Posted on 05/01/2008 3:50:27 PM PDT by BGHater
Republican presidential candidate John McCain envisions a "League of Democracies" as part of a more cooperative foreign policy with U.S. allies.
The Arizona senator will call for such an organization to be "the core of an international order of peace based on freedom" in a speech Tuesday at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif.
"We Americans must be willing to listen to the views and respect the collective will of our democratic allies," McCain says, according to excerpts his campaign provided. "Our great power does not mean we can do whatever we want whenever we want, nor should we assume we have all the wisdom, knowledge and resources necessary to succeed."
"To be a good leader, America must be a good ally," he adds in the speech, another in a series of policy addresses as he seeks the Republican presidential nomination.
Such comments offer a contrast to President Bush, who critics contend has employed a stubborn, go-it-alone foreign policy that has dramatically damaged the U.S. image abroad.
McCain is careful to note that his proposed multinational organization would not be like Woodrow Wilson's failed "League of Nations." Rather, McCain says the organization would be far more similar to what Theodore Roosevelt favored—a group of "like-minded nations working together in the cause of peace."
"It could act where the U.N. fails to act," McCain says.
Such a new body, he says, could help relieve suffering in Darfur, fight the AIDS epidemic in Africa, develop better environmental policies, and provide "unimpeded market access" to countries sharing "the values of economic and political freedom."
And, McCain adds, an organization of democracies could pressure tyrants "with or without Moscow's and Beijing's approval" and could "impose sanctions on Iran and thwart its nuclear ambitions" while helping struggling democracies succeed.
Recalling Harry S. Truman's actions during the Cold War, McCain also urges a similar "massive overhaul of the nation's foreign policy, defense and intelligence agencies" to meet the world's current challenges. He says details will come later.
(This version CORRECTS Corrects in graf 2 that Hoover Institution is at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif.)
Great, anyone know how much this is gonna cost?
As long as elimination of the UN is part of the deal, have at it.
Headed, of course, by the League of Extraordinary Gentleman.
Oh. Sorry. Copyright infringement.
Woohoo! Global warming, too!
The Congressional Budget Office says current cap-and-trade legislation would amount to a $1.2 TRILLION tax hike on the American economy over the next ten years.
Wouldn’t it be nice if we ditched the worthless UN and joined with new democracies like Poland, the Czech Republic and the other freedom loving countries that used to make up the Soviet Union? Promote free trade with them instead of hostile regimes like China? Promote the cause of freedom to the oppressed peoples of the World?
Naaah! (/Steve Martin)
Pound sand, McCain.
You have it wrong. The League of Nations was like the UN an international body of sovereign states, not democracies. If a body of free democracies were to REPLACE the UN in our foreign policy concept, it would be a tremendous advancement. No longer would Communist tyrants from China and Russia have a say. It’s self evident that in such a potential body of democracies the USA would dominate.
That’s great, but there aren’t any democracies.
It’s a positive suggestion. The UN is a cancer, in most respects. Give its NYC HQ 4 years’ notice of eviction — it can relocate its HQ to Switzerland, where it already has a large campus — and use the NYC location for the new League of Free Nations.
Meanwhile, we don’t contribute another dime, and our only involvement in the UN will be to remain at the Security Council to veto any nonsense.
Aye, but he means democratic republics, and everyone pretty much understands what he means despite the misused term.
We wouldn't be eligible, since we are not a democracy, let alone a Democracy. We are a representative republic. You'll not find the word Democracy, or any variant thereof, in the Constitution, which is after all what set up and defines our form of government.
Great. How much is Belgium going to contribute? (Nothing against Belgium in particular.) Many of the European democracies refuse to increase their contributions to NATO while insisting on setting the organizational agenda. A ‘League of Democracies’ would be little different.
"Our great power does not mean we can do whatever we want whenever we want..."
Right or wrong, we CAN do what we want!
Words to live by.
We expect straight talk from the Straight Talk Campaign, none of this ‘you know what I mean.’ He can do better.
Don't forget 'Free Traitorism'!
Your freedom and your time/money. Got a problem with it?
The Democrat is SO much worse, we must vote against them! /s
So sad. It all started when “they” started referring to the USA as a democracy, which up to and including today, we are NOT. We are a Republic. I've spent much time here trying to interest people in the difference. Now I suggest you Google or Ask or what ever search engine blows your dress up. Maybe if you do the research yourselves it will mean more that someone attempting to educate you. It's not hard. I'd not understand it if it was. If I can read and understand what a Republic is and what part the citizenry is supposed to play Vs what a democracy is and that the citizenry doesn't have to do anything except sit back and let the government grow and grow. All anyone has to do is send in their money and let the government decide what you want and need and forget the rest. Rest, what you want to do with YOUR money, not have it spend on making us totally dependent of Pelosi or Reid or the whole “democratic” side of the aisle. We elect them to work for us. We hire them. Then they forget everything they say while trying to get elected and do virtually nothing - just spend our money on crap and then when we need to defend ourselves, they don't wanna. Vulnerable is a word we should all become very familiar with.
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