# Ron Paul warns U.S. government may stage terrorist attack **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 14, 2007, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789 "2007-07-14T21:46:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/1 "2007-07-14T21:46:47Z")
Story [here:](http://www.politico.com/blogs/thecrypt/0707/Ron_Paul_warns_of_staged_terror_attack.html) > [@](#): > > Republican presidential candidate, Rep. Ron Paul, said the country is in “great danger” of the U.S. government staging a terrorist attack or a Gulf of Tonkin style provocation, as the war in Iraq continues to deteriorate. > > The Texas congressman offered no specifics nor mentioned President Bush by name, but he clearly insinuated that the administration would not be above staging an incident to revive flagging support. > > “We’re in danger in many ways,” Paul said on the Alex Jones radio show. “The attack on our civil liberties here at home, the foreign policy that’s in shambles and our obligations overseas and commitment which endangers our troops and our national defense.” > > Paul was asked to respond to comments by anti-war activist Cindy Sheehan that the U.S. is in danger of a staged terror attack or a provocation of an enemy similar to the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964 before the Vietnam War. > > During the radio interview, Paul said the government was conducting “an orchestrated effort to blame the Iranians for everything that has gone wrong in Iraq.” > > The comments come as several prominent terrorism experts have warned the U.S. is facing an increased risk of attack this summer. Earlier this week, in an interview with the Chicago Tribune, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said he had a “gut feeling” the U.S. would be attacked again. I’m not sure who to Pit here – Paul, for being such a paranoid conspiracy-theory whacko; or the Bush Admin, for consistently behaving in a way that tempts me to believe Paul. Let’s do both! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/2 "2007-07-14T21:55:23Z")
Way too late. Even in 2002, there was a widespread expectation of a Bay of Camels incident. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/3 "2007-07-14T22:07:01Z")
> [@](#): > > Originally posted by **BrainGlutton** - _Paul was asked to respond to comments by anti-war activist **Cindy Sheehan** that the U.S. is in danger of a staged terror attack or a provocation of an enemy similar to the Gulf of Tonkin incident in 1964 before the Vietnam War._ (bolding mine) Looks like Paul got the part of Larry, and Cindy, as usual will be playing Moe. Who is going to play Curley? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/4 "2007-07-14T22:12:52Z")
[QUOTE=Morgenstern] (bolding mine) Looks like Paul got the part of Larry, and Cindy, as usual will be playing Moe. Who is going to play Curley? [/QUOTE] [Jeez, ask something hard!](http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/images/blpic-cheneytenways.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Lama\_Pacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Lama\_Pacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lama_Pacos)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/5 "2007-07-14T22:14:00Z")
I don’t know if it’s _true_, but I won’t say it would be surprising. I don’t picture morality or ethics getting in the way of such a plan-- only logistics and likelihood of getting caught. ---
**Author:** ![crowmanyclouds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crowmanyclouds/32/19884_2.png) [@crowmanyclouds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crowmanyclouds)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/6 "2007-07-14T22:26:21Z")
[QUOTE=Lama Pacos] … I don’t picture morality or ethics getting in the way of such a plan-- only logistics and likelihood of getting caught. [/QUOTE] See [Operation Northwoods](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Northwoods). CMC fnord! ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/7 "2007-07-14T22:36:11Z")
[QUOTE=crowmanyclouds] See [Operation Northwoods](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Northwoods). CMC fnord! [/QUOTE] :eek: Shades of the [Gleiwitz Incident!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gleiwitz_incident) ---
**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/8 "2007-07-14T23:13:26Z")
Bush Co. does not need any incident. His track record with Iraq was to simply declare that it was a threat to the USA, and then to invade. There is no reason to expect him to do anything different with Iran. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/9 "2007-07-14T23:23:09Z")
I’m trying to find where he actually did what the article says — the part about warning us of a staged attack. If someone could point it out, I’d greatly appreciate it. I see where the article said he “clearly insinuated” that they “would not be above” doing it. But shit, that ain’t the same thing at all, even generously stipulating the alleged clarity. In the absence of a specific quote (with context, preferably) I’m not putting much stock in it. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/10 "2007-07-14T23:33:56Z")
Here’s a [video of Ron Paul speaking back in January](http://cryptogon.com/?p=219): > [@](#): > > Ron Paul stood on the floor of the House of Representatives and, in an open session, on the record, said, “A contrived Gulf of Tonkin-type incident may well occur to gain popular support for an attack on Iran.” Here’s a report from May: [Ron Paul Says Elements of Government May Stage False Flag as Pretext to Attack Iran](http://www.infowars.com/articles/ww3/iran_ron_paul_says_gov_elements_stage_terror_blame_iran.htm) Google “ron paul” “false flag” for more. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/11 "2007-07-14T23:37:03Z")
