Ron Paul writes in his new book that Nazi leader Hermann Goering's advice on war propaganda reminded him of the tactics used against those who opposed going to war in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Paul writes in his new book, Swords into Plowshares: A Life in Wartime and a Future of Peace and Prosperity, which he published earlier this month, that Osama Bin Laden didn't lie about his reasons for the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, but American leaders were "deaf" to what Bin Laden had said.
"Hermann Goering, in his classic quote on war propaganda, was unseemly blunt and honest. Osama bin Laden, to my knowledge, never lied about his reasons for supporting the 9/11 attack," Paul writes. "But our leaders were deaf to bin Laden's revelations. What is scary is how Goering concludes that 'it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship.'"
"His advice: Lie to them; tell the people they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country."
Paul says Goering's claims reminded him of what he said were "denunciations" of those who did not support the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
"Considering Goering's war propaganda explanation, I am reminded of all of the denunciations of those who opposed the fighting and killing of the last couple of decades, especially in the run-up to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan," Paul states.
Paul also slams "chickenhawks," those "who promote war, but never participate in war" as "hypocrites of the worst kind."
"Check the military service of other war promoters including Bill Bennett, Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, Elliott Abrams, Bill Kristol, Robert Kagan, David Wurmser, Scooter Libby, Norman Podhoretz, John Podhoretz, James Schlesinger, Dov Zakheim, Douglas Feith, Michael Ledeen, and David Frum," Paul adds.
Here's the full passage:
The hypocrisy of the instigators of wars should be enough to awaken the people to reject the war profiteers. The true warmongers rarely die in war, nor even serve in the military. But, they reap the material benefits of the wars they provoke and promote. The chickenhawks of today should be held in contempt. Those who promote war, but never participate in war, should be seen for what they are—hypocrites of the worst kind. This is especially true for all the neocon warmongers who managed to get deferments from the draft. In contrast, individuals like Muhammad Ali consistently refused to be drafted to fight and said no one else should be forced to fight either. Multiple times Dick Cheney and other current war promoters sought refuge from the dangers of a war similar to the wars they eagerly supported later on. Refusing to participate in an unjust, undeclared war like Vietnam is not being "chicken ." To do that takes courage, something the chickenhawks are devoid of. Prison and even death can result from refusing to fight in an unjust war. Chickenhawks, in contrast, rarely suffer any consequence. Check the military service of other war promoters including Bill Bennett, Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, Elliott Abrams, Bill Kristol, Robert Kagan, David Wurmser, Scooter Libby, Norman Podhoretz, John Podhoretz, James Schlesinger, Dov Zakheim, Douglas Feith, Michael Ledeen, and David Frum. Proponents of war and violence can sometimes be very revealing when they blurt out the truth. Hermann Goering, in his classic quote on war propaganda, was unseemly blunt and honest. Osama bin Laden, to my knowledge, never lied about his reasons for supporting the 9/ 11 attack. But our leaders were deaf to bin Laden's revelations. What is scary is how Goering concludes that "it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy or a fascist dictatorship or a Parliament or a Communist dictatorship." His advice: Lie to them; tell the people "they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country." Considering Goering's war propaganda explanation, I am reminded of all of the denunciations of those who opposed the fighting and killing of the last couple of decades, especially in the run-up to wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.