John Edwards on Foreign Policy essays

John Edwards on Foreign Policy essays The first responsibility of any government is to protect its citizens from harm. Washington must now do much better to make the United States safe in the world. This effort means we have to meet at least three key challenges: eliminating the threat of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons; winning the war on terrorism; and promoting democracy and freedom around the world. Yet I worry that the Bush administration is failing to achieve this. To eliminate the threat from weapons of mass destruction, we must ensure countries such as Iraq and North Korea abide by their international obligations. That is why I supported the use of force to disarm Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. However, I would first use negotiation, diplomacy and international institutions as the primary tools to resolve friction with other counties rather than military intervention. The war on terrorism will never be won through unilateral American action. Though powerful, the United States cannot be everywhere and learn everything without cooperation from our friends and allies. Al Qaeda alone is known to operate in more than 60 countries. The international community has expressed a willingness to help, but has been kept on the sidelines. The U.S. must bring other countries into this effort, as well as institutions like the United Nations and NATO. Including others will not just increase the likelihood of success but by sharing the costs of this massive effort, the burdens on the American people will be lessened. The United States must also be there to fight terrorism for as long as it takes. I support the rebuilding of Afghanistan and expanding the size and scope of the international peacekeeping force beyond the city of Kabul. As for Iraq, America's postwar policy has been confused and chaotic. The Bush administration has failed to display leadership in post-conflict situations. We must ensure that the Iraqi people - not some puppet government - sh ...