Why Huckabee's Foreign Policy Should Scare You

Mike Huckabee has so little foreign policy experience it's scary. You know he has little to show for himself when he brags that he was the first among his Republican rivals to come out against the Law of the Sea Convention. I'm sure Iowa voters were impressed when they heard that crowning achievement.

He goes on in the most recent issue of Foreign Affairs to make a series of vague Reagan-sounding proclamations, to echo the current administration's policy in many areas (Iraq, Israel), and to give not one but two shout-outs to Sun Tzu, a favorite among foreign policy hacks to quote (thank God de Tocqueville was spared). The fact that Republicans like Romney jumped on him for his remarks on Bush's "arrogant" foreign policy overshadows what is otherwise an empty and unremarkable plan to restore America's footing abroad. He stumbles out of the gate:

Very few Americans are familiar with the writings of... the Muslim Brotherhood, whose call to active jihad influenced Osama bin Laden and the rise of al Qaeda ... America's culture of life stands in stark contrast to the jihadists' culture of death.

In fact, today's Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt has more or less renounced violence and global jihad. To lump it in with al-Qaeda shows his ignorance of the Muslim world. His plan to weed out terrorism is also wobbly and vaguely reminiscent of George W. Bush's:

We must first destroy existing terrorist groups and then attack the underlying conditions that breed them: the lack of basic sanitation, health care, education, jobs, a free press, fair courts-- which all translates into a lack of opportunity and hope.

How then would Huckabee explain the rise of homegrown terrorism in places like London, where all of the above is abundantly present? How does he account for the striking number of middle-class, educated suicide bombers? Is he blind to other conditions that might breed terrorists, like, say, the presence of American troops in Iraq, our support for secular dictatorships in the region, or the waterboarding of Muslims in places like Gitmo?

To sound a note of toughness, he says we need to beef up (read: spend more dough on) our armed forces:

Right now, we spend about 3.9 percent of our GDP on defense, compared with about six percent in 1986, under President Ronald Reagan. We need to return to that six percent level.

No, Mike, we don't. It was wrong then and it would be wrong now (plus, good luck balancing the budget with that 6 percent figure). Maybe if we spent less money on defense and stopped meddling in everyone's affairs, we'd be safer. See Osama's comments on Sweden, governor.

He then hectors Democrats on Iraq:

Despite what the gloomy Democrats in the United States profess, reconciliation is happening in Iraq, only it is bottom up rather than top down, and since it comes directly from the people, it can end the violence faster.

Who among Democrats is saying there is no progress being made? Calling for a withdrawal date is not the same as saying all is doom and gloom.

Huckabee then goes on to tackle Turkish-Kurdish relations:

[W]e must encourage the Turkish Kurds to address their grievances through the political process, including through the 20 deputies currently representing them in parliament.

The trouble is those 20 deputies are members of the DTP, which Turks consider a front for the PKK and is trying to outlaw. Huckabee might also have noted that Kurds are increasingly throwing their support behind the AK party in power, whose roots lie in political Islam. How would Huckabee lean on Ankara to allow greater Kurdish representation in Turkish politics?

He is no fan of Russian President Vladimir Putin either:

Putin opposes an antimissile system in the former Soviet satellite states (even though we have offered to share the technology with the Russians) and our potential use of Azerbaijan, a former Soviet republic, as a staging ground for an attack on Iran.

Not quite, governor. It was Putin who proposed we stage a joint anti-missile shield in Azerbaijan, not the other way around.

He comes off mostly reasonable on our dealings with Iran:

Whereas there can be no rational dealings with al Qaeda, Iran is a nation-state seeking regional clout and playing the game of power politics we understand and can skillfully pursue.

No argument there. But we must be tougher on Pakistan, he says:

When we let bin Laden escape at Tora Bora, a region along the Afghan-Pakistani border, in December 2001, we played Brer Fox to his Brer Rabbit.

Er, ok. Huckabee then sounds very Obama-esque on how he would precede to hunt al-Qaeda.

[A]ccording to a July 2007 article in The New York Times based on interviews with a dozen current and former military and defense officials, a classified raid targeting bin Laden's top deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in Pakistan was aborted in early 2005. Then Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld called off the attack at the very last minute...because he felt he needed Musharraf's permission to proceed...did he ask for Musharraf's permission or assume he would not get it? When I am president, I will make the final call on such actions.

OK, so then why did all the Republicans pile on Obama when he said virtually the same thing last summer? He goes on:

Rather than wait for the next strike, I prefer to cut to the chase by going after al Qaeda's safe havens in Pakistan.

Whoa, is Huckabee saying that U.S. troops should invade Pakistan? If so, would he invoke the Powell doctrine, calling for overwhelming force, as he mentions in his piece, or just special forces raids? Just curious.

