Bernie Sanders presidential campaign, 2016/Foreign affairs
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 Bernie Sanders |
U.S. Senator (Assumed office: 2007) U.S. Representative (1991-2007) |
2028 • 2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
This page was current as of the 2016 election.
| CANDIDATE SUMMARY | |
Iran nuclear deal
- Speaking on the floor of the Senate on September 9, 2015, Bernie Sanders expressed his support for the Iran nuclear deal and suggested his Republican colleagues were hawkish. “It is my firm belief that the test of a great nation with the most powerful military on earth is not how many wars it can engage in, but how it can use our strength and our capabilities to resolve international conflicts in a peaceful way. I believe it is incumbent upon us to give the negotiated agreement the chance to succeed,” Sanders said.[2]
- On July 14, 2015, Sanders called the final deal on Iran's nuclear program "a victory for diplomacy over saber-rattling." He went on, praising those who participated in the deal, "I congratulate President Obama, Secretary [John] Kerry and the leaders of other major nations for producing a comprehensive agreement to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon."[3]
- On April 2, 2015, Sanders said, "While much more work remains to be done this framework is an important step forward. It is imperative that Iran not get a nuclear weapon. It also is imperative that we do everything we can to reach a diplomatic solution and avoid never-ending war in the Middle East. I look forward to examining the details of this agreement and making sure that it is effective and strong."[4]
Military preparedness and budget
- Paul Rieckhoff, founder and CEO of the Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said October 14, 2015, that Bernie Sanders ignored problems with the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2014 when it was first reported that there were severe delays in healthcare for veterans leading to deaths across the country. Rieckhoff said, "For far too long he was apologizing for the VA. He was refusing to acknowledge the severity. He was positioning it as a smaller issue than it was while veterans were dying waiting for care.”[5]
- Defending his opposition to war on September 3, 2015, Bernie Sanders said, “War should be in my view, the last resort of a great nation. We should explore every other option – and I know that opens up the political types: ‘Oh, you’re wimpy. You don’t want to go to war.’ Well, I don’t accept that. I’ve talked to too many people who came home without legs, without eyesight, with traumatic brain injury.”[6]
- Sanders’ campaign confirmed to ABC News on August 31, 2015, that Sanders filed for conscious objector status during the Vietnam War. The confirmation followed a column in The Des Moines Register where the author, Steve Wikert, asked, “My question as a Vietnam veteran is: How on earth could a person claiming to be a conscientious objector become the commander in chief of the most powerful military in the world?"[7]
- Sanders served as chairman of the United States Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs from 2013 to 2014. During his tenure, Sanders said, "Some may not be aware that some tens and tens of thousands of young healthy men and women have come home from those wars with traumatic brain injury and post traumatic brain disorder. We have a moral responsibility that all those veterans — and all veterans — get the best quality health care that we can possibly provide."[8][9]
- According to The Boston Globe, Sanders has a history of being anti-war, and he actively protested the Vietnam War.[9]
National security
- Sanders released a statement on Tuesday morning regarding the terrorist attacks in Brussels. He said, “We stand with our European allies to offer any necessary assistance in these difficult times. Today's attack is a brutal reminder that the international community must come together to destroy ISIL. This type of barbarism cannot be allowed to continue."[10]
- During the fifth Democratic primary debate on February 4, 2016, Bernie Sanders discussed his thoughts on leaving soldiers in Afghanistan: “Well, you can’t simply withdraw tomorrow. Wish we could, and allow, you know, the Taliban or anybody else to reclaim that country. But what we must do, and what we have seen in recent months, is some progress in Iraq, where finally the Iraqi army, which has not been a particularly effective fighting force, retook Ramadi. ISIS has lost I think 40 percent of the territory that it held in the last year. Hopefully, and you know, one can’t predict the future, that maybe our training and their fighting capabilities are improving and we are going to make some progress in destroying ISIS.”[11]
