Bill Clinton on Foreign Policy President of the U.S., 1993-2001; Former Democratic Governor (AR)

Sub-sections under Foreign Policy:
• 1990s Policies
• Political Philosophy
• Post-presidential Policies
• Other issues under Foreign Policy

2009: Rescue mission to North Korea to free 2 US journalists

More than a few people in the White House argued against the trip. Most were simply reluctant to reward Kim's bad behavior with such a high-profile trip. I thought it was worth trying.

Although it was considered a "private mission," Bill and the small team he would take along were well briefed before departing. After 20 hours on the ground in North Korea and a face-to-face meeting with Kim, he succeeded in winning the journalists' immediate release.

North Korea can be talked out of its nuclear weapons program

The Democratic People Republic of Korea (DPRK) will never give up nuclear weapons voluntarily. If often promises to do so, as it did in the Clinton administration's 1994 Agreed Framework. It will even more readily BARGAIN over that promise, especially in exchange for items of tangible economic and political value, such as fuel, oil, nuclear reactors, "security assurances," or removal from our list of state sponsors of terrorism. The DPRK will gladly "engage" with us, accept our concession, and then violate its own commitments. The DPRK has followed this game plan successfully many times, and it has every reason to believe it will continue to succeed into the future.

In short, the Clinton policy and the Agreed Framework were classic illustrations of the delusion that a rogue state could be coaxed out of nuclear weapons, and were embarrassments to the US.

Implement Brahimi report: work towards UN standing army

Make good on our debt to the United Nations

End of Cold War brings incredible opportunity for change

CLINTON: The end of the cold war brings an incredible opportunity for change, the winds of freedom blowing around the world, Russia demilitarizing. It also requires us to maintain some continuity, some bipartisan American commitment to certain principles. Number one, we do have to maintain the world's strongest defense. Number two, if you don't rebuild the economic strength of this country at home, we won't be a superpower. Number three, we need to be a force for freedom and democracy. We need to use our unique position to support freedom.

Don't coddle tyrants in China; they respond when we stand up

CLINTON: Our relationships with China are important, and I don't think we want to isolate China. But I think it is a mistake for us to do what this administration did when all those kids went out there carrying the Statue of Liberty in Tiananmen Square, and Mr. Bush sent two people in secret to toast the Chinese leaders and basically tell them not to worry about it. When Congress insisted that we do something about China, look what has happened. China has finally agreed to stop sending us products made with prison labor not because we coddled them but because the administration was pushed into doing something about it.

BUSH: We were the first major country to stand up against the abuse in Tiananmen Square. We are the ones that worked out the prison labor deal. To do what Congress & Gov. Clinton are suggesting, you would isolate and ruin Hong Kong. Gov. Clinton's philosophy is to isolate them.

1994: Briefed on Rwandan genocide but claimed ignorance

A few years later, when Clinton visited Rwandan capital of Kigali, the president said: "It may seem strange to you here, especially the many of you who lost members of your family, but all over the world there were people like me sitting in the offices, day after day after day, who did fully appreciate the depth and speed with which you were being engulfed by this unimaginable terror."

The CIA's national intelligence daily, a secret briefing that went to Clinton and Vice President Gore and hundreds of senior officials, had almost daily reports on what was happening in Rwanda.

1998: Signed onto International Criminal Court founding

To date, the ICC has proceeded slowly, partly in the hope of enticing the US to cooperate with it, and the Bush administration succumbed to it in its final years. The ICC's friends under President Obama want to go even further. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in 2009, for example, that it was "a great regret but it is a fact we are not yet a signatory" to the Rome Statute, signaling unmistakably what she hopes to do.

Expanded US role to Somalian nation-building

Greatest regret: not sending troops against Rwanda genocide

1980: housed Cuban Marielitos; riots ensued against KKK

In the weeks that followed, more than 100,000 Marielitos washed upon America’s shores, and Carter did not know where to place them. He telephoned Governor Clinton, who said he would be willing to detain some of the escapees at Fort Chaffee, where they could be assimilated.

The detainees overflowed the grounds. The Arkansas KKK drove to Fort Chaffee to express its disapproval. As a result, a riot ensued between Cubans inside and KKK belligerents. Soon, law enforcement arrived, but for Clinton’s reelection, it was too late. The entire fiasco was captured by news organizations for all to see, and Arkansans, led by GOP candidate Frank White, asked why such a debacle had been permitted to happen.

A few months later, Bill Clinton was defeated.

