E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
AP
Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) at the NBC-Politico presidential debate at the Reagan Library.
Since 9/11, the United States has been embroiled in wars and nation-building in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as involved in military operations around the globe from Pakistan and Libya to Yemen and Somalia.
But the current front runner for the Republican nomination, Rick Perry, does not appear to have a clear foreign policy.
Looking at the Texas governor's statements on foreign policy over the past month on the campaign trail and in two debates reveals a foreign policy that is inconsistent, muddled, and sometimes contradictory. Perry's not the only one. His top rival, Mitt Romney, has also been inconsistent, especially when it comes to Afghanistan.
It's particularly striking that the two men most likely to lead the Republican Party next year -- a party that usually doesn’t mince its words -- do not appear to have a clear direction on foreign policy. And it reflects the tension in the GOP between the hawkish neo-conservatism of the Bush-Cheney years and a public that’s grown tired of war. (The prominence of a Tea Party that’s skeptical of any federal spending, even on the military, also plays a role here.)
Perry made extensive remarks on foreign policy Aug. 29 before the VFW National Convention. There, he spoke out against multilateralism.
"We cannot concede the moral authority of our nation to multi-lateral debating societies," he said. "And when our interests are threatened, American soldiers should be led by American commanders."
But yesterday, Perry seemed to suggest the opposite when he talking about engaging allies.
"Our response cannot be to isolate ourselves within our borders," he said, "but to engage our allies and the quest to build these enduring allies around the world for freedom."
In his VFW speech, He also has seemed to be for muscular interventionism -- "We must renew our commitment to taking the fight to the enemy wherever they are, before they strike at home."
But then in the very next sentence, he seemed to be against it -- "I do not believe that America should fall subject to a foreign policy of military adventurism. We should only risk shedding American blood and spending American treasure when our vital interests are threatened."
Asked about his "adventurism" comment at the NBC-Politico debate, and whether he thought former President George W. Bush had been rash in launching full-scale military interventions, like in Iraq, for example, Perry deflected.
"I was making a comment about a philosophy," Perry said, declining to say how as Commander-In-Chief he would put that philosophy into practice.
Pressed for specificity, Perry, reiterated, "[T]hat was a philosophical statement that Americans don't want to see their young men and women going into foreign countries without a clear reason that American interests are at stake, and they want to see not only a -- a clear entrance, they want to see a clear exit strategy as well."
But then instead of delivering a critique of the Iraq war, which never had a clear exit strategy under the previous administration, he pivoted to President Obama.
"We should never put our young men and women's lives at risk when American interests are not clearly defined by the president of the United States," Perry said, "and that's one of the problems with what this president is doing today."
In the subsequent CNN-Tea Party Express debate five days later, he was asked about Afghanistan.
"[I]t's time to bring our young men and women home and as soon and obviously as safely as we can," Perry said, in part.
But then, he added this -- "But it's also really important for us to continue to have a presence there."
And he seemed to advocate a narrower presence, that the U.S. should reverse course from fighting insurgents and nation-building.
"[I]s it best spent with 100,000 military who have the target on their back in Afghanistan?" Perry asked. "I don't think so at this particular point in time."
But then, in directing his answer to the original questioner, a female Afghani émigré, Perry seemed to advocate a position that would likely mean a broad U.S. presence, or at least significant funding.
The U.S. needs to "continue to help them build the infrastructure that we need, whether it's schools for young women like yourself or otherwise," he said.
Leave a Comment:
I find it humorous all the people complaining about obama's "unclear" foreign policy. At the very least, he was VERY CLEAR when running for president on what he would do on iraq (continue pullout) and afghanistan (send more troops). He's followed through on both of those. Perry has had TEN YEARS to figure out what he thinks should happen in those two countries, and he's clueless.
There's no comparison.
What's the surprise ? These republican morons never travel the world, they all think america is so exceptional when in fact, they have no clue about the rest of the world.. There are many countries that are far ahead of the united states, countries that have a much better quality of life, more human, happier and healthier societies.
chienetchats.