- During a Democratic forum in South Carolina, November 6, 2015, Sanders discussed his opposition to President Obama's decision “to deploy special operation forces to Syria to help battle ISIS. Pointing out he had opposed the Iraq war from the beginning, unlike Clinton, the Vermont senator said he did ‘not want to see us get in — sucked into a quagmire of which there may be no end,’” according to NPR.[12]
- During the first Democratic debate, October 13, 2015, Sanders was asked how he could be commander-in-chief given that he was a conscientious objector during the Vietnam War. Sanders responded, "I am not a pacifist... I supported the war in Afghanistan. I supported President Clinton's effort to deal with ethnic cleansing in Kosovo. I support air strikes in Syria and what the president is trying to do. Yes, I happen to believe from the bottom of my heart that war should be the last resort that we have got to exercise diplomacy. But yes, I am prepared to take this country into war if that is necessary.”[13]
- Sanders said on October 8, 2015, that the priority in Syria should be to eliminate ISIS and remove Syrian President Bashar al-Assad from power through collaboration with Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran. He also complimented President Obama for “doing a good job trying to sort through this and trying to make sure that we do not continue to have funerals back home for young American kids killed in combat."[14]
- In a statement released on October 3, 2015, Sanders opposed establishing a no-fly zone over Syria following Russian military intervention in the country. “I support President Obama’s effort to combat the Islamic State in Syria while at the same time supporting those in Syria trying to overthrow the brutal dictatorship of Bashar Assad. I oppose, at this point, a unilateral American no-fly zone in Syria which could get us more deeply involved in that horrible civil war and lead to a never-ending U.S. entanglement in that region,” said Sanders.[15]
- During a September 2014 interview, Sanders advocated for taking a supportive role in the fight against ISIS instead of a leading role. He said, "I'm sitting here wondering where Saudi Arabia is, where Kuwait is, where Qatar is. I'll be damned if kids in the state of Vermont -- or taxpayers in the state of Vermont -- have to defend the royal Saudi family, which is worth hundreds of billions of dollars."[16]
- Sanders voted against HR 3162 - the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism (USA PATRIOT ACT) Act of 2001. It became law on October 26, 2001.[17]
- Sanders voted against HR 3199 - the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005. It became law on March 9, 2006.[18]
- According to The Boston Globe, Sanders "voted against going to war in Iraq in 2002. And although he initially supported US military intervention in Afghanistan after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, he quickly soured on the open-ended commitment of American troops there."[9]
International relations
- Bernie Sanders was one of 17 U.S. senators who declined to sign a letter advocating for an increase in the amount of military aid given to Israel. The country receives $3 billion per year, more than any other nation.[19]
- On March 20, 2016, Sanders commented on President Obama’s trip to Cuba in a statement, saying, “I applaud President Obama for making history by traveling to Cuba and moving relations between our two countries into a new era. I continue to stand by his calls for Congress to fully lift the failed embargo. … fifty years of cold war is enough. It is time for Cuba and the United States to turn the page and normalize relations.”[20]
- Sanders announced on March 18, 2016, that he would not attend the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Conference on Monday due to a scheduling conflict, making him the only major presidential candidate not to attend the conference. He wrote in a letter to the organization that "issues impacting Israel and the Middle East are of the utmost importance to me, to our country and to the world."[21]
- In response to North Korea’s claim that it had successfully tested a hydrogen bomb, Bernie Sanders said January 6, 2016, the U.S. “is going to have to lean on China.” He continued, “China is North Korea's closest ally and they're going to have to push North Korea to start adhering to international agreements.”[22]
- Sanders wrote a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman on September 28, 2015, asking the Obama administration to support a proposal that would make some of the world’s poorest countries exempt from restrictions that hike drug prices. Sanders wrote, "Making sure people in poor countries have access to life-saving medicine is our moral responsibility. I respectfully ask you to reconsider this position."[23]
