| Foreign Policy Issues |
* Barack Obama - D
 |
Ralph Nader - I
 |
Chuck Baldwin - CON
 |
| Foreign Policy, a General Statement |
Obama: Obama believes that America cannot meet the threats of the century alone and that the world cannot meet them without America. Under his leadership America will lead in five specific ways: First, we will bring a responsible end to the war in Iraq and refocus on critical challenges in the broader region. Second, we will rebuild and transform the military to meet 21st-century threats. Third, we will marshal a global effort to secure, destroy, and stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction. Fourth, we will renew the alliances and partnerships necessary to meet common challenges, such as terrorism and climate change. And fifth, we will strengthen impoverished, weak and ungoverned countries that have become the most fertile breeding grounds for transnational threats.
"We have the chance to turn the page on being told that the only way for Democrats to look tough on national security is to talk, and act, and vote like George Bush Republicans. When I'm your nominee, my opponent won't be able to say that I was for the war in Iraq before I was against it; or that I supported an extension of the Iraq war into Iran; or that I support the Bush-Cheney diplomacy of not talking to leaders we don't like. Because we are not a nation that makes excuses for torture, we are a nation that rejects it.
"We need a President who is willing to talk to all nations - friend and foe. Not talking doesn't make us look tough, it makes us look arrogant. So when you consider who to caucus for, I ask you to consider my judgment and vision for new American leadership. Leadership that brings our combat brigades out of Iraq in 16 months, renews American diplomacy, finishes the fight in Afghanistan, closes Guantanamo, and leads the world against the common threats of the 21st century - nuclear weapons and terrorism; climate change and poverty; genocide and disease. Leadership that sends a message to those beyond our shores: 'You matter to us. Your future is our future. And our moment is now.'"
Source: www.barackobama.com/2007/12/18/obama_discusses_new_judgment_w.php Date: 12/18/2007 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Unilateralism |
Obama: The key part of the Bush Doctrine is the focus on unilateral action and the use of force to spread democracy around the world. And the worst part of the Bush administration is not the Bush Doctrine but Bush's implementation of it.
As Obama famously declared in 2002, he did not oppose all wars, but he did oppose a "dumb war." Isolationism must not be the reaction to a dumb president and a dumb war.
There is no Obama Doctrine because Obama is not a doctrinaire kind of leader who operates according to fixed policies. Instead, Obama believes in a set of principle (democracy, security, liberty) for the world and tries to come up with practical measures for incrementally increasing US security and global freedom. He rejects isolationism and he tries to steer clear of unilateralism.
Source: The Improbable Quest, by John K. Wilson, p.117-118 Date: 10/30/2007 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Promotion of Democracy Around World |
Obama: In every region of the globe, our foreign policy should promote traditional American ideals: democracy and human rights; free and fair trade and cultural exchanges; and development of institutions that ensure broad middle classes within market economies. It is our commonality of interests in the world that can ultimately restore our influence and win back the hearts and minds necessary to defeat terrorism and project American values around the globe. Human aspirations are universal-for dignity, for freedom, for the opportunity to improve the lives of our families. Let us recognize what unites us across borders and build on the strength of this blessed country. Let us embrace our history and our legacy. Let us not only define our values in words and carry them out in deeds.
Source: Speech to Chicago Council on Foreign Relations Date: 07/12/2004 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| America's Image Abroad |
Obama: American leadership has been a mighty force for human progress. The steady march of democracy and free enterprise across the globe speaks to the steadfastness of our leadership and the power of our ideals. Today we face new and frightful challenges, especially the threat of terror. Never has it been more important for American to lead wisely, to shrewdly project power and wield influence on behalf of liberty and security. Unfortunately, I fear our once great influence is waning, a victim of misguided policies and impetuous actions. Never has the US possessed so much power, and never has the US had so little influence to lead. We still have the chance to correct recent missteps that have put our principles and legacy in question. Indeed, it is imperative to our nation's standing and security to do so. It will take a change of attitude and direction in our national leadership to restore the values and judgment that made and kept our nation the world's beacon of hope and freedom.
Source: Speech to Chicago Council on Foreign Relations Date: 07/12/2004 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| CIA |
Obama: No Response |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| United Nations (UN) |
Obama: No Response |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| International Criminal Court (ICC) |
Obama: No Response |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) |
Obama: Barack Obama will restore America's leadership abroad, reform and enhance international organizations and strengthen our alliances. He will strengthen NATO to face 21st-century threats, forge a new and lasting framework for collective security in Asia, and work with other countries around the world to combat global climate change.
