The Republicans are losing their historic advantage on foreign policy, Columbia University professor Dorian Warren said on Sunday's Melissa Harris-Perry.
Warren, who teaches political science and public affairs, said Sunday that the roles of the two parties have essentially reversed over the last few years. "The Democratic Party, and President Obama, is now seen as stronger on foreign affairs than the Republican Party," he said.
Warren's remarks come after President Obama tweaked his Republican opponents Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan as "new to foreign policy" at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, adding the duo wants to take the U.S. back "to an era of blustering and blundering that cost America so dearly."
Obama also also heavily criticized Romney for not mentioning Afghanistan in his GOP convention speech. Romney later defended himself saying by a speech isn't a "laundry list."
"You talk about the things you think are important, and I described in my speech my commitment to a strong military, unlike the president’s decision to cut our military. I didn’t use the word 'troops,' I used the word 'military.' I think they refer to the same thing," he told Fox News.
MSNBC's Melissa Harris-Perry noted Obama also left several major foreign policy issues out in his speech, including America's rocky relationship with Pakistan, Syria's bloody civil war, the collapse of the potential Euro, and the emergence of Africa as a possible trading partner.
"The conventional wisdom is most Americans are concerned about the economy, so that's all we're going to hear," said Warren.
Author and former Republican congressman Mickey Edward said both candidates needed to do a better job of addressing foreign affairs. "Killing Osama bin Laden is not a foreign policy," he said. "Okay you got that done. Now what?"
Valarie Kaur, a Sikh American filmmaker, said Romney's reluctance to mention Afghanistan during his speech was a big mistake.
"Afghanistan is not something to be considered on a laundry list," she said, noting the hundreds of Americans being brought back in coffins. "It shows how out of touch Mitt Romney is with the American people."
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You betcha! And Obama did this without getting us embroiled in new military adventures.
President Obama has won back the respect of the rest of the world that Bush/Cheney pi$$ed away.
Remember how the world lent us their support after 9-11 until the neocons took control of the situation.
Those same neocons are Mitt Romney's go-to advisors.
Heck, Mitt insults our allies and widens the gulf with our adversaries.
Spouting War is not considered strong foreign policy anymore. We no longer live in the dark ages..
Peacefully negotiating for an acceptable compromise is..
Hillary Clinton has done alot on strenghtening Americas reputation in the world.. Yes, I know Republicans try to tout the Clintons as "one of theirs", but they spit in their face.. They are 100% Democrat. And Obama had the sense to put Hillary in this very important position.
What I don't understand is Romney's statements that Obama is not supporting Isreal. Yet, from Isreal, they have stated how much they appreciate Obama's help.. They too would rather find peaceful solutions and avoid war.. Here is a lie that will smack Mitt in the face during the debates.
Teddy Roosevelt, ever wise, advised to "speak softly and carry a big stick". Good advice then, even better now.
Republican bluster and swagger led us into a costly war (Iraq) the final consequences, in terms of empowerment of Iran, of which we haven't yet seen. They confuse foreign policy and military policy, and seem not to know the difference between increasing national security and simply buying more weapons.
Obama's foreign policy, by and large, has been quite successful. We are not engaged in more wars now than when he began. He ended our involvement with the mess in Iraq, which was a Republican misadventure. He managed to help LIbya without getting us embroiled there and that is now over. He eliminated Osama bin Laden.
So, while Mr. Edward is right that we move on from here, any foreign policy needs to take cognizance of the fact that we are not in a position to mold the rest of the world to our wishes, and that there is a difference between countries that disagree with us on things and countries that mean to harm us.
Furthermore, the GOP hasn't yet grasped the fact that national security is more than simply buying weapons to subsidize arms manufacturers: it involves economic stability, technological and educational prominence and a commitment to invest in the future. Since the Republicans are so focused on the past, distrust eduction and don't understand techies, none of this reaches their radar screen. All they seem to understand is that they should throw more money at arms production. This will solve precious little and actually, if done to the exclusion of the other matters mentioned, weaken us.
