As jihadi rebels advance toward Baghdad after capturing much of Iraq's north, former Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, says America's chickens are coming home to roost and the U.S. should provide absolutely no assistance to the Iraqi government.

"Give them nothing," the former presidential candidate advises. "The people in that country have to deal with it."

The Iraqi government is appealing for U.S. assistance as the crisis deepens and President Barack Obama said Friday he's reviewing options short of on-the-ground help, while expressing irritation about the Iraqi government's ineptitude.

Paul's glad that troops are off the table – but fears airstrikes or aid would harm U.S. interests.

"The president should not be sending weapons or training forces, all that would do is give more incentive for al-Qaida to be more active," he tells U.S. News. "We've suffered enough and we don't suffer at the hands of those who are defending their country, we suffer at the hand of those who have orchestrated this foreign policy that's doomed to fail."