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Tulsi Gabbard on Foreign Policy
Democratic Presidential Challenger; HI Rep.
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Trump's chicken-hawks push Iran war; go back to nuke deal
Q: You've said you would sign back on to the 2015 Iran nuclear deal. Would you insist, though, that it address Iran's support for Hezbollah?GABBARD: Let's deal with the situation where we are, where this president and his chickenhawk cabinet have led
us to the brink of war with Iran. It was an imperfect deal. There are issues, like their missile development, that needs to be addressed. We can do both simultaneously to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon and preventing us from going to war.
Q: What would your red line be for military action against Iran?
GABBARD: Look, obviously, if there was an attack against our troops. But Donald Trump and his cabinet--Mike Pompeo, John Bolton, and others--are creating a situation
that just a spark would light off a war with Iran, which is incredibly dangerous. That's why we need to de-escalate tensions. Trump needs to get back into the Iran nuclear deal and swallow his pride, put the American people first.
Source: June Democratic Primary debate (first night in Miami)
, Jun 26, 2019
We need to engage in diplomacy & deescalate tensions
Nuclear strategists point out that we are at a greater risk of nuclear war now than ever before in history. And this is what I seek to change; to build relationships that are built on cooperation rather than conflict, deescalate these tensions, work
out the differences that we have. We've got to be able to work with countries like Russia and China to be able to accomplish that objective to keep the American people safe.
Source: ABC This Week 2019 interview of presidential hopefuls
, May 19, 2019
Met with Syrian president; for "extreme vetting" of Syrians
Key criticisms of Gabbard:- Syrian President Bashar al-Assad meeting: In what her office called a "fact-finding" mission, Gabbard made a secret trip to Syria in Jan.2017 and met with Assad. There are questions about the Arab American organization
that funded the trip. She has also met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
- "Extreme vetting" vote: She voted with congressional Republicans on an Obama-era bill that would place "extreme vetting" measures on Iraqi and Syrian refugees.
Source: Axios.com on 2020 Democratic primary
, Apr 22, 2019
Defends meeting Syria's Assad; supports Trump on North Korea
Q: You met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during that trip to Syria in 2017...A: It continues to be very important for any leader in this country to be willing to meet with others, whether they be friends or adversaries or potential
adversaries, if we are serious about the pursuit of peace and securing our country. It's why I have urged and continue to urge President Trump to meet with people like Kim Jong-un in North Korea, because we understand what's at stake here.
Source: CNN 2019 "State of the Union" on 2020 Presidential hopefuls
, Jan 20, 2019
Skeptical of Iran nuclear deal
Gabbard told Fox News she was "cynical" toward the pact and agreed with host Greta van Susteren that it was akin to Neville Chamberlain's infamous Munich agreement with Hitler in 1938. On the day the agreement was finalized, she issued a statement
saying, "We cannot afford to make the same mistake with Iran that was made with North Korea," citing North Korea's abrogation of the Agreed Framework agreement it had signed in 1994.
Source: Jacobin Mag., "Not your friend": 2020 presidential hopefuls
, May 27, 2017
Supports Egyptian dictator in fight against terrorism
In November 2015, she traveled to Egypt as part of a congressional delegation and met Egyptian dictator Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. "President el-Sisi has shown great courage and leadership in taking on this extreme Islamist ideology, while also fighting
against ISIS militarily to keep them from gaining a foothold in Egypt," Gabbard said, urging US political leaders to "recognize President el-Sisi and his leadership" and "stand with him in this fight against Islamic extremists."
Source: Jacobin Mag., "Not your friend": 2020 presidential hopefuls
, May 27, 2017
Against criticizing India's treatment of Muslims
Gabbard voted against HR 417, which criticized India's record on religious violence and called for specific measures to guarantee religious freedom in the country, explaining that its passage wouldn't help US-India relations. Yet two years later,
Gabbard introduced a similar resolution that covered neighboring Muslim-majority Bangladesh, saying she was "particularly concerned over issues of religious freedom, and specifically, attacks against minority Hindus, Christians, Buddhists, and others."
