After the events of Sept. 11, leaders in the United States need to have a coherent vision of how to interact with the world, Presidential candidate Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) said in a speech last Thursday in Gaston Hall.
In the speech, which was sponsored by the Georgetown University Lecture Fund, the Institute for the Study of Diplomacy and The Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service, Kerry called for a multilateral and internationalist approach to world affairs, decrying the Bush administration’s “belligerent and myopic unilateralism.”
Kerry identified the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 as the definitive event shaping today’s foreign policy. He named the war on terrorism as a continuing priority, but proposed a shift to the need for political, economic and social reform in the Middle East, criticizing the current administration’s focus on retribution.
“We must drain the swamps of terrorists but you don’t have a prayer if you leave the poisoned sources to gather and flow again,” he said.
Kerry criticized what he called a “merry-go-round” policy practiced by the Bush administration, in which they abandon and then return to using diplomatic means.
Kerry also emphasized the necessity of disarming Saddam Hussein, a leader known for his tendency towards “miscalculation.” Though Kerry stressed the importance of removing this threat to our national security, he did not advocate swift military action.
Kerry stated that exhausting diplomatic options was essential to maintaining both the safety and the international reputation of this country.
“The United States should never go to war because it wants to, the United States should go to war because we have to,” he said.
Multilateralism is a key part of Kerry’s strategy for combatting terrorism, which calls for “a bold and progressive internationalism. Although he said that he supports war in Iraq, Kerry stated that an international coalition and United Nations support were necessary for war.
Kerry said that his vote in support of a Senate resolution allowing for unilateral action was hinged on the President’s promise to cooperate with the UN.
Fostering democracy and bringing about modernity in the Middle East remains crucial, Kerry said. The gap between Islamic societies and the West, he said, must be forded by means of economic integration.
Kerry also proposed the creation of a Middle East trade initiative, which would force countries to comply with the war on terrorism and end any boycotts on Israel.
Despite this policy goal, he also professed a need to confront the negative implications of globalization, which he referred to as “globalization’s dark side.”
According to Kerry, a cessation of violence against Israel is essential to reform in the Middle East. He said that Israel would be willing under these conditions to negotiate towards an independent Palestinian state.
Although Kerry extensively discussed policies related to the war on terrorism, he indicated a need to address issues that existed before Sept. 11. Non-proliferation of nuclear weapons remains an important goal, starting in North Korea, he said.
