Council on Foreign Relations: on War & Peace
Deval Patrick:
Our Generation Speaks: Israelis & Palestinians together
As governor, Patrick pushed for closer relations between Massachusetts and Israel. He visited Israel twice on trade delegations, meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, and founders of Israeli tech firms. He successfully implemented the first direct
flights between Tel Aviv & Boston and signed a $1 billion law to support joint US-Israel research exchanges. He is the founding chairman of Our Generation Speaks, a program that brings together Israelis & Palestinians in joint entrepreneurship projects.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2019 Democratic primary
Dec 24, 2019
Joe Walsh:
Withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan
Walsh criticizes Trump's approach to peace talks in Afghanistan, as well as the president's treatment of US defense allies. Walsh calls for the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, though while in Congress he supported a "surge" strategy of
additional troops, similar to the one carried out in Iraq during the Bush administration. He has criticized President Trump's negotiations with the Taliban, particularly the possibility of inviting Taliban representatives to the United States for talks.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential hopefuls
Dec 24, 2019
Mike Bloomberg:
Supports Israel's military response to Gaza rocket attacks
Bloomberg is a strong supporter of Israel, where he visited often as mayor. In 2014, he defended Israel's right to respond militarily to rocket attacks from Gaza and flew his private jet to the country to show solidarity after US regulators temporarily
barred commercial flights there. He backs a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He has denounced the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which seeks to punish Israel for its treatment of Palestinians, as "an outrage.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2019 Democratic primary
Dec 24, 2019
Mike Bloomberg:
Deep reservations that 2015 Iran nuclear deal wasn't enough
Bloomberg's views on the Middle East have focused on his ambivalence toward the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement. He expressed "deep reservations" about the
2015 Iran nuclear deal, saying that its restrictions on Tehran's nuclear program didn't go far enough and blaming the Obama administration for "smearing" the deal's critics.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2019 Democratic primary
Dec 24, 2019
Mike Bloomberg:
Supported 2003 Iraq War, as response to 9/11
Bloomberg supported the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, framing it as a response to the 9/11 attacks.
He later grew critical of the war, though he consistently opposed congressional attempts to put a timetable on the withdrawal of U.S. forces.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2019 Democratic primary
Dec 24, 2019
Mike Bloomberg:
No attractive military option against North Korean nukes
Bloomberg's brief comments on North Korea have focused on the need for strong U.S. alliances, which he says Trump has weakened. He says that dealing with a "rogue state" such as North Korea requires close relationships with other countries
in the region, and that Trump has undermined U.S. alliances. He says there is no "attractive" military option for responding to North Korea's nuclear program.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2019 Democratic primary
Dec 24, 2019
Tom Steyer:
Withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan
He promises to withdraw all U.S. troops from Afghanistan in his first year in office. He has identified space as an arena "in which we compete with adversaries" and promises to support air force efforts in space.He criticizes Trump's withdrawal from
the 2015 Iran nuclear agreement, arguing that it is increasing tensions in the region and pulling the US deeper into a "proxy war" in Syria. He opposed Trump's 2019 buildup of US troop levels in the Persian Gulf in the wake of increased tensions with Ira
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2019 Democratic primary
Dec 24, 2019
Tom Steyer:
Keep US troops in northern Syria
Steyer has been critical of U.S. support for Israel's security policies, especially its use of force in the Gaza Strip. He disagreed with Trump's decision to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which is opposed by Palestinians.
He condemned Trump's withdrawal of U.S. troops from northern Syria, arguing that the mission there to help the Kurds contain the self-proclaimed Islamic State was successful. He says Trump "sold out" the United States "for the benefit of Vladimir Putin."
