China

There is little doubt that the U.S. and China will play key roles in shaping international diplomacy and governance in the 21st century.  Since China’s emerging economic power joined the World Trade Organization in 2001, Chinese imports to the U.S. have skyrocketed and politicians and policymakers are showing heightened interest in the future of U.S.-Chinese affairs.  As China’s economy continues to boom, military capabilities expand, and relations with Taiwan remain an unsolved challenge, politicians on either side of the Atlantic are expressing alarm. 

Enticing China to become a responsible pillar of the global economic system will prove to be one of the greatest challenges of the coming decade.  With China’s claim to a huge portion of the U.S. national debt, continuing controversies over the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, and recent polling indicating that a majority of voters view China more as an adversary than an ally, Sens. McCain and Obama will have to provide firm policy ideas on how the US will approach China in the next few years.  Sen. John McCain brought China to the forefront of the foreign-policy debate by meeting with the Dalai Lama just two weeks before the start of the Beijing Olympics, and Senator Obama has spoken with the Dalai Lama twice in recent months.  Both candidates are trying to inoculate themselves from the criticism President Bush is likely to garner from human-rights activists by attending the Olympics’ Opening Ceremony.  As the presidential candidates work to sell their foreign policy agendas in the general election, the question will be whether the U.S. will pursue a more cooperative agenda with China during the next administration. Read More...

Iran
How to deal with Iran has been one of the most intensely discussed foreign policy elements in the current U.S. presidential campaign. While the Iranian government maintains its position that it has a right to a peaceful nuclear program and denies any intention to build a nuclear arsenal, experts in the U.S. and Europe question Tehran's true intentions. Both presidential candidates have expressed concern over the regime's anti-Israeli rhetoric, Iran's role in Iraq, and the regime's alleged support for groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. Following two failed rounds of UN economic sanctions, a series of military excersises in the region, Iran continues to be an issue that will shape each candidate’s foreign policy approach. 

After the U.S. National Intelligence Estimate on Iran was released in late 2007, concluding the country’s nuclear weapons program was halted in the fall of 2003, the candidates were forced to put forth clear policy ideas for handling Iran.  Senator Obama has called for direct talks with the Iranian regime; an option Senator McCain declared before AIPAC to be ineffective.  Obama insists he will leave the military option on the table but believes foremost in diplomatic efforts, ready to meet with leaders from Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba, and North Korea during the first year of his presidency.  Senator McCain proposes stiffer sanctions if Iran fails to yield to international appeals concerning its nuclear program.  McCain also says military force is an option, but he would consult with congressional leaders before taking action.

New missile testing in early July threw Iran even further into the forefront of the foreign policy debate.  Staking out their positions, both candidates pointed to sanctions as a way to pressure the country’s government.  McCain insisted that the reported tests prove Iran is a threat to the surrounding region and missile shields would be a worthwhile preventive measure.  Obama continued to highlight his plans to open direct diplomacy with Iran following the reports of missile testing. Read More...

Russia

The U.S. relationship with Russia is as complicated as ever, and the next U.S. President will have the added responsibility of navigating a new power structure in Russia.  The candidates' rhetoric in addressing Russia varies; both Democrats take a more conciliatory tone and discuss potential areas of cooperation, such as nuclear disarmament, while Senator McCain focuses heavily on finding a new approach towards a "revanchist Russia." All three candidates spoke out against the retreat of democratic values in the country following the May presidential election in the country. The candidates also address the need to work with Russia on issues including NATO expansion, energy security, Kosovo, and policy towards Iran.
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Trade

Senator Obama and Senator McCain have taken two very different positions when discussing the importance of international trade for the U.S. economy and U.S. workers. Senator Obama has been particularly critical of the North American Free Trade Agreement and has emphasized that agreements like this one do not benefit the average American citizen. In one of his campaign speeches he suggested that an amendment to the agreement is necessary in order to make it more favorable for American workers. Senator Obama also said that he will promote strong labor and environmental practices in future free trade agreements. Senator McCain on the other hand has shown almost unlimited support for bilateral, regional and multilateral trade agreements and has stressed their importance to broader U.S. foreign policy objectives. Trade issues relating to Europe, and in particular a transatlantic marketplace, have received less attention. However, McCain recently expressed interest in the possibility of a free trade agreement with Europe. The candidates have not taken an explicit stance on the current negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) but both of them generally showed support for strong multilateral financial and development institutions such as the World Bank and the WTO. Read More...

Climate Change

All three presidential candidates have addressed the issue of climate change and energy security and presented proposals that go beyond much of the Bush-administrations current policies. While some candidates have sponsored legislation on the issue, some policy proposals are more ambitious than others. Each candidate is in favor of a cap and trade system for the United States coupled with more ambitious emission reduction targets than is current U.S. policy. All candidates have addressed that climate change is a global problem requiring global solutions, and have generally pledged to work with "other countries" to address this challenge. While Europe is often cited as "leading the way" on this issue, very few explicit proposals have been made on how the U.S. and Europe can cooperate on the issue of climate change. Read More...

The presidential candidates have all discussed the need to reinforce NATO efforts in Afghanistan and the importance of success in Afghanistan to the alliance. All three candidates have called for more troops to be sent to Afghanistan; Senators McCain and Obama have said that European allies need to remove national caveats restricting where troops can be deployed, and Senators Clinton and Obama have suggested the United States need to commit more troops to efforts there. Both Democratic candidates believe the current administration’s focus on Iraq has distracted attention and diverted necessary resources from Afghanistan. Senator McCain disagrees with the assertion that the war in Iraq has strained NATO’s mission in Afghanistan. Read More...

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