Politics Stops at the Water's Edge

After two foreign-policy debates, we still have no idea what most Republican presidential candidates would do about the actual issues facing America abroad.

BY MICHAEL COHEN | NOVEMBER 23, 2011

Tuesday night was the tenth Republican presidential debate athis year nd the second to focus on national security and foreign policy. One would think that after this many discussions among the GOP aspirants, voters would have a clear sense of how a Republican commander-in-chief would deal with the myriad foreign-policy issues he (or she!) will find on his plate in January 2013.

Think again. Maybe this is the penalty one pays for watching too many of these dog-and-pony shows; maybe it was the numerous and occasionally inane questions about foreign-policy topics that seemed more relevant two election cycles ago (TSA patdowns? Really?); or maybe it was the parade of former Bush administration officials asking questions (David Addington and Mark Thiessen both weighed in; apparently John Yoo had made other plans).

In any case, those Americans looking for answers to questions about foreign policy issues the next president will actually be dealing with on foreign policy were likely to be disappointed. China and the Far East in general didn't come up -- and this just after President Barack Obama had returned from a weeklong visit to the region. There was nothing on the boiling Eurozone crisis, the current violence in Egypt, or climate change -- and surprisingly little on defense cuts or the future of the military, despite the recent meltdown of the congressional "supercommittee" charged with carrying out such cuts.

What we got instead could best be summarized by Mitt Romney's answer to a question on Somalia's al-Shabab terrorists:

"President Obama feels that we're going to be a nation which has multipolar balancing militaries. I believe that American military superiority is the right course. President Obama says that we have people throughout the world with common interests. I just don't agree with him. I think there are people in the world that want to oppress other people that are evil. President Obama seems to think that we're going to have a global century, an Asian century. I believe we have to have an American century, where America leads the free world and the free world leads the entire world. President Obama apologizes for America. It is time for us to be strong as a nation."

Besides being a rather blatant mischaracterization of Obama's foreign-policy views (and, no, Obama has not apologized for America), this chest-beating answer provided zero insight into how Romney would achieve his goal of a strong, exceptional, and unapologetic America -- and certainly not into how he would pay for it. It was simply red meat for Republican partisans -- as was his amazing claim that there is "no price that is too expensive to stop an Iranian nuclear weapon." Romney can't possible believe this.

But such simplicity was par for the course. Indeed, to listen to the GOP candidates on Iran is to think that an American president can use a little military force here, drop a few sanctions there, and voilà, the Iranian nuclear program will be stopped dead in its tracks. It took poor former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman to make the somewhat obvious point that there is little the United States can do, even with stronger sanctions, to stop Iran from building a nuclear bomb.

MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images

 

CHARLESFRITH

7:59 PM ET

November 23, 2011

US foreign policy 101

That's easy.

1. Preserve and expand the empire.
2. Acquire as much resources globally as possible.
3. Divide and rule through mechanisms such as unwavering support of expansionist zionism.
4. Pursue a perpetual war and central banking model.

The tricky part for the GOP is there's so little language left to lie about it. The Democrats are little better.

 

DELTA22

9:59 PM ET

November 23, 2011

The Republicans' foreign

The Republicans' foreign policy is basically to put America back on the road to national glory, as opposed to the dark days of the Obama administration.

 

BADPELICAN

8:19 AM ET

November 24, 2011

The reason foreign policy is

The reason foreign policy is an important discussion during debates is to ensure that people -- like yourself -- who offer such mindless, ambiguous, and partisan answers to complex questions get weeded out. Thankfully, you're not running for office, but I remain concerned that one of these dumbskulls might convince enough people to get elected, whereby putting the entire nation at jeopardy by careless displays of flag-waving and bravado.

 

MUSE

3:59 AM ET

November 24, 2011

Like the rest of American media you are ignoring Ron Paul

Ron Paul speaks for liberty and freedom. He is not bought by banks or corporations, he is dedicated to upholding the U.S. Constitution.
He beleives in a free enterprise system and has been studying the Austrian School of economics for over 30 years.
He has called the housing bubble and speaks openly abou the need to cut trillions from the U.S. government in order for it to survive.

He is the only real choice in a minefield full of bought and paid for politicians. Ron Paul 2012

 

MARTY MARTEL

5:42 AM ET

November 24, 2011

Politics will END on day after election, temporarily

The end result of an election is to replace current goof-ups or crooks with the new ones.

