Ron Paul: Saying Iran Will Invade Israel Is "Like Saying Iran Is Going to Invade Mars"

Ron Paul was on Meet the Press. My patented, world-famous, award-winning, renowned quick notes ensued (some paraphrasing, some direct quotes):

On taxes/spending: We can make money by cutting spending. "I want a constitutional-sized government." "Anything would be better than income tax."

On military action: We could save hundreds of billions of dollars by withdrawing all the troops, everywhere. We shouldn't be the policeman of the world and we shouldn't start wars.

He did not know the number of troops the U.S. has around the world. Tim Russert told him.

If North Korea invaded South Korea, he would not declare war. "We can't afford [this] any more. We're going bankrupt."

On Iran: If Iran invaded Israel, "That's like saying Iran is going to invade Mars... It's an impossible situation." Israel encourages America to go into Iran. "There's not a doubt that they've encouraged us to [bomb] Iran." They can't defend their borders without coming to us. We've made them second class citizens.

On Al Qaeda: "They attack us because we're over there." We've provoked Al Qaeda. Our bases in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere, bombing Iraq, siding with Israel over Pakistan, our stance on Iran...all contribute to that provocation.

Having no troops at all, bringing them all home, would eliminate Bin Laden's incentive, he'd disappear. "The problem is both the U.S. and Al Qaeda."

"We're in 130 countries, we have 700 bases"...There is "some" moral equivalent between the U.S. and Islamic fascism. "Some...I like the program Bush ran on." It changed before 9/11 when he wanted to attack Iraq.

On civil liberties: We're in wars against drugs, terrorism, etc. People are willing to sacrifice liberties. "Enough is enough. We don't the suspension of habeas corpus, we don't need the Patriot Act..." Abolish the CIA and FBI. Keep the Department of Justice and Defense. "I'm not against the CIA, FBI, just their spying and secret wars." The CIA tortures. Abolish that, but not our requirement for intelligence.

On public schools: "I was never against them. I was misquoted."

On Social Security: "We need to offer the kids a chance to get out."

On earmarks: "You're confused." That's how he tried to justify his apparently contradictory position.