How many countries have you traveled to? I've been to 32 myself and NONE of them compare to the US. I've lived in 3 other countries-and always looked forward to returning to the US.
Perry has traveled to 23 countries. As a governor he traveled to China on and met with govt and business officials as he has done in numerous other countries.
It is usually libs like yourself who have never traveled.
LARRY: Yes, in many ways we are far and away the greatest nation on this earth. However, there are numerous areas where we are sadly lacking. We currently rank somewhere around 40th in infanct morality. We have 50 MILLION, repeat, 50 MILLION Americans currently without health care. Do you feel that's something to boast about???
The notion that we know everything and the rest of the world are ignorant clowns is incredibly naive. We are not the best at everything. There is much we can learn from other nations. In many respects, Europeans are far ahead of us and I'm not too proud to try to emulate another culture where they are clearly superior.
As for "Libs" being untraveled, that is absurd. The vast amount of Liberals I know are far better traveled and certainly more accepting of other cultures than those on the Right. Cheney and Bush thought they knew better than the rest of the world and the fiasco that is Iraq was the net result.
the 50 million uninsured figure is nonsense. the figure has been debunked over and over but liberals regurgitate it like it's part of the secular 10 commandments.
millions are like myself who don't believe in the healthcare system
millions more are young people who choose not to get health insurance because they are young and healthy
I could care less about health insurance and how many have it or don't have it.
LARRY: You couldn't care less how many don't have health care??? Spoken like a true Reich Wing Reactionary who doesn't give a damn about anyone but yourself. But then, that's why you vote Republican, right???
You "don't believe in the healthcare system". Exactly what the hell is that supposed to mean? You mean you think you'll never need it or you simploy don't care if you have a massive coronary and drop dead for want of medical attention.
Show me where the 50 million figure is debunked by any reputable, mainstream, news source
I think he means "FOX".
We want to keep our nation great and not become a local 3rd world labor force to work for the richest 1%.
Too bad Perry didn't stay in one of those countries. Cf course, he's threatened to create a new country when he secedes from the Union to form Texas the country. Until we have a Civil War and bring them back to their senses in that God forsaken state!
By the way, americans are very lucky to have a president that has experienced life in another country and culture. Unlike republicans that have a narrow minded view of the world, president Obama is educated and has a broader open mind on other nations. And this is good !
Well, not according to conservatives. All liberals are lazy, stupid, unpatriotic and living of the dole. We've never traveled and know nothing about running a business. Aren't those exactly the character flaws we oberve in Warren Buffett?
Ha ha ha ha! Sounds like to me he's trying to throw all positions out there and hope his supporters take away from it what they want to hear. LOL!
All the libs have now is to attack the opposition since their current candidate has not the best of records to run on. Jobless claims up; more firms that received stimulus money have filed bankruptcy; inflation up; gasoline high; unemployment at 9 percent; growth almost nil.
Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah. Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah. Hey Hey Goodbye.
Feisty, Beverly, and all the other lib "ladies" (loosely used) on here could have been stand-ins for Hilly in The Help and they would have deserved the PIE. In fact they are eating it now.
TO: Ray-4054460 who wrote:
The airhead is running for POTUS!
Last time Republicans put a "fuzzy numbers" candidate in the White House (GWB) he turned a thriving economy into the 2nd Great Depression.
Bush has been out of office for three years now. Catch up. You are correct. The airhead is running for POTUS and his name is Obama.
You also left out the rest of my statement and just attacked another politician. You proved my point. Thanks Hilly.
I oppose Perry because of his words and his actions!
Perry wants to cut Medicare and Medicaid, he wants to end Social Security. While the rest of the world is moving away from the death penalty he is in with both feet. He threatened secession from the US. Perry used (stole)the Lite-up Texas fund that was meant for the poor and the elderly to avoid tax hikes for the wealthy. Perry tried to fast track coal fired plants in Texas, even heavily Republican counties (Grayson) fought against him. Use the google to verify my info.