1994: “did not fully appreciate” Rwandan genocide

Hillary did not blame Bill for the inaction, but rather “the failure of the world, including my husband’s administration.” Bill later claimed that he and other world leaders “did not fully appreciate” what had been going on in Rwanda. In fact, his intelligence agencies and newspaper, radio, and TV journalist had made it all clear to the world. Hillary would have had to ignore the news for weeks, as well as the frantic pleas of human-rights activists and some members of Congress, not to know what was happening. There is no evidence she did anything substantial to help.

1995: reached out to Irish Republican Army Sinn Fein leader

Many in Washington snickered. The idea of Bill Clinton reaching out to the leader of Sinn Fein, the political army of the IRA, was almost treasonous to some. Clinton truly believed Sinn Fein might be serious about negotiating to get rid of IRA stockpiles of weapons. The President had his eye on history and didn't care what anyone said. He always believed that when you negotiate, you have to negotiate with all sides. If you're going to get a lasting agreement, you have to have everyone sitting at the table with you. That's how you get true dialogue and compromise and ultimately a meaningful agreement. George W. Bush didn't see it that way, which was the No. 1 complaint you heard about him around the world. Clinton's vision had paid off in spades.

Approved expanding Israeli settlements in West Bank

Israeli plans to retain far-reaching West Bank settlements will likely spell the death knell for prospects for the "road map for peace," the keystone of President George W. Bush's Middle East policy.

1992: Helped refugees from Haiti, but only in Haiti

When the Bush administration, which appeared to be more sympathetic to Cedras than I was, began to return the refugees, there were loud protests from the human rights community. I wanted to make it easier for Haitians to seek and obtain political asylum in the US, but was concerned that large numbers of them would perish in trying to get here, as about 400 had done just a week earlier. So, I said that, instead of taking in all the Haitians who could survive the voyage to America, we would beef up our official presence in Haiti and speed up asylum claims there. In the meantime, for safety reasons, we would continue to stop the boats and return the passengers.

1993: Pushed $1.6B Russia aid package despite unpopularity

We agreed to institutionalize our cooperation, with a commission headed by Vice President Gore and Russian prime minister Viktor Chernomyrdin, who worked through a host of difficult, contentious problems.

Months of preparation went into Arafat-Rabin handshake

On that day, Bill persuaded Yitzhak to shake hands with Arafat as a tangible sign of their commitment to the peace plan. Rabin agreed. Unfortunately, the handshake and agreement were seen by some Israelis and Arabs as a rebuke to their political interests and religious beliefs, which later led to violence and Rabin’s tragic assassination.

1993 Somalia crisis at same time as Russian coup attempt

Then the news got worse: The body found of an American serviceman had been dragged through the streets of Mogadishu, an appalling act of barbarity orchestrated by the Somali warlord General Mohamed Aideed.

Bill was given terrible news about Russia, too. There had been an attempted military coup against President Boris Yeltsin. On October 5, in Culver City, California, Bill cut short a town hall meeting about health care reform and returned to Washington. Over the next few weeks, Bill, the news media and the nation were consumed by Somalia and the unrest in Russia, and health care reform took a backseat.

1980: Sent state troopers for refugee riot in Fort Chaffee

I attended some tense meetings Bill held with the frustrated general in command of Fort Chaffee, and representatives from the White House. Bill wanted federal assistance to contain the detainees, but the White House message seemed to be: "Don't complain, just handle the mess we gave you." Bill had done just that, but there was a big political price to pay for supporting his President.

1995: Pushed Mexican peso "bailout"; Mexico repaid all loans

Adviser Robert Rubin figured out a way to advance the Mexicans the money without congressional approval--but a poll showed that the public opposed the bailout by more than a 5-to-1 margin. "We pointed out to Clinton that there was no guarantee the support program would work," Rubin recalled. "And if it didn't work, it might be very damaging to his reelection prospects. But it didn't take ten minutes for him to make the decision. He just said, 'Let's do it.' "

The Mexicans, to the surprise of almost everyone, paid back the loan ahead of schedule.

1990s: Supported military junta in Haiti

This continued right through to when Bush and Clinton supported the military junta directly, right through the worst terror. That was another thing that I saw personally for a couple of days. Right now, in Queens, NY, one of their leading criminals, Emmanuel Constant, is hidden by the US. He's already been sentenced in Haiti for terrorist crimes. He was the head of the paramilitary force that was responsible for killing maybe 5,000 people in Haiti in the early 1990s when Bush and Clinton were supporting the military junta. Haiti has tried to extradite him, but of course the US doesn't even bother responding, and the press won't even comment on it.

