Reprinted from Antiwar
For anyone with hopes of changing our foreign policy of relentless aggression, the presidential candidates now parading their wares before the public are truly a depressing sight.
The Republicans are vying with one another for the "honor" of being the most warlike, and even Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) -- son of the resolutely anti-interventionist Ron Paul, surely one of the most effective and militant critics of American foreign policy -- has joined in the contest. All the GOPers have taken aim at President Obama's deal with Iran: Donald Trump and Ted Cruz, two of the loudest, are organizing a September 9 rally on Capitol Hill opposing the agreement.
On the Democratic side of the aisle, the picture doesn't look much better. Hillary Rodham Clinton has issued a rather tepid endorsement of the Iran deal, but has vowed to "police" it -- a stance that argues in favor of some in the Israel lobby who say the deal could pave the way for conflict with Iran over enforcement of its terms. Said Clinton:
"This agreement will have to be enforced vigorously [and] relentlessly. We have to treat this as an ongoing enforcement effort that I certainly strongly support and as president will be absolutely devoted to ensuring that the agreement is followed."
Translation: At the first opportunity -- "intelligence" emanating from the Israelis or their front groups -- I will ditch the deal and take us on the road to war.
As for the alleged left-wing challenger in the Democratic ring, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont), the fact that months after launching his presidential bid he still hasn't put up a single foreign policy statement on his website speaks volumes. Martha Raddatz, interviewing Sanders on ABC's "This Week," noted that odd omission:
"[T]here are two issues that are entirely missing from your campaign website, and those are issues of national security and foreign policy. Don't you feel these are issues that a president should be very concerned about?"