Big Peace Exclusive Interview: Col. Allen West

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Last week I caught up with Congressional candidate Lt. Col. Allen West (US Army, Ret.) before he gave the Sunday Sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Boca Raton, Florida. Meeting Allen in a small park built as a monument to Martin Luther King, Jr. was so fitting, as was his sermon that morning at a storied African-American church. (Video of that inspiring speech can be found here.)

It’s fitting, too, that we begin our series of Big Peace Interviews with someone like Allen West, who combines the strategic vision of a policymaker and the experience of a real ‘boots on the ground’ participant in America’s recent battles. Unlike perhaps any other candidate for the House, Lt. Col. West is prepared to engage on a variety of issues of national security– often at length. (What other politician, much less a Congressional candidate, could draw a massive 40,000 views for a sober 20-minute lecture on Afghanistan?)

In this video, Allen discusses: (a) The Ground Zero Mosque; (b) Russia & Peace Through Strength, (c) Border Security; (d) Ron Paul, Barney Frank & the Slashing of Our Defenses; and (e) ‘COIN,’ Hearts & Minds.