Obama’s Foreign Policy: Talk to People

The Washington Post conducted an interview with Obama about his foreign policy ideas. A number of Obama’s answers were particularly astute. Here is a selection of them which I found particularly persuasive:

Our greatest tool in advancing democracy is our own example. That’s why I will end torture, end extraordinary rendition and indefinite detentions; restore habeas corpus; and close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay.

On Israel-Palestine:

As president, I will commit myself personally, and I will assign high-caliber diplomats, to be engaged with both sides on an ongoing basis — encouraging communication, helping them develop and implement solutions, holding them accountable to their commitments by carefully monitoring and reporting on their implementation. I will also demand greater support for this process from the Arab world.

On Islam:

As president of the United States, I will directly address the people of the Muslim world to make it clear that the United States is not at war with Islam, that our enemy is al-Qaeda and its tactical and ideological affiliates, and that our struggle is shared. In this speech, I will make it clear that the United States rejects torture — without equivocation, and will close Guantanamo. I will make it clear that the United States stands ready to support those who reject violence with closer security cooperation; an agenda of hope — backed by increased foreign assistance — to support justice, development and democracy in the Muslim world; and a new program of outreach to strengthen ties between the American people and people in Muslim countries. I will also make it clear that we will expect greater cooperation from Muslim countries; and that the United States will always stand for basic human rights — including the rights of women — and reject the scourge of anti-Semitism. Simply put, I will say that we are on the side of the aspirations of all peace-loving Muslims, and together we must build a new spirit of partnership to combat terrorists who threaten our common security.

On Iran:

I do not believe that the United States can successfully pressure Iran by refusing to talk to them. If we engage in direct and principled diplomacy, combined with increased sanctions, we will create more opportunities to make progress, gain more support for our efforts in the international community, and we can reduce the risk of an inadvertent military escalation with Iran.

What I find so persuasive about Obama’s foreign policy ideas is that he believes in talking to people. Much of our foreign policy of late seems to have been composed of demands and threats of force.

Another thing to remember is that Obama is the only presidential candidate who is being cheered worldwide. People from London to Nairobi to Jakarta see Obama as someone like them. Just having a president so widely approved of by others will go far to restoring U.S. standing in the world.

Finally, retired Air Force Major General Scott Gration, one of Obama’s foreign policy advisers, spoke to my class last semester. He is a very intelligent man with much experience. If he is a representative example of the quality of advice Obama is getting on foreign policy, I have very few worries.

Edit (3/4/08): I realized later that the title of this post could easily be seen as either naïve or mocking.  In reality it is intended as neither, but as a succinct summary of why Obama’s foreign policy appeals to me.  Just goes to show, I suppose, the power of words to describe things, whether correctly or incorrectly.