The issue of international affairs during the US presidency encompasses a wide range of diplomatic, economic, and security challenges. This includes managing relationships with other countries, negotiating treaties and trade agreements, addressing global threats, and promoting American interests and values abroad. Currently, prominent foreign matters include, relations between China, the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, as well as the tensions in Gaza involving Israel and Palestine. Given the significant impact of foreign affairs on the economy and human rights, voters especially prioritize issues of international conflict, making them pivotal factors in determining the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr.has emerged as an outspoken critic of U.S support for Ukraine against Russian forces. He claims that the West deliberately disrupted peace talks between Russia and Ukraine in 2022 and that the U.S. wants to remove Russia’s authoritarian president, Vladimir Putin. Kennedy’s views also include his belief that NATO expansions provoked the Ukraine conflict and that Biden is putting Ukraine before Americans. He believes that the U.S. is a militaristic imperial power and advocates for a new peace movement, to reject hostile escalation and to shift towards peace rather than an empire.
Quotes:
“I abhor Russia’s brutal and bloody invasion of that nation,”
“But we must understand that our government has also contributed to its circumstances through repeated deliberate provocations of Russia going back to the 1990s.”
“not too late for us to voluntarily let go of empire and serve peace instead.”
Jill Stein:
Stein criticizes both major political parties for perpetuating a cycle of continuous warfare that fuels devastation around the world and impoverishes the American people. She advocates for the reconstruction of America’s foreign policy, prioritizing human rights to oppose violence, occupation, and apartheid. Regarding the conflict between Israel and Palestine, Stein calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and wants to put an end to the Palestinian genocide. She has also characterized the situation in Ukraine as a pawn in a larger geopolitical struggle between superpowers.
Quotes:
“The bipartisan endless war machine enriches military contractors, lobbyists, and politicians, while it fuels devastation around the world and impoverishes the American people.”
“So yes, Russia illegally invaded Ukraine – but did so with a gun to its head, or in this case, nuclear-compatible missiles. Compared to the US mobilization for immediate nuclear war when roles were reversed w Russian nukes in Cuba, this response was relatively moderate.”
“We must end the endless wars and create a new foreign policy based on diplomacy, international law, and human rights to oppose violence, occupation, and apartheid.”
“The US is supporting genocide in Gaza and we must do everything humanly possible to stop it.”
Cornel West:
West advocates to dismantle the “U.S Empire” and for significant reductions in America’s military spending, referring to it as excessive. Additionally, he pledges to dissolve NATO and halt American financial support for weapons in Ukraine, in favor of prioritizing peace initiatives. West also calls to cease military funding to Israel and more specifically cease all military support to nations committing war crimes. Furthermore, he opposes any form of U.S. intervention in Haiti and advocates for ending the Cuba embargo.
Quotes:
“Palestinian peoples deserve to have a visibility in terms of their suffering and ways in which they can attempt to get out from under. Same would be true, of course, for our Jewish brothers and sisters in Russia or in France, where their rights are being violated.”
“ I would pull back on U.S. military support.”- West on stopping global wars as President
“And so we’re witnessing a proxy war. There must be a ceasefire. There must be a stopping of that war. Why? We’re on the road to nuclear war. That’s the last thing we want to see, my dear sister.”- West on Russia and Ukraine War
Marianne Williamson:
Williamson advocates for establishing a U.S. Department of Peace, tasked with facilitating conflict resolution, coordinating humanitarian aid, and collaborating with institutions like the U.S. Military Academy to foster peace initiatives. Additionally, she pledges to augment the budget allocated to the State Department’s peace initiatives. Williamson also proposes a long-term strategy spanning 10 to 20 years aimed at transitioning from a wartime economy to a peace-oriented one, redirecting resources towards initiatives such as education, infrastructure development, and other constructive endeavors. Regarding our current foreign conflict, she calls for a ceasefire in Gaza and de-escalation to work towards a peaceful resolution.
Quotes:
“Both domestically and internationally, we must dramatically ramp up the use of proven powers of peace-building, including dialogue, mediation, conflict resolution, economic and social development, restorative justice, public health approaches to violence prevention, trauma-informed systems of care, social and emotional learning in schools, and many others.”
“Work to transform the United States from a war economy to a peace economy, and from a country known for its violent conflicts to a country known for its culture of peace”
“I want to imagine a world without war”
Donald Trump:
Former President Donald Trump’s primary aim is to safeguard America from any form of threats and keep America out of unnecessary foreign wars. To protect Americans specifically from the threat of nuclear weapons and hypersonic missiles, he promises to build an advanced missile defense shield. Trump has a long history of criticizing NATO and has claimed that under his presidency, America would fundamentally rethink NATO’s purpose and mission. Furthermore, Trump has maintained good relations and connections with authoritarian figures such as Russia, China, and North Korea’s leaders and he continues to show his support to Israel amidst the conflict. He also promises to secure our Southern border with Mexico, by continuing his previous project of building a wall and utilizing special forces to attack Mexican drug cartels.
Quotes:
“ My foreign policy will always put the interests of the American people and American security above all else. It has to be first. Has to be.”
“When I am president, it will be the policy of the United States to take down the cartels, just as we took down ISIS and the ISIS caliphate”
“Finally, we have to finish the process we began under my Administration of fundamentally reevaluating NATO’s purpose and NATO’s mission”
“Our foreign policy establishment keeps trying to pull the world into conflict with a nuclear-armed Russia based on the lie that Russia represents our greatest threat. But the greatest threat to Western Civilization today is not Russia … It’s the abolition of our national borders. “
Joe Biden:
President Biden has pledged unwavering support for Ukraine, emphasizing the importance of preventing Russia’s invasion to maintain global security and has given $200 billion in military and economic aid to Ukraine. Regarding China, Biden aims to address its aggression by strengthening alliances and partnerships in the Indo-Pacific region. Furthermore, he has demonstrated support for Israel, providing military aid while also advocating for a temporary ceasefire.
Quotes:
“We stand with Israel. And we will make sure Israel has what it needs to take care of its citizens, defend itself, and respond to this attack. There is no justification for terrorism. There is no excuse.”
“we must start with diplomacy rooted in America’s most cherished democratic values: defending freedom, championing opportunity, upholding universal rights, respecting the rule of law, and treating every person with dignity. That’s the grounding wire of our global policy — our global power.”
“as the President has promised, diplomacy – not military action – will always come first” – the Biden Administration