On Thursday evening the Cornell speaker series entitled "Freedom & Free Societies" hosted Richard Fontaine. Fontaine is probably best known for being John McCain's foreign policy advisor for about five years, including 2008, but he also boasts a post at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS). His talk on Thursday concerned what we can likely expect brought up in terms of foreign policy for the next two years (obviously aside from the two wars we are engaged in). According to Fontaine and his sources, here are some predictions about what we are likely to see on Capitol Hill leading up to 2012:
1. Iranian sanctions. (The Republicans will push hard to implement sanctions.)
2. Russia/US bilateral trade agreements. (For instance, the START treaty will be eventually ratified.)
3. Chinese currency legislation. (Consider the behavior of China at the G20 summit.)
Other predictions: We can expect a push back on Obama's Israeli policy and Guantanamo Bay will be open indefinitely.
Of course these are just general talking points, though Mr. Fontaine did a wonderful job of convincing me that these will be some hot topics of debate given the current events today. Do you agree with the general topics, or do you have other ideas in mind?
Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube
How about the arms deal with the Saudis for $60 billion? I find it rather interesting for a number of reasons. http://matzav.com/critics-obama-administration-pushed-largest-arms-deal-in-us-history-while-congress-in-recess
ReplyDeleteSanctions don't work when there are countries with the sanctioned resources that will not comply. We know this. Next recourse? That would be worth talking about.
Chinese currency legislation? Like what? The United States of America hereby declares and affirms that China is being very naughty. And that we should follow suit immediately.
There had better be push back on BO's embarrassing and wrong-headed and evil "Israeli policy" (it's really an anti-Israel being permitted to exist policy, but that's a mouthful, I know).
Gitmo won't be closed, it can't be. But then, we knew that during Bush's administration when HE tried to close it.
What about Mexico? I'm sure that we'll have to do something down there at some point. There's too much buzz about our actually going into the country (which is odd given that BO is removing the National Guard from our borders for some unknown reason).
"which is odd given that BO is removing the National Guard from our borders for some unknown reason"
ReplyDeleteI don't think there is anything odd about it.The Obama Administration does not want one single illegal alien to be prevented from entering the US.