THREAD: 1/ In response to Trump’s incoherent rant at the UN, Democrats need to rally around a progressive foreign policy that transforms our national security toolkit to meet the new global threats. Some elements:
2/ End our reliance on our military to solve inherently political problems overseas. We keep sending troops to the Middle East and wonder why thugs getting worse. Military restraint IS a policy.
3/ Massively scale up on non-military tools. For instance, new programs to fight Russian and extremist propaganda; robust energy independence fund for our allies; huge anti-corruption partnerships with developing democracies.
4/ Demand congressional authorization for all overseas military engagements. Pull funding if a President - R or D - insists on making war without congressional consent.
5/ End military sales to corrupt regimes overseas. Its not that we shouldn’t talk w despots, but we don’t need to prop them up with arms that often are used to killl civilians or end up in the hands of bad people.
6/ Invest in democracy abroad. Don’t be so afraid to support civil society in autocratic states, and pump up support for fledgling democracies. Don’t overpromise like we did in Egypt - but don’t be scared of pushing self determination.
7/ Curtail secret wars. CIA/NSA should be in the biz of intelligence, not covert war making. Drone strikes are perfect example of a practice that makes us feel good, but w/o public scrutiny, often creates more enemies than it kills.
8/ A lot more to say here, but let’s have a robust debate amongst progressives about how we can be for more than just reflexive opposition to Trump’s nonsensical withdrawal from the world.
