Published on December 8, 2023, 1:43 am

The GOP primary debate saw republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy in full attack mode this Wednesday. Personally, I’ve always appreciated Ramaswamy for his candor and intelligence. However, last night, he ventured off course on certain issues.

During a dialogue about Ukraine, Ramaswamy chose to challenge his opponents’ knowledge about the Eastern Ukrainian provinces and proceeded to question Nikki Haley’s intellectual aptitude. Chris Christie stood up to defend her—only to become the next target of Ramaswamy’s unyielding verbal assault.

“We just learned something from Chris Christie,” Ramaswamy said acidly, getting ready for his most brutal point yet. He criticized Christie’s foreign policy knowledge or lack thereof. Additionally, he questioned the prudence of sending US troops into another country’s conflict while asserting that neither Christie nor Haley could even name the provinces they want to protect.

Interrupted by Chris Christie during his heated dissection of Haley and Christie’s foreign policies, he quickly retorted “I’m speaking, and I’m not done yet,” before making claims associated with intellectual fraud relating to their touted foreign policy experience.

His accusations grew more intense, associating those siding with interventions in Iraq or Afghanistan whilst having limited understanding about these territories as deceivers on par with those who justified Bush-era invasions under shaky premises such as weapons of mass destruction.

Ramaswamy was relentless in his criticism referencing former Vice-President Dick Cheney – “You can put lipstick on a Dick Cheney; it is still a fascist neocon”, indicating continuous echoes of neoconservatism within Republican circles.

Despite emerging as a substantial force within recent political confrontations- be it on stage or in media engagements – Ramaswamy’s derogatory reference towards fellow Republican Cheney aligns him uncomfortably close to the hyperbolic hate-speech trademarked by Democrats against Republicans; language which has no place within GOP discourse.

Concerning his comments on Iraq, Ramaswamy neglects the fact that Bush’s administration responded to shared international intelligence about weapons of mass destruction. Not only supported by the CIA, but intelligence communities across France, Germany, Israel and other nations also shared this assessment. Post-war investigations further reinforced that there was no improper influence leading to an overstated chemical, biological or nuclear capabilities assessment in Iraq.

So the question arises: will Ramaswamy join Democrats’ bandwagon in senselessly blaming “Bush and Cheney” with scant regard for historical accuracies? Or will he take his own advice into heed; comprehending the issue before commenting?

Doesn’t real news need to be trusted news based on evidence rather than heated rhetoric? The fragile dynamics within the GOP and cross-discipline understanding intricacies certainly merit a Christian worldview marked by humility over divisive dissension. Remember vibrant discussions are driven by insights not insults. As we digest breaking news let’s make sure facts find their prominence over fiery claims.