Three Democratic Presidents In Past Half Century Promoting Peace And Diplomacy In Foreign Policy

The three Democratic President in the past half century—Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama–all promoted peace and diplomacy in foreign policy.

Hopefully, the next Democratic President elected in 2020 will do the same.

Carter promoted the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel; brought about the Panama Canal Treaty; and opened up diplomatic relations with mainland China.

Clinton promoted the Oslo Accords between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization, although later the progress made was reversed with the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Clinton also opened up diplomatic relations with Vietnam. And he also was able to bring about the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland, between Catholics and Protestants.

Obama ended involvement in Iraq in 2011, although later sending some troops back to deal with the rise of ISIS (ISIL). He also opened up diplomatic ties with Raul Castro’s Cuba, although lately, the progress made has been derailed by Donald Trump and by incidents involving attack on the hearing of diplomats in Cuba, not only the US, but also Canada. Additionally, the Iran Nuclear Agreement was arranged, with the backing of the United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, and Russia. Sadly, Donald Trump has backed away from the agreement, and the future is uncertain, including the possibility of war with Iran at some point.

Each of these Presidents had to use military force, as Carter did to try to rescue the hostages in Iran in 1980; Clinton bombing Serbia and Kosovo over murder of Muslims by Christians in the former Yugoslavia; and Obama continuing US intervention in Afghanistan.

But all three Presidents are seen as having the right intention, and did what they could to promote reconciliation and negotiation, rather than military confrontation.

Whoever is the next President needs to revive this tradition.

A further elaboration of this article will be published on HistoryNewsNetwork.org this Sunday, and all of my more than 100 published articles on HNN are listed on the right side of this blog.

11 comments on “Three Democratic Presidents In Past Half Century Promoting Peace And Diplomacy In Foreign Policy

  1. D February 23, 2019 3:57 am

    This came to my attention. The title of the report says a lot. A video is embedded. But, it is only two minutes. I will provide a link below to the full video (hopefully it appears here).

    ‘Dianne Feinstein video: Senator tells youth climate change activists “I know what I’m doing”’

    By Caroline Linton (02.22.2019)
    http://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/dianne-feinstein-video-senator-tells-youth-climate-change-activists-i-know-what-im-doing-2019-02-22/

    [U.S.] Sen. Dianne Feinstein [D–California] had a heated exchange with a group of middle and high school students who asked her to sign the Green New Deal in a clip that went viral Friday [February 22, 2019]. Activists from the Sunrise Movement, a youth climate-change advocacy group, posted video on social media of the confrontation, where Feinstein said “I’ve been doing this for 30 years, I know what I’m doing.”

    …

    https://www.facebook.com/BayAreaSunrise/videos/2101109139978731/

  2. Ronald February 23, 2019 7:25 am

    D, this exchange between Dianne Feinstein and youthful constituents is indeed VERY disturbing.

    I have often thought that there should be no one over the age of 80 who is running for office, and Feinstein at 85 and just reelected, could be in the Senate to 91, and in theory could run again, and be the 5th Senator in history to be in her 90s, and that is NOT a good thought!

  3. Princess Leia February 23, 2019 12:02 pm

    Just read the article. Dianne Feinstein mentions that she’s worried about how we’re going to pay for the Green New Deal. That’s a common concern I’ve heard as well. People are concerned about our country’s rising debt.

  4. Ronald February 23, 2019 12:13 pm

    Princess Leia, I see that the Feinstein video was edited, and I saw the entire video now, and what she says makes sense.

    The cost of the Green New Deal is exorbitant short term, and as Feinstein said, it will not pass the Senate with a Republican majority. And of course, Trump would veto it, and a two thirds override in both houses of Congress is NOT going to happen, in the real world!

    And the national debt and deficit also work against it.

    Feinstein has been unfairly attacked by those who want it all, no compromise,and that will NOT lead to victory as I see it.

    We all want a Green New Deal, but not at the rate that Ocasio Cortez promotes it.

    If only we could gain everything we want in life, but that is not reality, sadly!

  5. Rustbelt Democrat February 23, 2019 12:35 pm

    She also told the kids that the deal won’t pass in the Senate because of lack of bi-partisanship on the Republican side. Glad to see that she’s being honest with them.

  6. Princess Leia February 23, 2019 5:25 pm

    Thanks for that Former Republican. Norbrook nailed it! These young people don’t understand government.

  7. Ronald February 23, 2019 11:04 pm

    Former Republican. I totally agree with the article you posted.

    Far left Progressives have to realize that no President is going to be able to accomplish all Left goals, and if someone lives in a dream world of expectations, they will be sorely disappointed!

  8. D February 24, 2019 6:14 am

    A problem people have with California U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, in this video, is that they figure she was not appreciating the concern of the issue and the urgency of it as expressed by the children of Sunshine Movement. Not to the level necessary. Not to the level in which she is recognizing how it is such a crisis. (I cannot, at this time, give my two-cents on Green New Deal.)

    Another video I come across is by Kim Iversen. She is a progressive. Iversen focuses on the communication from a part of the meeting. How Dianne Feinstein handled herself. How those children of the Sunshine Movement handled themselves. That, in reality, no one was shameful.

    Iverson has a different take.

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