Foriegn policy: experience vs. common-sense?

[dansolo]

I think that too much emphasis is being made on foreign policy "experience". I get the sense that a lot of people here on DU feel that the foreign policy of the US has been misguided and predominantly self-serving for the past several decades, and a large contributing factor to most of the problems in the middle east right now. What I am interested in the ideas that the candidates have on how to resolve the problems in the world, not only in the short term, but in the long term. So in my mind, foreign policy "experience" only means that the person has been contributing to the problem, and is a poor indicator as to whether they will be willing to dramatically change the direction of US foreign policy. (Note: While I recognize that the policies have gotten much worse during the Bush administration, don't forget that the US has been screwing the rest of the world for much longer than that.)

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

1. I profoundly disagree with your simplistic representation

While some that vet our policy are over enamored with empire, our policy is not totally evil. It would be sophomoric to think that some nations see our lifestyle and wouldn't want some of that wealth and development for themselves.

Yes we have contributed to problems in the Middle East and in some cases deliberately so, but the Middle East was not known for their ability to co-exist in peace and harmony long before we arrived.

I DO NOT equate one having expertise in foreign policy as one who has been contributing to the problem at all. That is far too simplistic. Some people in our state department have actually dedicated their lives to creating a meaningful co-existance with the Middle East and having our dependence on their resources work for us and for them. The situation is far too complicated to view it with binary thinking.

And to your point..it is the area in which I am MOST uncomfortable with Dean...it's one thing when he is misunderstood on the campaign trail...it will be quite another when he puts his foot in his mouth with foreign leaders, as Bush did a while back with Taiwan/China not meaning to.

I want a statesperson who THINKS AND CHOOSES their words carefully in the White House.

[BlueEyedSon]

2. No, our policy IS totally evil.

Be shocked.

[LouisFC]

3. Given our situation...

and how we got here, I am completely amazed by this statement.

[wyldwolf]

4. I really hope this doesn't become a Dean supporter rallying call...

"Dean may not have foriegn policy experience, but he has more common sense when it comes to foriegn policy."

[Scott Lee]

6. so, HOW many Serb tanks were destroyed, Gen. Clark?

Gen. Clark? No looking at the others, keep your eyes on your own paper and answer the question....

[stickdog]

5. Kerry had so much experience that he thought an Iraqi quagmire would

be a great place to run up a trillion dollars of deficit spending!

[arewethereyet]

7. it takes a lot more than common sense

n/t