Rand Paul Thinks We Invaded Iraq Because Of Dick Cheney's Connection To Halliburton

AP

In the wake of a war of words where former Vice President Dick Cheney expressed a concern there's an "increasing strain of isolationism" among the Republicans considering entering the 2016 presidential race, Mother Jones' David Corn unearthed vintage footage of one of the likely GOP White House hopefuls, Sen. Rand Paul, accusing Cheney of supporting the Iraq War to make money.

In the clip, which was filmed in 2009 shortly before Paul announced his Senate campaign, Paul said Cheney initially thought invading Iraq would be a bad idea, but changed his mind after he became CEO of Halliburton in 1995 and was in a position to profit from defense contracts.

Paul began by saying there was a "great YouTube of Dick Cheney in 1995" where he described being against a potential invasion of Iraq.

"He says it would be a disaster, it would be vastly expensive, it would be civil war, we'd have no exit strategy. He goes on and on for five minutes-Dick Cheney saying it would be a bad idea," Paul said. "And that's why the first Bush didn't go into Baghdad. Dick Cheney then goes to work for Halliburton. Makes hundreds of millions of dollars-Their CEO. Next thing you know, he's back in government, it's a good idea to go into Iraq."

Later on in the video, Paul argued the September 11th attacks were used as an excuse by Bush administration officials who "already wanted" war in Iraq. Paul said White House officials thought it didn't "matter" whether or not Iraq had a "connection to 9/11."

"9/11 became an excuse for a war that they already wanted in Iraq," Paul explained.

Watch the clip below.

(h/t Washington Post)