Issue Position: Foreign Policy

Issue Position

American security and prosperity require a dynamic, nuanced, and influential foreign policy, where America projects its interests rather than withdraws behind our borders. I saw the power of America's defense capabilities during my time in the Army, but also saw first-hand the importance of our diplomatic and development capacities. Over the last 20 years, our foreign policy has increasingly been defined by the three "D's"--Diplomacy, Defense, and Development. While spending the largest portion of our budget on defense, our security and economic interests are increasingly dependent on negotiating through a complex, competitive, and often dangerous world. Diplomacy saves American lives. Our military leaders support diplomacy and development assistance as tools to avoid needless conflict that take the lives of American troops and civilians, and waste expensive military assets.

America needs to resume its global leadership position in international institutions, and promote human rights and democracy abroad. Our absence from global negotiations and our abrogating commitments has frightened our allies, weakened our alliances, and signaled to our enemies that we are weak. Retreating from our global leadership position is not an option, and will not move the world to a safer, cleaner, and more prosperous place for our children.

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