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2019 Democratic primary
Dec 24, 2019
Susan Rice:
Fell short in Libya by failing to be engaged in aftermath
Where we fell short in Libya is that the United States working with NATO, working with Arab countries, working with the U.N., did not have sufficient focus and sustained involvement in the follow up in trying to see if we could enable the--or support
the Libyans in building a unitary country. It had never been anything but a one-man show. It didn't have the institutions of state. My critique of what we did on Libya is that we failed to be as engaged as we could have been in the aftermath.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 Veepstakes
Nov 14, 2019
Susan Rice:
Humanitarian crisis: sometimes intervene, sometimes not
What do you do in a humanitarian crisis? Humanitarian purposes can range from combating disease to intervening to try to topple a dictator or proximate threats to civilians. I think the answer in that case is each circumstance is different. Even though
I'd like to be able to think that we have the capacity to act in a manner consistent with our values and principles and save human lives where we can, my conclusion is sometimes we can, at an acceptable risk and cost, and sometimes we can't.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 Veepstakes
Nov 14, 2019
Bill Weld:
Unlimited military aid to Ukraine against Russian incursion
Q: What steps would you take to counter Russian aggression against Ukraine?A: Ukraine, while not a NATO member, is an EU partner and a treaty-recognized buffer zone between Russia and NATO. Ukraine has a sizeable population and economic zone whose
seizure would be a major first step toward reconstituting the old Soviet Union's borders and corresponding influence--for Putin, it is therefore a major opportunity if it could be seized intact. Conversely, Ukraine has shown itself willing to fight and
take losses in blood and treasure. Allowing Ukraine to fall would effectively "Finlandize" Europe, to the extent it has not already been. Accordingly, I would provide military aid to Ukraine--as much as was necessary. I would make it clear that if
the Ukrainians wanted to defend their territory, we would help, and further incursions would be costly. I would continue to hold exercises in Eastern Europe and look at ways to defend the Baltics.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential hopefuls
Oct 3, 2019
Bill Weld:
Supports Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution
Q: Do you support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and how would you achieve it?A: The question suggests outsiders can "solve" the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
I think it is up to the Israelis and Palestinians to come to an arrangement, and for us to support their efforts.
If there is a deal to be made that's acceptable to both, we should get behind it, but the timing for further negotiations is going to have to be driven by events and by the parties themselves.
Having said all that, I am personally very much in favor of a two-state solution, and I believe, as my friend Shimon Peres always maintained, that multi-state economic development projects and trade are the sinews of peace.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential hopefuls
Oct 3, 2019
Bill Weld:
Withdrawing from Iran nuke deal was a colossal blunder
Q: Would you rejoin the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [JCPOA, the Iranian nuclear deal by 7 countries and the EU]? What changes would you require before agreeing to rejoin the accord?A: I thought that Mr. Trump's withdrawal from the 2015
JCPOA was a colossal blunder. We had a ten-year period during which Iran would not advance its nuclear weapons program, and they were in compliance. I would rejoin the JCPOA without changes to the written agreement.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential hopefuls
Oct 3, 2019
Bill Weld:
Partial sanction relief for partial Korean denuclearization
Q: Would you sign an agreement with North Korea that entailed partial sanctions relief in exchange for some dismantling of its nuclear weapons program but not full denuclearization? A: "Partial" and "some" imply matters of degree, but yes, I think a
partial dismantling of North Korea's nuclear weapons program is a development worth promoting, and of course such an agreement might prove to be the first step to a fuller resolution.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential hopefuls
Oct 3, 2019
Joe Walsh:
Congress must have a say in military force overseas
On presidential war power: "On the matter of the military and use of force, our founders assigned to Congress the power to declare war and to support the military, as a means to ensure that the President could not abuse his role as Commander-in-Chief.
This balance reflects very practical logic: Through our elected representatives, we, the people, should have a say before we use military force overseas, imperil the lives of our men and women in uniform, and spend taxpayer money on expensive wars."
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential hopefuls
Oct 3, 2019
Marianne Williamson:
Rejoin Iran nuclear deal and increase diplomacy
I would rejoin the JCPOA [Iran's Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action]. After the deal, Iranian moderates gained popularity and fundamentalists lost power. This deal was intended as a first step toward improving relationships. The Supreme Leader and
hardliners opposed the deal. US withdrawal increases their popularity and justifies their mistrust of the US. I would increase diplomacy, decrease tensions, and transform relations to create a context to address human rights and other issues.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Aug 16, 2019
Marianne Williamson:
North Korea: Partial sanction relief for some disarming
Sanctions are a form of economic warfare with a high rate of failure. We can achieve superior outcomes with clear-eyed respect and steps towards thawing the ice. This could help improve our relationship with Kim Jong Un and de-escalate threats from
North Korea. Action might include partial sanctions relief in exchange for some serious dismantling of their nuclear weapons program, as steps towards de-escalation and improved relations.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Aug 16, 2019
Marianne Williamson:
Protection of women must be part of any Afghanistan deal
My concern has to do with the rights of women, towards whom the Taliban have been known for a history of brutality. When elected,
I will talk with the appropriate voices for women in Afghanistan and factor their protection and rights into all plans for withdrawal. The protection of women and women's rights must be part of any agreement.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Aug 16, 2019
Bill de Blasio:
Leave Afghanistan when a peace deal is in place
De Blasio has declined to join with most of his fellow progressive candidates in pledging to remove U.S. troops from Afghanistan. He thinks it is a war that has "gone on too long" and he hopes one day to remove all of our troops. But he thinks it is
unwise to commit to a troop withdrawal before a peace deal is in place. When a reporter pressed him to give a yes/no answer on an Afghanistan troop withdrawal, he replied, "Some things, I think you would agree, are not always a yes or a no."
