Rev. Jesse Jackson on Foreign Policy

	Rev. Jesse Jackson on Foreign Policy Civil Rights Activist

Reduce Zionist influence in American foreign policy

Jesse Jackson, speaking before a World Policy Forum in France, suggested that an Obama presidency would put an end to excessive "Zionist" influence in American foreign policy. In a subsequent "clarification," Jackson repudiated the column and confirmed that he "has never had a conversation with Sen. Obama about Israel or the Middle East."

Obama's camp was again forces to issue a strong denial: "Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. is not an adviser to the Obama campaign and is therefore in no position to interpret or share Barack Obama's views on Israel and foreign policy. As he has made clear throughout his career and throughout this campaign, Barack Obama has a fundamental commitment to a strong U.S.-Israel relationship, and he is advised by people like Dennis Ross, Daniel Kurtzer, Rep. Robert Wexler, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, and Senator Joe Biden who share that commitment."

Source: What Obama Means, by Jabari Asim, p.200-202 , Jan 20, 2009

Mexico NOT a backdoor, it’s NEXT door with huge potential

We need a hemispheric vision. Mexico is not a foreign nation. In reality, Mexico is not a backdoor; it is next-door. It is a partner with enormous potential. Mexico purchases $250 billion a year in US products, more than five European countries combined. We share 2,000 miles of border with Mexico. One million people cross the border each day, a thousand deported every day; most telephone traffic between the US and Mexico of anyplace in the world. Mexico is our next-door neighbor. Source: 2005 Take Back America Conference , Jun 3, 2005

Attended inauguration of South African Pres. Nelson Mandela

Fifty thousand people attended Nelson Mandela's inauguration, a spectacle of celebration, release and vindication. Everyone marveled at the orderly transfer of power in a country that had been so ravaged by racist fear and hatred. Colin Powell, a member of our delegation, was moved to tears during the flyover of jets from the South Africa Defense Force. Their contrails streaked across the sky, tinted with the red, black, green, blue, white and gold colors of the new national flag. A few years earlier, the same jets were a powerful symbol of apartheid's military power; now there were dipping their wings to honor their new black commander in chief.

Mandela's speech denounced discrimination on the basis of race and gender, two profoundly embedded prejudices in Africa and most of the rest of the world. As we were leaving the ceremony, I saw the Rev. Jesse Jackson weeping with joy. He leaned over and said to me, "Did you ever think any of us would live to see this day?"

Source: Living History, by Hillary Rodham Clinton, p. 234 , Nov 1, 2003

Support dialog in Mideast; fight for democracy around world

Long before national health care, a war on drugs, dialogue with the Soviet Union and negotiations with the Middle East were popular positions, Reverend Jackson advocated them. By virtue of Reverend Jackson’s advocacy, South African apartheid and the fight for democracy in Haiti came to the forefront of the national conscience. Source: [X-ref Drugs] Rainbow Push web site , Dec 25, 2000

Time to invest in US like we invest in developing countries

In May 1999 Clinton & Gore announced a new program that would make giant strides in empowering America’s underserved communities. It’s called the New Markets Initiative and is designed to encourage private investment in inner-city and rural areas. Among other features, the plan would set up America’s Private Investment Companies (APICs), which would leverage up to $1.5 billion in investments in new businesses. APICs are modeled on the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, which the US has successfully used to help promote growth in emerging overseas markets. For years our country has encouraged private business to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in developing nations such as Thailand, Indonesia, & the Philippines. It’s high time we did the same here at home, right in our own backyards, where the potential market is bigger and there is no political risk. Source: It’s About the Money!, p.225-6 , Jul 2, 1999

Let Europe & Japan share more of defense burden

Where is the money coming from to reinvest in America, when we are spending $40 billion a year defending S. Korea from N. Korea 40 years after the war? Why are we spending $1.5 trillion defending Europe and Japan from Russia, while Europe and Japan are not subsidizing Russia? Let Europe and Japan share more of the burden of their own defense. They have stable economies now. There is no military threat coming from Russia. They can afford it, and we need the money to reinvest in our own country. Source: United We Stand America Conference, p.129 , Aug 12, 1995

Mutual respect over gunboat diplomacy

Our foreign policy must be characterized by mutual respect, not by gunboat diplomacy, big stick diplomacy and threats. Our Nation at its best feeds the hungry. Our Nation at its worst, will mine the harbors of Nicaragua; at its worst will try to overthrow their government, at its worst will cut aid to American education and increase the aid to El Salvador; at its worst, our Nation will have partnership with South Africa. That is a moral disgrace. Source: Address to the Democratic Convention , Jul 17, 1984

Appeal to Chinese morality; apologize when needed

Jesse Jackson has offered to go to China to work for the release of 24 US servicemen. “If a delegation appealing to the Chinese directly would help, we’d be willing,” Jackson said. “We’ve done it before, and each time we were successful.”

Jackson said he was not criticizing President Bush’s efforts, but pointed to international disputes he has successfully mediated, including helping free Americans in Syria, Iraq and Yugoslavia. “In each instance, we had to make a moral appeal,” Jackson said. “You do it in a way that does honor to our country. Religious people can be a bridge.“

Jackson said he would not interfere with US diplomatic efforts, but added that he thought the US should apologize for the collision of a US spy plane and a Chinese fighter that led to the present standoff between the two countries. ”I think our government should say: ‘If we have violated you in any way, it was not intentional and we apologize,“‘ Jackson said. ”Getting Americans home is worth expressing an apology.“

Source: CNN.com , Apr 10, 2001

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