- Although Sanders argued the United States “step up” to assist Syrian refugees, he said on September 13, 2015, that American military intervention in Syria could lead to “perpetual warfare in that region.” Sanders added that other countries, like Saudi Arabia and Turkey, will have to “get their hands dirty” and “get on the ground in taking on ISIS.”[24][25]
- On July 5, 2015, Sanders applauded the people of Greece who voted against austerity measures that creditors' called for in order to continue lending to Greece. He said, "I applaud the people of Greece for saying ‘no’ to more austerity for the poor, the children, the sick and the elderly."[26]
- In March 2014, Sanders said, "The entire world has got to stand up to Putin. We've got to deal with sanctions. There are a number of things that you could do. But this is what you don't do: You don't go to war. You don't sacrifice lives of young people in this country as we did in Iraq and Afghanistan."[27]
- Sanders voted against HR 927 - the Cuban Liberty and Democratic Solidarity (LIBERTAD) Act of 1996, which, among other things, increased sanctions against the Castro government. It became law on March 12, 1996.[28]
ISIS and terrorism
- At the third Democratic primary debate on December 19, 2015, Bernie Sanders discussed the feasibility of forging greater alliances against ISIS in the Middle East: “This is a war for the soul of Islam. The troops on the ground should not be American troops. They should be Muslim troops. I believe that countries like Saudi Arabia and Qatar have got to step up to the plate, have got to contribute the money that we need, and the troops that we need, to destroy ISIS with American support. … My plan is to make it work, to tell Saudi Arabia that instead of going to war in Yemen, they, one of the wealthiest countries on Earth, are going to have to go to war against ISIS. To tell Qatar, that instead of spending $200 billion on the World Cup, maybe they should pay attention to ISIS, which is at their doorstep.”[29]
- Sanders said on December 6, 2016, that “Muslim nations” should lead the effort to combat the Islamic State with support from the U.S., the United Kingdom, France, Russia and Iran. "It is the Muslim nations that are fighting for the soul of Islam who have got to lead the effort in crushing ISIS,” he said.[30]
- During a speech at Simpson College in Iowa on November 15, 2015, Sanders recommended that Russia, Iran and Saudi Arabia join the U.S. in fighting the Islamic State. He said, “We have different points of view ... but Russia has got to join us. We are concerned about Iran, but Iran has to join us. We have concerns about Saudi Arabia, but Saudi Arabia has to join us. If all over the world these attacks are taking place, the world has got to come together."
- When CBS' Democratic debate moderator John Dickerson asked Sanders if he still believed that "the greatest threat to national security was climate change," Sanders replied, "Absolutely. In fact, climate change is directly related to the growth of terrorism. And if we do not get our act together and listen to what the scientists say, you're going to see countries all over the world—this is what the CIA says—they're going to be struggling over limited amounts of water, limited amounts of land to grow their crops ask you're going to see all kinds of international conflict. But, of course, international terrorism is a major issue that we have got to address today. And I agree with much of what the Secretary and the Governor have said. But let me have one area of disagreement with the Secretary. I think she said something like the bulk of the responsibility is not ours. Well, in fact, I would argue that the disastrous invasion of Iraq, something that I strongly opposed, has unraveled the region completely and led to the rise of al-Qaeda and to ISIS. Now, in fact, what we have got to do—and I think there is widespread agreement here—is the United States cannot do it alone. What we need to do is lead an international coalition which includes very significantly the Muslim nations in that region who are going to have to fight and defend their way of life."[31]
- When asked to clarify his comments about Clinton's vote to go to war in Iraq, Sanders said, "I don't think any sensible person would disagree that the invasion of Iraq led to the massive level of instability we are seeing right now. I think that was one of the worst foreign policy blunders in the more than history of the United States."[31]