I live here and I pay attention.
At least Perry is consistantly inconsitant.............
TO: GroverLipscomb who wrote:
You've just described the type of politician Republcians love the most: Know nothing failures!
And then after they get in, spend trillions of dollars overseas, and muck everything up in the United States, their voters just develop severe cases of amnesia, declare the guy "not responsible" and pretend he never existed in the first place.
MSNBC, aka Lame Stream Media, stirring the pot again. Always ready willing and able to taint the pictures and offer biased opinions on anyting but their darling puppet boy, Obama.
Hey MSNBC!!! You forgot to mention anything about Obama's fabulous foregin policy's.... where are all those wonderful Jobs from his Indonesia concert tour, or that Asia concert tour, or that Brazil concert tour... squat. He gave away our Tax dollars, spent our tax dollars for his lavish vacations, and brought us back squat. Then the assclown built to lavish buses to have them flown around (again at our expense) to his next campaign trail.
No one, not any rational person should ever have any doubt what the Republicans / Tea Party would do, what their goals are and where their loyalty is. Their rhetoric is meaningless and only intended to deceive and manipulate as has been continually and totally proven. Bush-Cheney clearly demonstrated what their stubborn focus and arrogant loyalty was when they concentrated on serving Special Interests and the very wealthy few, while irresponsibly and belligerently giving the majority only apathy, the costs and an abundance of subterfuge to con the people and manipulate public opinion. The Republican Party totally supported that and now, along with the Tea Party, they clearly show it is what they want to return to and continue with, regardless of the costs to the people.
The indisputable evidence: they constantly put their political ambitions above all else, without any responsible concern for costs or solving problems; they fault and block all efforts while refusing to offer bipartisan cooperation or anything constructive; they vigorously fight to protect the interests of the very wealthy and completely ignore the needs of the country; they use third party groups, who collect substantial contributions from influential supporters, to coerce and intimidate their own people and squelch individual consciences in order to assure unity; they are cocky and arrogant, emboldened by past successes in conning the people and manipulating public opinion, like with the manipulation of the Christian block (2000 & continuing), the Swift-boat propaganda (2004) and the creation and support of the Tea Party with their emotional extremes (2010 & now), and they have no hesitation, no matter how obvious, in offering more subterfuge to rationalize their biased positions - examples: Tax Cuts for the wealthy, excessive considerations for oil companies, the proven fraudulent (by Bush-Cheney’s actions) “trickle down” theory, which just solicits political support; they constantly criticize but then any objective analysis clearly shows their positions always favor the few and provide the majority little more than rhetoric to rationalize; their bottom line is to return to “more of the same”, Bush-Cheney style, which has already greatly hurt the majority, most especially the total middle-class.
Once anyone can put the talk aside their intent and loyalty are completely clear and should be totally offensive to any average American. Wanting more from Obama, needing better results and faulting details in his positions are all understandable ... but he does deserve credit for honesty and conscientious effort, that which no one can credit the Republicans / Tea Party with. To not see this, to ignore all of it, to fail to understand where the Republicans / Tea Party literally want to go, who they totally favor and who they seek to totally deceive, is simply self-defeating for the average American. I don’t remember who said it but someone pointed out that with the Republicans (and the Tea Party) being so committed to the very few and completely dependent on the substantial and powerful support from them, that they have literally become completely incapable of responsibly governing for the majority. Any objective and rational analysis of their actions seems to fully substantiate that. If we want to return to the catastrophe of “more of the same”, then we can reject the obviousness of all of this.
You mean he isn't interested in destroying gov'ts around the world like our present puppet?
Bush has been out of office for 3 years now. Catch up!
His wars of the the past 10 years are still with us along with there costs in Trillions of dollars and thousands of wasted young Americans lives! His stench is also with us to this day!
@clwyd- Bush looks like Lincoln or Washington compared to Obama
LARRY: You think so, huh???
