Originally published on the CGS blog on November 14, 2011.
Republican presidential candidates debated again on Saturday in the CBS News/National Journal debate in South Carolina, the first debate entirely focused on foreign affairs. The candidates used the time to highlight their complete lack of awareness and qualifications on international issues. They blundered on every issue, from Iran to foreign aid, to the use of torture in the war on terror, making it clear that the vast majority of the current Republican field does not have the credentials to be our next president.
Iran was a hot button issue following the recent report of the IAEA on Iran’s rapidly developing nuclear program (for more info on the IAEA report, read here). Both Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich implied that they would support using military force against Iran. Romney went as far as to say another Obama term would directly result in Iran becoming a nuclear power. These are examples of exactly the type of alarmist statement’s that led to our war in Iraq, using scare tactics and hawkish policies to launch another unnecessary and costly entanglement abroad.
In a more extreme twist, candidates discussed the need to completely reevaluate the U.S. foreign aid budget. Rick Perry and Newt Gingrich agreed that every nation should start at zero dollars, leaving it up to the nations themselves to prove why they need our help. This would include long-time allies such as Israel and nations we currently work with to fight terrorism, such as Pakistan. Foreign aid is vital to our security and economic interests and should absolutely not be under review each year, to be fought over and lobbied for by other nations, a process that would significantly hurt our ability to engage abroad and our image as a leader (see our blog on the Senate IO Vote).
Not only were the candidates wrong about the importance of foreign aid, but they were wrong about facts related to foreign aid. Newt Gingrich claimed we give $3 billion a year to Egypt, when in fact we gave just a bit over half of that in 2011, with most of it being military aid that benefits U.S. arms manufacturers. This gaffe showcases how ill-informed and flawed the policies of the Republican candidates are when it comes to foreign affairs.
GlobalSolutions.org has long advocated full funding of the international affairs budget, a goal that is shared by many with actual foreign policy experience. Just today, five former Secretaries of State, including Democrats and Republicans, sent a joint letter to Congress affirming the need to fully fund foreign aid. The letter states, “We have seen first‐hand how [foreign aid] is a strategic investment to advance America’s interests throughout the world…[they] are a cost‐effective tool to tackle the root causes of conflict and extremism, build new markets for U.S. goods and services, respond to humanitarian crises, and demonstrate America’s proud tradition of goodwill and global leadership.” Perry and Gingrich and the other Republican candidates don’t get that our foreign aid budget is not a luxury, but rather a crucial component of a successful foreign policy.
Perhaps at no moment did candidates sound more backwards and out of touch than when discussing waterboarding and the use of torture while interrogating terrorist suspects. Rick Perry, Herman Cain, and Michele Bachmann all defended the use of such enhanced interrogation tactics, claiming that it was a legal and effective way to acquire information. In fact, many experts question the effectiveness of waterboarding in retrieving accurate information and also claim that the use does more harm than good, acting as a recruiting tool for those who want to cast America as an evil and duplicitous bully. Torture violates human rights and international law and goes against everything we stand for as a country. Indeed, former President Bush stopped the practice while in office and President Obama officially banned the use in 2009 on the grounds that it violated international law and was out of line with American values.
There were a few positive moments in the debate, mostly when Ron Paul or Jon Huntsman had the floor. Paul and Huntsman spoke out clearly against the use of torture in interrogations. Huntsman, former U.S. Ambassador to China, also showed his foreign policy strength while discussing the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the need to strengthen our relationship with Asia, rather than instigating currency wars by imposing tariffs and blocking free trade. However, while Paul and Huntsman both showed a refreshing understanding for the nuances of U.S. foreign policy, they are far from the current frontrunners for the Republican nomination.
While the next election will likely focus on the economy and job creation, we still cannot afford to ignore international issues. With the continued development of Iran’s nuclear program, escalating tension between Israel and Palestine as Palestine pursues U.N. membership (see our UNESCO blog and petition for more info on this issue), the need for continued counterterrorism in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and many other pressing global issues, we absolutely cannot elect a president who doesn’t understand international relations and the importance of foreign aid. It’s time for Republicans nationwide to expect more from their presidential candidates, starting with getting the facts right.
