Domestic Security/Foreign Policy
Develop a foreign policy that addresses the extent of US involvement in the redevelopment of Iraq and Afghanistan. What should the US stance on the war in Iraq be? What should the US do about AL Qaeda, Iran, and North Korea? How effective is the Patriot Act in fighting terrorism? Should the government be allowed to use unauthorized, secret surveillance on its citizens as a means to fight terrorism? Should citizens be treated different than non-citizens?
RADICAL, LIBERAL, and CONSERVATIVE WERE RECEIVED ON TIME. ULTRA-CON IS LATE.
Radical: Ashwin
With a ridiculously low approval rating it is a surprise and a shame that the current administration hasn’t pulled our troops out of Iraq thus far. Nearly 75% of Americans say the number of casualties in Iraq is unacceptable, while two thirds say the U.S. military there is bogged down, and nearly 6 in 10 say the war was not even worth fighting—in all three cases matching or exceeding the highest levels of pessimism ever recorded. Does it sound like our nation is maintaining the ideals of a democracy? As we have in the past in South America with the School of the Americas Watch and in Vietnam in the 60’s and 70’s we have once again stuck our noses where they don’t belong. Rather than simply talking about taking action, it is high time that our government actually takes action. We must pull out of Iraq promptly or thousands more innocent Iraqi civilian lives will be lost. Leading experts estimate that it would take between two and four months to properly evacuate out troops and equipment. The bottom line is that we must support our troops by bringing them home. On another note, the government should not have anything to do with Al Qaeda, Iran, and North Korea. The United States is not capable of helping these situations. Our government needs to leave it to the United Nations, who we have helped create for this unique purpose. History has proven that U.S. intelligence is not sufficiently effective to solve many international issues, and our government often has an ulterior motive when providing “aid.”
Furthermore, the Patriot Act is utterly unconstitutional. It gives the government the right to override the very rights it has pushed for in the past 200 years. Not only has the Patriot Act been proven to be completely ineffective, but multiple individuals’ rights are being curtailed in the name of “fighting terrorism.” The blatant infringement on personal rights is serving a negative purpose. Additionally, non-citizens shouldn’t be treated differently than citizens. Other than voting rights, United States residents should maintain all the rights ensured to citizens as well. Even non-citizens have some rights as a result of the Geneva Protocol, but the U.S.’s primitive policies justified by the Patriot Act even take away those rights. Essentially, the U.S. is able to detain anyone they want without charge and without a trial, in the name of fighting terrorism. Torture ensues. Ironically, this actually does the opposite of what the U.S. intends to. Detainment without charge, torture, and blatant infringement of rights is the sole reason terrorist organizations cite as their basis for hatred towards the U.S. Our government is in great peril with both domestic security and foreign policy, issues that my platform will repair.
Liberal: Sid
The liberal platform seeks to rectify American standing in the international community by undertaking a
foreign policy plan that relies on diplomacy rather than military force. The war in Iraq was impulsively launched
upon false premises, and has resulted in the loss of thousands of lives and the displacement of tens of thousands
of Iraqis. We must end this war.
As president, I will set a time table for military departure from Iraq. The conflict has escalated
into a civil war between opposing religious factions, and our troops are hopelessly stuck between factions of
religious zealots who are bent on destroying each other. Five years of unsuccessful fighting has proven that
the war can not be won militarily; the longer we stay in Iraq, the more hate that will be spawned against us.
Instead we must work to establish a more competent and self sufficient Iraqi government that is capable of quelling
internal strife.
Conversely, the US military effort against Al Qaeda has been dwindling. Many top analysts now claim that
Al Qaeda is at least as organized as it was before the September 11 attacks. It is necessary that we continue (with
the help of the U.N.) to stabilize Afghanistan and ensure that terrorists do not regain a foothold in the region. In
addition, we must increase pressure on Pakistan, which harbors a majority of the Middle East’s terrorist organizations,
to root out extremists. This should be accomplished through threats of severe economic sanctions and possible deployment
of U.N. forces, and not through an American military strike. Polling shows that 46% of Pakistanis have a favorable view
of Osama Bin Laden, while only 26% view him unfavorably. Clearly, America’s next leader must tread carefully when dealing
with Pakistan.
