The Republican Study Committee recently released a new serious, substantive foreign policy platform focused on strengthening America to cope with an increasingly dangerous world. Importantly, that includes China, where the ruling Communist Party allowed COVID-19 to infect the planet, with devastating effects, not least in the U.S..
Appealing to fellow Americans, the text begins:
At the beginning of each Congress, every member raises his or her right hand and swears an oath to support and defend the Constitution from all enemies, both foreign and domestic. Today, our constitutional government, our American way of life, and the U.S.-led world order based on freedom face a variety of growing threats from abroad. Our nation’s two political parties are offering very different ideas for how we tackle those threats.
For eight years, President Obama’s failed policies allowed our greatest adversaries to grow stronger while weakening America’s position as the world’s preeminent power. During this time, Communist China and Russia went completely unchecked, Iran was gifted a plane full of cash, jihadist groups such as ISIS were casually dismissed as the “JV squad,” key allies were offended, foreign aid and United Nations dues failed to advance U.S. interests, and America behaved sheepishly on the world stage.
In contrast, since taking office, President Donald Trump has restored bold American leadership and credibility by advancing an “America First” national security and foreign policy agenda. This approach seeks to advance American global interests above all else and restore confidence in America’s purpose. It recognizes the United States is the best force for good in the world and that our strength creates more freedom, prosperity, and potential for people everywhere. The idea of “American Exceptionalism” shines bright again. As a result, America is standing up to Communist China for the first time in decades, Russia has been exposed as a national security threat, Iran’s sweetheart nuclear deal has been replaced with a maximum pressure campaign, and we have decimated traditional ISIS strongholds. Additionally, international governing bodies and recipients of U.S. foreign aid have been put on notice that American support comes with “America First” conditions. And importantly, President Trump has stood by our most important ally in Israel, even taking the long overdue, extraordinary step of moving our embassy to Jerusalem.
As the Washington Free Beacon highlights, this is “the largest package of Iran sanctions in history, an unprecedented plan that aims to cripple Tehran’s global terrorism enterprise and bankrupt the cash-strapped regime.”
The report targets Russia as well. According to the Washington Examiner:
Documenting Putin’s effort to undermine U.S. interests around the world, the report evinces the clear truth that Putin is presently undeterred. From Libya to Syria to Iran to Ukraine to Salisbury, England, and from the Mediterranean Sea to the South China Sea, Russia is damaging American interests and undermining the democratic international order.
This foreign policy platform is exactly what America needs right now. Read the executive summary here or the full policy platform here.