State of Nebraska Archives: on Foreign Policy
Ben Sasse:
Healthy skepticism of foreign entanglements
We should approach national security with a healthy skepticism of foreign entanglements, only engaging when it is in our vital national interest.
Once the decision has been made to engage, we should act with overwhelming force to decimate our enemies.
Source: 2014 Senate campaign website, www.SasseForNebraska.com
Mar 18, 2014
Ben Sasse:
Unstinting advocate for American engagement in the world
I am an unstinting advocate for American engagement in the world, and I think the impulse to withdraw from America's important, longstanding commitments is a very bad thing.
U.S. global leadership is indispensable, not only for the security of America's friends and partners, but for protecting America's own interests.
When hell breaks loose on the other side of the world, it inevitably boomerangs home. When the United States doesn't lead, chaos inevitably follows.
If America continues to drift toward global disengagement, it will be sucked into all sorts of troubles that it can't envision right now.
Source: Texas National Security Review on 2020 Nebraska Senate race
Nov 30, 2018
Ben Sasse:
Putin leads a thugocracy; runs disinformation everywhere
Putin presides over a thugocracy, and the only reason he can keep his people down is by trying to keep the other kleptocrats satisfied and in power in their horrible agreement they have against the Russian people. And so, Russia runs disinformation
campaigns everywhere. The American electorate is going to need to learn, and the tech companies and the US intelligence community is going to need to do a better job of making clear to the American people how much disinformation is out there.
Source: Remarks at National Press Club on 2020 Nebraska Senate race
Oct 30, 2018
Chuck Herbster:
Israel needs us, so we will stand with them
[Press release]: "If it was London, Paris, Washington D.C., or Lincoln, President Joe Biden would not be dragging his feet. Israel is under attack in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, Ashkelon and more, yet President Biden remains hidden in the White House.
We need a Commander-in-Chief, not a cardboard cutout. Israel needs us, so we will stand with them."
Source: 2021 Governor campaign website HerbsterForNebraska.com
May 13, 2021
Deb Fischer:
Leadership & strong messages make the world safer
FISCHER: We need to have a strong administration who's going to make it clear [to Iran] that a line needs to be drawn. We have an administration that has sent mixed signals.
KERREY: It's not as simple as saying we're just going to go in there. I believe we've got to draw a line, but I think we've got to be very conscious of what it means when we do.
FISCHER: I would just reiterate that we need to have leadership here in this country when it comes to foreign policy. We haven't seen that in the last four years. And we're witnessing now the turmoil which
I believe is due in part to that. This world is not a safe place. It's become less safe. And if we don't have strong messages sent from Washington, it makes it even less safe.
Source: 2012 Nebraska Senate debate excerpts
Sep 28, 2012
Don Stenberg:
Strong support for traditional ally Israel
The four candidates participating in the debate expressed strong support for Israel and urged the United States to stand alongside its traditional ally in trying to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability.
There was far more agreement than disagreement, and no sudden confrontations, during the debate before about 150 in the Johnny Carson Theatre at Norfolk High School.
Source: Lincoln Journal Star on 2012 Nebraska Senate Debates
Apr 12, 2012
Jon Bruning:
Strong support for traditional ally Israel
The four candidates participating in the debate expressed strong support for Israel and urged the United States to stand alongside its traditional ally in trying to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability.
There was far more agreement than disagreement, and no sudden confrontations, during the debate before about 150 in the Johnny Carson Theatre at Norfolk High School.
Source: Lincoln Journal Star on 2012 Nebraska Senate Debates
Apr 11, 2012
Pat Flynn:
Strong support for traditional ally Israel
The four candidates participating in the debate expressed strong support for Israel and urged the United States to stand alongside its traditional ally in trying to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability.
There was far more agreement than disagreement, and no sudden confrontations, during the debate before about 150 in the Johnny Carson Theatre at Norfolk High School.
Source: Lincoln Journal Star on 2012 Nebraska Senate Debates
Apr 13, 2012
Scott Kleeb:
Stop genocide in Darfur
Stop genocide in Darfur: After six years of senseless violence that led to the deaths of roughly 400,000 Sudanese and the displacement of more than 2.5 million Darfurians, it is long past time to end the genocide in Darfur.
Scott Kleeb believes that ending the atrocities in Darfur is not just the Sudan's, or Africa's, problem, but the world's problem. The US should ensure that a multinational peacekeeping force can enter, and affect change, in Darfur.
Source: Campaign booklet, Nebraska's Brand of Change, p.53
Aug 19, 2008
Shane Osborn:
Economic sanctions against Russia to stem Ukrainian crisis
Osborn supports economic sanctions against Russia to stem the Ukrainian crisis. Osborn says the US needs to move to replace the energy Europe receives from Russia. "I think this is a good opportunity for us to start exporting our liquid natural gas,"
Osborn said. "The leverage the Russians have is that they can shut off the pipelines to many of these European countries."The energy ties Europe has to Russia hamper its ability to impose economic sanctions, according to Osborn. He says the US and
Europe need to cooperate on economic sanctions against Russia.
Osborn says this is no time to consider a military response, because economic sanctions should be enough to stem the aggression of Putin. "That's what we hope for. And I think it would hurt
Putin right away and it would be something that we need to take action for right now. Kick him out of the G8. Start sending clear signals. If he's worried about his financing going awry then he's going to probably make some different choices."
Source: Nebraska Radio Network on 2014 Nebraska Senate race
Mar 7, 2014
Peter Ricketts:
Need to keep putting pressure on Chinese Communist Party
Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts has declared July to be Victims of Communism Remembrance Month and is speaking out against the actions of communist regimes throughout history and the present. "We need to keep putting pressure on the
Chinese Communist Party to really play by international norms and to treat their people with respect the way we would expect countries who are part of the world community to behave."
Source: FOX News on 2024 Nebraska Senate race
Jul 7, 2021
Jim Pillen:
Keep enemies of our country from owning land in our state
With our water being the envy of the world, we cannot allow adversarial foreign interests the ability to take it. That is why I am partnering with Senator DeKay to modernize Nebraska's laws on land ownership to prohibit purchases by adversaries.
The bill rescinds exemptions for foreign ownership, such as foreign oil, gas and mineral development in the state. It is imperative to keep enemies of our country from owning land in our state, especially near sensitive military installations.
Source: 2024 State of the State Address to the Nebraska legislature
Jan 18, 2024
Dan Osborn:
US should do what it can to bring resolution in Middle East
Osborn has indicated support for conditions attached to military aid to Ukraine but not yet for Israel. "Hamas is a terrorist group and Dan thinks Israel's response was justified. At this point,
Dan is concerned about mounting casualties and thinks America should do whatever it can to assist in bringing about a resolution and resume the long, hard road to stability," a spokesperson for Osborn told the Prospect.
Source: American Prospect on 2024 Nebraska Senate race
Apr 25, 2024
Peter Ricketts:
Protect Ukraine from further aggression by Russia
Nebraska Sen. Pete Ricketts said President Trump is "unconventional" in how he approaches the negotiations. "But we are looking to make sure that we can do something that is going to protect Ukraine from further aggression by Russia in the future,"
Ricketts said. "And that's one of the things that's got to be on the table and what this agreement will be--whatever agreement gets done--will be judged by is does Ukraine have that guarantee going forward that Russia won't be attacking them?"
Source: Nebraska Public Media (NPR) on 2026 Nebraska Senate race
Feb 19, 2025
Page last updated: Feb 07, 2026