Kamala Harris on War & Peace Democratic candidate for President (withdrawn); California Senator

Brought 50 NATO countries into righteous defense of Ukraine

DONALD TRUMP: I want the war to stop. I will get it settled before I even become president. If I win, when I'm President-Elect, and what I'll do is I'll speak to one, I'll speak to the other. I think it's in the U.S. best interest to get this war finished and just get it done. Negotiate a deal. Because we have to stop all of these human lives from being destroyed.

Q: Would you deal with Vladimir Putin any differently from what we're seeing from President Biden?

KAMALA HARRIS: I believe the reason that Donald Trump says that this war would be over within 24 hours is because he would just give it up. And that's not who we are as Americans. Let's understand what happened here. I actually met with Zelenskyy a few days before Russia invaded, tried through force to change territorial boundaries [defying] international rules. Days later I went to NATO's eastern flank. And we brought 50 countries together to support Ukraine in its righteous defense.

Israeli long-term security needs negotiated 2-state solution

"Ultimately, through the regional track and the Palestinian track, this path I've described opens up prospects for Israel to build enduring security--which is what this country needs and has wanted from its founding. All of this runs through securing a sustainable ceasefire in Gaza now, as President Biden has proposed, and we should all be working to achieve."

Condemn Hamas October 7 killings as anti-Semitic

Sadly, eight decades later, Antisemitism--and hate in general--is on the rise in our country and around the world. On October 7, Hamas, a brutal terrorist organization, committed the worst atrocity against the Jewish people since the Holocaust--killing 1,200 innocent people, including 44 Americans, taking 240 people hostage, including eight Americans still in Gaza, and committing horrific acts of sexual violence against Jewish women.

And, in recent days in the United States, we have seen hateful rhetoric and harassment against Jews. This is Antisemitism and must be condemned unequivocally. Hate of any kind has no place in our country.

US-Iraq partnership role after Defeat ISIS coalition

The Vice President urged the Iraqi government to prevent attacks against US personnel and expressed appreciation for efforts to date. She stated that the US has no higher priority than the safety of US personnel, and will act, as needed, in self-defense.

The leaders also discussed the importance of continuing the US-Iraq Higher Military Commission, which will enable the transition to an enduring bilateral security partnership between the US and Iraq and is the natural next step to build on the collaboration of the past 10 years between Iraq and the Defeat ISIS coalition.

Trump does not care about troops' injuries or deaths

PENCE: My son is in captain in the United States Marine Corps. My son-in-law's deployed in the United States Navy. I can assure all of you with sons and daughters serving in our military, President Donald Trump, not only respects, but reveres all of those who serve in our armed forces and any suggestion, otherwise is ridiculous. Let me also say the American people deserve to know-

Bring the troops home from post-9-11 wars

EIGHT CANDIDATES HAVE SIMILAR VIEWS: John Delaney; Tulsi Gabbard; Kirsten Gillibrand; John Hickenlooper; Jay Inslee; Beto O`Rourke; Bernard Sanders; Elizabeth Warren.

Many Democratic candidates have called for bringing U.S. troops home from America's post-9/11 wars without delay.

Ok with Israeli settlements in Palestinian territory

• Senator Harris has been vocal about her unconditional support for Israel. She told an American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference in 2017, "I will do everything in my power to ensure broad and bipartisan support for Israel's security and right to self-defense." When President Obama allowed the U.S. to join a UN Security Council resolution condemning Israeli settlements in Palestine as a "flagrant violation" of international law, Harris, Sen. Cory Booker and Sen. Amy Klobuchar were among 30 Democratic (and 47 Republican) senators who cosponsored a bill to withhold U.S. dues to the UN over the resolution.
• Harris did join most of the other presidential candidates who chose not to speak at AIPAC's 2019 gathering.
• She also supports rejoining the Iran nuclear agreement.
• Harris has voted for six out of eight military spending bills, but she did cosponsor and vote for Sanders's Yemen War Powers bill.

Opposes US support for Saudi military action in Yemen

Time for a political solution in Afghanistan

• Afghanistan: Wants a "political solution" to end the war, bring troops home.
• After a trip to Afghanistan last month, Harris said she supports a "political solution" to the war that would allow U.S. troops to return home.
• She has not taken a public position on Trump's planned U.S. troop withdrawals from Afghanistan and Syria.

No military force against Iran without Congress approval.

Axios.com summary: The House passed a symbolic war powers resolution directing President Trump to halt the use of military force against Iran unless he obtains approval from Congress.

The big picture: A classified briefing on the killing of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani [by the US military] left Democrats and even some Republicans deeply skeptical, with many claiming that officials did not provide evidence that there was an `imminent` threat from Iran. Sens. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rand Paul (R-KY) said they will vote in favor of a similar resolution in the Senate [S J Res 68].

What opponents are saying: Former national security adviser and notorious Iran hawk John Bolton tweeted: `The 1973 War Powers Resolution is unconstitutional. It reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of how the Constitution allocated foreign affairs authority between the President and Congress. The Resolution should be repealed.` Pres. Trump quote tweeted Bolton and added: `Smart analysis, I fully agree!`

What supporters are saying: Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) was one of the few Republicans to vote in favor of the resolution, stating on the House floor: `Killing Soleimani was the right decision, but engaging in another forever war in the Middle East would be the wrong decision.` Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced legislation that would block funding for offensive military force against Iran without congressional authorization. Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) is also seeking to repeal the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), which has been used repeatedly to justify war in the Middle East in the wake of 9/11. Lee was the only member of Congress to vote against the AUMF in 2001, criticizing it as a `blank check.`

Legislative outcome: H Con Res 83 Passed House 224-194-13 on 1/9/20; S J Res 68 passed Senate 55-45-0 on 2/13/20. Vetoed 5/6; Senate veto override failed 5/7/20.