Source: BarackObama.com Date: 12/13/2007 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty |
Obama: We would obviously have to retaliate against anybody who struck American soil, whether it was nuclear or not. It would be a much more profound issue if it were nuclear weapons. That's why it's so important for us to rebuild the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty that has fallen apart under this administration. We have not made a commitment to work with the Russians to reduce our own nuclear stockpiles. That has weakened our capacity to pressure other countries to give up nuclear technology. We have not locked down the loose nuclear weapons that are out there right now. These are all things that we should be taking leadership on. Part of what we need to do in changing our foreign policy is not just end the war in Iraq; we have to change the mindset that ignores long-term threats and engages in the sorts of actions that are not making us safe over the long term.
Source: 2008 Facebook/WMUR-NH Democratic primary debate Date: 01/06/2006 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Nuclear Treaty with India |
Obama: No Response |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| US Treaties |
Obama: No Response |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Worldwide HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria |
Obama: As part of my comprehensive national HIV/AIDS strategy, we'll provide $50 billion by 2013 to fight the pandemic, and contribute our fair share to the Global Fund. I'll work to dispel the stigma surrounding this disease, which is what Michelle and I tried to do by taking a public HIV test in Kenya a while back. I'll expand the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief by $1 billion a year in new money over the next five years so we can reach more people in places like Southeast Asia, India, and Eastern Europe, where the pandemic is growing. We'll make sure medications developed with taxpayer dollars are available as generics in developing countries - because a person shouldn't be denied life-saving drugs just because we can't find a way to reform our patent laws. And we'll work to eliminate the extreme poverty that permits HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria to flourish by doubling our foreign assistance from $25 billion per year to $50 billion per year by 2012.
Source: www.barackobama.com/2007/11/30/world_aids_day_statement.php Date: 11/30/2007 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| North Korea's WMD Program |
Obama: This Administration spent three and a half years refusing to negotiate directly with North Korea, in the name of a misguided sense of moral purity. The consequences of that delay are now evident. Because we refused to talk, experts believe North Korea may now be close to having six to eight nuclear weapons. Because we refused to talk, many more Koreans faced starvation by their own government. Because we refused to talk, China and South Korea are beginning to act on their own. That is not my conception of morality. While it is important to have backing from the partners in the Six-Party talks, bilateral talks are a key to progress. The United States must insist on complete and verifiable elimination of North Korea's nuclear capability, while facilitating a reform agenda that is broader than denuclearization. Only genuine negotiations will determine whether diplomacy can bring an end to Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions or whether economic pressure and possibly even more forceful measures will be necessary to convince Pyongyang that its nuclear weapons program poses an unacceptable risk.
Source: Candidate Website Date: 10/04/2008 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro |
Obama: I do. Now, I did not say that I would be meeting with all of them. I said I'd be willing to. Obviously, there is a difference between pre-conditions and preparation. Pre-conditions, which was what the question was in that debate, means that we won't meet with people unless they've already agreed to the very things that we expect to be meeting with them about. And obviously, when we say to Iran, "We won't meet with you until you've agreed to all the terms that we've laid out," from their perspective that's not a negotiation, that's not a meeting.
Source: Meet the Press: 2007 "Meet the Candidates" series Date: 11/11/2007 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Third World Debt Relief |
Obama: No Response |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Foreign Aid |
Obama: Barack Obama believes that strengthening weak states at risk of collapse, economic meltdown or public health crises strengthens America's security. Obama will double U.S. spending on foreign aid to $50 billion a year by 2012. He will help developing countries invest in sustainable democracies and demand more accountability in return. Obama will establish a $2 billion Global Education Fund to eliminate the global education deficit. He will reduce the debt of developing nations and better coordinate trade and development policies. Obama also will reestablish U.S. moral leadership by respecting civil liberties; ending torture; restoring habeas corpus; making the U.S. electoral processes fair and transparent and fighting corruption at home.
Source: BarackObama.com Date: 08/26/2007 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Cuba |
Obama: I will grant Cuban-Americans unrestricted rights to visit families and send remitances to the island. Because that's the way to bring about real change in Cuba. Through strong and smart diplomacy, not just tough love... As President I am not going to take off the embargo, it's an important inducement for change because we know that Castro's death will not automatically guarantee freedom.
