Foreign Policy

Our most important foreign-policy objective should be to restore our good name and reputation abroad by being faithful to the principles that established the United States in the past as the leader of the free world. We must promote human rights and free trade while understanding that one economic system or system of government does not fit all. Regaining respect and credibility is not merely an exercise in public diplomacy. It has a direct impact on our economy and national security as well.

The United States must remain vigilant and active in reducing the threat of global terrorism. Along with military and homeland-security measures aimed at ensuring Americans’ safety, the United States must seek to regain the level of support from our allies that we enjoyed immediately following September 11, 2001. Unfortunately, the unilateral policies of the Bush administration diminished our reputation and leadership abroad, and we lost the support of many allies. By restoring our reputation abroad, we can regain this support, which is crucial in the fight against global terrorism.

Afghanistan
The United States must have an exit strategy to achieve our political objectives in Afghanistan and to draw down our troops in a timely fashion. President Obama has announced a timetable for increased troop strength and other strategies in Afghanistan, and I support his decision. In this course of action, we must support our troops who serve there.

Our political and military objectives in Afghanistan must be informed by the lessons of the 1980s. Ultimately, our military presence alone will not accomplish our objectives. We must also infuse Afghanistan with humanitarian assistance in order to win hearts and minds.

The United States, along with the international community, should provide funding and other support for nation building that emphasizes education and infrastructure. We should also support the evolution of a democratic political system in Afghanistan within a framework that is appropriate for the country based on its history and its tribal and ethnic diversity.

Iraq
I support President Obama’s timetable to withdraw most U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010. The 35,000-50,000 troops that are projected to remain in Iraq should work in conjunction with the Iraqi military to ensure that groups such as al-Qaeda do not pose threats to the internal stability of the country or to external targets. By Dec. 31, 2011, the last of U.S. forces in Iraq should be withdrawn from the country according to the agreement signed by the Bush administration with the Iraqi government.

Both before and after withdrawing its troops from Iraq, the United States should promote continuing democratization and support the rebuilding of infrastructure while at the same time respecting Iraq’s territorial and political sovereignty. This includes control over its natural resources (i.e., petroleum reserves). While the United States has an enduring interest in the free flow of oil from Iraq to American and other markets, it must respect the Iraqi government’s control of these resources and all other elements of Iraqi foreign policy. This will serve to strengthen the legitimacy of the Iraqi government in the eyes not only of Iraqi citizens but also of people throughout the region.

Iran
Iran should be prevented from acquiring nuclear weapons by means of international diplomacy, inspections and sanctions, if necessary. Any action against Iran should be multilateral. Any military strike against Iran should be avoided at all costs, as this would further destabilize an already volatile region and would compromise ongoing American military campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq.

For its part, the United States should pursue a multifaceted approach to preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons through:

 independent gathering of reliable and verifiable intelligence that is shared with a range of allied nations.
 support for international monitoring of Iranian facilities.
 diplomacy in concert with allied nations that is aimed at moving Iran away from development of offensive nuclear capacity.
 readiness to employ sanctions in concert with other nations if international monitoring is obstructed and/or diplomacy fails.