This isn’t expected from Republicans. That’s why it’s so stunning.
And a GOP senator made a shocking admission that will leave you flabbergasted.
Sen. Rand Paul delivered a blunt assessment of the ongoing conflict with Iran during a recent appearance on MS NOW’s Morning Joe.
The Kentucky Republican did not mince words about the decision to launch military strikes under President Donald Trump.
“This is a war of choice, and it wouldn’t have been my choice. I think if you look at it objectively, one step forward — we decimated their military —but two steps backward in that they militarized the Strait. The Strait has never been militarized, and I think really, no negotiations go forward until you get a demilitarization of the Strait, and you will still have to negotiate to get any nuclear achievement, despite the military victory. So I think by any objective viewing, we are worse off than we were before the war,” Paul stated.
His remarks cut against the triumphant tone coming from some corners of Washington.
Negotiations remain essential, he argued.
Co-host Willie Geist pressed him on the practical next steps:
So then, with that in mind, Senator, I think a lot of people in this country would agree with you on that assertion. What is the best possible outcome at this point for the United States? What’s the best way out of this war?”
Paul’s answer prioritized an end to the fighting.
“The sooner the war ends, the better. And there are a lot of alternatives. If you still want to strive for your objective, and it’s hard for people who begin a massive war and have spent tens of billions of dollars on this bombing campaign, it will be very hard for them to leave and not try to get their goal,” the senator stated.
“One goal would be removal, and it’s a noble goal: removal of the enriched uranium. If they could get that, they could really go a long way toward saying, well, gosh, it was justified. We got rid of their enriched uranium. But the only way you’ll do that is you have to negotiate.”
The senator recognized the political difficulty of walking away after such heavy spending and commitment.
Leaders who ordered the strikes face pressure to extract something concrete before closing the chapter.
Removal of Iran’s enriched uranium ranks as a worthy aim in Paul’s estimation.
Securing that outcome could allow officials to claim the effort produced real results.