Source: Excerpt of a speech given in Miami, FL Date: 08/25/2007 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Latin America (South, Central and Mexico) |
Obama: Making sure that we are investing in our relationship with Mexico so that people in Mexico feel as if they can raise a family and have a good life on the other side of the border is going to be critical; making certain that we have strong border security is important; a pathway to citizenship is something that I've been committed to since I came to the US Senate.
Source: 2007 Democratic primary debate on Univision in Spanish Date: 09/09/2007 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Asia and China |
Obama: Number one is we've got to get our own fiscal house in order. Number two, when I was visiting Africa, I was told by a group of businessmen that the presence of China is only exceeded by the absence of America in the entire African continent. Number three, we have to be tougher negotiators with China. They are not enemies, but they are competitors of ours. Right now the United States is still the dominant superpower in the world. But the next president can't be thinking about today; he or she also has to be thinking about 10 years from now, 20 years from now, 50 years from now.
Source: Des Moines Register Democratic debate Date: 12/13/2007 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Russia and Eastern Europe |
Obama: More than a decade after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Russia still has more nearly 20,000 nuclear weapons and enough nuclear material to produce 50,000 more. At the current rate of spending, it will take 13 years to secure all the potential bomb material from the old Soviet Republic. We should increase funding to do it in four years. We must also strengthen the existing Non-Proliferation Treaty, and lead in the efforts to prevent countries with the proven capability to build WMDs from doing so.
Source: Press Release, "Renewal of American Leadership " Date: 07/12/2004 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| India |
Obama: No Response |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Africa |
Obama: The United Nations has its largest peacekeeping force in the world in the Congo, and in the summer of 2006, the country held competitive national elections for the first time in more than 40 years. Senator Obama revamped U.S. policy in the Congo to include a commitment to help rebuild the country, develop lasting political structures, hold accountable destabilizing foreign governments, crack down on corrupt politicians, and professionalize the military. The bill also authorizes $52 million in U.S. assistance for the Congo, calls for a Special U.S. Envoy to resolve ongoing violence, and urges the administration to strengthen the U.N. peacekeeping force.
On July 19, 2005, Senator Obama passed a bipartisan amendment, along with Senators Chuck Hagel (R-NE), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), and Judd Gregg (R-NH) to provide $13 million for the Special Court for Sierra Leone. Signed into law in November 2005, the Obama amendment provides critical funding to keep the Court up and running and dramatically enhances efforts to bring Charles Taylor to justice.
During Obama's trip to Kenya, at an Aug. 28 2006 speech in Nairobi, he stung some Kenyan officials enough that they sent Obama a scathing official complaint, because Obama pointedly encouraged Kenyan officials to do more to fight corruption.
He also encouraged the South African government to respond more effectively to HIV.
Source: Should Barack Obama Be President?, by Fred Zimmerman, p.29 Date: 10/17/2006 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Darfur |
Obama: Senator Obama has been a leading voice in Washington urging the end of genocide in Sudan. He worked with Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) on the Darfur Peace and Accountability Act, a version of which was signed into law. Senator Obama has traveled to the United Nations to meet with Sudanese officials and visited refugee camps on the Chad-Sudan border to raise international awareness of the ongoing humanitarian disaster there. He also worked with Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) to secure $20 million for the African Union peacekeeping mission.
"President Bush's announcement today that he will finally impose tightened sanctions on the Sudanese government is welcome. But, it falls well short of what is necessary to compel Khartoum to stop the four year-old genocide. Conspicuously absent from this package of sanctions is maximal punitive action against the Sudanese oil industry, which the Administration once touted as a critical element of its so-called "Plan B." Targeted pressure by the international community against the Sudanese oil economy is a much-needed step to stop the killing and displacement of innocent civilians in Darfur. Also needed is the deployment of a strong international force, led by the UN, with an enforcement mandate to protect civilians. The U.S. should work with our allies and partners to compel the Sudanese government to accept such a force and establish a no-fly zone over Darfur."
Source: www.barackobama.com Date: 12/07/2007 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Europe |
Obama: The European Union as a whole has been a long-standing ally of ours, and through NATO we've been able to make some significant progress. We also have to look east, because increasingly, the center of gravity in this world is shifting to Asia. Japan has been an outstanding ally of ours for many years. But, obviously, China is rising and it's not going away. They're neither our enemy nor our friend. They're competitors.
