State of Texas Archives: on Foreign Policy
MJ Hegar:
Withdrawal from world damages position as global superpower
Hegar said that the United States withdrawing "our influence around the world," through actions such as reducing funding for the
World Health Organization or limiting our presence at the United Nations, damages "our position as a global superpower."
Source: The Texan on 2020 Texas Senate race
Jun 8, 2020
MJ Hegar:
Blaming China for COVID19 comes from "very racist place"
She said that the question of how we should hold
China accountable comes "from a very racist place."
Source: The Texan on 2020 Texas Senate race
Jun 8, 2020
Ben Sasse:
Unstinting advocate for American engagement in the world
I am an unstinting advocate for American engagement in the world, and I think the impulse to withdraw from America's important, longstanding commitments is a very bad thing.
U.S. global leadership is indispensable, not only for the security of America's friends and partners, but for protecting America's own interests.
When hell breaks loose on the other side of the world, it inevitably boomerangs home. When the United States doesn't lead, chaos inevitably follows.
If America continues to drift toward global disengagement, it will be sucked into all sorts of troubles that it can't envision right now.
Source: Texas National Security Review on 2020 Nebraska Senate race
Nov 30, 2018
Beto O`Rourke:
Invest in improving Northern Triangle of Central America
If things are so desperate in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador that someone would risk their lives to come here [in the migrant caravan], then what can we do to improve conditions there? We've invested trillions of dollars in our wars in the
Middle East. Can we invest some fraction of that to revive the stability in the Northern Triangle countries of Central America to make sure that people have a reason to stay and raise their families where they were born?
Source: ABC This Week on 2018 Texas Senate race
Oct 21, 2018
Greg Abbott:
Texas is exceptional; we'd be world's 10th largest economy
Today, I'm proud to report the State of Texas is exceptional. Since my first State of the State two years ago, more kids are graduating from high school, we doubled the number of Tier One universities and more Texans have jobs today than ever before.
Sure, we had a downturn in the oil patch like we have almost every decade. And like every other time, Texas has come roaring back. Last year when oil hit bottom, Texas still added more than 200,000 new jobs.
Our national and international rankings
continue to rise. We are now second in the number of Fortune 500 companies. And with your help, we'll soon be No. 1. If Texas were its own country we would now be the 10th largest economy in the world. Our economy is larger than Australia, Canada and
even Russia.
Texas is the Lone Star State for a reason: We stand apart as a model for the rest of the nation. It's our privilege, our duty to preserve the cause of liberty. Let's keep Texas the most exceptional state in America.
Source: 2017 State of the State address to Texas Legislature
Jan 31, 2017
Jodey Arrington:
World is safer when America's military projects power
Restore America's Leadership in the World: Ronald Reagan believed in peace through strength and understood that when America's military was capable of projecting power, the world was safer.
The lack of leadership by Barack Obama has left us with a nuclear -armed Iran, Vladimir Putin as a legitimate world leader, an expansionist China, and a much-diminished American military.
Source: 2016 Texas House campaign website JodeyArrington.com
Nov 8, 2016
Ben Carson:
Every Israeli thinks we have turned our backs on them
As far as Israel is concerned, when I was there several months ago, I talked to a lot of people. I couldn't find a single one who didn't think that we had turned our backs on Israel. You know, they are a strategic partner for us but also recognize
that we have a Judeo Christian foundation, and the last thing we need to do is to reject Israel. It doesn't mean that we can't be fair to other people. You want to be fair to all the children around but you have a special attention for your own child.
Source: 2016 CNN-Telemundo Republican debate on eve of Texas primary
Feb 25, 2016
Ben Carson:
North Korea's leader is unstable, but understands strength
Kim Jung Un is unstable but he understands strength, and we have to present strength to him. We should be encouraging the placement of the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense.
We should make sure he knows that if he ever shoots a missile at us, it will be the last thing he ever does.
