Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) is making his father proud, and may be the lawmaker who keeps the United States from going to another costly Middle East war in Iran.
Paul made the proposal while hitting the links with President Donald Trump that he should take a larger role in negotiating peace with Iran, and the President is apparently fond of the proposal as he attempts to salvage his ‘America First’ foreign policy as tensions worsen with Iran.
Paul is willing to sit down with Iranian Foreign Minister Javad Zarif to begin peace tlaks with the Islamic Republic, which has been confirmed by four different U.S. officials according to a report from Politico. Neoconservative war hawks in the Trump administration such as national security advisor John Bolton and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo are being upstaged by Paul, who speaks to Trump’s non-interventionist instincts.
Paul and Trump recently heckled Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), the leading neocon war hawk in the Senate, while on a golfing expedition.
Proud that @realDonaldTrump and I argued with you against endless wars! @POTUS made it clear to all of us at the table, we are getting out of the Middle East quagmire. We’ve been there too long. Time to bring our troops home. https://t.co/trO0aIHbzk
— Senator Rand Paul (@RandPaul) July 15, 2019
Paul hopes to meet with Zarif while he is in New York City this week for briefings at the United Nations’ headquarters. He is scheduled to meet with several journalists and think-tank officials, but could possibly squeeze in the Kentucky Senator into his packed schedule.
Although Iran had stated that diplomatic solutions were off the table, they are starting to change their tune. Zarif made it clear that Iran is not opposed to engaging the the U.S. in peace talks, provided that they are willing to make certain concessions.
“No, we are at the bargaining table. It is the United States that left the bargaining table,” Zarif said, assigning the blame upon the Trump administration for the impasse. “And they are always welcome to return.”
“The United States is addicted, unfortunately, to sanctions,” Zarif added. “Once those sanctions are lifted, then room for negotiation is wide open.”
The global markets are already responding as a result of Paul’s push for peace, as oil prices have begun to plunge regarding the news that a U.S. war with Iran is less of a certainty. The WTI fell to $57 on Tuesday while the Brent dropped by 3 percent, slumping below $65.
Paul has praised Trump’s ability to avoid conflict with Iran even with the various pressures of the military-industrial complex trying to goad him into another regime change war.
“It really takes a statesman to show restraint amidst a chorus of voices for war,” Paul said to Fox News’ Martha MacCallum.
Paul has assisted Trump’s diplomatic efforts before. He traveled to Russia in Aug. 2018 where he delivered a letter to the Russian government on Trump’s behalf, helping defray tensions while the mainstream media, deep state and Democratic Party try to stoke a new Cold War between the nations.
“The letter emphasized the importance of further engagement in various areas including countering terrorism, enhancing legislative dialogue and resuming cultural exchanges,” Paul wrote last year.
Trump shows his good judgment by trusting Paul in helping him craft his foreign policy. It may save his ‘America First’ mandate and prevent Trump from falling into the same traps that doomed the legacies of his globalist predecessors.
