Paul: Economic crisis may be a blessing

The following is an exclusive Press TV interview with US congressman Ron Paul, a unique conservative politician who wants an end to US military presence on foreign soil, advocates US withdrawal from the UN, NATO and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and opposes the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Ron Paul, House representative of the 14th district of Texas, believes that US foreign policy must be reformed to avoid conflicts around the world.

Press TV: Dr. Paul, thank you for joining us. Let's start with foreign policy. How do you think the new administration will handle the war in Iraq?

Paul: The same way the old administration had. I don't think expect a whole lot of changes although he [US President-elect Barack Obama] had promised to bring the troops home in 16 months, now he isn't out on this because of the so-called agreement.

But I don't think he was ever serious about changing foreign policy. I think foreign policy in this country always stays the same whether the Republicans or Democrats lead it, because when you look at what George Bush ran on in the year 2000, he was strongly critical of Clinton's foreign policy of too much nation building and too much policing of the world, because the American people liked to hear that. But once they get in they do same thing.

So, I don't expect much change in Iraq. At the same time, he doesn't even pretend to have a difference of opinion on Afghanistan. So it isn't so much the individual countries, what he's going to do, as much as he overall endorses foreign interventionism.

And it is just of a matter of how fast you move and which leaders you have but essentially he picked all the leaders John McCain loves. The neocons love the foreign policy group that he has put together. So it is just a matter of time before the Democrat base that did not want him to continue the Bush-McCain policies... they are going to get pretty upset I think pretty soon.

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