AS IT IS 2016-10-16 Clinton and Trump Offer Different Foreign Policy Proposals

AS IT IS 2016-10-16 Clinton and Trump¹ Offer Different Foreign Policy Proposals

The major U.S. presidential candidates have very different ideas about foreign policy.

Democrat² Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump have proposed to take American foreign policy in very different directions if elected.

The two presidential candidates disagree about what U.S. policies should be toward Russia, Iran, Iraq, China and Syria.

They also offer different opinions on how to deal with Islamic State militants³.

Trump has called U.S. foreign policy weak. He blames decisions made by President Barack Obama and Clinton who served as secretary of state during Obama’s first term.

Clinton has said the United States remains⁴ the nation other nations depend on to help solve the world’s toughest problems.

Trump Wants Other Nations to Pay More

Trump questions why the United States should continue to defend nations that, he says, do not pay their fair share of the costs.

“We’re losing a fortune. That’s why we’re losing -- we’re losing -- we lose on everything,” Trump said last month at the first of three presidential debates.

Clinton says Trump’s Proposals Frighten Allies

Clinton said that Trump’s statements raised concern among nations that depend on U.S. promises to help them if they are attacked.

“Words matter when you run for president,” Clinton said. “And they really matter when you are president.”

On fighting Islamic State militants, Trump has said he would order more aggressive bombing of ISIS, another name for the group. He said that President Obama and Clinton, when she was secretary of state, “unleashed ISIS” with weak policies.

Clinton has said she opposes sending American ground troops to Syria. Instead, Clinton said she would work with allies to force ISIS out of Iraq and Syria.

“Donald said he knows more about ISIS than the generals…No, he doesn't,” she said.

Trump Disagrees with his VP Candidate

Trump’s vice⁶ presidential running mate, Mike Pence, said the United States should respond to Russian aggression⁷ in Syria with military force, if necessary. Trump said he disagrees.

“He and I haven't spoken, and he and I disagree," Trump said.

On Iran, Clinton praised an agreement with the Middle Eastern nation to remove important materials it would need to build a nuclear bomb. She said the agreement was possible because of sanctions she helped put in place as U.S. secretary of state.

Clinton said the Iran nuclear deal stopped Iran’s nuclear program “without firing a single shot.”

Trump said the deal is good for Iran. It released $150 billion in Iranian money frozen by the U.S. The deal also permits Iran to resume its nuclear program in 10 to 15 years, and provides the nation money to continue its support of terrorism, he said.

Relationship with Putin

There are other major differences between the two candidates.

Trump has called Russian President Vladimir Putin a strong leader. He and Putin could work together to reduce terrorism under a Trump presidency⁸, Trump said.

Clinton calls Putin a dictator. “I know that he’s someone that you have to continually stand up to because, like many bullies⁹, he is somebody who takes as much as he possibly can unless you do,” she said.

On immigration, Trump had called for banning all Muslim immigrants to combat the threat of terrorism. He later changed his position, saying he now supports “extreme vetting¹⁰” to make sure dangerous people are not allowed into the United States.

Clinton said that Trump’s tough language about Muslims can be used by Islamic State militants to bring in new supporters. She has proposed accepting several times more refugees escaping the Syrian civil war than are currently entering the U.S.

“I will not let anyone into our country that I think poses a risk to us,” Clinton said at the second presidential debate. But she said “there are children suffering in this catastrophic war, largely, I believe, because of Russian aggression. And we need to do our part.”

Campaign Draws Attention of International Leaders

Foreign policy issues during the Trump/Clinton campaign have drawn¹¹ unusual attention internationally.

French President Francois Hollande said Trump’s election “would complicate¹² relations between Europe and the United States."

Zeid Ra-Ad Al-Hussein is the United Nations human rights rights chief. He criticized Trump’s statements about torture and Muslims, calling them “dangerous from an international point of view.”

Trump said this about waterboarding: “I like it a lot. I don't think it's tough enough."

