Vox: Bernie Sanders wants world peace and prosperity. But he has no idea how to get there.

[TomCADem]

Here is nice analysis of Bernie's foreign policy speech. It raises a good point about how Bernie papers over how President Obama looked the other way with respect to Saudi Arabia's war with Yemen (which Trump has gave full throated support for) in order to gain Saudi Arabia's support for the Iran nuclear deal. One does not happen without the other. Of course, Trump is about give it away all for free by strongly siding with Saudi Arabia while also blowing up the Iran deal.

However, the article also ignores how Bernie appears to be trying to back away from his prior anti-globalism stances regarding both trade and immigration. My take is that Bernie is being opportunistic again since it hard to be even more anti-globalist than Trump, plus Trump is suddenly making international deals and cooperation look popular again. Bernie barely mentions trade even though denouncing trade deals was once his calling card. To the contrary, Bernie says that the U.S. has largely benefited from such deals!

https://www.vox.com/world/2017/9/21/16345600/bernie-sanders-full-text-transcript-foreign-policy-speech-westminster

If anything, just as Bernie tried to portray himself as an anti-globalist in response to an Obama presidency that was fully invested in international deals, Bernie is now suddenly singing the praises of international engagement in response to a Trump presidency.

I think this is a good thing, because I thought that Bernie's prior anti-globalist tirades seemed to flirt with xenophobia. So, it is nice to see Bernie back away from such ideals even though it seems that he is simply retreating to ground previously occupied by President Obama.

https://www.vox.com/world/2017/9/21/16345602/bernie-sanders-foreign-policy-speech-westminster

Yet he decries both full-scale US military intervention and the use of drone strikes and other airstrikes to kill terrorists around the world. That’s all well and good, but then how does he plan to address the threat — both to the US directly and to the security, stability, and prosperity of people around the world — from groups like ISIS and al-Qaeda, if not by some combination of military intervention or drone and airstrikes?

Does he have an alternative idea of how to approach the threat from international terrorist groups, beyond the vague notion that if everyone is happy and prosperous, terrorism will automatically disappear? If he does, he failed to share it with the rest of us during his speech.

Similarly, while Sanders sang the praises of the Iran nuclear deal and encouraged Trump not to pull the US out of it — which would essentially destroy the deal — he never mentions the very real concerns the Trump administration and many of the deal’s supporters and detractors have raised about Iran’s other dangerous and destabilizing actions, such as its support for terrorist groups and sectarian militias throughout the Middle East, its atrocious human rights record at home, and its continued testing of ballistic missiles.

And while he rightly slams the US for supporting Saudi Arabia in its disastrous war in Yemen, he fails to acknowledge that the Obama administration gave that support in the first place in order to convince Saudi Arabia to support the Iran nuclear deal and to do more to help fight ISIS in Syria.

[Hoyt]

1. Some of his positions on trade were downright Nationalistic and guaranteed to hurt global relations.

He, or rather his supporters, talked of foreign workers as if they were merely scabs depressing US wages. They got their way with trade with Trump. We'll see how that plays out

I do agree with his position on military spending in USA, education, Medicare-for-All long term (his timing was a little off with recent ACA repeal efforts, but don't think he did that purposely), need for substantial increase in minimum wage, etc.

[dogman]

2. I don't know, but fighting anti-terrorism by siding with Saudi Arabia seems counterintuitive.

The 911 hijackers were citizens of, and financed by Saudi Arabia. Follow the money seems like it's still relevant.

[Tavarious Jackson]

3. I wish I knew what his foreign policy vision is.

He talks about fair trade but it feels to me that he would not like any trade deal. Trade is not only about trade, it's also about communing, diplomacy, having allies. Does fair trade mean no trade to some people? Fair trade feels like America first the way some people have bashed every trade deal. Every trade deal has compromises. Every trade deal is a give and take. It's impossible to be 100% happy with a trade deal. Trade gives us say in the world and a seat at the table. I don't understand this anti-globalist stuff. We have been globalist since world war 2. The rise of another Hitler is a real threat... just look at what is happening with the massive effort to dismantle the EU, NATO and the UN. I have noticed his opinion about globalism has changed since the campaign, I just want to know what were his motives for his change. I would like to hear some detailed policy from Bernie on foreign policy. Regarding Russia, I remember him saying democrats need to focus on a message for the working class. while that is true.. without addressing what Russia did aggressively we may lose our democratic values all together. It's not hyperbole. Look at Brexit. the Ukraine, elections in Kenya.. the attempt to meddle in the french election. I hope we hear more from him, by more I mean specific policy detail and less nirvana with no explanation.

[CherokeeFiddle]

6. He put forth everything yesterday

Did you not see that?

[democratisphere]

4. It has been tried for thousands of years with the same results; perpetual wars and

the wealthiest wanting it all; yours, mine and theirs. Good luck! Sounds like old hippy sh't.

[safeinOhio]

5. One idea he had

Was to vote against going to war over Weapoms of Mass Distruction. That war did little to promote world peace and prosperity.

[R B Garr]

7. Excellent post and analysis!! I also caught the duplicity about

trade agreements/globalism. Your analysis is spot on.