Rand Paul Sounds Off Against the Neocon Crowd at the Up From Chaos Conference

By
Jose Nino
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While the interventionist uniparty in DC and the corporate media clamor for war, a growing coalition of populists and liberty conservatives got together at the Up From Chaos conference on March 31, 2022. 

Kentucky Senator Rand Paul was one of the most high-profile speakers at this event, which was a pro-realism and restraint gathering that challenged the prevailing neoconservative standard that dominates discourse in the Republican Party. 

Paul was specifically critical of sanctions policies towards Russia and China, which he believes have been ineffective in stopping these regimes:

“I don’t think the sanctions we’ve put on Russia have done anything. I don’t think the sanctions we’ve put on China have done anything. Can you tell me one behavior Russia has changed because of a sanction?” Senator @RandPaul on sanctions at #UpFromChaos this afternoon.”

According to Castellum.ai, a database that tracks sanctions activity worldwide, Russia is the most sanctioned country on the planet, with 5,532 sanctions imposed on it. These sanctions have largely come about as a result of Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine. Previously, Iran was the most sanctioned country on the planet, with 3,616 sanctions imposed on it.

Sanctions have also been ineffective in bringing about regime change. Such behavior often results in the sanctioned countries finding other countries on bad terms with Washington to form military and economic pacts that challenge American supremacy.

On top of criticizing the US’s sanctions policy, Paul stressed the need for going back to constitutionalist principles. Namely, using Congress’s formal powers to declare war, as opposed to outsourcing that power to an increasingly powerful Executive Branch.

American Moment quoted the following remarks from Paul’s speech: 

“I think there is a growing movement within Congress…that truly does believe in the Constitutional role in declaring war, making them think twice about engagement.”

Senator @RandPaul speaks on #Ukraine and American foreign policy at #UpFromChaos”

The Republican Party is in need of some realism and restraint. For too long, it has become enamored with militarism and hawkish behavior abroad. Instead, it needs to focus on domestic affairs such as tackling crime, securing our border, and keeping inflation in line.

The US has two moats in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and a vast nuclear arsenal to defend itself from potential invaders.  America’s real enemies come from within, not from without.