The Constituency Shares their Foreign Policy Dogma
Oct 31st, 2008 by Sams
After watching the candidates spar in three debates and getting inundated with media coverage, Americans are now deciding which man will become president and, in effect, which foreign policy the nation will pursue.
The candidates’ personal beliefs and experiences have played a significant role in the way they see the world. A 25-year age gap separates John McCain and Barack Obama, as do their opposing viewpoints on the appropriate foreign policy to pursue in this changed world.
Both candidates have threatened the use of hard power. Obama has promised to hunt down Osama bin Laden and members of Al Qaeda, even if that requires military incursions into Pakistan. For his part, McCain has said, as recently as this year, that military action against Iran might be better than “living with an Iranian bomb,” according to an article in the New York Times.
“The stakes have never been higher for us individually, nationally or globally. We live in a time of unprecedented danger and opportunity,” says Greg Moser, executive director of the Homeland Security Program at the University of Denver.
Soon the country will know who will lead and the future will ultimately reveal the form that man’s leadership will take. In anticipation of that moment, when prompted, scholars and students at the University of Denver articulated their opinions concerning the appropriate motives and courses of action that should accompany foreign intervention as well as the experiences that have influenced their personal dogma.
Security Threats
file:///Users/intern/Desktop/rallystage.jpg
“I believe that if we have evidence that the peoples of the world may be adversely affected by the existence of a regime or a rebel military in a foreign country, we should intervene. Often, I think we have to have a proactive approach in our defense of democracy and our way of life.” —Matthew Krebs, first-year master’s of business administration student
“I support intervention if there is a clear and present danger to legitimate US national interests or the interests of the international community. The decision to intervene should be supported by un-tainted and objective intelligence. It should be within the framework of the UN Charter, and it should be sanctioned by the UN, or at least a significant coalition of allies.”—Moser
“Intervention is acceptable when it’s compatible with the provisions of the UN Charter and/or the Genocide Convention— i.e. when another country has used force against us and we are entitled to use self-defense under Chapter VII of the Charter, or when it’s necessary to prevent genocide or widespread massacres while the UN Security Council refused to act.” —Bob Gotlen, director of the International Human Rights Advocacy Center at DU
Humanitarian Issues
file:///Users/intern/Desktop/refugees_iraq.jpg
“I think humanitarian reasons should take precedence over security reasons. Again genocide, mass destruction and killings need reinforcements to stop them and when people call to us for help we should probably learn to listen.” —Katie Ross, senior business and marketing major
“Our government is large enough and our people care enough about the rest of the world to justify our involvement in a situation. I would say, however, that we need to better understand humanitarian crises before we rush into them assuming we are the solution.” —Krebs
“These last eight years, the U.S. has been perceived as a country that only intervenes when it is to its benefit. Where were we when Rwanda occurred, or Sudan, where it is still occurring? To put it bluntly, our track record is stained with motives of profit. I feel that not only is it morally right, but also ethically right to take whatever action is necessary to protect the world’s people.”
—Nick Phelps, senior international business major
The Next Administration’s Policies
“I would like to see the next presidential administration handle security threats and humanitarian crises sensibly and consistently with international law, such as the UN Charter and the Genocide Convention.” —Gotlen
“I think that the US needs to continue to be involved internationally. Though we should be mindful of our resources being “stretched thin,” we also need to realize that we can serve in a variety of very positive roles for our foreign counterparts. We should be deliberate, as well, in posing our involvement as a service rather than the be-all-end-all solution.” —Krebs
“On a military front, focus on Special Forces and other intelligence agencies. In regards to humanitarian efforts, it is again necessary to not be afraid and stand up to problematic situations like Darfur right now. We cannot afford to wait any longer. The next presidential administration must realize the imperativeness of these issues.”
—Phelps
While older generations remember the dissent that accompanied the Vietnam War and the pervasive fear of the Cold War era, younger generations—such as the college age students that have registered en mass to participate in this election—are developing their worldview and American identity in a post-9/11 world. In the eyes of many, George Bush’s two-term presidency has damaged the country’s reputation in potentially irreparable ways. Obama and McCain, cognizant of this circumstance, have both endeavored to distance themselves from this unpopular, lame duck president.
Hope for change and hope for a stronger America has sent voters to the polls. As the election results roll in, half of the country will have a hard pill to swallow but Americans can still hope that the fervor and controversy of this election has made enough of an impression on Washington and the president elect that there is reason to hope for a better future. Looking ahead, Moser says, he can see that possibility: “If we recommit ourselves and the nation to optimism, justice, accountability, tolerance, freedom, development of all human potential, and the preservation of our environment, I think we will have the possibility of meeting the many challenges we face in the coming century.”
Bob Gotlen—Director of the University of Denver’s International Human Rights Advocacy Center
My vocation as a lawyer and the last 10 years as an international human rights lawyer, including stints working in developing countries—Uganda, Kenya, Azerbaijan, Slovakia, Moldova, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan—have contributed to my belief that the worst way to resolve disputes or problems is through fighting. Which is to say, I am a big believer in collaboration and collective rather than unilateral action.
Greg Moser—Executive Director of the University of Denver’s Homeland Security Program
I am a life-long student of history with over 20 years of military intelligence experience. I am a 12th generation American with a deep and abiding love of country and a commitment to the achievement of a truly free, democratic, just, and merciful United States. I am a person of faith who believes in a merciful and wise God and the potential this creator instilled in humanity. I have seen what hubris, ignorance, and our obsessions with triumphalism and material wealth have done to this country and our standing in the international community.
Matthew Krebs—First-year, Master’s of Business Administration Student
I have been shaped by the beliefs of my parents. Being conservative economically and socially, they have (in a sense) preached that way of thinking to me. However, I consider myself to be well read on issues concerning foreign and domestic policy, and I have personally witnessed how our system has a way of allowing many different peoples to coexist in the same productive environment. I have come to believe that diversity is America’s greatest gift, and we need to prize those differences in our society.
Nick Phelps—Senior, International Business Major
Being someone who has grown up in Washington D.C., I feel that I have a unique perspective; I went to school with Senators’ kids and secret service on a daily basis. I feel that the mix of being a D.C. socialite and an avid world traveler that my outlook on the issues stated above has been a reflection of both my personal and family views, as well as a reflection of the views of our nation’s capital.
Katie Ross—Senior, Business and Marketing Major
I have traveled to at least 15 different countries and lived in Dominican Republic and Africa for a month and Prague for 4 months. Learning about international affairs abroad made me realize how much we have screwed up as a country in dealing with things. I also visited the genocide memorial in Rwanda where we spent hours reading and truly learning about how much could have been prevented and how much they cried out for help and we did nothing.
(Side note: there are a lot of things I want to do to make this article better such as adding multimedia content but I will need some guidance on how to go about doing that with this site)