Scott Walker presidential campaign, 2016/Foreign affairs
From Ballotpedia
 Scott Walker |
Governor of Wisconsin (2011-2019) Milwaukee County Executive (2002-2010) Wisconsin State Assembly (1993-2002) |
 Republican candidate: |
2028 • 2024 • 2020 • 2016 |
This page was current as of the 2016 election.
Iran nuclear deal
- On September 8, 2015, Scott Walker signed a letter to President Obama, along with 14 other governors, that opposed the Iran deal and advocated to keep state sanctions against Iran in place.[2]
- On July 13, 2015, the day before the Iran deal was signed, Walker indicated that, if elected, he would terminate the deal immediately and reimpose economic sanctions, saying, "We need to terminate the bad deal with Iran on day one, put in place crippling economic sanctions and convince our allies to do the same."[3]
- Walker published an op-ed in the National Review on June 30, 2015, criticizing the Obama administration for its handling of negotiations with Iran. Walker wrote, "President Obama’s pattern of retreat has sent such a resounding message of weakness that the Iranians, even if they do sign an agreement, will inevitably test American resolve again and again. The administration tells us not to worry, because its 'unprecedented' inspections will discover any cheating by Iran. But effective inspections can’t take place without Iranian cooperation, which Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has rejected. And responding to any violations will also require Russia and China’s goodwill, which is in short supply."[4]
- Walker concluded that America should make greater use of economic sanctions and military power. He explained, "[W]e should send a message loud and clear that America demands a deal in which Iran dismantles its illicit nuclear infrastructure and agrees to full transparency and verification. We should remind the world that Iran is in active violation of numerous U.N. Security Council resolutions. We should redouble efforts to impose crippling economic sanctions on Iran without apology and rollback Iran’s regional influence. We should focus international attention on Iran’s abysmal human-rights record and its support for terrorism abroad. And we should stand with our key allies and partners in the region, especially Israel."[4]
- On April 25, 2015, Walker said, "We need to tell the president to back off from a bad deal" with Iran.[5]
- On April 2, 2015, Walker posted the following tweet about the Iran nuclear deal:
- In an April 1, 2015, interview with conservative radio host, Charlie Sykes, Walker said he would "pull back on" a deal with Iran, explaining, "It leaves not only problems for Israel, because they want to annihilate Israel, it leaves the problems in the sense that the Saudis, the Jordanians and others are gonna want to have access to their own nuclear weapons."[6]
Military preparedness and budget
- In May 2015, Scott Walker said he would support eliminating defense caps under sequestration because it leaves the defense budget inadequately funded.[7]
- In a 2014 speech before the Republican Jewish Coalition, Walker "conceded that foreign policy is 'not an area that governors typically look at," but added "that he was commander in chief of the Wisconsin National Guard."[8]
- In response to a question from Philip Klein of the Washington Examiner about foreign policy, Walker responded, “I believe in a strong America and not just from a military standpoint, but overall."[9]
National security
- In August 2015, Scott Walker promoted “unleashing” the power of American military in Iraq rather than increasing the number of ground troops during an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” Walker said, “We have people in Iraq right now in the military, over 3,000 troops. It’s not a question of sending more in. It’s about empowering them to unleash the power of the United States military.”[10]
- While appearing on "Fox & Friends" in June 2015, Walker said, "I think we would be much better off if we fully reauthorized the Patriot Act. I think it's an important tool. . . . I certainly don't want to be in the position that France is in where they're saying, 'What could we have done?'"[11]
- In a March 2015 interview with Hugh Hewitt, Walker said containment is insufficient to handle the threat from ISIS. Walker continued, "When you have, not only with ISIS and al Qaeda, but you have an Iran, you have other places around the world groups that that want to not only annihilate Israel, but annihilate us in America, it’s like a virus. You’ve got to eradicate it. You can’t take out part of it, or it will come back."[12]
- Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February 2015, Walker said of his ability to combat radical Islamic terrorists, "We need a leader with that kind of confidence. If I can take on 100,000 protesters, I can do the same across the world."[13]
- After receiving backlash for this comment, Walker's communications director, Kirsten Kukowski, released the following statement: "Governor Walker believes our fight against ISIS is one of the most important issues our country faces. He was in no way comparing any American citizen to ISIS. What the governor was saying was when faced with adversity he chooses strength and leadership. Those are the qualities we need to fix the leadership void this White House has created."[14]