Oh okay, Squink, thanks. Shit, I thought it was news. If he said something about a Gulf of Tonkin sort of thing, that obviously is not far fetched. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/12 "2007-07-14T23:46:57Z")
**BrainGlutton** , by my count this makes six Pit threads that you’ve started in the past few days. While there’s nothing wrong with any of the threads on their own, taken altogether it’s a bit much. You’re crossing over into Pit-as-blog terroritory. I’m not going to give you an official thread quota (yet), but I will ask that you ease up on the number of threads you start. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/13 "2007-07-14T23:57:56Z")
Not a new suspicion. I heard people at the time point out the convenience for the Republicans of the anthrax attacks, how none were targeted at Republicans, and how there’s no evidence that they were from overseas. No evidence ( given who was running the government, of course not ) , but it’s the sort of thing they’d do. And there’s evidence they knew something was coming before 9-11. How much and in what detail is the question. Really, if any other government acted the way these guys have, no one would consider it odd to accuse them of staging attacks and similar misdeeds; it’s just that we are supposed to pretend the US government is above such things. No matter if it’s done them before, and no matter who’s in charge. And no, screaming “conspiracy theory” isn’t a rebuttal, especially when it comes to people who are known liars and conspirators. ---
**Author:** ![Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kneepants_Erasmus_the_Humanist)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/14 "2007-07-15T00:00:13Z")
[QUOTE=Giraffe] **BrainGlutton** , by my count this makes six Pit threads that you’ve started in the past few days. While there’s nothing wrong with any of the threads on their own, taken altogether it’s a bit much. You’re crossing over into Pit-as-blog terroritory. I’m not going to give you an official thread quota (yet), but I will ask that you ease up on the number of threads you start. [/QUOTE] 😕 Why does it matter how many threads he starts if there is nothing wrong with any of them? If anything, he is picking up the slack from folks like me who don’t post a lot. I could understand if he was posting a bunch of articles and abandoning them, but he seems to be participating in the threads, and I generally take a look at what he has posted. Although the warning was worded politely, I still think it is ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/15 "2007-07-15T00:06:50Z")
Not so much worried about a staged event, as about a deliberate misinterpretation. Staged events are too complicated, but a blip on a radar screen could be a torpedo boat, that could be moving into attack position, and, if it did, may very well have launched topedos that, thankfully, missed the mark. These Arabs are notoriously bad at that kind of thing, Saddam fired over 700 missiles at our planes and never even got close. Yeah, I know, Persians aren’t Arabs, we’ll sort 'em when we stack 'em up. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/16 "2007-07-15T00:10:25Z")
Still think Paul is being a bit paranoid. Not that it’s something I’d put past BushCo, but it should be obvious to them such a deception would be impossible to get away with in the current climate. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/17 "2007-07-15T00:16:41Z")
[QUOTE=Kneepants Erasmus, the Humanist] 😕 Why does it matter how many threads he starts if there is nothing wrong with any of them? If anything, he is picking up the slack from folks like me who don’t post a lot. I could understand if he was posting a bunch of articles and abandoning them, but he seems to be participating in the threads, and I generally take a look at what he has posted. [/QUOTE] It’s nothing personal against **BrainGlutton**. We’ve always discouraged individual posters from taking up too significant a fraction of front page real estate. It just makes for better message board dynamics. To use the cocktail party analogy, we strive for mingling and interesting conversation from a range of viewpoints rather than a few people with megaphones drowning everyone else out. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/18 "2007-07-15T00:17:45Z")
Ok, Ron Paul is a nutjob, but… It is certainly true that the US has a history of higly questionable pretexts for war, dating back long before the Iraq wars. Not phonied-up attacks per se, but seizing on convenient incidents and distorting them into “attacks” or “threats” against the US. The Spanish American War and the sinking of the Maine – no actual evidence of the cause of the disaster, yet the drumbeat to “respond to an attack” that may never have happened. Panama – a series of harassments of US military personnel and spouses, and the need to arrest the drug=dealing president. Grenada – US medical students put at risk during a coup. I think this kind of incident is what Paul is referring to, and frankly, it is virtually SOP. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/19 "2007-07-15T00:22:12Z")
[QUOTE=Giraffe] **BrainGlutton** , by my count this makes six Pit threads that you’ve started in the past few days. While there’s nothing wrong with any of the threads on their own, taken altogether it’s a bit much. You’re crossing over into Pit-as-blog terroritory. I’m not going to give you an official thread quota (yet), but I will ask that you ease up on the number of threads you start. [/QUOTE] IIRC, this is the slippery-slope that got **Reeder**. But you have to admit, this **is** what you could refer to as a “target-rich environment.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789/20 "2007-07-15T00:22:25Z")
mutter…grumble…jackboots…mutter…dictatorship of the moderatariat…grumble [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ron-paul-warns-u-s-government-may-stage-terrorist-attack/411789.md?page=2)