Former Texas Rep. Ron Paul says the United States is partially to blame for the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
Speaking on the Fox Business Channel program The Independents, Paul accused the U.S. and the West of helping to overthrow Ukraine’s government under President Viktor Yanukovich. He went on to say that Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose military has invaded the Crimean peninsula portion of Ukraine, has "some law on his side" for his actions.
"This whole thing that Putin is the big cause of the trouble is pretty good evidence that the Europeans as well as the American government have contrived to have the overthrow of a government that most people say had been elected," Paul said.
"And they say everything that Putin does is illegal. He’s no angel, but actually he has some law on his side. They have contracts and agreements and treaties for a naval base there and the permission to go about that area."
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Paul compared the situation to the Americans’ presence at Cuba’s Guantanamo Bay, where the U.S. has a naval base and a detention facility for suspected terrorists.
Host Matt Welsh asked Paul about Russia’s actions, which have included
stacking its army along the border and
taking over a Ukraine base in Crimea.
"I don’t think we should do all that threatening," Paul said.
Welch interjected, saying he was referring to the Russians in his question.
"I know but we’re there," Paul said. I know you were talking about the Russians. You listen to [Sens. Lindsey] Graham and [John] McCain, [they say] ‘Oh, now we can build our missiles in Russia’s backyard.’ No, I don’t think so.
"If you believe in limited government, everybody should have the right to minimize their government. There should be a right of secession. We loved secession when we seceded from Great Britain, and we loved secession when the Soviet Union broke up. So why not have the break up of these countries?"
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