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2019 Democratic primary
Aug 12, 2019
Bill de Blasio:
Opposes U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen
De Blasio opposes U.S. support for the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen. Back in March, he applauded the Senate's passage of a resolution that would have ended U.S. support, calling the intervention "brutal and immoral." More broadly, he wants
Congress to more vigorously exercise its war powers. "As president I would want the Congress to authorize major military actions because getting away from that has made it bluntly too easy for these kind of interventions to occur."
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2019 Democratic primary
Aug 12, 2019
Bill de Blasio:
Rejoin the multilateral Iran nuclear deal
De Blasio [agrees with] the other Democratic candidates in having supported the Iran nuclear deal [Obama's Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, negotiated jointly with 6 countries and the E.U.] He has committed to rejoining the deal if he becomes
president. He has also said that he sees "a purposeful march to war that some are trying to engineer in the Republican Party" and he worries that "at some point, Donald Trump will see it as a helpful distraction."
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2019 Democratic primary
Aug 12, 2019
Andrew Yang:
Leaving Iran deal was a massive strategic mistake
Leaving the JCPOA was a massive strategic mistake, and one that only served to increase the likelihood of armed conflict in the country. The American people have no desire for armed conflict with Iran, which would lead to another multi-decade engagement
that would spread throughout the region and have no clear benefit for the American people. We need to get Iran back in compliance with the limitations placed on them under the agreement on nuclear materials and enrichment capabilities.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Aug 9, 2019
Andrew Yang:
Need to accept incremental gains on N. Korea nukes
You can't find solutions to problems if you're not willing to talk. I would engage with North Korea without preconditions in order to find a path towards complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization.
We can't leave any options off the table, and we need to accept incremental gains in order to reach our eventual goal.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Aug 9, 2019
Andrew Yang:
Bring combat troops home from Afghanistan, but stay involved
I've signed the pledge to End the Forever Wars. We need to get our combat troops out of Afghanistan. By utilizing our diplomatic options, we can bring our troops home. However, we have to continue our involvement in order to ensure that the rights of
individuals--in particular, women and young girls--are protected, and that terrorist organizations can't reform within the borders. We can do this through helping the country to diversify its economy and maintaining diplomatic ties.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Aug 9, 2019
Joe Sestak:
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
Joe Sestak:
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
Joe Sestak:
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
Pete Buttigieg:
Rejoin Iran deal with 6 other countries
Walking away from the JCPOA [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action between Iran and 6 countries] was a strategic mistake. We didn't develop the deal as a favor to Iran; we did it because it was in our national security interest. I would revive P5+1
diplomacy and direct US-Iran dialogue to pursue follow-on agreements that extend the timeframe of certain nuclear restrictions, cover Iran's missile program, and address its role in regional conflicts, all in return for targeted sanctions relief.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
Pete Buttigieg:
N. Korea: Step-by-step process for peace & denuclearization
We have to accept that denuclearization will not happen overnight and will require a sustained, step-by-step approach spanning a significant number of years. I believe the most realistic way to get there is a framework for complete, verifiable
denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula that is comprehensive in scope, with steps on both fronts implemented step-by-step and in tandem.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
Seth Moulton:
Rejoin Iran nuclear deal; strengthen and extend it
The best and most durable way to prevent Iran from becoming nuclear-armed is through a diplomatic agreement with verification and monitoring, which we had before President Trump unilaterally withdrew from it. Our goal should be rejoining the
Iran deal and strengthening it, focused on extending the timelines for the specific provisions that have sunset clauses. We should also conclude separate agreements addressing issues such as ballistic missiles.
The longer-term goal should be to move Iran towards less belligerent behavior in the region, where Iran is not threatening our allies or our interests. Neither of these goals can be achieved by simply backing Iran into a corner with no escape.