I posted earlier (hour ago) regarding foreign policy. I don't see it - the message said it was posted. Did it get tossed for some reason? I'd like to know what the reason is so I don't make the same mistake!
Heard Joe (Morning Joe) talking about the RNC should have thanked W for keeping us safe after 9/11. I am a little confused....who was suppose to be keeping us safe on 9/11???
For me they lost it went after Sadam instead of Bin Ladin. Now I'm watching to see if they will somehow try to blame Obama for Iraq and Afghanistan. How can they have a foreign policy when they do not have a domestic policy yet. We already saw some of Mitt's foreign relations in Britain, didn't we?
It is time to stop
wasting our breath by asking the "Republicans" in congress to
cooperate on behalf of the American people. There are no longer any Republicans
available to ask. The Republican Party is DEAD! Left in its stead is an amoral
minority ... an organization that is corrupt from the top down. The
choice has become clear.
This November you will
vote for a president or you will vote for a board director. You
will vote for someone who looks at our country as a cherished possession
in need of protection or you will vote for someone who looks at our country as
just another company with a bottom line. You will vote for a man who
respects you as a fellow citizen in possession of a good amount of
intelligence or you will vote for someone who looks upon you as only human
capital and has judged you to be as dumb as a herd of cattle.
This November you will
vote for a Democrat or a Plutocrat. In other words, this November
you will vote for a sole proprietorship --- YOU --- or you will
vote for a corporation --- THEM.
This November you will need to THINK!
Has no one noticed Pres., Obama's foreign diplomacy as he weaved his way through the Russia/Georgia crisis. He was outstanding. Russia invaded Georgia. Bush worked on it for awhile then left office, when Obama took over, Russia backed out of Georgia. I'm disappointed no one gives Obama credit for this great piece of foreign policy dealing.
Obama’s way of negotiating with the enemy is to send money. If you ask citizens
from those war torn countries they will tell you why they hate the U.S. The U.S.
always try’s to buy friends not make them.
Hillary Clinton should be fired, and Obama impeached for their lack of action to a known threat they chose to ignore that got Americans killed in Libya on 9/11.
Want to know why Obama is trying to delay Absentee Ballots out of Afghanistan? Because our soldiers hate Obama! Obama, had given orders delivered by his generals to not use loaded weapons in pursuit of the enemy, and especially not when training the Afghanistan Royal Guard who has turned around, and killed our soldiers. Yes it’s true, if you get your head out of the sand and stop paying attention to the U.S. news as they only tell you what you want to hear, and that is all.
Bush was no saint but he did get intelligence about the where to find Osama, Obama utilized this information through an Afghanistan Doctor and was given the go ahead but President Obama canceled the operation to kill Osama bin Laden three times before saying yes, because he got cold feet about the possible political harm to himself if the mission failed. Obama has now thrown the doctor under the bus. Instead of listening to advisors from the U.S. military, Defense, or even State, Obama was acting on the advice of White House politico and close friend Valerie Jarrett. Valerie Jarrett?
Obama could have been impeached for his actions going into Libya without Congressional consent so he asked thd United Nations for permission instead. That is against the Constitution’s 13th amendment. Obama was served with a letter if he does it again they will impeach him. Hillery and Obama are trying to turn the U.S. laws over to the United Nations which is made up of rogue nations with the worst human rights record in the world.
Obama wants to draw down our military which is now at very low levels, and he wants to give Russia our security concessions without any thing in return from them. This is not Foreign Policy, this is stupidity! First of all by reducing our Military more it leaves us very vulnerable to attack and no way to fight back. Second of all, Russia, Iran, anyone can see we are weak, and could not resist taking down the West. The security of our nation is at stake as we speak.
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Our current President is destroying our country from within. He has allowed known terrorists to visit the White House for dinner on more than one occasion. Valeie Jerritt advise’s Obama on what to think and do. Obama uses her as his left-wing conscience, sources describe how at each pressing issue, Obama turns to ask her, "What do you think the right thing to do is?" So would the real President stand up?