There are two reasons to be cautiously hopeful that Trump could be better than Harris on foreign policy. Their names are Robert F. Kennedy and Tulsi Gabbard. Kennedy says nothing new on Israel but he has been very clear that he views the proxy war against Russia in Ukraine as a dangerous folly that is not in our national interest. Tulsi has long been a couragous voice against wars of choice and against the influence of the defense contractor lobby.
Biden Harris foreign policy has been nothing short of catastrophic.
We are on the verge of a war with Iran. If Israel attacks Iran, Iran will attack Israel and then the US will, as always, be 100% committed to defending Israel. In Ukraine, Putin and Russia cannot afford to lose this war and there is no reason why they should given their nuclear arsenal, large military, and much larger population than Ukraine. Russia is pushed into the arms of China. All of the above policies have had zero benefit to Americans, and meanwhile we can't even police our own southern border. Billions of dollars go overseas to kill and destroy instead of investing in our schools, roads, environment.
There are several problems with this, but let me focus on one: the degree to which venality drives Trump's "policies" in the Middle East. He (and his family) clearly prioritize the tantalizing prospect of deals with Saudi Arabia and the gulf states: this may appear to benefit Israel (the Abraham Accords) but in the end it is a vulnerability for Israel because one doesn't know what it will trigger in the future. Similarly, his policies toward Israel and the Palestinians are susceptible to undue influence by domestic political and financial considerations, rather than considerations of either US interests or of finding some kind of stable peace. Just recall the gloating face of Sheldon Adelson at the ceremony moving the embassy to Jerusalem if you doubt this. I think a good case can be made that Harris will be more objective, more focused on real US interests, and much more interested in searching for a just peace with dignity for the Palestinians and security for the Israelis.
There are two reasons to be cautiously hopeful that Trump could be better than Harris on foreign policy. Their names are Robert F. Kennedy and Tulsi Gabbard. Kennedy says nothing new on Israel but he has been very clear that he views the proxy war against Russia in Ukraine as a dangerous folly that is not in our national interest. Tulsi has long been a couragous voice against wars of choice and against the influence of the defense contractor lobby.
Biden Harris foreign policy has been nothing short of catastrophic.
We are on the verge of a war with Iran. If Israel attacks Iran, Iran will attack Israel and then the US will, as always, be 100% committed to defending Israel. In Ukraine, Putin and Russia cannot afford to lose this war and there is no reason why they should given their nuclear arsenal, large military, and much larger population than Ukraine. Russia is pushed into the arms of China. All of the above policies have had zero benefit to Americans, and meanwhile we can't even police our own southern border. Billions of dollars go overseas to kill and destroy instead of investing in our schools, roads, environment.
Trump could hardly do worse, whatever his faults.
There are several problems with this, but let me focus on one: the degree to which venality drives Trump's "policies" in the Middle East. He (and his family) clearly prioritize the tantalizing prospect of deals with Saudi Arabia and the gulf states: this may appear to benefit Israel (the Abraham Accords) but in the end it is a vulnerability for Israel because one doesn't know what it will trigger in the future. Similarly, his policies toward Israel and the Palestinians are susceptible to undue influence by domestic political and financial considerations, rather than considerations of either US interests or of finding some kind of stable peace. Just recall the gloating face of Sheldon Adelson at the ceremony moving the embassy to Jerusalem if you doubt this. I think a good case can be made that Harris will be more objective, more focused on real US interests, and much more interested in searching for a just peace with dignity for the Palestinians and security for the Israelis.