Sen Clinton's Foreign Policy, Explained

Let's consider an analogy. Suppose it is a hot day. there are a bunch of kids in the back seat of a car being driven someplace by the parents. If the kids into a fuss, the solution is for them all to "cut it out" and "settle down." Democrats tend to look at foreign policy the same way. If two nations are squabbling, the solution is for them to "settle down." There is no point taking sides or assigning blame. They should just settle down.

Senators Kerry and Clinton see the relations between nations the same way. At the present time, the US, through Pres. Bush, is raising a ruckus and refusing to settle down like any well-behaved child. Senator Kerry is extremely embarrassed to be a representative of a nation that refuses to settle down. That is why he feels the need to apologize.

Similarly, consider Sen. Clinton's statement on Iraq policy:

We expect him to extricate our country from this before he leaves office. ....

I am going to level with you, the president has said this is going to be left to his successor. I think it is the height of irresponsibility and I really resent it.

So, you see, Bush is just causing trouble and he should stop ("settle down") before he leaves office. Some may think that foreign policy should consider issues such as the survival of democracy in Iraq or how to fight a proxy war in Iraq against Al Qaeda and Iranian insurgents. For Sen. Clinton, these are non-issues. (After all, if two kids in the car are fighting, neither is right even if both of them claim to be right.) In her view, Pres. Bush may think that it is his turn to make noise but, she thinks, he should stop when his turn is over.

Everything goes well in the back of the car when the kids simply obey the parent. So, in the Democratic mind, who is the parent? In foreign policy, the UN plays the role of "parent." Any kid (country) who wants to do something should, of course, first ask permission from the parent (the UN).