Interestingly throughout his foreign policy treatise, he likens the relationship between states to that between a parent and child, as well as that between a top high school student and his fellow classmates--this is not exactly the stuff of Henry Kissinger or George Kennan. This kind of gee-whiz foreign policy might not cut it in today's world, not when candidates like Hillary Clinton seem like they could rattle off names of neighborhoods in Ramala. Still, though Huckabee might not have a grasp on global affairs--incidentally, nor did another presidential hopeful from Hope, Arkansas--at least he recognizes, unlike most of his Republican rivals, that the last seven years have damaged America's standing in the world.

He concludes his Foreign Affairs article sounding again very Obama-esque:

It is easy to be a peace lover; the challenging part is being a peacemaker.

Amen, reverend.

Comments

[talkstocoyotes]

The Huckster is no fool. He's basically telling his core constituency what they want to hear.

[Sciguy]

You don't need to have any foreign policy experience, or even any decent ideas, if you're a True Believer. All you have to do is pray hard enough and long enough, and god will take care of everything, right? As wrabbit noted, if god is on your side, you can accomplish anything.

I prefer a candidate who doesn't shove his / her belief in imaginary friends to the forefront of the campaign. It's nothing more than pandering to the lowest among us - the ones who can't even conceive of thinking for themselves.

I also prefer a candidate who believes in science. If evolution - the backbone of all modern biology) - is a no-no, what about other forms of science, including military science, that may be too complex for the Huckster to understand? What would happen to funding for scientific research, including research in military science (and that's more than looking at bigger bombs and better torture methods)?

Huckabee has no knowledge of foreign affairs and no knowledge of science. So - what DOES he know about? Anything other than his particular bible? How could anyone other than the ignorant support such ignorance?

[FOXYLADY]

WHY ISN'T ANYONE TALKING ABOUT THE MACHINATIONS OF HUCK AWHILE BACK WITH HIS PANDERING TO BIG BUSINESS?? THIS SO CALLED RELIGIOUS CANDIDATE IS THE SAME AS BUSH, AN ARROGANT HYPOCRITE AND I'M DEFINITELY GOING TO VOTE FOR ANYONE WHO CHOOSES TO USE THEIR FAITH AS A CAMPAIGN PLOY!!

[wrabbitt]

I am not sure but, Huckabee,might hear the word of god in his mind,His foreign policy does not exist, With god on your side, you can accomplish any thing, But, if you believe in someone that you can't see, Harvey could be your best friend, A president with Values would be a welcome change, but,an imaginary friend can't be good for the non believers,

[PigLipstick]

This country is and has been the dumping ground for all the misfits, malcontents, and trouble makers from other countries. They are held in contempt in their home countries but fit in well here with the arrogant capitalist authoritarians who are sworn to destroy any social order that doesn’t put them in total control.

I could give several examples but one that I personally experienced was when I was working for a telecommunications company out of Canada. It immediately became apparent that all of the Canadian transplants were perhaps some of the biggest pricks that I had seen in my working experience. Having no prior experience with Canadians this situation created a very unfavorable image of Canadians in general. So I was really shocked when I was sent to Montreal for a week to attend a management seminar, my fellow Canadian attendees were some of the most cordial and intelligent people I had ever met in my working life. Obviously the Canadians have chosen to maintain a high degree of social order over maintaining an elitist class structure that keeps 90% of the population under their thumb.

I am currently reading Christopher Hitchen’s book ‘God is Not Great: Religion Destroys Everything’ where he has assembled an historical time line that proves the slow decline of organized religion has been occurring over the past 300 years. As our knowledge of the natural world increases and the long record of religion destroying everything it touches continues to grow, educated people around the world are increasingly choosing to reject the false comfort of religious fairy tales written for a primitive culture 2000 years ago. This transition has been slowed in this country over the past forty years as the Washington power brokers have decimated our public education system to keep the population dumbed down. Huckabee is just another in a long line of snake oil salesmen that perpetuate this fraud on the human race by promoting intolerance and fear, taking advantage of people who have the best of intentions and turning them against their fellow man in the name of religion.

[richw23]

I try to get this idea out as often as possible.

I can't stand Romney or Huckabee, but if God said "Mitt, Kill Me a Son", I don't think Mitt would comply. I can see Huckabee doing it gleefully, with religious fervor - what would he do if God said it's time for Armageddon. How do we know what the still quite voice in his head is really telling him - and what about when his presidency fails and the voice begins shouting "THEY AREN'T WORTHY - REDEEM THEM IN BLOOD AND FIRE. - I AM THE GOD OF HELLFIRE!!­...

Sorry, got carried away there and a little plagiaristic, but you get my drift.

What scares me worst, being from Arkansas, is I think my father is typical in that he has grown more religious rather than less, totally believes the bible now, I think, and would probably vote for Huckabee - we don't discuss that stuff, but I'm pretty sure he still listens to Rush. Religion and conservativsm seem to be wasting diseases that slowly twist rational thought into rationalization for bigotry and repression. The poor are faceless masses to be helped in order to get into heaven, not to be lifted out of poverty. I'm not saying all Christians believe this - it's just how it plays out at the top.

