Issue Position: Foreign Affairs

Issue Position

Afghanistan:

Susan continues to take every opportunity to challenge our Administration and our military leaders to find the most sensible strategy for Afghanistan, given that there are no easy solutions to this conflict. When General Petraeus testified before the House Armed Services Committee in the 11th Congress, she was able to discuss with him the course of our efforts in Afghanistan.

She has also questioned whether the Administration's approach is a "bridge too far" given the lack of credibility the Karzai government has with its own people. While reform has been slow, President Obama has made it clear to President Karzai that the United States will not tolerate the endemic corruption in the Karzai government. The corruption in Afghanistan has fueled much of the insurgency there, and Susan continues to closely monitor what concrete steps the Afghan president takes to build a country where people believe their interests come before their leader's aggrandizement.

Despite the tough road ahead, Susan does believe that the threat of Afghanistan once again becoming a terrorist safe-haven represents a national security challenge to our country that merits action. Susan will continue to work with her colleagues, the Administration, and experts in the field to help ensure that the strategy in place is the right path forward.

Susan has been very engaged on Afghanistan and has traveled to the region several times to get a first hand knowledge of the realities on the ground.

Susan has also worked with her colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee to bring attention to the issue and encourage the White House to define a strategy and goals so that the American people know why we are engaged in a conflict half way around the world.

Pakistan:
Pakistan represents one of the most difficult foreign policy challenges for the United States. As the world's sixth most populous nation and second largest Muslim country, Pakistan is a nuclear power governed by a fragile civilian government threatened by domestic insurgents and foreign terrorists. Instability in Pakistan could also lead to renewed conflicts with India. Susan and her colleagues on the House Armed Services Committee have used several hearings on Pakistan to question U.S. officials and academic experts about how we can assist the civilian government in Islamabad. Susan supports assisting Pakistani refugees displaced by fighting between the Taliban and the Pakistani Army. She also firmly believes that any U.S. tactical decisions should be made based on a comprehensive regional approach that helps address the security, development, and governance challenges on the ground.

Iraq:
Susan voted against the original authorization for former President Bush to use military force in Iraq (H. Res. 14). She felt a unilateral use of force would isolate America from our allies around the world and reinforce the cause of our enemies. Also, she believed all non-military options had not been exhausted and that there had not been sufficient planning for the occupation and rebuilding of Iraq (in a post-Saddam Hussein era).

The Status of Forces Agreement signed by the United States and Government of Iraq requires U.S. military forces, with some exceptions, to be removed from major population centers by mid-2009 and out of Iraq by the end of 2011. Susan supports timelines for removing our forces and will work with the Obama Administration to ensure that our forces and allies in the region are protected during the transition process. She also continues to advocate for an increased level of diplomatic engagement that will create a regional dialogue about Iraq and force countries in the region to take more responsibility in supporting peace. The United States must look at the broader struggle in the region and ensure that our efforts in the Middle East use all of the resources of the federal government, not just the military.

Since 2003, more than 4,000 American service members have died and more than 30,000 have been injured as a result of the previous Administration's decision to go to war. We owe it to the families of our fallen service members and the men and women serving in our military to provide all the medical and transitional benefits they need as our troops return home from Iraq.

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict:

In the mid-1960s, Susan had the rare opportunity to live on a kibbutz in Israel and has returned to the region several times since. While many obstacles still exist there, it is Susan's sincere hope that the future holds peace. She'll continue to work to get all parties in the region to set incremental goals that are achievable and will advocate for the assistance and support needed to have leaders in the Middle East return to negotiations. Susan continues to believe that strong U.S. leadership and support is the best hope for bringing about a political process that can eventually pave the way for security and peace for the region. In fact, Susan introduced legislation in the past to urge the President to appoint a special envoy for the Middle East, because she believes in providing more diplomatic resources for the Israeli-Palestinian crisis.

Iran:

Susan continues to believe that preemptive warfare with Iran, without clear proof of an imminent threat, would be the wrong action given the current international environment. In the 111th Congress, Susan voted for H.R. 2194, the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010, to strengthen the underlying Iran Sanctions Act by imposing tough new economic sanctions aimed at persuading Iran to change its conduct. Susan has said that, "It is in the national security interests of the United States and our allies to compel Iran's leaders to halt their nuclear program. Sanctions, combined with unified international diplomatic pressure, are our best hope for peacefully achieving this goal.

East Asia:

Strengthening our ties with our allies in the Asia Pacific to increase cooperation on security and trade issues that affect the United States and our partners in the region is important to Susan. She has had the opportunity to engage members of Parliament in Japan to encourage closer cooperation on issues ranging from security issues with North Korea to military base realignment to international trade.

China:

The United States' relationship with China remains one of our most important, yet complex foreign policy challenges. With a population of over 1.3 billion people and the second largest economy in the world, China is poised to become a world power, economically, diplomatically, and militarily. In recent years, Susan has traveled to China to better understand the opportunities and challenges that have resulted from China's development. She is focused on addressing some of the biggest challenges that confront the US-China relationship, including the current trade deficit, currency manipulation, and intellectual property. Susan is working closely with her colleagues on the US-China Working Group to bring about legislative action on these important issues.

As a member of the Congressional Human Rights Caucus, Susan also remains very concerned about human rights in China. Whether allegations of abuse against Falun Gong members or China's economic relationship with the government in Sudan, Susan believes Congress should continue to exert pressure on China to reform their human rights practices.

Vietnam:

Susan is a member of the Vietnam Caucus in Congress and is working with her colleagues to bring about change there. In December 2010, she voted for H. Res. 20 to make it clear that Congress supports putting Vietnam back on the Countries of Particular Concerns (CPC) list. She also supported and voted for the passage of H. Res. 672, a resolution that calls on Vietnam to repeal statutes that restrict the Internet and the Vietnamese people's freedom to share and publish information.

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