- In 2014, Scott Walker said, "Obama’s failure to enforce his red line in Syria projected weakness. His constant talk of withdrawal and ending wars so we can focus on 'nation-building here at home' projects weakness. His decision to gut the U.S. defense budget and reduce the Army to pre-World War II levels projects weakness."[15]
International relations
- During the September 2015 Republican debate, Scott Walker advocated for canceling a state dinner with China that was scheduled for soon after the debate. “When it comes to China, why would we be giving an official state visit to a country that’s been involved in a massive cyber attack against the United States? That’s not just a visit, that’s a 21 gun salute on the South Lawn of the White House. It just doesn’t make any sense. If we’re ever going to send a message to them, wouldn’t this be the time, when they’ve issued this, sort of, massive attack against us?” said Walker.[16]
- On September 9, 2015, Walker expressed opposition to the United States accepting more Syrian refugees. Walker said, “No, we shouldn’t be taking on any more Syrian refugees right now. … In the last year, America has received almost 70,000 refugees of which nearly 2,000 are from Syria. We’ve spent something like $4 billion in humanitarian relief in terms of helping the situation in Syria. So we’re doing more than any other country in the world, and it’s got to be clear that the problem that has to be addressed is not the refugee issue — that’s a symptom. The real problem is this administration fails to deal with taking on ISIS.”[17]
- The Washington Post suggested on August 26, 2015, that Walker’s criticism of China could have hurt his relationship with Iowa and its governor, Terry Branstad (R). It noted, “That’s a stance that could hurt Walker's relationship with Branstad and farmers in Iowa, who export billions of dollars worth of soybeans to China each year. Asked to respond to Walker's comments, Branstad's spokesman Jimmy Centers said in a statement: 'China is a valuable trading partner for Iowa and the state has had a friendly relationship with President Xi dating back to his first visit to Iowa in 1985.’”[18]
- At a Republican presidential debate on August 6, 2015, Walker said President Obama and Secretary Clinton had been too soft on Russia. "You know, Putin believes in the old Lenin adage: you probe with bayonets. When you find mush, you push. When you find steel, you stop. Under Obama and Clinton, we found a lot of mush over the last two years. We need to have a national security that puts steel in front of our enemies. I would send weapons to Ukraine. I would work with NATO to put forces on the eastern border of Poland and the Baltic nations, and I would reinstate, put in place back in the missile defense system that we had in Poland and in the Czech Republic," Walker said.[19]
- In June 2015, Walker criticized the Obama administration's handling of cyberattacks allegedly conducted by Chinese hackers and added the United States "must press China to cease its provocations in the South China Sea and support the rights of its people."[20]
- Following a trip to Israel in May 2015, Walker said, "I support — as presidents of both parties have, and Congress members and others — a two-state solution, ultimately. I thought this before going there, and I see it even more, they're not ready for that right now. The security risks are very real, and I think going forward there's got to be a way to have secure borders for the state of Israel itself."[21]
- In a March 2015 interview with Hugh Hewitt, Walker said the United States should come to the defense of Estonia, Latvia or Lithuania if Russia were to invade those countries. After stating "NATO is the strongest military alliance we've had in history," Walker said, "[W]e need a president who’s going to act aggressively by giving lethal force to the Ukrainians and others to try to preempt that from happening."[22]
- Walker criticized normalizing diplomatic relations with Cuba, saying of the restrictions in December 2014, "I don't think there's been any noticeable change towards making that a more free and prosperous country. There's a reason we had the policy in the first place."[23]
- According to Politico, when Walker attended the Republican Jewish Coalition in 2014, he "offered broad, but vague support for a muscular foreign policy and support for Israel."[8]
- Walker went on an overseas trade mission to China in April 2013.[24]
Epidemic control
- On October 17, 2014, Scott Walker advocated for a commercial travel ban on West African countries impacted by Ebola.[25]
- Walker's office released a statement regarding how Walker and his administration were addressing the threat of Ebola in October 2014. Walker "directed Wisconsin’s State Health Officer, Karen McKeown, to work with Major General Donald Dunbar, Adjutant General of the Wisconsin Natural Guard, to train teams from the Wisconsin National Guard on the protocols and procedures for the treatment of individuals with Ebola" and partnered "with the Wisconsin Hospital Association and hospitals across the state in developing a Clinical Advisory Team of clinical professionals."[26]