[charlesrfd2003]

One of the reasons that you have trouble reaching Americans is that most Americans do not know their own history but believe myths that were instilled in everyone to support the power structure.

Examples: Christopher Columbus was the last to discover America and did set forth the massive mingling of the Americas with the rest of the world. As a hero we ignore his mark on slavery, murder, rape of females as young as 9.

Woodrow Wilson did many good things for worker rights and peace. He also tried to install a police state. He was racist and against women's suffrage.

The Virginia system of local government installed family elites to control most of the states in the south. Oligarchy would better describe these county governments rather than democracy.

Daniel Boone moved west to due to lawyers skinning him out his land grants. That is how some got so rich before the Civil War.

What I see happening with American foreign policy is similar but on a grander scale as policies such as Manifest Destiny, slavery and suppression of the rights of labor.

William Walker was a little ahead of his time when he attacked Baja California and Nicaragua. Most people who read this do not know who he was. Put the name into your browser and see. While you are online, put in the name, Henry A. Crabbe for the name of another great American forerunner of the neocons

Bush's pre-emptive policies towards Iran is similar to the 19th century laws that prevented the sale of guns to Native Americans but you were encouraged trade for all the animal skins in exchange for cheap goods.

We are trying to do to the world what we did here in the Americas. There is one difference.
European diseases wiped out many Native Americans in advance of the many of the later European pioneers so the resistance was much less. That is not true in the present situation and could spell disaster if we continue the policies of the past.

[Horst]

Huckabee may be a Bible thumping ignoramus but you are wrong about the Muslim Brotherhood. The brotherhood extends far beyond Egypt (i.e. Hamas and probably some elements of al Qaeda). One of its members, the late activist Qutb, remains a highly influential figure in the Sunni world.

[coloneblog]

There's only one multi-part foreign policy question Huckabee and the other candidates have to answer at this stage of the game; as President, how will you bring a sense of peace to the Middle East? Do you think Israel should conduct a preemptive attack on Iran's nuclear facilities? What is your solution to the Israeli/Palestinian situation? The answers here are what would be most significant, now. Oh, and Gov. Huckabee, do you think your Jesus Christ would be willing to forgive Cheney and bush for sinning us into a needless war with Iraq and eventually reward them with everlasting life in Heaven? This is all we have to know, now.

[americaforme]

It's pretty bad when John Mac looks less lethal than all of them...Oba­ma cant pay his parking tickets...­Hillary hiding papers in white house,and there's her friend Foster. Mr.New york 9/11 is corrupt. Romney has to follow the Prophet...­Baptist is good,but this cat likes glory...ba­sking in old folks donations.­..Huck is too power hungry. Edwards is rich and scary, I worry about sheeps clothing. Cast your eyes over the playing feilds. I see bench warmers,wounded, scared,unfit for nothing but pasture...­Still looking for a Hero.

[AMolinaro]

The Huckster should go with the Bible on this one, after all he uses it as his point of reference for everything, right? Well here's an excerpt, Leviticus 1-22 and 23:

22 When a ruler hath sinned and somewhat through ignorance, against any of the commandments of the Lord his God concerning things which should not be done, and is guilty.

23 Or if his sin, wherein he hath sinned, come to his knowledge; he shall bring his offering, a kid of the goats, a male without blemish:

See, all of the problems in the Middle East should be addressed by the exchange of goats. Bush owes all Iraqis and Americans a goat, and then according to the Bible all is well. He does follow the Bible after all, doesn't he?

[leftLibertarian]

With the exception of Ron Paul, there's not a dime's worth of difference between the Republican Candidate's foreign policy and Democrats like Clinton, Obama, and Edwards.

Maintain American Empire. US in Iraq for another 10 years. Uncritical support of Israel.

[Qbear]

If Huckabee's social and domestic policies, of sending people with AIDS to CAMPS and cut OUR funds for meds, deny women autonomy over their Reproductive Choice and supporting abstinence ONLY, don't have you white knuckled and shreiking, "OH HELL NO!" Then I doubt his total
virgin status and faith-based world order probably won't faze the remaining hOMe sKOolers.

[cylindar]

I don't know shy you are writing about Huckabee. First off his name is Huckabee. Now we all know that on a sitcom the name works but it does not wear presidential. He is also from the south. This country is a bit worn with the southern type. He also let loose a big time rapist to rape and kill again, and almost got another one released. Let's face it, Huckabee doesn't have a chance in a real election. He is a nut case and even the Repubs are afraid of him. He will never be elected to the presidency .

[Jazzylady26]

Besides the fact that the man seems to have the morals of Satan himself, I really don't see what evangelicals see in this man. Do they just not have the ability to see any of their so called candidates as they are? And what about that anti Christ, Romney? Are they aware that what that man believes has nothing to do not only with Christianity, but no association with biblical teachings whatsoever? Evangelicals had better do their homework on these so called candidates or they'll wind up with either Satan Huckabee or Anti Christ Romney in their beloved White House, taking over the roles of Satan Cheney and Anti Christ Bush.