Most Americans Oppose Current Wars – Most Presidential Candidates Don’t

Most Americans Oppose Current Wars – Most Presidential Candidates Don't
Writes The Baltimore Sun's Mary Meehan:

Voters who are weary of endless war may have no choice at the presidential level next November. This is a very large group to be denied a vote on a key issue.

A CNN/ORC poll released in November found that 68 percent of Americans opposed the war in Iraq and 63 percent are against the one in Afghanistan. Yet, we keep hearing that only hawks have a chance to be elected president.

Or, in the case of Barack Obama, reelected. Although President Obama has withdrawn U.S. troops from Iraq, the war in Afghanistan grinds on. Mr. Obama expanded the drone warfare that has killed many civilians in Afghanistan and Pakistan. He ordered military action in Libya without even consulting Congress.

President Obama also supports war-related violations of the Bill of Rights, such as the misnamed Patriot Act and the indefinite detention ­ without trial ­ of terrorism suspects. And his administration failed to prosecute U.S. officials from the previous administration who authorized or practiced torture.

All of this makes many people think about voting for Rep. Ron Paul, the anti-war Republican congressman from Texas. Establishment political observers insist Dr. Paul has no chance to win the Republican nomination. They have been shocked, though, by recent headlines such as "Ron Paul rising in Iowa polls" and "Can Ron Paul win New Hampshire?"

Recently, Dr. Paul and Mitt Romney were the only candidates who qualified for Virginia's Republican primary ballot. And a Washington Post-ABC News poll released Dec. 20 showed Dr. Paul just five points behind President Barack Obama (Mr. Obama 49, Dr. Paul 44)…


http://www.ronpaul2012.com/2012/01/02/most-americans-oppose-current-wars-most-presidential-candidates-dont/