Republicans are just opposing Obama for the sake of it - they really don’t have any legs to stand on. Witness how Obama took a chance to kill Osama that Bush would have refused.

Republicans will follow Obama policy of winding down endless Afghan war with the help of Pakistan (fiscal reality will force it if nothing else - broke America can not continue it) so that US troops can leave under the illusion of victory or compromise. Then Pakistan will re-engineer Taliban takeover just like it did the first one in 1996 while U. S. would look the other way.

 

MUSE

7:43 PM ET

November 24, 2011

Poll: Ron Paul in firm lead

Poll: Ron Paul in firm lead in Iowa

Texas Congressman Ron Paul continues to boast high numbers in public polls despite the lack of media attention that he has received throughout the race for the GOP primary. Just prior to the start of last night's GOP debate, Paul's poll numbers were at their highest since the start of the race.

According to TeleResearch, which performed the survey, Paul leads among his fellow Republicans in Iowa with 25 percent of the vote. The poll is significant as it is the first to incorporate disaffected Democrats and Independents who will not vote to reelect President Obama and instead will cross over to vote in the Iowa Republican caucus, as well as Republican voters.

The Laconia Daily Sun reports that Ron Paul has not only managed to win the support of Democrats, but also from some of the most left-wing Democrats in the party - those who are self-described “progressives.” The New American

A University of Minnesota study confirmed recently that Ron Paul has been given the least amount of time to speak at the debates of all of the candidates. Putting this into perspective, the study found that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has received more than double the amount of time allotted for Ron Paul during the last three debates. University of Minnesota

A study by the Pew Research Center proved that Paul has been blacked out by the mainstream media. The study combined traditional media research methods with computer algorithms to track the level and tone of coverage of presidential candidates, and compiled a list of 52 mainstream news sources, ranging from newspapers to television. The Pew Research Center

In August, CNN admitted that it was inclined to ignore Ron Paul, despite his success, because he is “unelectable.” Politico

FACTS & FIGURES

Ron Paul's foreign policy of nonintervention made him the only 2008 Republican presidential candidate to have voted against the Iraq War Resolution during 2002. U.S. House of Representatives

Ron Paul was one of six Republicans to vote against the Iraq War Resolution and sponsored a resolution to repeal the war authorization during February 2003. U.S. House of Representatives.

 

AS456

7:50 AM ET

November 25, 2011

A foreign policy of

A foreign policy of diplomacy, and dealing with terrorism as a global problem that concerns all civilized societies; a policy of strength and true homeland security, putting the safety of all Americans before political and ideological vendettas; a policy of leadership by example, to remind the rest of the world why the United States of America is to be admired, not feared. And don’t think I’ll be going it alone when I get to the Oval Office. I will be bringing with me some of the greatest minds in foreign policy, and I am not too proud to tell you I will consult with experts regardless of their political affilation when making the kinds of decisions that affect Americans at home and our brave troops overseas. Make no mistake — I will act swiftly and directly to counter any threat to our great nation. But I do not subscribe to the Bush-Cheney model of going it alone now and dealing with whatever consequences occur as a result later. I fear John McCain’s foreign policy will be a continuation of that Bush-Cheney model. Mine will be a foreign policy of responsibility." -B. Obama

 

AS456

8:09 AM ET

November 25, 2011

A foreign policy of

A foreign policy of diplomacy, and dealing with terrorism as a global problem that concerns all civilized societies; a policy of strength and true homeland security, putting the safety of all Americans before political and ideological vendettas; a policy of leadership by example, to remind the rest of the world why the United States of America is to be admired, not feared. And don’t think I’ll be going it alone when I get to the Oval Office. nesiojamu kompiuteriu taisymas I will be bringing with me some of the greatest minds in foreign policy, and I am not too proud to tell you I will consult with experts regardless of their political affilation when making the kinds of decisions that affect Americans at home and our brave troops overseas. Make no mistake — I will act swiftly and directly to counter any threat to our great nation. But I do not subscribe to the Bush-Cheney model of going it alone now and dealing with whatever consequences occur as a result later. I fear John McCain’s foreign policy will be a continuation of that Bush-Cheney model. Mine will be a foreign policy of responsibility." -B. Obama

 

ANDREADMERCILESS

10:34 AM ET

November 25, 2011

It's no mystery. Not at all.

