If I Made the Rules - Part 4: Foreign Policy

The most successful foreign policy I've ever seen came from Ronald Reagan.  Simple and concise.  "Peace through Strength". "Trust by Verify". Teddy Roosevelt's famous old line, "Speak softly and carry a big stick".

Those form the roots of the foreign policy I would support.  The next President should give a speech to the world and say something like this:

"The United States of America desires your friendship.  We have much to offer as an example to any country that desires to achieve the same level of freedom and prosperity that our citizens enjoy.  Extend your hand to us in friendship, and you will find us the best friend you could ever hope for."

"But if you choose to be our enemy, we'll be your worst nightmare.  If you choose to be America's enemy, we probably won't take military action against you unless you foolishly choose to attack us.  But we will cease to trade with you and we will wield our considerable influence to see that other countries also stop visiting your ports.  Abuse your own people and we'll support citizens who choose to fight for democracy in your country.  Attack any of America's interests and we'll destroy you."

We need to stop propping up petty dictators and funding jihadist revolutionaries.  We need to re-establish our unflagging friendship with countries like Israel and England, and seek similarly close friendships with as many other countries as possible.

We must value free AND fair trade.  We must no longer be afraid to sanction China for abusing our trading relationship by stealing American technology and dumping Chinese products on the American market in order to drive out competition.  We need to seek balance between imports and exports with every country in which we trade.

We must change our system of immigration to something that appropriately values and protects American jobs while still offering opportunity to talented foreign workers.  It is time to stop allowing American companies to favor foreign high-tech and professional workers over our own homegrown talent.

Our military might must never become weaker than anyone else in the world.  Like it or not, peace does come through strength, and we must recover that reputation we lost with the Obama administration in which rogue dictators exploit our weakness and indecisiveness.