President-elect Donald Trump told a Cincinnati audience this week that he
intends to make some big changes in US foreign policy. During his "thank you" tour
in the midwest, Trump had this to say:
We will pursue a new foreign policy that finally learns from the mistakes
of the past. We will stop looking to topple regimes and overthrow governments.
...In our dealings with other countries we will seek shared interests wherever
possible..."
If this is really to be President Trump's foreign policy, it would be a welcome
change from the destructive path pursued by the two previous administrations.
Such a foreign policy would go a long way toward making us safer and more prosperous,
as we would greatly reduce the possibility of a "blowback" attack from abroad,
and we would save untold billions with a foreign policy of restraint.
However as we know with politicians, there is often a huge gap between pronouncements
before entering office and actions once in office. Who can forget President
George W. Bush's foreign policy promises as a candidate 16 years ago? As a
candidate he said:
I am not so sure the role of the United States is to go around the world
saying 'this is the way it's got to be.' ... If we're an arrogant nation
they will resent us, if we're a humble nation but strong they'll welcome
us.
Unfortunately as soon as he took office, George W. Bush pursued a completely
different foreign policy, attacking countries like Iraq at the urging of the
neocons he placed in positions of power in his White House and State Department.
Some people say that "personnel is policy," and that much can be predicted
about Trump's foreign policy by the people he has appointed to serve his Administration.
That is where we might have reason to be worried. Take Iran, for example. While
Trump says he wants the US to stop overthrowing governments, on the issue of
Iran both the candidate and his recent appointees have taken a very different
view.
Trump's pick for National Security Advisor, Michael Flynn, has said the following
about Iran: "I believe that Iran represents a clear and present danger to the
region, and eventually to the world..." and, "...regime change in Tehran is
the best way to stop the Iranian nuclear weapons program."
Trump's CIA choice, Mike Pompeo, has said of President Obama's Iran deal,
"The Iranian regime is intent on the destruction of our country. Why the President
does not understand is unfathomable."
And Trump's selection for Defense Secretary, General James Mattis, was even
more aggressive, saying, "The Iranian regime in my mind is the single most
enduring threat to stability and peace in the Middle East. ...Iran is not an
enemy of ISIS. They have a lot to gain from the turmoil in the region that
ISIS creates."
Donald Trump's words in Cincinnati don't seem to match up with the views
of the people that he's assigning to high places. At least when it comes to
Iran.
While I hope we can take President Trump at his word when it comes to foreign
policy, I also we think we should hold him to his word – especially his encouraging
words last week. Will the incoming president have the ability to rein in his
more bellicose cabinet members and their underlings? We can be sure about one
thing: if Trump allows the neocons to capture the State Department, keeping
his foreign policy promises is going to be a lot more difficult.