Source: 2007 South Carolina Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC Date: 04/26/2007 |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Balkans |
Obama: No Response |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Burma |
Obama: No Response |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| G8 (Group of Eight Countries) |
Obama: No Response |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Dubai Ports Administration Purchase |
Obama: No Response |
Nader: No Response |
Baldwin: No Response |
| Foreign Policy Issues |
Bob Barr - L
 |
John Mccain - R
 |
| Foreign Policy, a General Statement |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: Activity on multiple fronts. Specific countries and issues addressed in appropriate subtopics.
Source: Candidate Website Date: 10/04/2008 |
| Unilateralism |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: We need to work together with our allies, but at the end of the day, it's the United States that will make the final decision. In January of 1981, Ronald Reagan came to power and raised his hand as president of the United States of America. By more than coincidence, the Iranian hostages returned on that same day. I would employ some of his methods.
Source: 2007 GOP debate at UNH, sponsored by Fox News Date: 09/05/2007 |
| Promotion of Democracy Around World |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: No Response |
| America's Image Abroad |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: No Response |
| CIA |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: No Response |
| United Nations (UN) |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: Sen. McCain (R-AZ) has generally supported U.S. engagement with the United Nations but has noted the recent oil-for-food scandal and faulty human rights institutions demonstrate a "crying need for reform." In a 1999 lecture at Kansas State University, McCain said, "The United Nations, although many of its founding principles were borrowed from our own, can never be an adequate substitute for American leadership. It has its uses, but to confer on that diverse organization, the leading responsibility for international stability, freedom and justice, will quickly render it incapable of any task whatsoever." On the 2004 Congressional National Political Awareness Test, McCain said the United States should continue its financial support for the United Nations, and should contribute troops to UN peacekeeping missions.
Source: www.cfr.org/publication/13404/ Date: 01/08/2008 |
| International Criminal Court (ICC) |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: No Response |
| North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: The Democrats emphasize that military action alone won't protect us, that this war has many fronts: in courts, financial institutions, in the shadowy world of intelligence, and in diplomacy. They stress America needs the help of her friends to combat an evil that threatens us all, that our alliances are as important to victory as are our armies. We agree. As we've been a good friend to other countries in moments of shared perils, so we have good reason to expect their solidarity with us in this struggle
Source: 2004 Republican Convention Speech Date: 08/30/2004 |
| Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: Our policies concerning rogue states: Iraq, Libya, North Korea-those countries that continue to try to acquire weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them. I'd institute a policy that I call 'rogue state rollback." I would arm, train, equip, both from without and from within, forces that would eventually overthrow the governments and install free and democratically elected governments.
Source: GOP Debate on the Larry King Show Date: 02/15/2000 |
| Nuclear Treaty with India |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: No Response |
| US Treaties |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: No Response |
| Worldwide HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: I would do anything in my power to stop AIDS. But we have corrupt governments; we have organizations that don't treat the people. So before I spent our taxpayers' money on that, I would have to make sure that it would go to the recipients and those of these poor people who are afflicted with this terrible disease.
Source: GOP Debate in Michigan Date: 01/10/2000 |
| North Korea's WMD Program |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: No Response |
| Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: No Response |
| Third World Debt Relief |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: No Response |
| Foreign Aid |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: Voted YES on cap foreign aid at only $12.7 billion.
Source: H.R. 2606 Conference Report; Bill H.R. 2606 ; vote number 1999-312 Date: 10/06/1999 |
| Cuba |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: My administration will press the Cuban regime to release all political prisoners unconditionally, to legalize all political parties, labor unions and free media and to schedule internationally monitored elections. And, the embargo will stay in place until those terms are met.
Source: John McCain's official campaign website Date: 06/20/2007 |
| Latin America (South, Central and Mexico) |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: [There are] dangers implicit in failing to properly monitor traffic crossing the Mexican border. Yet, Mexico is one of our largest trading partners, and it is in our best interest to maintain as open a border as possible. It is a careful balancing act. [We should] ensure that we are doing everything we can to stem the flow of illegal drugs without impeding the flow of legitimate commerce. The key to finding that balance is procuring equipment to expeditiously scan incoming cargo.
