Will the Democrats have a vision for foreign policy that goes further than

[Mass]

correcting the errors the Bush administration did?

There is no doubt that the Bush administration foreign policies are a huge failure. By refusing to recognize that foreign countries have the right to look for their own interests and that the same politicians who are opposing America may do good things for their own people, by continually raising the voice against these leaders, they have led to the election or reinforcement of these leaders in Iran, Venezuela, and Hamas.

They missed totally the point: yes Hamas, the Iranian President, and (in a much lesser degree but still too much for international corporations, Chavez) could be dangerous when it comes to international issues. However, they ALL did good things for their own people and this is why they were elected. They were all democratically elected by their people and we should try to find a way to work with them, not against them (as hard as it will be to Hamas while they support terrorism). Doing otherwise will ultimately hurt the people from these countries who will them become more anti-americans.

Simply realizing this should tell us it is time for a US foreign policy that will not put toughness as its prime characteristic. It is time for a foreign policy that remembers that cooperation goes both ways.

Unfortunately, it is clearer and clearer that the politically correct discourse among Democrats (including people who believe in international relations like Kerry or Clark) will include the ritual "tough" statements. (All you have to do is to see Feingold and Boxer signing on calls for sanctions for Iran or Palestine to know that it is not only a DLC issue). I am not sure how they are effective in reassuring people that Democrats are tough (If you have to say "I am tough", it is rarely a good sign). But it is certainly not a good way to develop a foreign policy that is more than marginally different from the neo-cons.

It is largely time for the democrats to present a GLOBAL vision that goes further than the "War on Terra" and includes other issues like trade, health issues, environment and energy, or education as the MAIN part of their argument and the WOT tough talks as just what must be done to protect us from uncontrolled elements.

Will this happen? I am afraid not, but may be I am too pessimistic. What do you think?

Note: obviously Iraq is an important issue because of the current situation, but getting out of Iraq does not constitute a vision anymore than fighting the War on Terror.

So, please, Democratic leaders, give us the vision you have.

[Name removed]

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