1994: Ousted Cedras and returned Aristide to power in Haiti

There certainly are those who will claim that Clinton's approach to Haiti eventually worked, since Cedras was ousted and Aristide returned to power.

But political observers were not particularly impressed with the manner in which Clinton and Carter arrived at the agreement with Cedras. [Based on] the waffling evidenced in dealing with Haiti, what assurance is offered to Americans that the same lack of perspective is not present in foreign policy dealings of a grander scale?

[Despite the criticism], Clinton would have considered Haiti a foreign policy victory.

Deeply involved in UK-IRA negotiations

On Sep. 3, we left for Stormont [the Belfast meetingplace for Northern Ireland talks]. Bill Clinton asked a great question--"What can I do to help?" Tony Blair said:

1. Show the three governments working together
2. Put pressure on Sinn Fein regarding weapons decommissioning
3. Isolate pro-violence opinion in the US
4. Economic help

North Korea must give up nuclear program to get economic aid

On June 20, 1994, North Korea responded that it would "never allow inspections" of two suspected nuclear waste sites and warned that sanctions would lead to war. China, an ally of North Korea, upped the ante in announcing its opposition to sanctions.

Nevertheless, the Clinton Administration went forward with plans to put the issue of sanctions before the UN Security Council for a vote, as a wary South Korea stepped up civil-preparedness measures. Three days later, North Korea relented, agreeing to freeze its nuclear program.

During Russian crisis, stood arm-in-arm with Boris Yeltsin

Strategy: strength, peace, and open trade

Our goal is constant: to make sure the US remains the greatest force for peace and prosperity on Earth. [Our] new strategy for the 21st century has three parts:
1. Making the American people more secure by keeping our military and alliances strong to combat the major threats to our security, like the spread of weapons of mass destruction and terrorism.
2. Leading the powerful global movement for peace and democracy.
3. And creating much greater wealth at home by opening markets abroad.

Support forces of reform in Russia

We want NATO to work with Russia and other institutions and other institutions of European integration to produce what in all Europe’s history has never before been more than a dream: a truly united, free Europe.

Engage China but take a firm line

But we haven’t been shy about voicing our differences-and acting on them. When China conducted menacing military exercises in the Taiwan Straits, I sent the Seventh Fleet to the area to demonstrate out commitment to ensuring peaceful relations between China and Taiwan.

Eliminate tax subsidy for doing business in Puerto Rico

But that wasn't the point. Moynihan painted a doomsday scenario of what would happen if the tax credit were dropped. First, American firms would pull out of Puerto Rico, causing the unemployment rate to double to about 30% and creating an economic crisis. [That would affect the] upcoming plebiscite on statehood. In all, it would be a political nightmare. How would the US look in the world? So the tax, which would save some $5 billion over 4 years, just couldn't be done, Moynihan said. He could never let such a proposal out of the Finance Committee--for reasons, he noted, that couldn't be explained publicly.

1980: Criticized for letting Cubans escape from prison

The image of rabid Cubans running through the streets of Arkansas past the homes of "good folks" became a perfect rallying point for the campaign efforts of Clinton's opponents. Frank White let out word throughout Arkansas that Bill Clinton had basically gone to Cuba, picked all the most violent and depraved criminals out of Castro's jails, and invited them to their state out of the perverse kindness of his heart.

Bill Clinton first saw the commercial in the governor's mansion in late October. After he watched the ad, Clinton turned to the others in disbelief.

"Do people really believe this stuff?" he asked. "Sure they do," someone said. Heads nodded.

OpEd: 1994: Installed Aristide in Haiti subject to US rules

There is nothing surprising about what followed: a 1995 USAID report observed that the "export-driven trade and investment policy [that Washington mandated will] relentlessly squeeze the domestic rice farmer," accelerating the flight to miserable slums that reached its hideous denouement in the catastrophe caused by the January 2010 earthquake--a class-based catastrophe, like many others, striking primarily at the poor whose awful conditions of existence render them particularly vulnerable (the rich escaped lightly).

Pledged to Gorbachev to not extend NATO eastward

1990s: Worked with religious leaders for African debt relief

The meeting took place, and at the end I could see Pat Robertson and Bill Clinton yukking it up at the front end of the room, and I turned to that anxious staffer and said, "Now do you believe in miracles?"

Good politics shouldn't be "us" or "them". It shouldn't be about winning or losing. Good politics should be about doing.