Source: Speech to National Press Club Date: 03/18/1999 |
| Asia and China |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: China could also bolster its claim that it is 'peacefully rising' by being more transparent about its significant military buildup. When China builds new submarines, adds hundreds of new jet fighters, modernizes its arsenal of strategic ballistic missiles, and tests antisatellite weapons, the United States legitimately must question the intent of such provocative acts. When China threatens democratic Taiwan with a massive arsenal of missiles and warlike rhetoric, the United States must take note. When China enjoys close economic and diplomatic relations with pariah states such as Burma, Sudan, and Zimbabwe, tension will result. When China proposes regional forums and economic arrangements designed to exclude America from Asia, the United States will react.
China and the United States are not destined to be adversaries. We have numerous overlapping interests. U.S.-Chinese relations can benefit both countries and, in turn, the Asia-Pacific region and the world. But until China moves toward political liberalization, our relationship will be based on periodically shared interests rather than the bedrock of shared values.
Some Americans see globalization and the rise of economic giants such as China and India as a threat. We should reform our job training and education programs to more effectively help displaced American workers find new jobs that take advantage of trade and innovation. But we should continue to promote free trade, as it is vital to American prosperity.
On the first public appearance following her release from house arrest in 2002, Aung San Suu Kyi apologized to her people. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting. But my freedom is not a major triumph for democracy; my freedom is not the object of our struggle." So she fights on. And she will prevail. The regime must relent eventually. Suu Kyi and the people of Burma will rule themselves someday. The tyrants who have opposed and terrorized them for so long are simply no match for them. They lack their courage.
Source: "An Enduring Peace Built on Freedom: Securing America's Future," Foreign Affairs Date: 12/01/2007 |
| Russia and Eastern Europe |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: The recent ‘Orange Revolution’ in Ukraine marked a huge victory for the advancement of democracy in the world. The Ukrainian people made clear that they would not stand idle as a corrupt regime sought to deny them their democratic rights. Now that the people of Ukraine have seized control of their destiny, the United States must stand ready to assist them as they do the hard work of consolidating democracy. The Jackson-Vanik amendment is, with respect to Ukraine, now anachronistic and inappropriate. Therefore, I am pleased to introduce legislation that would terminate it.
The parliamentary elections held February 27 in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan provided an unambiguous test of each government’s commitment to democracy. Both have failed. These two countries can pretend no longer. The governments in these countries present a false choice: chaotic democracy or authoritarian stability. And yet, as the world has learned time and again, abridging the inalienable right of the people to choose their rulers establishes no stability. Nor should it win friends in America. As we move forward, I believe that the United States must review its relations with Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, with the realization that authorities in each have chosen raw power over principle.
Source: www.johnmccain.com Date: 12/10/2007 |
| India |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: No Response |
| Africa |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: I would do anything in my power to stop AIDS. But we have corrupt governments; we have organizations that don't treat the people. So before I spent our taxpayers' money on that, I would have to make sure that it would go to the recipients and those of these poor people who are afflicted with this terrible disease. Frankly, in a lot of parts of Africa today, I do not have that confidence.
Source: GOP Debate in Michigan Date: 01/10/2000 |
| Darfur |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: There are times when our principles are so offended that we have to do what we can to resolve a terrible situation. If Rwanda again became a scene of horrible genocide, if there was a way that the US could stop. But we can never say that a nation driven by Judeo-Christian principles will only intervene where our interests are threatened because we also have values. If genocide is allowed, the consequences later are more severe.
Source: GOP Debate on the Larry King Show Date: 02/15/2000 |
| Europe |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: No Response |
| Balkans |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: No Response |
| Burma |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: Renew sanctions contained in last year’s Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act. The world’s democracies have a common moral obligation to promote human rights. In few places is the lack of freedom and justice more appalling than in Burma, a country in which a band of thugs, led by General Than Shwe, controls the population through violence and terror. The Burmese regime has a record of unchecked repression. It has murdered political opponents, used child soldiers and forced labor, and employed rape as a weapon of war. Last year the Burmese military junta launched an orchestrated, violent attack against democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and hundreds of her supporters. Since then the regime has kept more than 1,000 political activists imprisoned, including elected members of parliament.
Source: www.johnmccain.com Date: 12/05/2007 |
| G8 (Group of Eight Countries) |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: The United States should expel Russia from the G8 and take in India and Brazil but should also explicitly exclude China from the councils of power.
Source: Newsweek, May 5, 2008, Page 43 'Speech on Foreign Policy, March 26, Los Angeles Date: 05/20/2008 |
| Dubai Ports Administration Purchase |
Barr: No Response |
Mccain: No Response |