Foreign
Foreign Policy
Just War
War is a dangerous tool that can only be used in the correct circumstances. Failure to use war correctly leads directly to useless suffering and death, the destruction of cultures and heritage, permanently damaged international relations, and an overall loss of respect for the belligerents in the international community. In order to conduct a safe foreign policy, we must only use military force in special circumstances.
Just War theory is the safest and fairest criteria for waging military conflicts. Just War theory (according to Wikipedia) puts forth these requirements which must be met before a conflict is initiated:
Just War theory is the safest and fairest criteria for waging military conflicts. Just War theory (according to Wikipedia) puts forth these requirements which must be met before a conflict is initiated:
- Just cause: The reason for going to war needs to be just and cannot therefore be solely for recapturing things taken or punishing people who have done wrong; innocent life must be in imminent danger and intervention must be to protect life.
- Comparative justice: While there may be rights and wrongs on all sides of a conflict, to overcome the presumption against the use of force, the injustice suffered by one party must significantly outweigh that suffered by the other.
- Competent authority: Only duly constituted public authorities may wage war. A just war must be initiated by a political authority within a political system that allows distinctions of justice.
- Right intention: Force may be used only in a truly just cause and solely for that purpose—correcting a suffered wrong is considered a right intention, while material gain or maintaining economies is not.
- Probability of success: Arms may not be used in a futile cause or in a case where disproportionate measures are required to achieve success;
- Last resort: Force may be used only after all peaceful and viable alternatives have been seriously tried and exhausted or are clearly not practical.
- Proportionality: The anticipated benefits of waging a war must be proportionate to its expected evils or harms.
Content by /u/lsma
Foreign Aid
Foreign aid is a useful tool for building solidarity with poorer nations, lifting people out of poverty, and promoting democracy (indeed, several studies have shown foreign aid lowers corruption and increases democratic tendencies). However, it should not be a steady stream of resources (e.g. rice and clothing) to make other nations dependent on us, but rather assistance in building the nation so that it can become independent of aid.
We support current levels of foreign aid spending, but we also support eliminating military aid and re-appropriating those funds for economic foreign aid. This would include supplying developing nations with resources and funds to dig wells to ensure access to clean water, seeds and equipment to have adequate farming and combat hunger, medical equipment and training of the local populace to setup indigenous medical facilities, and the tools and means to build basic infrastructure like roads from a remote village to a more central city. We further endorse grassroots NGOs, which deliver these same services to developing countries, recognizing the importance of private charity and loving international neighbors. To end this cycle of dependency, we should also be willing to forgive developing nations of their debts we hold.
We support current levels of foreign aid spending, but we also support eliminating military aid and re-appropriating those funds for economic foreign aid. This would include supplying developing nations with resources and funds to dig wells to ensure access to clean water, seeds and equipment to have adequate farming and combat hunger, medical equipment and training of the local populace to setup indigenous medical facilities, and the tools and means to build basic infrastructure like roads from a remote village to a more central city. We further endorse grassroots NGOs, which deliver these same services to developing countries, recognizing the importance of private charity and loving international neighbors. To end this cycle of dependency, we should also be willing to forgive developing nations of their debts we hold.
Content by /u/MoralLesson
United Nations
The United Nations presents the world with a useful forum for discussing global issues. However, it attempts to centralize too much activity, which should rightfully belong to states, and thus renders itself ineffective in many areas. Its major focuses should be on preventing international conflict, and acting as a medium for international environmental efforts, a support system for non-governmental organizations, a coordinating body for rules on international aviation and shipping and whatnot, and as a body to help stop the spread of epidemics and pandemics across national boundaries (while coordinating assistance to the effected nations).
We support a reform to the United Nations Security Council that would increase the number of permanent Security Council members from five to ten, adding Germany, Japan, Brazil, India, and South Africa. We support the reformation of the Security Council veto power to require that two of these ten permanent members acting together are necessary to use it. We further support increasing the total number of members on the Security Council from fifteen to twenty-five.
We support a reform to the United Nations Security Council that would increase the number of permanent Security Council members from five to ten, adding Germany, Japan, Brazil, India, and South Africa. We support the reformation of the Security Council veto power to require that two of these ten permanent members acting together are necessary to use it. We further support increasing the total number of members on the Security Council from fifteen to twenty-five.
Content by /u/MoralLesson
Right to Self Determination
In holding to our principles of subsidiarity, we believe all peoples have the right to self-determination and will support their legitimate causes for independence.