Foreign Policy a Concern to Voters

As in recent elections, the economy remains the most important issue for most voters. But voters also seem to be paying attention to foreign affairs, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey.

Voters in modern U.S. history have chosen candidates with backgrounds as elected governors or senators. Those candidates, however, have not had much direct experience with foreign policy.

Henry Brands is a professor of history at the University of Texas at Austin. He said American politics is usually concerned most with domestic policies, not policies toward the rest of the world.

Brands said that changes during war. But he said neither candidate has managed to gain ground against the other by saying, ‘You’re soft on terrorists.”

Words in this Story

fortune -- n. a very large amount of money

unleash⁵ -- v. to allow or cause something to happen

sanctions -- n. an action that is taken or an order that is given to force a country to obey international laws by limiting or stopping trade with that country, by not allowing economic aid for that country

bully¹³ -- n. someone who frightens, hurts, or threatens smaller or weaker people

extreme vetting -- n doing extensive checks on a person’s background

poses -- v. to be or create a possible threat

catastrophic -- adj. a terrible disaster

waterboarding -- v. pouring water over someone to make them think they are drowning. The U.S. government stopped the practice in 2006 after officials determined¹⁴ it was torture.

domestic -- adj. relating to your own country

1 trump   

n.王牌，法宝；v.打出王牌，吹喇叭

参考例句：

• He was never able to trump up the courage to have a showdown.他始终鼓不起勇气摊牌。
• The coach saved his star player for a trump card.教练保留他的明星选手，作为他的王牌。

2 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

3 militants   

激进分子，好斗分子( militant的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The militants have been sporadically fighting the government for years. 几年来，反叛分子一直对政府实施零星的战斗。
• Despite the onslaught, Palestinian militants managed to fire off rockets. 尽管如此，巴勒斯坦的激进分子仍然发射导弹。

4 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

5 unleash   

vt.发泄，发出；解带子放开

参考例句：

• They hope to create allies to unleash against diseases,pests,and invasive species.他们希望创造出一些新群体来对付疾病、害虫和一些有侵害性的物种。
• Changing water levels now at times unleash a miasma of disease from exposed sewage.如今，大坝不时地改变水位，从暴露的污水释放出了疾病瘴气。

6 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

7 aggression   

n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害

参考例句：

• So long as we are firmly united, we need fear no aggression.只要我们紧密地团结，就不必惧怕外来侵略。
• Her view is that aggression is part of human nature.她认为攻击性是人类本性的一部份。

8 presidency   

n.总统(校长，总经理)的职位(任期)

参考例句：

• Roosevelt was elected four times to the presidency of the United States.罗斯福连续当选四届美国总统。
• Two candidates are emerging as contestants for the presidency.两位候选人最终成为总统职位竞争者。

9 bullies   

n.欺凌弱小者, 开球 vt.恐吓, 威胁, 欺负

参考例句：

• Standing up to bullies takes plenty of backbone. 勇敢地对付暴徒需有大无畏精神。
• Bullies can make your life hell. 恃强欺弱者能让你的日子像活地狱。

10 vetting   

n.数据检查[核对，核实]v.审查（某人过去的记录、资格等）( vet的现在分词 )；调查；检查；诊疗

参考例句：

• Scripts had to be submitted to Ministry of Information officials for vetting. 必须把脚本提交给信息部官员审查。 来自互联网
• Their purpose in clicking deeper into a site is one of vetting. 他们深入点击网站的目的是一种诊疗。 来自互联网

11 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

12 complicate   

vt.使复杂化，使混乱，使难懂

参考例句：

• There is no need to complicate matters.没有必要使问题复杂化。
• These events will greatly complicate the situation.这些事件将使局势变得极其复杂。

13 bully   

n.恃强欺弱者，小流氓；vt.威胁，欺侮

参考例句：

• A bully is always a coward.暴汉常是懦夫。
• The boy gave the bully a pelt on the back with a pebble.那男孩用石子掷击小流氓的背脊。

14 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。