We must work diplomatically to solve the problem of nuclear proliferation. Iran is potentially
seeking to build a nuclear weapon, but if so, it will take them a few years to build. Immediate military action
would be a huge mistake, and would mean the possible reinstatement of the draft to raise an army large enough to
combat Iran, which is the most militarily superior country in the Middle East next to Israel. Instead we must
again stress severe economic sanctions and careful negotiations. This strategy has worked well in dealing with
North Korea, which has recently agreed to disarm all nuclear facilities in exchange for international aid.
National Security is extremely important, but so too is protecting those basic rights guaranteed
by the Constitution. While some provisions of the Patriot Act are necessary to fight terrorism, many infringe on
civil liberties vital to the American identity. Warrant-less wiretapping and search stings infringe upon the rights
of citizens. The Patriot Act must be greatly revised. The military prison located at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba is an
embarrassment to our nation. Prisoners are held there in conditions that don’t even meet requirements agreed
upon at the Geneva Convention, and they are denied trial or appeal. Finally, the use of water-boarding to force
suspected terrorists to reveal information is a clear form of torture, and is illegal under the Eight Amendment
(prohibits cruel and unusual punishment).
The United States prides itself on establishing modern law and order, and on ensuring the
proliferation of freedom and justice. Yet our recent actions against prisoners show a blatant disregard
for the Constitution and an utter disrespect for all forms of justice. Our civility separates us from the
terrorists we fight. The War on Terror can never be won if we act upon emotion and not reason, if we fight
with force before diplomacy, or if we let fear overwhelm our strong sense of right from wrong.
Conservative: Viraj
The United States should never have invaded Iraq. Now that our nation is fully involved in the
conflict, however our primary focus should not be on how we arrived here but on what we can do to remedy the
issue. The left-wing’s frequent calls for sudden troop withdrawals could have drastic political consequences
by creating a power vacuum that would inevitably result in full civil war. Our nation already has enough blood
on its hands from this conflict. To leave the situation unresolved would mean that those who died serving their
country have died in vain. Furthermore, America has a prestigious position in the international arena; it is
essential that we uphold our multilateralism. With the advent of the Iraq War, however, America has been viewed
not as a savior and guardian of democracy, but rather a militaristic machine, bent on global conquest. While
few nations have the capacity to challenge us militaristically, we still have a moral responsibility to maintain
amiable relations with the international community. The first step in fulfilling that responsibility is to leave
Iraq only when it is a stable, sovereign state. Given the current situation, the best solution is to send the
necessary amount of troops to Iraq in order to solve the problem as soon as possible. Though it is regretful
that these measures must be taken, this is essential to protecting Americans and reducing the number of
casualties in the long run. The sooner we acknowledge the problems at hand the more quickly we can take
the necessary steps to solve them.
National Security is one of the most important issues facing America today. We, as a nation, have
been plagued by the fear of domestic and international terrorism. Individuals cannot exercise their rights when
in danger of physical harm, so matters of security ought to take precedence over those rights claims. The Patriot
Act equips the government to handle domestic threats. It enables necessary cooperation and information sharing by
helping to break down legal and bureaucratic walls separating criminal investigators from intelligence officers.
Before the Patriot Act, it was easier to track a drug dealer’s cell phone than a terrorist’s. It is undeniable that
an individual's rights are important, but in such a time as this, the safety and lives of the majority of Americans
must be valued above all else.
Ultra-Con: Petie
Ultra-conservatives don’t like major changes, so they believe that the United States is properly a free and sovereign republic which should strive to live in peace with all nations, without interfering in their internal affairs, and without permitting their interference in ours, and avoid acts of retaliation abroad which destroy innocent human lives, creating enmity toward the United States and its people. We are, therefore, unalterably opposed to entangling alliances - via treaties, or any other form of commitment - which compromise our national sovereignty, or commit us to intervention in foreign wars. For domestic security, we call for the maintenance of a strong, state-of-the-art military on land, sea, in the air, and in space. We urge the executive and legislative branches to continue to provide for the modernization of our armed forces, in keeping with advancing technologies and a constantly changing world situation. We call for the deployment of a fully-operational strategic defense system as soon as possible.