So you think the colossal cock up that is Iraq is something to be proud of??? Compare Obama's handling of Libya which cost this nation ZERO fatalities and a pittance in expense compared to the endless billions which Iraq costs and tell me which operation was better executed.
Obama got Bin Laden when Bush couldn't do it in 8 years. He's killed far more terrorists with drone strikes than Bush ever did. I know it hurts to acknowledge when Obama has clearly done a superior job so you will deny it to your last breath. However, the facts speak for themselves.
@clwyd -- please explain what you mean by "his wars." Thank you.
Hey Ozzie, a) Libya and Iraq don't compare. b) Osama didn't get Bin Laden. The US military did. c) Where's Harriet? LOL
Yes, I wish he were buried too!
His wars! He got Congress to vote for them because of lies about WMD. He wanted revenge for his father being insulted. He wanted to get the oil from Iraq that Cheney said would pay for the wars and hasn't. He's a lying B@$T@6d.
Do you really believe that crap??? I feel sorry for you. But Iraq is one war. Singular. You said "wars." Plural. Care to expand?
Ray. What crap? It is fact! You're getting too much of fair and balanced crap from FOX! Look up the quotes from Prick cheney about the war and there is his big lie!
Perry is just another of the many right wing idiots running for presdient on the republican ticket. I wonder what Bachmann has to say about God and the drought in Texas? Perry, maybe God is trying to talk to you like he does to Michelle?
LOL clwyd... and there's just one Idiot-in-chief to oppose them. LOL
HEY PAUL; Don't hand me that crap. That's what the Right says evertime that "Seal team 6" got Bin Laden. No one is taking any glory or credit away from what they accomplished. You simply can't stand giving Obama credit for anything. Had the mission failed, you can bet your last dime that you haters on the Right would have been screaming for Obama's head and saying how incompetent he was. Can't have it both ways pal.
However, the president is referred to as the "Commander in Chief". It was Obama who issued the order almost immediately upon being sworn in that he wanted all resources used to get Bin Laden. In case you forgot, Bush gave up and disbanded the group tasked with getting Bin Laden in 2007. Said he didn't know where Bin Laden was and did not care. Said this 3 or 4 times on camera. Our generals had adivised Obama to use a drone strike, not a special forces mission. That took some real balls to go out on a limb himself and make that call. So don't be yet another predictable Righty who pukes up these lines that "The military did it". We credit Eisenhower with orchestrating the Normandy Invasion and MacArthur "People of the Phillipines, I have returned". Notice that Doug did not say "We" have returned, but rather, "I". And he was a bigtime conservative, in case you didn't know.;
Paul, Let's see bush's GP Average in college was C- and his starting two illegal wars earns him an F, his wars that have now led to the loss of 7,186 American F, the price tag on his wars and up to 1/3 to 1/4 of our national debt F- on his ears a lone! The stench from Texas can be smelt all over America!
And yet our CIC, with all his great education, is still an idiot...
actually paul, his biggest failure has been in thinking that he can reason with a group as unreasonable as the tea-party
he finally showed some cajones today with his veto promise.
and that is what the right thinks is an idiot ?.
I would recommend that they comb through their own candidates and see whether any of t hem qualify
4 more, the right thinks that sarah palin is a genius, "boy howdy yup"
ROFLMAO
Confusious say: One cannot 'splain something for which one has no clue!
It seems even Internet sites are afflicted with "bipolar" politics.
I've been reading and can't find any real debate anywhere here... only attacks.
With all this wonderful technology available, one might think there would be somewhere to have some intelligent, informed debate about politics.
Alas, not here....
The economy needs more demand, and the only way to generate that demand is by getting people back to work.
I'm glad President Obama is calling on all Americans to help him get Republicans in Congress to finally act on job creation.
The first stimulus worked, but more is needed. This new, bold stimulus plan will be what is needed to get the economy going again and put Americans back to work!