Source: Jacobin Mag., "Not your friend": 2020 presidential hopefuls
, May 27, 2017
U.S. should focus on fighting terrorism, not regime change
Gabbard has long advocated that the U.S. should focus its efforts in Syria on Islamist groups instead of ousting Assad. She introduced legislation that would bar the U.S. government from supporting groups allied with or supporting terrorist
organizations, some of which are fighting against the Assad regime. Her views on Syria appear to align more closely with those of President Trump, who says the U.S. should focus its efforts on defeating ISIS.
Source: The Atlantic, "Gabbard to Syria": 2020 presidential hopefuls
, Jan 31, 2017
$500M and 3,000 troops to Africa to fight Ebola.
Gabbard signed Ebola Relief Resolution
Congressional Summary:
The current outbreak of Ebola in Guinea, Sierra Leone, and Liberia is an international health crisis and is the most widespread outbreak of the disease ever recorded.
- RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives--
- calls on the international community to immediately provide additional resources to develop the capacity of affected nations to address current and future public health crises;
- requests that the US work in a coordinated capacity to develop a unified global health security plan to adequately respond to disease outbreaks globally;
- calls upon the US to work with international health authorities to assist endemic nations in the fielding of medical countermeasures.
Reporting pro & con by Washington Times, Sept. 16, 2014:Amid dire warnings from medical professionals and frantic calls from Congress for greater US intervention, Pres. Obama said he`ll deploy 3,000 American troops to combat an African Ebola
outbreak that he says is `spiraling out of control.`
The announcement comes as the Ebola death toll officially has reached 2,400, though specialists say underreporting in affected nations means the true numbers likely are much higher.
The US effort will be funded by $500 million in overseas contingency funding that the Pentagon wants to redirect to humanitarian missions. Specifically, the mission will include the training of as many as 500 new doctors and health care workers each week; the construction of at least 17 health care facilities in the region; the establishment of a joint command center in Monrovia, Liberia; and the distribution of home health-care kits in affected areas.
Others blasted the administration for taking a bite out of the Pentagon budget. `You can`t have it both ways. You can`t slash our defense budget on one hand, while expecting our military to do it on the other,` said Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), the ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Source: H.Res.701 14_HRes701 on Jul 31, 2014
Maintain World Bank funding as part of multilateralism.
Gabbard voted NAY The World Bank Accountability Act
Congressional Summary: HR 3326: World Bank Accountability Act: Requires withholding 15% of appropriation if countries borrowing from the World Bank`s International Development Association are not implementing the UN Security Council resolution to impose sanctions on North Korea. Withholds an additional 15% if the World Bank approved a loan to a country designated by the US as a state sponsor of terrorism.
Statement in support by Rep. French Hill (R-AR-2): The World Bank`s extravagant and unaccountable spending practices have been in conflict with the values of Americans for far too long. This bill helps put an end to sending hard-earned American dollars to despots and corrupt regimes. [We should instead] see these funds used how they were truly intended, which is to help lift individuals out of poverty and put them on the pathway to success.
Statement in opposition by IssueVoter.org: Opponents say that withholding funds may undercut
the credibility and leverage the World Bank has to get reforms enacted and implemented. `America`s leadership at the World Bank is `one of the major tools in our soft power arsenal``. If the U.S. cuts obligations too much, it will cede that power.
Statement in opposition by Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA-6) on Medium.comJan 22, 2018: H.R. 3326 is taking a hammer approach to a multilateral organization that provides support for millions of people in the world`s most impoverished countries. It is also concerning that this legislation is being considered at a time when the Trump Administration is actively seeking to back away from any and all international organizations. Additionally, the World Bank is already implementing a series of reforms.
Legislative outcome: Jan. 17, 2018 House Bill Passed 237-184 (Roll no. 24); bill died in Senate committee.
Source: Congressional vote 17-HR3326 on Jul 20, 2017
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