Who Will Stand Between Obama and the World

10 Republicans who are about to become the new foreign-policy power brokers.

BY JOSH ROGIN | OCTOBER 25, 2010

Congress may not be in charge of making foreign policy, but it sure can influence its implementation. Since taking office in January 2009, members of Congress -- drawn primarily but not exclusively from the ranks of the GOP -- have slowed the Obama administration's efforts to advance its strategy when dealing with Russia, Syria, Israel, Cuba, and a host of other relationships. And the midterm elections won't be making things any easier for President Barack Obama.

GOP lawmakers stand to play a huge role in the upcoming debates next year over the promised July 2011 drawdown of troops in Afghanistan, whether to maintain or increase U.S. foreign assistance packages, and how strongly to press countries such as Russia and China to implement new sanctions against Iran.

If current polls hold, Republicans will make significant gains in the Senate and likely take the House of Representatives, elevating a set of lawmakers to new heights of power and complicating Obama's efforts to execute his foreign-policy agenda.

"You can imagine an opposition controlled Congress raising a lot of hay. There will be a lot of static, a lot of flame throwing," explained one senior Republican congressional staffer. "You're not going to see the GOP giving the administration the benefit of the doubt."

Here's a list of 10 GOP figures in Congress who will be crucial actors on the foreign-policy stage when the dust settles after the Nov. 2 election.

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Josh Rogin is a staff writer at Foreign Policy. He blogs at thecable.foreignpolicy.com.

ANTIMKO

10:45 AM ET

October 26, 2010

About half of these people are bought and paid for by AIPAC

Eric Cantor for one. What could go wrong?

 

BETZ55

6:57 AM ET

October 27, 2010

Exactly right

AIPAC, AIPAC, AIPAC will ensure that the US keep supporting its biggest welfare client, Israel, while our own go without here at home. Disgusting.

"Granger is also on board with efforts to eliminate aid to countries that are not performing on internal reform, as she explained when expressing opposition to funding of the Senegalese government through the State Department's Millennium Challenge Corporation. "We can't just give out money and say we will put up with whatever you are doing," she said.

Really Granger? Why don't you start with apartheid Israel.

 

RKERG

11:12 AM ET

October 26, 2010

No Reality Needed

Its the return of foreign policy based not in reality, but in the politics of the districts of the members of House of Representatives and of course, their biggest campaign donors. They yearn for more military adventures like Iraq, which, as we know has been transformed into a shining beacon of democracy. LOL.

 

DPM426

6:45 PM ET

October 26, 2010

Pete Hoekstra

Will not be a player in the next Congress. He lost the Michigan Republican Gubernatorial primary.

 

AR

2:19 PM ET

October 29, 2010

If Americans really want to

If Americans really want to see change and a better future for the nation then vote 3rd party. The dems and reps are the same. One is whimpy and can not or will not get their act together, the other does nothing, panders to jingoistic fears and both pander to special interests, not least of which is the israeli lobby.

 

JOES_FRON

12:32 AM ET

November 19, 2010

If Americans really

Senegalese government through tatil the State Department's gazeteler Millennium Challenge Corporation. "We can't just give out instyler money and say we will put up with tv shop whatever you are doing," she said.

 

HELLEHOU503

1:48 PM ET

November 24, 2010

Who Will Stand Between Obama and the World

10 Republicans who are about to become the new foreign-policy power brokers. Its the return of foreign policy based not in reality, but in the politics of the districts of the members of House of Representatives and of course, their biggest campaign donors. They yearn for more military adventures like Iraq, which, as we know has been transformed into a shining beacon of democracy. LOL. "If current polls hold, Republicans will make significant gains in the Senate and likely take the House of Representatives, elevating a set of lawmakers to new heights of power and complicating Obama's efforts to execute his foreign-policy agenda austin auto quote. " "Granger is also on board with efforts to eliminate aid to countries that are not performing on internal reform, as she explained when expressing opposition to funding of the Senegalese government through the State Department's Millennium Challenge Corporation. "We can't just give out money and say we will put up with whatever you are doing," she said. Really Granger? Why don't you start with apartheid Israel.