Source: 2016 CNN-Telemundo Republican debate on eve of Texas primary
Feb 25, 2016
Donald Trump:
Don't take sides with Israel, so we can lead negotiations
Q: You said about the ongoing conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians -- "Let me be sort of a neutral guy. I don't want to say whose fault it is; I don't think it helps." How do you remain neutral when the U.S. considers Israel to be America's
closest ally in the Middle East?TRUMP: President Obama has treated Israel horribly. I have very close ties to Israel. I've received the Tree of Life Award and many of the greatest awards given by Israel. As president, however, there's nothing that
I would rather do to bring peace to Israel and its neighbors generally. And I think it serves no purpose to say that you have a good guy and a bad guy. Now, I may not be successful in doing it. It's probably the toughest negotiation anywhere in the world
of any kind. But it doesn't help if I start saying, "I am very pro-Israel." It doesn't do any good to start demeaning the neighbors, because I would love to do something with regard to negotiating peace, finally, for Israel and for their neighbors.
Source: 2016 CNN-Telemundo Republican debate on eve of Texas primary
Feb 25, 2016
Donald Trump:
I could negotiate a deal with Israel and Palestinians
RUBIO: He thinks a Palestine [and Israeli settlement] is a real estate deal. The Palestinians are not a real estate deal, Donald.
TRUMP: A deal is a deal. Let me tell you that. I learned a long time ago.
RUBIO: A deal is not a deal when you're dealing with terrorists. Have you ever negotiated with terrorists?
TRUMP: I'm a negotiator. I've done very well over the years through negotiation. It's very important that we do that. In all fairness, Marco is not a negotiator.
I watched him melt down and I'll tell you, it was one of the saddest things I've ever seen. You will never bring peace.
Source: 2016 CNN-Telemundo Republican debate on eve of Texas primary
Feb 25, 2016
John Kasich:
I have a longer track record with Israel than any candidate
CRUZ: Donald and Hillary want to be neutral between Israel and the Palestinians. If I'm president, America will stand unapologetically with Israel.
The notion of neutrality is based upon the left buying into moral relativism that is pitched in the media. It is not equivalent.
When you have terrorists murdering innocent women and children, they are not equivalent to the IDF officers protecting Israel. TRUMP: I have a great relationship with Israel. If I could bring peace, that would be a fantastic.
It would be one of my greatest achievements as president.
KASICH: I've been a strong supporter of Israel longer than anybody on this stage.
Source: 2016 CNN-Telemundo Republican debate on eve of Texas primary
Feb 25, 2016
John Kasich:
Chinese are best way to calm down North Korea
We should be intercepting the ships that are leaving North Korea. Secondly, the same goes with the aircraft. Thirdly, we need to slap even tougher sanctions on North Korea. We ought to talk about arming South Korea and Japan with ballistic missile
technology. The Chinese are the best way to calm that regime down and get them in a position of where they back off.
Source: 2016 CNN-Telemundo Republican debate on eve of Texas primary
Feb 25, 2016
Marco Rubio:
No honest broker on Israel: we are on their side
Q: Donald Trump said about the ongoing conflict between the Israelis and the Palestinians -- "Let me be sort of a neutral guy. I don't want to say whose fault it is; I don't think it helps." What's wrong with being an honest broker?RUBIO: The position
Donald has taken is an anti-Israel position: you cannot be an honest broker in a dispute between two sides in which one of the sides is constantly acting in bad faith. The Palestinian Authority has walked away from multiple efforts to make peace, very
generous offers from the Israelis. The Palestinians teach their 4-year-old children that killing Jews is a glorious thing. The bottom line is, a deal between Israel and the Palestinians, given the current makeup of the Palestinians, is not possible.
The next president of the United States needs to be someone like me who will stand firmly on the side of Israel. I will be on Israel's side every single day because they are the only pro-American, free enterprise democracy in the entire Middle East.
Source: 2016 CNN-Telemundo Republican debate on eve of Texas primary
Feb 25, 2016
Marco Rubio:
Stay with Japan & South Korea or they will be nuclear powers
RUBIO: Donald says South Korea needs to contribute more to Asia-Pacific defense. South Korea contributes $800 million a year to that effort. Japan contributes as well. Here's why our commitment to that regional security is so critical.
