Here’s what I would say about foreign policy:
- UKRAINE: Putin is a bloody dictator who invaded a small democracy, killed tens of thousands of people, and destroyed everything in his path for no better reason than he just wanted it under his control. Some members of Congress think if we appease him, he’ll stop with Ukraine, but history tells us otherwise. Some members of Congress think Ukraine is a European problem, and we should focus solely on China, but Europe doesn’t have the resources in the short run to stop Putin, and the best way to deter potential Chinese aggression in Asia is to prove we have the will and the means to stop their ally without, of course, risking World War III. If those members of Congress had been alive after Pearl Harbor, they would have told the American public we didn’t have the ability to fight both Hitler and the Japanese at the same time. Guess how that would have turned out!
- CHINA: We have mobilized our friends in Asia to send a message to the Chinese that aggression will not be accepted. That said, we need to work with the Chinese on issues such as North Korea and climate change, and diversifying supply chains will take time, so we need to operate with some degree of nuance. Slapping huge tariffs on the Chinese will only increase inflation at home. Do we really want that?
- GAZA: Israel had every right to defend itself against Hamas. Hamas is a revolutionary organization, not a real government, and has refused to be a partner for peace in the Middle East. As such, any hope for real progress on the Palestinian issue is conditioned on its destruction, and demanding a cease-fire with Hamas still in control of parts of Gaza is counterproductive. But providing unqualified support for any Israeli action, regardless of how brutal and unfocused, in Gaza is also a mistake; how does turning Gaza into rubble and killing tens of thousands of civilians make the creation of a Palestinian state, and an alliance between moderate Arabs and Israel, more likely? How does alienating public opinion around the world by slaughtering Palestinian civilians help us deal with our other foreign policy challenges? A middle course, with the objective of real change in the Middle East, is what is required here.
- IRAN: Some members of Congress want us to strike directly at Iran and start a new war in the Middle East. Given our history, do we really want another war there? And does it make sense to rally the citizens of Iran around the government at a time when its legitimacy is in question, and regime change is around the corner? We will continue to deter Iran and its proxies, but in a way that is proportionate to any attacks on our forces so as to avoid a wider conflict.