Foreign Policy: Strength Through Diplomacy
We believe that the test of a great and powerful nation is not how many wars it can engage in, but how it can resolve international conflicts in a peaceful manner. From the Middle East, to Ukraine, to North Korea, to the South China Sea, to civil war in the world’s newest nation – South Sudan, we face a multitude of serious foreign policy challenges.
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We should protect America, defend our interests and values, embrace our commitments to defend freedom and support human rights, and be relentless in combating terrorists who would do us harm. However, after nearly fourteen years of ill-conceived and disastrous military engagements in the Middle East, it is time for a new approach. We must move away from policies that favor unilateral military action and preemptive war, and that make the United States the de facto policeman of the world.
We believe that foreign policy is not just deciding how to react to conflict around the world, but also includes redefining America’s role in the increasingly global economy. Along with our allies throughout the world, we should be vigorous in attempting to prevent international conflict, not just responding to problems. For example, the international trade agreements we enter into, and our energy and climate change policies not only have enormous consequences for Americans here at home, but greatly affect our relations with countries around the world.
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See the full national Our Revolution platform
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What can we do about it?
Here is the legislation you can can support and the steps you can do to help fight income and wealth inequality.
End Unilateral Military Action
Move away from a policy of unilateral military action, and toward a policy of emphasizing diplomacy, and ensuring the decision to go to war is a last resort. Congress alone has the power to declare War. Tulsi explains here that all the actions in the middle east are in violation of the Constitution. And we must ensure that any military action we do engage in has clear goals, is limited in scope, and whenever possible provides support to our allies in the region.
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Expand our global influence by promoting fair trade, addressing global climate change, providing humanitarian relief and economic assistance, defending the rule of law, and promoting human rights.
Senate Joint Resolution 54 - Which uses 1973 War Powers Resolution to compel the Trump administration to withdraw U.S. involvement in Yemen. Thankfully all of our representatives here in IL voted the right way on this, however, there are 5 Democrats out there that MUST be primaried, who sided with Republicans to ensure thousands of Yemeni children die. You may want to let them know how you feel about that:
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These men believe we are clamoring for genocide. They need to be removed as they clearly have no idea what the actual people they represent want.
Close Guantánamo Bay
Rein in the National Security Agency, abolish the use of torture, and remember what truly makes America exceptional: our values. It hurts our national credibility to detain people without trial indefinitely. You can't call yourself a democracy and also stash people on an island without a trial. Please check out the John Oliver video here and understand, there can be no compromise here, torture and fascism must always be snuffed out, if it can be done to 'bad guys' without a trial it can be done to you without one too. FFS people are in there for wearing the wrong kind of watch.
We cannot be a nation of cowards. If the people in Guantánamo are being held there because we are afraid we don't have enough evidence to keep them should they stand trial - SO BE IT, LET THEM HAVE THEIR DAY IN COURT. It cannot be the policy of our government to keep an island where they stick you, without due process, forever. Its utterly insane.
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The last attempt I've seen to close Gitmo was an amendment Adam Smith tried to get to the budget a few years ago (H.R.1735). The most direct impact on Gitmo we can have in the next 2 years is electing Bernie Sanders as president.