State of Kansas Archives: on War & Peace

Dave Lindstrom: Iran is the leading state sponsor of terrorism in the world

The U.S. must not support the creation of a new state where terrorism is financially incentivized. President Trump signed into law the Taylor Force Act in 2018, a bill that stops U.S. economic aid to the Palestinian Authority until they cease paying stipends through the Palestinian Authority Martyr's Fund to individuals who commit acts of terrorism and to the families of deceased terrorists. I support this legislation. This decisive action will help bring an end to senseless killing.

Dave Lindstrom: Measure military success with clearly articulable goals

Ron Estes: Take the fight to ISIS and exit the disastrous Iran deal

Roger Marshall: Apply "peace through strength" to fight terrorism

Roger Marshall believes in Reagan's "Peace through Strength" approach and is opposed to military actions without a clear, obtainable objective.

Patrick Wiesner: Protection of Iraqi oil reserves is a vital US interest

WIESNER: A bedrock value of Americans is that we help our allies. Iraq is an ally and now needs our help. Protection of their oil reserves is a vital interest. We first must recognize that we cannot expect that country to function as a democracy. They, historically, don't chose leaders by elections. Neither will they develop a western style free-market economy. The Middle East way of doing business is different than ours. The United States cannot let the terrorist ISIS army march into Iraq and seize the oil fields. If ISIS takes control of these fields, they will use that oil wealth to promote violence against us and our allies. I support use of our military to defeat ISIS wherever they are including in Syria, Libya, or Iraq.

Patrick Wiesner: It's up to the US to completely defeat ISIS

WIESNER: Complete defeat of ISIS is necessary. Syria, Libya, Iraq, and Afghanistan, don't have economies strong enough to pay for the military and police forces required to control ISIS while at the same time providing for the needs of their own people. So it's up [to] the United States to stop ISIS; no other nations have this capability. After our troops give us victory, they can come home for good.

Randall Batson: Strongly supports staying out of Iran

A: Strongly Support.

Chad Taylor: Sanctions on Iran are working; no further military action

A: Our foreign policy needs to be strong and firm. The first priority is safety and security, and that follows from being consistent and firm. The US cannot waffle back and forth.

Q: What does that mean specifically for Iran?

A: We should keep the current stringent sanctions because they appear to be working. Further military action is not currently needed.

Chad Taylor: Air patrols on Syria ok; no deeper involvement

A: As with Iran, our Syria policy is that the US needs to be consistent and firm. Getting involved in the Syria situation has not proven to provide any dividends. Any deeper US involvement would constitute an act of war. Patrolling by air, as we currently do, is ok; the current sanctions are ok; but consistency is the most important policy.

Jim Slattery: Roberts delayed prewar intelligence to justify war in Iraq

Roberts said Slattery’s charges are inaccurate: “Since it’s not accurate and he knows it, it’s not responsible.”

Experts in national defense and foreign policy think Slattery makes a valid point, although they question a second charge that Roberts failed to inform the American people prior to the war in 2003 that Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had no role in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

Pat Roberts: I led exposure of pre-Iraq war intelligence failures

Roberts stands by the committee’s work and its reforms of the intelligence network. “We had an egregious intelligence failure in the United States, and it was worldwide... and the reason now that my opponent even knows that there was bad intelligence and America knows it and everybody knows it... was because of the work that I led,” he said.

Roberts’ panel finished its work in June, long after interest faded and even 18 months after Democrats seized control of the Senate. Many think the committee dragged its feet.

Jim Slattery: Roberts should have known Iraq intelligence was inaccurate

Pat Roberts: Whole world believed Iraq intelligence was accurate

Kris Kobach: Keep US troops in Iraq; pay for it with Iraqi oil

A: Yes.

Q: Should the United States support the creation of a Palestinian state?

A: Yes. ONLY if Israel is satisfied that the state would not threaten its security.

Q: Should the United States withdraw its troops from Iraq?

A: No. The United States must maintain a military presence in Iraq until adequate stability is achieved. Revenue from the sale of Iraq's oil should be used to pay for reconstruction efforts.

Q: Should the United States use diplomatic and economic pressure to encourage North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program?

A: Yes.

Q: Should the United States use military force to destroy the North Korean nuclear weapons program?

A: No.

Q: Should the United States remove the North Korean government from power?

A: Undecided.