We need to use sanctions, open a direct dialogue with Iran, and give them a path forward that does not include outright war.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
Seth Moulton:
Interim agreement with North Korea would be step forward
Given that North Korea has a progressing nuclear program, we must work toward an interim agreement that halts North Korea's program in exchange for limited sanctions relief. We don't yet know whether the North Koreans would agree to any deal that
dismantles their nuclear program in exchange for significant economic incentives. We need to test that proposition while halting Pyongyang's progress, and an interim agreement would do just that.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
Seth Moulton:
Provide lethal aid to Ukraine; strengthen NATO
The United States needs to hold Russia accountable for its ongoing aggression against Ukraine. We should do so by increasing sanctions to impose costs on the Russian government and by continuing to provide lethal aid to Ukraine. The actions we take must
also be part of a broader strategy to counter Moscow's malign behavior. That means strengthening NATO's military capabilities and modernizing it to counter cyberattacks with the same resolve we've used to stop tanks from rolling into Europ
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
Seth Moulton:
Work to be done in Afghanistan after bringing troops home
The goal is to bring our troops home from Afghanistan but when we do, to bring them home for good. That means keeping enough troops there long enough to execute on a narrowly defined, achievable counterterrorism mission. We should do this by maintaining
our counterterrorism capabilities, increasing our civilian support for the Afghan government through diplomacy and development, and staying engaged in the ongoing train and equip mission for the Afghan military as required.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 presidential primary
Jul 30, 2019
Stacey Abrams:
US should be judicious & careful with our use of military
The reality is that often the armed conflicts that we enter--not always--but there are some armed conflicts where it is about the protection of people's bodies. And we cannot diminish the importance of America leveraging its military might to
actually protect those communities that are at risk. I think we should always be judicious about and careful with our use of military might. War is a terrible, horrific thing.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2022 Georgia Governor race
May 10, 2019
Kamala Harris:
Opposes US support for Saudi military action in Yemen
Harris opposes U.S. support for the Saudi-led intervention in Yemen. She joined with 55 other senators to support a resolution to end all U.S. military actions in Yemen that aren't aimed at defeating al-Qaeda. Harris spelled out her reasoning
for opposing U.S. policy toward Yemen: "More than 10,000 people have been killed in this conflict that was not authorized by Congress. I believe we must reassert our constitutional authority to authorize war and conduct oversight."
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 candidates
Feb 11, 2019
Nikki Haley:
Peacekeeping forces should not be permanent
Q: Several times you talked about the idea of exit strategy. What is wrong with having open-missions with peacekeeping if it's basically doing a good job at a reasonable cost?HALEY: Because there should never be a time we don't want to lift up
countries. There should never be a time we don't want to make them more independent. If we're there all the time, all you're doing is creating dependence. So what we're looking at is you're going to see us wind down. But guess what? We're going to work
harder on those areas that truly don't have peace, those areas that are trying to get stability and can't get there.
If we are going into an area like South Sudan, there is a serious problem when we can't get food and medical equipment to those people
who need it. The reason we can't get it to them is not just because of extremists. It's because of their own government. When you've got that issue, we actually have to punish the government for not allowing us to bring in aid to those.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on Trump Cabinet
Mar 29, 2017
Joe Biden:
Don't trust Iran but they met initial conditions of deal
I think the deal is attractive as it is. We don't trust Iran at all. But Iran has met the front-end portion of the deal. Could there be a better deal? Yeah. I mean, the better deal was we could have them foreswear there's no circumstance in which
they could ever have peaceful nuclear power, et cetera. But to get from here to there is a difficult choice. I think the president did a hell of a job bringing together a coalition to get this done.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 candidates
Sep 21, 2016
Joe Biden:
Afghanistan must never again be haven for al Qaeda
We don't have to imagine what a failed state in Afghanistan could mean for America's security; we already know. Afghanistan must never again become a safe haven for al Qaeda. But just as important, if Afghanistan fails, Pakistan could follow, because
extremists will set their sights on a bigger prize to the east, not the west. While we win every single battle, we're not winning that war. I believe we're not winning the war because we have not made Afghanistan the priority it should have been.
Helping Afghanistan become self-sustaining is going to be a monumental task. It's going to take up to a decade, and more blood will be spilled and more treasure will be spent. But I think it's important to put this in perspective.
It's nothing, nothing, nothing compared to the blood and treasure we've already devoted to Iraq. And, notwithstanding that, it is much more doable than, I think, what we have done thus far in Iraq.
Source: Council on Foreign Relations on 2020 candidates
Feb 25, 2008
Condoleezza Rice:
We must keep our word & not abandon Iraqi people
If we abandon the Iraqi people, we will show reformers across the region that America cannot be trusted to keep its word. We will embolden the enemies of democratic reform. We will leave the makings of a failed state in Iraq like
Afghanistan in the 1990s and it could become a base of operation for terrorists yet again. And we should not assume for one minute that those terrorists will not come after us with renewed determination.
Source: Chicago Council on Foreign Relations on 4condi.com, “Issues”
Apr 19, 2006
Page last updated: Mar 16, 2022