The man, who looked like Perry said, well your going to have to slow down. The oil, spark plugs, and filters need changed and you need new tires. The car needs cleaned out, washed, and waxed. She did not like this so she took her car to Obama because he is "cool". Obama looked at the car and said "put high octane gas in it and drive the hell out of it, which is what she did. Pretty soon the car broke down and the engine blew up. So goes the country.
Nobody in Mexico wants Perry, believe me. Texas has wanted to secede forever so maybe he can be elected to his little country's leadership and leave the rest of us alone!.... Remember how the US got TX? The same way Perry operates.... this is what the US wants for a leader? Is this what the US has come to?
I guess we shouldn't be surprised this ignorant moron wants to lead.... remember the last one we had? He caused the mess we're in, his partner in crime is now pumping his book telling people how proud he is about all the crimes they committed.... this is what we want?
They want to destroy the US and everything it has stood for, Maybe this is their "stupid's guide to Immigration" by making the US poor and terrible so nobody wants to even come here anymore. Wouldn't put it past them. Or how about the other idiot claiming the natural disaster's are punishment from god because we don't do what she says? Another hypocrite..... and just as smart too, she can't even talk straight....
If the GOP want any type of future they better present someone REAL and ELECTABLE real soon or they will be destroyed by the Tea Party and their people and they let it happen. We need another party that has intelligent, prepared and respectable people who are able to see the whole picture and can leave their private lives and religious views at home and can work towards a better future FOR ALL CITIZENS.
We should be protesting every day, we should fire everyone in Congress!!!!! Such shameful behavior. Eric Cantor, Mitch McConnell, John Boehner and their ilk should be fired!!!!!! Now they say FEMA should not get any money to help with disaster relief..... they don't want a jobs program..... RUN THEM OUT OF TOWN!!!!!!
Everyone is tired of long drawn out wars. Why? Because we didn't take the war to our enemies. In WWII we took the war to the enemy. In the Korean war we took the war to the enemy. In Vietnam. we couldn't fire unless fired upon. We fought with one hand tied behind our backs. Now in the Middle East our soldier die because we couldn't fire unless fired upon. I agree with Perry, take the war to the enemy and then bring our soldiers home. We still have the worlds best trained armed forces.
Better yet take the war from the enemy and don't start one...
I smell bull@!$%# from this guy. Another guy from Texas thinking God put him on the path to become president. Not during my time. I vote ron paul and here are the reasons why:
Experience. Ron Paul has been in Congress since 1976. This is part of his voting record:
Ron never voted for raising taxes.
Ron never voted for the Patriot Act
Ron never voted to raise the debt ceiling
Ron never voted to go to war in Iraq and all the other places
Ron never voted to use your tax dollars to bail out the banks
Ron has introduced term limit legislation but has been denied by the rest of Congress
Ron does not participate in the congressional pension plan.
Ron returns a portion of his congressional office budget to the Treasury every year
Ron never voted for an unbalanced budget
Ron never voted for a federal restriction on gun ownership
Ron voted against NAFTA and CAFTA
Ron has always wanted to reduce our massive spending by stopping these useless wars.
Ron will get rid of foreign aid
Ron will help audit then gradually abolish the Federal Reserve so we can return to a sound currency
Ron will enforce immigration law and close the border with Mexico
Ron is against the useless war on drugs that jails non violent criminals while the justice system allows murderers, rapists, and child molesters to get out early
Ron is against the income tax
Ron will get rid of the IRS
Ron has never taken a government-paid junket
Ron will reduce regulation so companies come back to the United States and create more jobs
Ron once offered $100 of his own money and told the rest of Congress to do the same to pay for the Congressional Medal of Honor given to Rosa Parks. No one joined him despite Congressmen earning a base salary of 174K a year.
Ron Paul is the only GOP candidate who has served in the armed forces and is the only one who wants to stop the wars. Romney and the others have never served and are happy to send your sons and daughters to useless wars. This is why the media has ignored Ron Paul. If every single person spreads this message, we can get Ron in the White House. We already know that the other candidates are just more of the same government spending, more wars, and more taxes. Vote RON PAUL 2012 GOP PRIMARY!!!!!!!!!!!! Or America as we know it, will be no more. THUMBS UP SO MORE CAN SEE!!!!
@#482: Gee, the post is real nice. You told us everything Cong. Ron Paul has not done.
Now, could you be so kind as to inform us on the things Cong. Ron Paul has done?
Onee thing I noticed is Ron doesn't vote much..
Obama is the one who is prudent, reasonable and interested in the well being of the nation as a whole
Dang right stick it to them before they can stick it to us! Damn lousy liberals would give this whole country away. But, let something happen to their home or loved ones and they want blood. Give me a break just a bunch of boot licking cowards!
Man you are so right -- 195 countries in the world -- do we start alphabetically or biggest to smallest -- let's get 'em all before they get us....
Obama is the one who is prudent, reasonable and interested in the well being of the nation as a whole
4 more years of this loser and we won't have a country! get real you wimp
Ron Paul needs to hang it up he is just too damn old!
"Retired colonel claims Cheney "was president for all practical purposes" in first term." From "Cheney fears war crimes trial"
This is what happens when you put dumb in charge.
The last last thing we need now is an even dummer duma$$ from TX
Please do not think Perry is the mastermind behind his foreign policy. He was briefed and worked it out recently with Donald Rumsfeld. Probably the reason it looks a lot like the way the bush folks dealt with foreign policy.
So The Texan would use force in the event that US interests were threatened.
In other words, The Texan just admitted he is a hoop jumper for the WALLSTREETERS!
Oh yeah, is this the guy that threatened to have Texas secede from the USA? And now he wants to be the president of all of us? Including the ones he was going to secede away from? He'll never be my president, the guy is a treasonous flip flopper that is playing the game. I would rather vote for a clown than him. Wait a minute, voting for him would be voting for a clown. He is the anti-Christ.
Perry's foreign (and domestic) policy: "Speak loudly and carry a small dick."