"the first stimulus worked, but..." Duh. Did you read what you wrote? If it WORKED we wouldn't still be in the mess we're in. It did absolutely nothing more than dig a huge hole and pour American debt into it. Stop blaming the repubs. Obamy's been the leader for over 3 years, and he had his shot with a stacked deck in the house and senate. All he managed to do was pay off some of his campaign funders using American taxes, oh and set up the next massive dollar sink hole called Obamacare.... Get hold of yourself, Harbinger.
Paul
you know better, don't you?
paul w, nearly every independant economist agrees that without the stimulus, things would have been far worse. its only nutcase right-wing party hacks (mostly with no education in economics) that claim otherwise
Just a few quotes from (obviously) wiser men than us.
"Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public." H.l. Menken
"The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter." Winston Churchill
"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the universe" Albert Einstein
When people who are honestly mistaken learn the truth, they will either cease being mistaken or cease being honest. Unknown
Amen.
Reading the liberal blather on this post is really entertaining. They voted for "hope and change" and elected someone who's inept at every political skill except campaign speeches, and yet they are ready to jump all over Perry. At least Perry doesn't just keep saying "Chaaaa-nge. It's what's fer dinner..."
PAUL: Apparently you find everything posted on here to be amusing. Glad we could satiate your need for merriment.
First, I'd suggest you go back to my earlier post and read my response to your response.
As for Perry vs. Obama, you must be daft if you think Perry is on the same intellectual plain. I do realize that the modern Republican party is an "anti itellectual" group of people. You mock intellect, you demean education and worldliness and refer to educated experts as being "elitist" as if somehow being bright and educated automatically made you unqualified to hold an opinion. You worship ignorance and blind emotion over careful reason as evidenced by the fact that your party adores mindless wing dings like Palin & Bachman. And Perry ain't a hell of alot brighter than they are, perhaps just a bit more street smart.
Tell me, exactly what does Perry say cause I haven't heard him say much of substance except to denigrate Social Security by calling it a "Ponzi Scheme". If it is indeed so (which it is not) than it is a scam which has served the elderly of this country well for the last 70 years and deserves to be modified, not done away with.
"Satiate my need for merriment." LOL That sort of overblown writing helps! So does "plain" when you mean "plane," and "denigrate" when you mean "denegrate." Don't preach intellect to me when you can't demonstrate it yourself. I demean PUBLIC education, certainly. It is liberal brain washing. I do not demean real education, and would challenge you intellectually any day of the week.
As for social security (yes, lower cases...), it is indeed a ponzi scheme, and if they'd have let me invest the money instead of taking it from me for the last 48 years, I wouldn't have to worry that they can't give any of it back to me now.
Rick Perry is melting !!! When you take him out of Texas where all the stupid stuff he is pedaling goes under a national microscope,its like setting a gallon of rocky road on a hot stove. when the melting is all done all that's left is a handful of nuts.
The truth is Rick Perry is very average tending to mediocre intellectually. George W. Bush is a genius compared to Perry. Perry's done enough damage to Texas and Texans. He is politically corrupt and blows anywhere there is money to be made. Unfit to lead this country.
You could take this whole article and do "a find and replace Perry with Obama" and it would read the same.
In the words of Reagan, "well, there you go again". MSNBC has crossed the line from a left leaning "news" organization to a full fledged liberal progressive arm of the DNC. This story and almost every other story written by their "political team" are fraught with innuendos and suppositions without ever really substantiating anything. To liberals, it's a warm place to rest in the fight against American values, the Constitution, Capitalism and Free Enterprise but to the rest of us, it is a one sided hiding place for people who went into journalism because the political arena was simple too hard on their ego. I'm sure they consider themselves "above the fray" and "elite" but they are far from either. Time will tell if MSNBC will have any impact on this election, I know they hope they will but I think the bias will get the best of them and their organization.
LUKE: A what precisely is your idea of a completely objective news source which does not distort facts to comport with someone's political agenda???