We support an independent Kosovo, and will work towards reconciliation between Serbia and Kosovo so that the recognition of Kosovo may be universal. We support the entry of Kosovo into the United Nations and its rights as a sovereign nation.
We support a policy of self-determination for the Kurdish people. Should they desire an independent state, we support American diplomatic efforts in negotiating with the Turkish, Iraqi, and Syrian governments to make this choice a reality after the current crises in Iraq and Syria have been resolved.
We acknowledge the legitimacy of both Israel and Palestine, and we seek to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, possibly with some lands falling into international or joint care. We believe it is possible for either a two-state (a separate Israel and Palestine) or three-state (diving Palestine between Egypt, Jordan, and Syria) solution to be effective in the region.
We support an independent Kosovo, and will work towards reconciliation between Serbia and Kosovo so that the recognition of Kosovo may be universal. We support the entry of Kosovo into the United Nations and its rights as a sovereign nation.
We support a policy of self-determination for the Kurdish people. Should they desire an independent state, we support American diplomatic efforts in negotiating with the Turkish, Iraqi, and Syrian governments to make this choice a reality after the current crises in Iraq and Syria have been resolved.
We acknowledge the legitimacy of both Israel and Palestine, and we seek to find a peaceful solution to the conflict, possibly with some lands falling into international or joint care. We believe it is possible for either a two-state (a separate Israel and Palestine) or three-state (diving Palestine between Egypt, Jordan, and Syria) solution to be effective in the region.
Content by /u/MoralLesson
Human Trafficking
We must be vigilant against human bondage in whatever form it appears. We will use the full force of the law against those who engage in modern-day forms of slavery, including the commercial sexual exploitation of children and the forced labor of men, women, and children.
We support granting asylum to any person who was a victim of human trafficking, extending that same protection to their families when they are in fear of retaliation against them by their traffickers. We support strong and immediate cooperation with the international community and organizations to identify major hotspots of human trafficking and devise the most effective remedies to free the victims of trafficking, while bringing their traffickers to justice.
We must be vigilant against human bondage in whatever form it appears. We will use the full force of the law against those who engage in modern-day forms of slavery, including the commercial sexual exploitation of children and the forced labor of men, women, and children.
We support granting asylum to any person who was a victim of human trafficking, extending that same protection to their families when they are in fear of retaliation against them by their traffickers. We support strong and immediate cooperation with the international community and organizations to identify major hotspots of human trafficking and devise the most effective remedies to free the victims of trafficking, while bringing their traffickers to justice.
Content by /u/MoralLesson
International Trade and Cooperation
We acknowledge the benefits of international trade in terms of economic growth, propensities for peace, and in connecting distant nations. However, trade should not be focused on economic profit but on the good of humanity, and thus any trade agreement ought to include provisions for the environment, for local business and worker rights, and for some deference to local governments.
In the light of these principles, we support re-negotiating free trade agreements into fair trade agreements. We support lifting the embargoes and travel restrictions against Cuba and Burma. We support renegotiating international intellectual property treaties to prevent their harsh rules from stifling innovation.
We desire to make China a good trade partner and friend. However, we need to make China play by the rules and play on a level playing field with the United States. We support trade complaints against China to protect American workers and business from unfair practices. We support declaring China to be a currency manipulator in order to usher in countervailing tariffs, which are unlikely to cause a trade war because of our massive trade deficit to China. We support diplomatic measures and WTO cases to prevent China from stealing our intellectual property, trade secrets, and products, and to stop China from imitating and fraudulently producing our products and brands. We support putting strong international and diplomatic pressures on the Chinese government for it to recognize a free Tibet, for it to stop its human rights violations and move towards democracy, and for it to recognize Taiwan as an independent nation and either work with it towards reunification or work with it as a sovereign nation worthy of respect.
We support more cooperation with the nations of the Americas, including stopping the drug cartels that are disrupting the peace of so many Latin American countries and infesting the U.S. with hard drugs like cocaine and heroin, working together to build stronger economies, and working together for more unity in international diplomacy. The United States can learn so much from our southern neighbors, and we strongly believe that we too often, as a nation, overlook the great nations in our own hemisphere.