Bush’s unilateralism strains international partnerships

Foreign policy is domestic policy

Indeed, foreign policy had traditionally been practiced by a secular priesthood of academics, diplomats, and financiers who saw their work as different, higher and certainly more important than the tawdry business of domestic policy (which was considered a lowly legislative activity, as opposed to the distinctly executive nature of foreign affairs). This was, of course, nonsense--especially in a world where global economic trends had an increasing impact on American's domestic economy and where America's "soft" power (that is, its cultural and economic power) hade become a more pervasive influence than its military force.

Routinely provide intelligence info to the UN

Engagement over escapism and isolation

These escapists are just plain wrong-as wrong as their isolationist predecessors were in the years following the First World War. If we want to meet the challenges and seize the opportunities of this new era, we have to stay engaged. Our well-being as a nation and our strength as a people depend on maintaining our leadership abroad.

Should not have tried to reason with Saddam the tyrant

Devise NATIONAL policy, not foreign vs. domestic

We can no longer afford to have foreign and domestic policies. We must devise and pursue national policies that serve the needs of our people by uniting us at home and restoring America’s greatness in the world.

We need a national economic strategy as well as a human-development strategy that recognizes we are living in a world in which what people earn depends largely on what they can learn and whether their economies are organized for change. [We should therefore] emphasize education and training, encouraging private investment, and organizing for change.

Substantial debt relief & trade for poor African countries

To further boost African economies, we worked with G-8 partners to cancel more than $34 billion in debt from poor African countries. The initiative built on the substantial debt relief President Clinton had secured. A report by Bono's DATA organization concluded that debt relief has allowed African nations to send 42 million more children to school.

One vital economic initiative was the African Growth and Opportunity Act, which eliminated tariffs on most African exports to the US. Pres. Clinton signed AGOS; I worked with Congress to expand it.

I saw its impact firsthand when I met entrepreneurs in Ghana who exported their products to the US. A dressmaker named Esther told me, "I'm helping other women, and I'm helping my family too."

1999 Millennium Development Goals: forgive 3rd world debt

In 1999, the G8, the world's major economic powers, launched the millennium debt relief initiative to forgive the debts of the poorest highly indebted nations if they protected human r to put all their savings into education, health, or economic development. In 2005, the G8 leaders pledged another round of debt relief and promised to double aid to Africa, to $50 billion per year. But no one believes that even these big steps will be enough to enable the poorest African nations to reach the Millennium Development Goals.

Taiwan: no independence; no recognition; no memberships

When Clinton visited China, he acceded to Beijing's demand that he recite the "three nos." There would be, Clinton said, NO support for Taiwan's independence, NO recognition of an independent Taiwan, and NO endorsement of Taiwan's entry into any international organization.

Bush missed opportunity to unite US and the world

Advocate for Tibet-China discussion on human rights

More interdependency with Canada and Mexico

Death of Communism shouldn't mean loss of American Dream

"I refuse to be part of a generation that fails to compete in the global economy and so condemns hardworking Americans to a life of struggle without reward or security.

"That is why I stand here today, because I refuse to stand by and let our children become part of the 1st generation to do worse than their parents. I don't want my child or your child to be part of a country that's coming apart instead of coming together."

Progressive Internationalism: globalize with US pre-eminence.

Build a Public Consensus Supporting US Global Leadership
The internationalist outlook that served America and the world so well during the second half of the 20th century is under attack from both ends of the political spectrum. As the left has gravitated toward protectionism, many on the right have reverted to “America First” isolationism.

Our leaders should articulate a progressive internationalism based on the new realities of the Information Age: globalization, democracy, American pre-eminence, and the rise of a new array of threats ranging from regional and ethnic conflicts to the spread of missiles and biological, chemical, and nuclear weapons. This approach recognizes the need to revamp, while continuing to rely on, multilateral alliances that advance U.S. values and interests.

A strong, technologically superior defense is the foundation for US global leadership. Yet the US continues to employ defense strategies, military missions, and force structures left over from the Cold War, creating a defense establishment that is ill-prepared to meet new threats to our security. The US must speed up the “revolution in military affairs” that uses our technological advantage to project force in many different contingencies involving uncertain and rapidly changing security threats -- including terrorism and information warfare.

Goals for 2010
• A clear national policy with bipartisan support that continues US global leadership, adjusts our alliances to new regional threats to peace and security, promotes the spread of political and economic freedom, and outlines where and how we are willing to use force.
• A modernized military equipped to deal with emerging threats to security, such as terrorism, information warfare, weapons of mass destruction, and destabilizing regional conflicts.