Response to Zpolicy.blogspot.com

When considering the candidates we should consider all of the foreign policy platforms. Sen. Obama has stated that he would meet with countries like Iran who are obviously state sponsors of terrorism without any preconditions. During a this Presidential election, under the guise of a Senate fact finding mission, he spent millions of tax payer dollars to fly threw Europe and the Middle East because he had never gone there before as a representative of the United States. He has had zero experience with foreign policy. None.

The United States has been a leader in world. In the past there have been isolated incidences of perverse behaviors in the US military. We are all familiar with the pictures from Abu Grabi. Isolated incidences should not make a determination on how an entire system works. Hold the individuals responsible who committed the acts. If the action is widespread hold a large part of the entity responsible, but you cannot link a few events to an entire nation.

The idea that the two current candidates have differences of opinion on whether torture should be allowed are absurd. Partisan individuals try to link John McCain with George Bush, but in the areas that really matter they are truly different.

John McCain opposed Pres. Bush's position on torture. If any person is truly endowed with an ability to decide what is or is not torture, surely it would be an individual that no one doubts suffered it himself. In this instance, John McCain has a huge advantage over Barrack Obama. I would not wish torture on anyone, but in this instance having survived it gives John McCain greater ability to understand the problem then Barrack Obama.

The idea that America has really, "Gone it alone" is more of a campaign attack then a reality in my personal opinion. As I recall multiple nations have participated with the US in every international military conflict in the last eight years. Name one military campaign that the US has entered alone in the last eight years. France even elected a new President in 2007 who adamantly supports this current policy. Although, Gordon Brown from Great Britain has endorsed Barrack Obama, he was elected on foreign policy platforms that more closely mirror John McCain. Even the German Chancellor is in the same position.

Finally, telling countries that they are either for us or against us is not disrespecting their sovereignty. If anything it illustrates their ability to decide where they stand, but does make them decide. Some issues cannot be discussed on some infinite time table. Decisions have to be made. Telling other countries that we need their decision now does not diminish their own sovereignty to make the decision.

I myself do not intend to support a candidate whose fpreign policy experience is limited to an expense summer vacation/campaign stunt courtesy of the US taxpayers.