- Sanders also discussed how to approach the chaos in the Middle East during the debate. He said, "But here's something that I believe we have to do as we put together an international coalition, and that is we have to understand that the Muslim nations in the region—Saudi Arabia, Iran, Turkey, Jordan—all of these nations, they're going to have to get their hands dirty, their boots on the ground. They are going to have to take on ISIS. This is a war for the soul of Islam. And those countries who are opposed to Islam, they are going to have to get deeply involved in a way that is not the case today. We should be supportive of that effort. So should the UK, so should France. But those Muslim countries are going to have to lead the effort. They are not doing it now."[31]
Syrian refugees
- In an interview with Yahoo Global News anchor Katie Couric published on November 17, 2015, Sanders discussed how the U.S. should respond to the terrorist attacks in Paris. He said, “What we have got to be is not just strong and tough, but we have got to be smart. I think in terms of the refugees, clearly it goes without saying that any refugee coming into this country has got to be vetted, but to simply say that when hundreds of thousands of people are fleeing Syria, are fleeing Afghanistan, that we or Europe or the Gulf region will turn our backs on those people, I don’t think that’s what America is about.”[32]
Recent news
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See also
Footnotes
- ↑ VPR, "Bernie Sanders Is Streaming His Presidential Announcement On Periscope," April 30, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Sanders cites Iraq War to hit opponents over Iran deal," September 9, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Bernie Sanders hails Iran pact as 'a victory for diplomacy'," July 14, 2015
- ↑ Sanders.Senate.gov, "Framework of Iran Nuclear Deal Reached," accessed April 10, 2015
- ↑ CNN Politics, "Sanders stretched truth on VA record during debate, some vets say," October 14, 2015
- ↑ The Huffington Post, "Bernie Sanders Had A Great Response To War Hawks," September 3, 2015
- ↑ ABC News, "Bernie Sanders Applied for 'Conscientious Objector' Status During Vietnam, Campaign Confirms," August 31, 2015
- ↑ Congressional Quarterly, "Senate Committee List," accessed January 22, 2013
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Boston Globe, "Bernie Sanders an antiwar, pro-veteran senator," September 14, 2013
- ↑ Talking Points Memo "Sanders On Brussels Attacks: 'This Type Of Barbarism' Cannot Continue," March 22, 2016
- ↑ The New York Times, "Transcript of the Democratic Presidential Debate," February 5, 2016
- ↑ NPR, "Rivals' Gloves Come Off Against Clinton In Democratic Forum," November 7, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "The CNN Democratic debate transcript, annotated," October 13, 2015
- ↑ Newsmax, "Bernie Sanders: Demand Middle East's Wealthy Nations Deal with ISIS, Syria," October 8, 2015
- ↑ Washington Times, "Bernie Sanders tackles Syria turmoil, rips Hillary Clinton’s no-fly zone plan," October 3, 2015
- ↑ CNN, "Sen. Bernie Sanders: 'I'll be damned' if Americans lead ISIS fight," September 30, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.3162," accessed April 7, 2015
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.3199," accessed April 7, 2015
- ↑ Salon, "83% of senators call for boosting exorbitant U.S. aid to Israel; Bernie Sanders one of 17 who didn’t," April 25, 2016
- ↑ ABC News, "Donald Trump Tweets That Cuban Leader Raul Castro Has 'No Respect' for President Obama," March 21, 2016
- ↑ Talking Points Memo, "Bernie Sanders Won't Attend AIPAC Conference," March 18, 2016
- ↑ CBS News, "GOP candidates slam Obama, Clinton over N. Korea bomb claim," January 6, 2016
- ↑ HuffPost Politics, "Bernie Sanders Calls Out Obama Team On Global Drug Prices," September 29, 2015
- ↑ MSNBC, "Sanders: US should be part of refugees response," September 13, 2015
- ↑ Los Angeles Times, "Sanders says it's 'impossible' to place a number on how many Syrian refugees U.S. should accept," September 14, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "Sanders backs Greek voters," July 5, 2015
- ↑ Senate.gov, "Sanctions on Russia," accessed December 23, 2014
- ↑ Congress.gov, "H.R.927," accessed April 7, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "3rd Democratic debate transcript, annotated: Who said what and what it meant," December 19, 2015
- ↑ CBS News, "Sanders: Gun control no "magic formula" for terrorism," December 6, 2015
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 The Washington Post, "The CBS Democratic debate transcript, annotated," accessed November 16, 2015
- ↑ Yahoo News, "‘Yahoo News Live’: Bernie Sanders on Paris, IS, refugees and more," November 17, 2015
