Obama and McCain Foreign Policy on Iran
On the issue of foreign affairs, Obama and McCain differ in several areas. Obama says that he will meet directly with leaders, while McCain did not really address meeting with leaders of Iran. They did agree on at least one point, which is the fact that use of the military is definitely still a major option.
Obama on Iran Foreign Affairs:
Plans to make the economic restrictions placed on Iran more strict. He says that he is not afraid and it is an option to use military force if needed. He says that he will institute direct diplomacy in the interactions between the U.S. and Iran. Obama says that he will meet with all leaders of Iran that are necessary after the U.S. diplomats have done their work.
Promises made by Obama for action in Iran:
A quote for Obama says, “I would meet directly with Iranian leaders. I would meet directly with Syrian leaders. We would engage in a level of aggressive personal diplomacy in which a whole host of issues are on the table. … Iran and Syria would start changing their behavior if they started seeing that they had some incentives to do so, but right now the only incentive that exists is our president suggesting that if you do what we tell you, we may not blow you up. … A serious, coordinated diplomatic effort will, if nothing else, change world opinion about our approach to Iran and will strengthen our ability should they choose not to stand down on the nuclear issue, for example, or to continue to engage in hostile activity even if directly inside Iraq.”
The promises listed in this are:
1) He will meet directly with Iranian and Syrian leaders.
2) He will engage in aggressive personal diplomacy.
3) That Iran and Syria will change their behavior if they are given incentives.
4) He will change the world’s opinion on how we are dealing with Iran.
McCain on Iran Foreign Affairs:
McCain plans to put economic and diplomatic pressure on Iran with the aid of several European nations. He says that he will not institute any form of unrestricted diplomacy. He also says that military action is still a possibility, but would only occur after consultation with congress.
Promises made by McCain for action in Iran:
A quote for McCain says, “What I would be concentrating my efforts on is trying to get a league of democracies outside of the U.N., because Russia and China are going to veto just about anything we want to act effectively against Iran, and those league of democracies should cut off any kind of loans, which are being extended as we speak by European banks; diplomatic, other sanctions to put real pressure on a rather fragile economy in Iran. I think that’s the way we should pursue this.”
The promises made here are:
1) He will concentrate his efforts on forming a league outside of the U.N. that will cut off any kind of loans from European Banks.
2) He says that he will not use unconditional diplomacy.