We support restoring the privacy of travelers in airports – both to better facilitate international travel and to cease infringing upon basic rights. The American people have already delivered their verdict on the Transportation Security Administration: its procedures – and much of its personnel – need to be changed. It is now a massive bureaucracy of 65,000 employees who seem to be accountable to no one for the way they treat travelers. We support removing invasive airport security measures, including body scanners and invasive pat down procedures, and replacing them with an increased number of federal air marshals on flights and explosive detecting canines. We support policies of questioning over policies of invasive search, holding firm to the belief that those who may threaten us only win when they can get us to give up essential liberties for temporary safety.
In the light of these principles, we support re-negotiating free trade agreements into fair trade agreements. We support lifting the embargoes and travel restrictions against Cuba and Burma. We support renegotiating international intellectual property treaties to prevent their harsh rules from stifling innovation.
We desire to make China a good trade partner and friend. However, we need to make China play by the rules and play on a level playing field with the United States. We support trade complaints against China to protect American workers and business from unfair practices. We support declaring China to be a currency manipulator in order to usher in countervailing tariffs, which are unlikely to cause a trade war because of our massive trade deficit to China. We support diplomatic measures and WTO cases to prevent China from stealing our intellectual property, trade secrets, and products, and to stop China from imitating and fraudulently producing our products and brands. We support putting strong international and diplomatic pressures on the Chinese government for it to recognize a free Tibet, for it to stop its human rights violations and move towards democracy, and for it to recognize Taiwan as an independent nation and either work with it towards reunification or work with it as a sovereign nation worthy of respect.
We support more cooperation with the nations of the Americas, including stopping the drug cartels that are disrupting the peace of so many Latin American countries and infesting the U.S. with hard drugs like cocaine and heroin, working together to build stronger economies, and working together for more unity in international diplomacy. The United States can learn so much from our southern neighbors, and we strongly believe that we too often, as a nation, overlook the great nations in our own hemisphere.
We support restoring the privacy of travelers in airports – both to better facilitate international travel and to cease infringing upon basic rights. The American people have already delivered their verdict on the Transportation Security Administration: its procedures – and much of its personnel – need to be changed. It is now a massive bureaucracy of 65,000 employees who seem to be accountable to no one for the way they treat travelers. We support removing invasive airport security measures, including body scanners and invasive pat down procedures, and replacing them with an increased number of federal air marshals on flights and explosive detecting canines. We support policies of questioning over policies of invasive search, holding firm to the belief that those who may threaten us only win when they can get us to give up essential liberties for temporary safety.
Content by /u/MoralLesson
International Arms
We believe diplomacy is the best means towards reducing arms and the potential for armed conflict in the world. This includes the mutual cooperation among nations of reducing stockpiles of dangerous weapons and in lowering the size of their armed forces.
We support the United States signing onto and ratification of the Toronto treaty banning the production, stockpiling, use and sale of land mines, and assisting other nations in unearthing and disabling land mines buried in their lands.
We support negotiations between the various powers of the world to reduce the number of naval vessels, military aircraft, and armed forces present across the world. We support reducing the number of overseas military bases operated by the United States. Militarization eats away at budgets better used for the welfare of nations and promotes involvement in conflicts.
We believe the United States must cease using drone attacks in other nations without their permission or specific authorization from Congress. Drone strikes and bombing raids are acts of war and should be seen as such. We also oppose the torture of prisoners of war, and those whom we capture who are accused of terrorism either deserve the full combatant protections of the Geneva Conventions or the full protections afforded to those accused of crimes under the Constitution. We support the closure and demolition of Guantanamo Bay prison and the return of the land to Cuba.
We believe diplomacy is the best means towards reducing arms and the potential for armed conflict in the world. This includes the mutual cooperation among nations of reducing stockpiles of dangerous weapons and in lowering the size of their armed forces.
We support the United States signing onto and ratification of the Toronto treaty banning the production, stockpiling, use and sale of land mines, and assisting other nations in unearthing and disabling land mines buried in their lands.
We support negotiations between the various powers of the world to reduce the number of naval vessels, military aircraft, and armed forces present across the world. We support reducing the number of overseas military bases operated by the United States. Militarization eats away at budgets better used for the welfare of nations and promotes involvement in conflicts.
We believe the United States must cease using drone attacks in other nations without their permission or specific authorization from Congress. Drone strikes and bombing raids are acts of war and should be seen as such. We also oppose the torture of prisoners of war, and those whom we capture who are accused of terrorism either deserve the full combatant protections of the Geneva Conventions or the full protections afforded to those accused of crimes under the Constitution. We support the closure and demolition of Guantanamo Bay prison and the return of the land to Cuba.
Revised May 2016 by /u/rexbarbarorum
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