Is Perry the very best that the GOP has to offer?
Peace.
Is Obama the best the DNC has to offer?
Peace.
What is it with these Republicans who accuse Obama of just wanting to raise taxes? The Republicans managed to reduce taxes, start a couple of wars on the cuff and started Medicare D without any way of paying for all that. All they did was put the national debt on hyper speed.
If you have no income, you have no way to pay your debts. If you are a Republican, you can just quit sending your kids to school, shut off the utilities and walk to work, if you have a job. I doubt that cutting our expenses to zero will ever happen because the interest on the national debt is going to kill us some day.
Republicans are nothing but spend and barrow. At least the Democrats find a way to pay for their programs.
JR: Agreed. The Right loves to label us the party of "Tax & Spend". Well, I refer to the Republican Party as the party of "Spend, and spend and then spend some more, while cuttiing taxes". At least we have attempted to pay for the policies which we put in place. The same cannot be said about Republicans.
I defy anyone to name me anther war in our nation's history in which we CUT TAXES. You don't cut taxes in wartime, you INCREASE them to pay for the war. Bush wanted a war in which there is ZERO shared sacrafice by 98 % of Americans. For the last 10 years most in this country don't even really know there is a war on. Bush advised us that our patriotic duty was to "Go Shopping". Now there is an unforgettable battle cry if I ever heard one. Can you imagine FDR address Congress the day after Pearl Harbor to announce that he was cutting taxes and that all Americans should go shopping??? Pathetic.
Perry has no foreign policy because that would require dealing with other people in a constructive way. He would simply go out and shoot at our enemies and allies, hoping that he gets the right people.
Why don't someone articulate Obamas and Hillarys foreign policy. I have been trying to figure out if we have a foreign policy for a couple of years. It kind of like the budget that don't exist.
TEX: Why, you confused that we have a foreign policy because Obama is not going around the world starting stupid, unnecessary and unfunded wars???
FYI, Dick Cheney of all people (I can't believe I'm quoting this draft dodger & murderer) that he thought highly of Hillary Clinton as the Secretary of State. That appears to be the general consensus. We're n ot quite as hated around the world as we were when Bush was rattling sabres constantly. Sometimes peace is not all that bad.
Multi-lateralism, using our alliances and allies more than the Bush neo-cons. Backing for democratic movements. Greater emphais on diplomacy, with less tough talk.
Well, that proves my point, the lemmings are as stupid as their leader. Look how we are handling North Korea, Iran and now Libya, we have no idea what these rebels that we supported is going to do, declare Sharia Law most likely. Admit it, there is no foreign policy, we are the laughing stock of the world, even our European allies think Obama is stupid.
We didn't have a domestic policy for eight years, other than preying on American's fears and wiretapping their telephones. That didn't disturb you. From the looks of things, the United States now has more to fear from its own citizens than from any foreign adversary.
You're wrong. You should try and get out more...you know, like to Oklahoma or Louisiana, maybe even as far as Arkansas or New Mexico? I'd stay out of Mexico, if I were you.
Not too smart to cut taxes and then take the country to war...in fact extremely dumb. If you have to go to war, repeal the cuts and pay for the wars.
I see the bitterness, you see what is happening to your messiah and his agenda. The American people also see what a moron is trying to lead the country. We don't currently have a domestic policy except tax, spend and help political donors. I can't wait until all the seams come unraveled and Obama is exposed for the thug that he has proved to be.
You libs can crawl back under your rocks for twenty years, until the non-productive out number the productive, then your agenda might have a chance. You can all be miserable together after you run out of other people's money.
My post was for the secessionist, as is the following:
Same agenda...health care reform; energy independence; and educational reform. Emphasis on manufactured exports and finacial stability.
You know, pretty much everything we missed under Bush.
Independent from Outer space. Our foreign policy has not consisted of starting more wars that we can't win and will drive us into the poor farm, let alone waste 7.186 American lives for nothing!
A few "crackers" with your Tea?