Our country stands up for democracy and human rights around the world. We gain a lot of our global influence by being considered the "good guys." Our behavior hasn't always been perfect, but in America we can discuss our actions and work to do better, which is not true in a lot of countries that criticize us.
America is often called the "honest broker" in the Middle East. We rightly should condemn Hamas's barbaric attack on Israel. But we should also recognize the plight of innocent Palestinians and work to foster a peaceful solution.
Military readiness means that when tyrants start to make trouble, we'll be ready. While I don't support wasteful spending, I do support a fully funded and agile military that is able to confront any threat to out national interests.
I absolutely support the funding for Ukraine to help fight off Russia's invasion. Unfortunately, opportunities to settle this issue back in the 1990s were missed, and NATO's expansion helped to erode Russia's trust at a time when they had a very pro-Western government. Now we face the situation we have, and we must make sure Ukraine can win back their territory before any peace deal can be contemplated.
The migration and drug problems we face from Latin America are symptoms of those countries' difficult histories. America shares some responsibility for this history. Engaging with these countries more and making them a true partner is both the right thing to do as well as the right policy for us. I will consistently call for the administration to do more to reach out and help alleviate these countries' difficulties, and thereby make us all stronger.
Having taught in China for a school year in the 90s, I have been a close follower of its rise. We must be wary of the choices its national leaders make, and be aware that they are not the choices the Chinese people would make if they were free to decide. We've been through this before, when we faced the Soviet Union and had to engage on some issues, like agriculture, and stand up to them on others, like arms control. China is the most complicated challenge we face, and as a long-time China watcher, I will make sure we deal with it in a way that is consistent with our values.
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