Joe Sestak in Council on Foreign Relations
On Energy & Oil:
Rejoin Paris Accord; US must restore global leadership
I will immediately move to re-join the Paris Climate Accord, and not only work to compel nations to meet their commitments but to increase them. It is absolutely imperative that we restore US global leadership in this critical multilateral effort so
that we can collectively disarm the catastrophic threat of climate change. We simply cannot do it alone: the United States can only achieve 15% of the required reduction of greenhouse gas emissions on our own before that time bomb explodes on us.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
On Energy & Oil:
Net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050; end coal exports
We must bring the world along with us as we strive to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. We can work to establish a date certain after which coal exports will be banned. We currently export 12% of all U.S. coal production,
so we are perpetuating the use of this major source of pollution and carbon emissions. This must be done in conjunction with the training for fossil fuel workers required to transition to the replacement manufacturing green energy jobs.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
On Foreign Policy:
Absence from leadership has let autocrats act with impunity
I want to restore U.S. leadership within a rules-based liberal world order that holds nations accountable for their behavior. We must regain our leadership of the values-based world order from which we have retreated. Our absence has permitted China,
Russia and emerging autocrats to act with impunity, with no concerns about consequences. We need to renew our commitment to multilateral action and the international institutions we built to establish and enforce global human rights standards.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
On Foreign Policy:
Work with allies to oppose Russian aggression in Ukraine
The territorial aggression of Russia must not be allowed to continue. This is a prime example of why US leadership of a rules-based global order is so important that also recognizes the value and need of allies for their equal contributions in different
ways. We need new leadership here at home in order to re-establish that the United States is committed to democracy's values, and that we will not turn our backs on democratic countries under threat from autocrats like Vladimir Putin.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
On Foreign Policy:
Join with allies to compel improved behavior by Saudis
For decades the United States considered Saudi Arabia our closest ally in the Arab world, even though this meant turning a blind eye to their egregious human rights record, including abhorrent treatment of women. Saudi Arabia has made clear that its
incoming leader will fail to have the values necessary to change the nation's illiberal behavior. We must work within and in leadership of a global concord to compel behavior by the Saudis that moves it toward a rules-based world order.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
On Foreign Policy:
Support 2-state solution; return embassy to Tel Aviv
We must maintain our steadfast support of Israel, but we must also work much harder to deal fairly with the Palestinians. This means returning our embassy from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, because it has always been accepted that this would be part of a
two-state solution, not a unilateral decision. At the same time we must deal with the bias against Israel in key United Nations organizations and make clear that our support for Israel as a democratic homeland for the Jewish people is sacrosanct.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
On Foreign Policy:
Can't risk losing influence in Africa to China
Africa will be a powerhouse soon, and Africans will remember who was there for them. We must double down on meeting the continent's needs--from addressing poverty and infrastructure to developmental aid and education--or we risk losing influence in
Africa to China and other countries not aligned with our values. We must also offer much more economic, financial and diplomatic support to the developing economies of Africa, and incentivize US companies to get engaged in fair, just ways.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
On Free Trade:
Mistake to withdraw from TPP: creates opening for China
Q: Would you support the US joining the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), formerly the Trans-Pacific Partnership?SESTAK: I believe we lost an important opportunity to shape the future of
global trade when we withdrew our involvement from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.
While that trade agreement was far from perfect, it gave us the chance to set the rules of engagement across a critically important region, within a framework that does not include China.
Our withdrawal sent a worrying signal to our regional friends and allies. In the absence of US global leadership, China will inevitably fill the vacuum.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
On War & Peace:
Leaving Iran deal saps credibility in future negotiations
[Obama's Iran nuclear] deal was good enough to be supported by all of our European allies, along with Russia and China, and Iran itself. Iran was abiding by its terms. If the deal had been given the chance to hold for the full decade, it would have
created a reservoir of goodwill between Iran and the world that would be the basis for the next agreement. Our leaving not only destroyed a carefully crafted international agreement, it sapped our credibility in negotiations with other countries.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
On War & Peace:
North Korean denuclearization will be incremental
We must maintain the goal of complete denuclearization, but that does not mean I think we will be able to quickly reach an agreement. Negotiations will likely lead to some sort of preliminary agreement involving partial sanctions relief in exchange
for some dismantling of the North's nuclear weapons program. The eventual success of that initial deal should lay the groundwork for total denuclearization, along with some improvements to North Korea's human rights standards.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
On War & Peace:
Withdraw from Afghanistan, after achieving stability
I would commit to the full withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan by the end of my first term but with a plan--and milestones to measure progress--to actually achieve the goal of stability and good governance that is so needed. We must continue
taking the fight to the Taliban in order to compel a final peace settlement with them and with the Afghan government that brings not just stability, but a chance for real human rights standards--particularly for Afghan women--to take firm root.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
Page last updated: Mar 16, 2022