Kentuchy senator Rand Paul [ua168.com]

Rand Paul, the junior senator from Kentucky, filibustered the Senate vote on confirming John Brennan to be CIA director, because he was against the drone war in general and the targeted assassination of American citizens in the US in particular.

He failed. Brennan became CIA director. But his filibuster was called "historic" by Antiwar.com's Justin Raimondo, who quotes a talk show host at length:

"There is a fear among (John) McCain, Lindsey Graham, and others who favor an interventionist foreign policy. Think of the neocons. Think of going into Iraq and not just securing Iraq, but building a democracy. Nation building, if you will. Think of the outbreak of the Arab Spring and the people on our side who thought, 'Wow, this is wonderful. This is the outbreak of American democracy,' when it wasn't. It was the exact opposite. Rand Paul, they're asking themselves, is he his father's (Ron Paul) son or is he on his own here? They're worried that Rand Paul's diatribe on drones really means that Rand Paul wants to bring the military home and not use it unless we're attacked, He doesn't like it being used in an intervention. This is what they fear. And as he succeeds in making a connection with the America people, they're worried, the neocons are worried that they are being undermined by this."

That was from none other than Rush Limbaugh, who used to call critics of American foreign policy "appeasement", "anti-American", "cheese-eating surrender monkey". But this time he sounded eminently sensible and even insightful. He hit the nail on the head.

Has Rand Paul made a connection with the American people? Americans are sick and tired of the military intervening everywhere, and endless wars that busted the budget, infringed on their constitutional rights, and only enriched the arms industry.

Stunned by failures in Iraq and Afghanistan and financially strapped, the Obama administrations seems to be a little more cautious, especially as regards the commitment of ground troops. Former defense chief Robert Gates reportedly warned against any one who commits large-scale ground troops would have his head examined. He was credited for making the US aware of the danger of over reliance on military intervention as an instrument of American foreign policy.

More cautious, yes. But the hegemonic global strategy remains unchanged. Obma's intervention in Libya boomeranged as the US ambassador and three other Americans were killed.

Intervention in Syria continues, as Washington is contending with the black-flag flying Al Nusra for control of the Syrian opposition. But ostensibly to meet the alleged threat from Iran, the US is in effect allied with the very elements that make up Al Qaeda's base. The Syrian opposition is mainly supplied by Saudi Arabia, America's major ally in the Middle East. According to Reese Erlich who has just returned after ten days in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain on assignment for NPR, the Saudi government and wealthy Saudis are involved in arming Syrian rebels, the most ultraconservative, ultrareligious groups, such as Al Nusra. And hundreds of Saudis are infiltrating across the borders from Jordan and Turkey and going to fight with these extremist groups in Syria.

This is where Rand Paul comes in. He scares the neocons out of their wits, as he manages to combine the conservative critique of untrammeled state power with the libertarian critique of America's interventionist foreign policy. He successfully showed how the neocon program of perpetual war inevitably leads to the end of constitutional law at home.

In short, the junior senator from Kentucky brings together all elements needed to forge a new national coalition against intervention. It remains to be seen how effectively that coalition works out.

The author is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit: http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/zhaojinglun.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

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