ISIS and terrorism
- In a March 2015 interview with Hugh Hewitt, Walker said containment is insufficient to handle the threat from ISIS. Walker continued, "When you have, not only with ISIS and al Qaeda, but you have an Iran, you have other places around the world groups that that want to not only annihilate Israel, but annihilate us in America, it’s like a virus. You’ve got to eradicate it. You can’t take out part of it, or it will come back."[27]
- Speaking at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February 2015, Walker said of his ability to combat radical Islamic terrorists, "We need a leader with that kind of confidence. If I can take on 100,000 protesters, I can do the same across the world."[28]
- After receiving backlash for this comment, Walker's communications director, Kirsten Kukowski, released the following statement: "Governor Walker believes our fight against ISIS is one of the most important issues our country faces. He was in no way comparing any American citizen to ISIS. What the governor was saying was when faced with adversity he chooses strength and leadership. Those are the qualities we need to fix the leadership void this White House has created."[29]
Syrian refugees
- On September 9, 2015, Walker expressed opposition to the United States accepting more Syrian refugees. Walker said, “No, we shouldn’t be taking on any more Syrian refugees right now. … In the last year, America has received almost 70,000 refugees of which nearly 2,000 are from Syria. We’ve spent something like $4 billion in humanitarian relief in terms of helping the situation in Syria. So we’re doing more than any other country in the world, and it’s got to be clear that the problem that has to be addressed is not the refugee issue — that’s a symptom. The real problem is this administration fails to deal with taking on ISIS.”[30]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term Scott + Walker + Foreign + Affairs
See also
Footnotes
- ↑ New York Times, "Scott Walker Said to Be Quitting Run for President," September 21, 2015
- ↑ Bloomberg Politics, "Walker, Christie, Kasich, Jindal to Keep State Sanctions on Iran," September 8, 2015
- ↑ Politico, "GOP candidates vow to roll back Iran deal," July 14, 2015
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 National Review, "The President’s Failed Leadership on Iran," June 30, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Walker tells Obama to ‘back off' Iran deal," accessed April 27, 2015
- ↑ The Washington Post, "Scott Walker: I’ll blow up any Iran deal, no matter what our European allies think," April 2, 2015
- ↑ The Hill, "Scott Walker says he will end defense cuts if elected president," May 11, 2015
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Politico, "Scott Walker goes broad on foreign policy," March 29, 2014
- ↑ Washington Examiner, “Exclusive interview: Gov. Scott Walker's limited government pragmatism," March 24, 2014
- ↑ The Washington Times, "Scott Walker, GOP presidential candidate, vows to ‘unleash’ U.S. military on terrorists," August 30, 2015
- ↑ YouTube, "Scott Walker Discusses American Safety on Fox & Friends," June 3, 2015
- ↑ Hugh Hewitt, "Governor Scott Walker Talks Foreign Policy," March 25, 2015
- ↑ Slate, "In Defense of Scott Walker," February 27, 2015
- ↑ National Review, "Scott Walker’s Awful Answer on ISIS," February 26, 2015
- ↑ Slate, “Scott Walker’s Foreign Policy: Reagan, Reagan, and More Reagan," March 24, 2014
- ↑ CNN, "CNN REAGAN LIBRARY DEBATE: Later Debate Full Transcript," September 16, 2015
- ↑ Wisconsin Public Radio, "Walker: US Should Not Take In Syrian Refugees," September 9, 2015
- ↑ Washington Post, "As Scott Walker criticizes China, he could see repercussions in Iowa," August 26, 2015
- ↑ TIME, "Transcript: Read the Full Text of the Primetime Republican Debate," August 6, 2015
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Scott Walker calls for tougher stance with China," June 23, 2015
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "After Israel trip, Scott Walker says region not ready for Palestinian state," May 16, 2015
- ↑ Hugh Hewitt, "Governor Scott Walker Talks Foreign Policy," March 25, 2015
- ↑ Wisconsin State Journal, "Gov. Scott Walker says normalizing relations with Cuba is 'a bad idea'," December 18, 2014
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Scott Walker to lead China trade mission," April 10, 2013
- ↑ Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Scott Walker joins call for commercial travel ban in response to Ebola," October 17, 2014
- ↑ Office of the Governor, Scott Walker, "Governor Scott Walker Announces Ebola Preparedness Plans, Calls for Commercial Travel Ban," October 17, 2014
- ↑ Hugh Hewitt, "Governor Scott Walker Talks Foreign Policy," March 25, 2015
- ↑ Slate, "In Defense of Scott Walker," February 27, 2015
- ↑ National Review, "Scott Walker’s Awful Answer on ISIS," February 26, 2015
- ↑ Wisconsin Public Radio, "Walker: US Should Not Take In Syrian Refugees," September 9, 2015