If we walk away from them, Japan and South Korea will become nuclear weapons powers.
That's what they will do if the American defense agreements wither away, which is why we have to rebuild the military.
TRUMP: I never said walk away. I wouldn't want to walk away. I want them to pay us much more money.
RUBIO: How much?
TRUMP: A lot. I'll negotiate a lot more money than you'll ever get.
Source: 2016 CNN-Telemundo Republican debate on eve of Texas primary
Feb 25, 2016
Ted Cruz:
Neutrality on Israel is moral relativism
TRUMP: I have a great relationship with Israel. If I could bring peace, that would be a fantastic. It would be one of my greatest achievements as president.
KASICH: I've been a strong supporter of Israel longer than anybody on this stage.
CRUZ: Donald and Hillary want to be neutral between Israel and the Palestinians.
If I'm president, America will stand unapologetically with Israel. The notion of neutrality is based upon the left buying into moral relativism that is pitched in the media.
It is not equivalent. When you have terrorists murdering innocent women and children, they are not equivalent to the IDF officers protecting Israel.
Source: 2016 CNN-Telemundo Republican debate on eve of Texas primary
Feb 25, 2016
Emily Sanchez:
Supports maintaining U.S. sovereignty from the U.N.
Q: Do you support or oppose maintaining U.S. sovereignty from the U.N.?
A: Support.
Source: E-mail interview on Texas 2014 Senate race with OnTheIssues
Sep 19, 2014
Charlie Hardy:
Rejuvenate the Peace Corps
Hardy, 72, has moved back and forth for years between Wyoming and Venezuela. He has been a columnist and is the author of "Cowboy in Caracas: A North American's Memoir of Venezuela's Democratic Revolution."
He also is a speaker on foreign affairs, primarily dealing with Venezuela. Hardy said he decided to run because of his unhappiness with America's foreign policy. One of his goals would be to rejuvenate the Peace Corps.
Source: Casper Star-Tribune on 2012 Texas House campaign
Mar 30, 2012
Barack Obama:
Meet with Cuban leaders only with agenda of US interests
Q: [to Clinton]: Would you meet with Raul Castro or not?CLINTON: I would not meet with him until there was evidence that change was happening.
Q: [to Obama]: Presumably you would be willing to meet?
A: That’s correct. Now, keep in mind that the
starting point for our policy in Cuba should be the liberty of the Cuban people. And I think we recognize that that liberty has not existed throughout the Castro regime. And we now have an opportunity to potentially change the relationship between the US
& Cuba after over half a century. I would meet without preconditions, although Sen. Clinton is right that there has to be preparation. It is very important for us to make sure that there was an agenda [including] human rights, releasing of political
prisoners, opening up the press. And that preparation might take some time. But I do think that it’s important for the US not just to talk to its friends, but also to talk to its enemies. In fact, that’s where diplomacy makes the biggest difference.
Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin
Feb 21, 2008
Barack Obama:
Cuba: Loosen restrictions now; normalization later
Q: Do you support normalizing relations with Cuba now?A: As a show of good faith that we’re interested in pursuing a new relationship, I’ve called for a loosening of the restrictions on remittances from family members to Cuba, as well as travel
restrictions for family members who want to visit their family members in Cuba. And I think that initiating that change in policy as a start could be useful, but I would not normalize relations until we started seeing some progress.
Q:
But that’s different from your position back in 2003, when you called US policy toward Cuba a miserable failure.
A: I support the eventual normalization. And it’s absolutely true that I think our policy has been a failure. During my entire lifetime,
Cuba has been isolated, but has not made progress when it comes to the issues of political rights and personal freedoms. So I think that we have to shift policy. I think our goal has to be ultimately normalization. But that’s going to happen in steps.
Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin
Feb 21, 2008
Barack Obama:
Important to undo the damage of the last seven years
The Bush administration has done so much damage to American foreign relations that the president take a more active role in diplomacy than might have been true 20 or 30 years ago. If we think that meeting with the president is a privilege that has to be
earned, that reinforces the sense that we stand above the rest of the world at this point in time. It’s important for us in undoing the damage that has been done over the last seven years, for the president to be willing to take that extra step.
Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin
Feb 21, 2008
Hillary Clinton:
Meet with Cuban leaders only after evidence of change
Q: Would you be willing to sit down with Raul Castro, to get a measure of the man?A: The people of Cuba deserve to have a democracy. And this gives the Cuban government, under Raul Castro, a chance to change direction from the one that was set for
50 years by his brother. I’m going to be looking for some of those changes: releasing political prisoner, ending some of the oppressive practices on the press, opening up the economy. Of course the US stands ready. And, as president,
I would be ready to reach out and work with a new Cuban government, once it demonstrated that it truly was going to change that direction.
Q: Very simply, would you meet with Raul Castro or not?
A: I would not meet with him until there was
evidence that change was happening. A presidential visit should not be offered without some evidence that it will demonstrate the kind of progress that is in our interest, and in this case, in the interests of the Cuban people.
Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin
Feb 21, 2008
Hillary Clinton:
Diplomacy with Iran & Cuba, but no presidential meetings
Q: [to Obama]: Do you support normalizing relations with Cuba now?OBAMA: I would not normalize relations until we started seeing some progress [on the US agenda in Cuba]. But I do think that it’s important for the US not just to talk to its friends,
but also to talk to its enemies.
CLINTON: I agree that we should be willing to have diplomatic negotiations and processes with anyone. I’ve been a strong advocate of opening up such a diplomatic process with Iran, for a number of years. Because I think
we should look for ways that we can possibly move countries that are adversarial to us, toward the world community. It’s in our interests and in the interests of the people in countries that are oppressed, like Cuba, like Iran. But there has been this
difference between us over when and whether the president should offer a meeting, without preconditions, with those with whom we do not have diplomatic relations. And it should be part of a process, but I don’t think it should be offered in the beginning
Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin
Feb 21, 2008
Hillary Clinton:
Would use very vigorous and bipartisan diplomacy
Kennedy said he wouldn’t be afraid to negotiate, but he would expect there to be a lot of preparatory work done, to find out exactly what we would get out of it. Therefore, we should be eliminating the policy of the Bush administration, which has been
very narrowly defined, and frankly against our interests, because we have failed to reach out to countries, we have alienated our friends, & we have emboldened our enemies. I would get back to very vigorous diplomacy, and I would use bipartisan diplomacy
Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin
Feb 21, 2008
Rick Perry:
Divest state funds from companies doing business in Sudan
I believe the example we set in Texas can have international ramifications.
I join in protesting the ethnic genocide occurring in Darfur by calling on the state of Texas to divest of companies doing business in Sudan.
Source: Texas 2007 State of the State address
Feb 6, 2007
Brian Babin:
Foreign aid should reflect US interests
Q: Should the US have diplomatic relations with Cuba?A: No.
Q: Should the US have diplomatic relations with Vietnam?
A: No.
Q: Should the US recognize and extend full diplomatic relations to Taiwan?
A: Yes.
Q: Should the US continue funding
for Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty?
A: No.
Q: Radio Marti & TV Marti?
A: Yes.
Q: Radio Free Asia?
A: Yes.
Q: Do you support the deployment of US troops to the former Yugoslavia?
A: No.
Babin indicated the following positions
regarding US economic aid to foreign countries.- Foreign aid should only be given when extraordinary circumstances and disaster threaten the lives of civilian populations.
- Foreign aid should be given to countries only when it is in the security
interests of the US.
- Foreign aid should be eliminated from any nation with documented human rights abuses.
- The US should participate in UN peacekeeping missions only when vital US interests are directly threatened.
Source: Texas Legislative 1996 National Political Awareness Test
Nov 1, 1996
Page last updated: Oct 14, 2021