Other than Ron Paul, who is hated by the Zionist-controlled media, the GOP foreign policy comes down to appeasing the military-industrial complex and the Jewish Lobby, especially pertaining to the Middle East.
GOP knows that Jews hold most of the power in finance and media; and the academia too. Jews own 90% of mass media, control most think-tanks, and Jewish money is crucial for both parties(60% for Democrats and 40% for GOP).
Since most Jews are liberal, the GOP tries to appease Jews by being more Zionist than even the Jews are. Neocons play this card very well to dupe idiot white gentle Republicans.
Also, because of the cults of 'anti-racism'(shielding crime-prone, affirmative-action-grabbing blacks, mostly at the expense of poor whites while rich Jews and affluent white liberals keeping growing richer at the expense of the rest of us), 'anti-xenophobia'(shielding hordes of illegal invaders from Mexico who also enjoy affirmative action over native white Americans), 'anti-antisemitism'(shielding American Jews, the most powerful people in the world, from any criticism or accountability), and 'anti-homophobia'(shielding gay radicals demanding absolute bio-moral equaity for their sexual deviance and perversion), the GOP cannot take on their domestic enemies in an us-vs-them game. So, their hostile energies must be channeled at Muslims and Chinese, against whom it is still permissible--according to the Jewish elites--to vent one's fury.
So, there is a kind of wink-wink understanding between Jews and the GOP. Jews will continue to oppose the GOP because Jews own the Democratic Party while GOP is essentially the white gentile party. But Jews will tolerate the GOP if and only if the GOP, taking orders from Jewish neocons, goes out of its way to kowtow to Zionist interests. And since the military is the last bastion of conservatism--though its social policies have also bee usurped by pro-gay and anti-white liberals--, raising alarms about Muslim terrorists and yellow peril will justify increased spending on the military-industrial complex. And Jews prefer it this way.
Why? Because if, as Ron Paul and Pat Buchanan suggest, US brings most of its troops home and if white conservative Americans were to focus on domestic issues and affairs, GOP policies would eventually have to grapple with problems plaguing white Americans IN THIS COUNTRY. Without patriotic white passions diverted at Chinese and Muslims, they will be directed against enemies and rivals of white power: namely affirmative-action-grabbing and welfare-sucking crime-prone blacks, hordes of immigrants, illegal or legal, from Third World countries who are radically overturning the demographic character of this country, and especially the Jews who, though 2% of the population, disproportionately own much of the wealth, occupy many of the most privileged and powerful positions, control most of the most influential institutions, and etc(and are getting richer and richer while rest of America gets poorer and poorer).
American Jews also support affirmative action in the name of 'diversity', which means there must be fewer whites and more non-whites in leadership positions to reflect the changing demographics of the nation; HOWEVER, Jews don't seem to be perturbed in any way that the most disproportionately represented people in the upper echelons of power are Jews; though Jews bitch about excessive white gentile power and privilege, they scream and whine if anyone points out that it's the Jews who are most privileged and powerful people in America. Take TIME and NEWSWEEK. Though they are said to be national magazines, they are not only owned by Jews, but over 50% of the staff are Jewish. Following liberal Jewish logic, why should 2% of the population have that kind of control over the 98% that is NOT Jewish? Jews, as any honest person knows, are the biggest and most venal hypocrites.

Why do American Jews support an aggressive foreign policy? It is a matter of 'what is good for the Jews?' Jews sense there's a lot of pent-up anger among white Americans being disenfranchised at rapid pace, not least because of political, economic, and cultural policies spearheaded by Jews. Even the gay agenda would be nowhere without the key support from Jewish power hellbent on undermining the moral confidence, rectitude, and strength of white America. The GOP leadership, so dependent on Jewish money and favorable coverage from Zionist-controlled media, plays along with this charade, and the majority of white conservatives are still content to vent their frustrations at 'Muzzies' and the Dragon.
But there is another sector of Americans, usually supportive of Ron Paul, who have seen the Jewish puppeteer behind the Wizard of Oz. They want our boys to come back home. They want to unite and focus their energies and anger at the very people who are their real enemies: globalist Jews. After all, it's not the Chinese or Muslims who run Wall Street, run State Department, run Ivy League schools, run Hollywood, run porn industry that treats white women as sex meat, run music industry spewing anti-white rap music, run think-tanks that push for more anti-white immigration, supports an agenda that says two men having anal sex is the biological and moral equivalent of a man and a woman having children together as husband and wife.

