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On the Issues
Foreign Policy and Defense
A nation’s foreign policy is of critical importance because it determines how that nation interacts with the rest of the planet. I believe we must change American foreign policy to restore our role as a force for global peace and stability and as an exemplar of democratic values. This will require a dramatic recalibration of our approach to foreign policy and global leadership – from the Bush Administration’s largely unilateral approach to one in which our government works in collaboration with the rest of the world on challenges that are truly global in nature.
My foreign policy involvements during my years in Congress have ranged from providing direct start-up assistance to the democratic parliaments emerging from Communism in post-Soviet Central and Eastern Europe, to efforts aimed at promoting a just and lasting settlement between Israel and its neighbors. After opposing the war in Iraq from the beginning, I have been working to build support in Congress for an orderly redeployment of U.S. troops from Iraq, combined with a robust diplomatic initiative to bring about long-term stability in the Middle East.
I support the relentless pursuit of al Qaeda and other terrorist groups, including by finishing our important work in Afghanistan, and I feel that the Bush Administration’s costly and poorly planned invasion and occupation of Iraq have diverted us from this mission. I have introduced legislation to force the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and will not support further funding for the war effort unless such funding is tied to withdrawal.
I have spearheaded a successful effort to improve transparency and accountability in the use of private military contractors in Iraq and Afghanistan, and my legislation to bring such contractors under U.S. law and to set basic standards for contracting. That legislation passed the House last May with overwhelming support.
In addition, I serve as Chair of the House Democracy Assistance Commission, which works to strengthen legislative institutions in developing democracies around the world. Our current partner countries include: Afghanistan, Colombia, East Timor, Georgia, Haiti, Indonesia, Kenya, Lebanon, Liberia, Macedonia, Mongolia and Ukraine.
Related Information
House Democracy Assistance Commission
Middle East Peace
Supporting Our Troops
War in Iraq
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