 

MAGAZINEARCHIEVE

7:37 PM ET

November 26, 2011

Politics sucks.

Just after noontime on March 12, 1959, a festive crowd jammed the U.S. Capitol's Senate Reception Room to honor five of the Senate's "most outstanding" former members. Likenesses of those five filled medallion portrait spaces left vacant by 19th-century Italian artist Constantino Brumidi. Choosing the five "most outstanding" senators for such a high honor had been quite a task!

For two years, a five-member Senate committee struggled to name the "famous five." As the selection committee chairman later explained, this was not intended to be a "frivolous historical quiz contest." "The value in these deliberations over our body's historic greatness extends far beyond the mere selection of portraits. For in these [cold war] days when political and legislative service is too often ridiculed or disdained, it is particularly desirable that we focus the nation's attention upon the Senate and its distinguished traditions, stimulating interest in our political problems and motivations and increasing the understanding of the Senate's role in our Government."

As you know that Great Triumvirate" of sectional statesmen whose legislative compromises held the nation together during the tumultuous decades leading to the Civil War. At the 1959 unveiling ceremony, however, Kennedy reminded his audience that these long-dead senators were controversial figures in their day. Their own colleagues might not have been as quick as later generations to induct them into a senatorial hall of fame. Kennedy reported that one contemporary said of Henry Clay, "He is a bad man, an imposter, a creator of wicked schemes." Who made those remarks? None other than Clay's fellow honoree, John C. Calhoun. Enjoying the audience's appreciative laughter, Kennedy continued, "On the other hand, who was it who said that Calhoun was a rigid fanatic, ambitious, selfishly partisan and a sectional ‘turncoat,' with ‘too much genius and too little common sense,' who would either die a traitor or a madman?

Thanks

Admin of wall clock | stove Kettles

 

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7:50 PM ET

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BEINGTHERE

10:52 AM ET

November 27, 2011

GOP will lose in 2012

As an independent voter, I predict Obama will be reelected on the basis of his newly found strength in foreign policy. At the outset of his term he was inexperienced and allowed himself to be pushed around by David Petraeus, Gated and Mullen.He went with the troop (and money) surge in the already-failed Afghan War. Now Obama's gotten his sea legs and has the wisdom to look beyond the debacle of the Middle East - Bush's fiascoes - toward the Asian Pacific rim. Smart move.And he seems to get it about the need for a strong military without wars. In his second term, he needs to get someone he can trust to lead the CIA and adios the self-serving, dangerous Petraeus.

In spite of Europe's problems, the U.S. economy will see enough improvement to scuttle the GOP's hammering of jobs as the "only issue" - more points for Obama.The GOP will continue to shoot itself in the foot with unqualified, lightweight candidates like Cain and Bachmann and toxic ones like Gingrich. If the GOP party leadership throws its weight and energy behind Romney, who does understand the importance of foreign policy, this would be the only serious threat to Obama in 2012.

 

BILL BEGALLY

7:11 PM ET

November 27, 2011

China - The Puzzle Piece to Economic Recovery

I find it astounding that the vital topic of China was not addressed since this country is pivotal in establishing greater economic returns for the US. Even Hilary Clinton realizes the crucial role our affiliation with China will play in our ability to strengthen our global economic standing within the world. To not include the topic of China within the debate really lowers my confidence in the candidates ability to pull us out of this recession! To ignore such an important puzzle piece clearly unveils the ignorance involved in freeing us from the grasp of economic hardship. Heat Surge

 

AZMATT

8:02 PM ET

November 27, 2011

Does it really matter what they say?

Even though a lot of them haven't said much, I'm not sure it matters. From what I've seen and read, Ron Paul is the only one I would trust to try to do what he claims.

There is usually a big difference between what various parties and candidates say but not much difference in what they actually do once they're in office.

I really don't even watch the debates. I just read my romance ebooks on my Kindle and wait until it's time to vote.

 

JACOB84

7:46 PM ET

December 10, 2011

Deserves to be repeated...

"There is usually a big difference between what various parties and candidates say but not much difference in what they actually do once they're in office."

Perfectly stated. I couldn't agree more.

Jake

 

JBOTTER

2:15 AM ET

December 8, 2011

What about their view on the Eurozone crisis?

Noting about the Eurozone crisis? As a European I am more interested what they think about the Eurozone crisis than wether or not they will burn the fat on Iran and the Middle East.