The
following was written in April 2014, as part of a response to the
Campaign for Liberty's 2012 survey questionnaire for candidates
running for federal office.
10.
Will you oppose using U.S. forces to occupy a foreign nation without
a declaration of war?
Yes,
I will oppose using U.S. forces to occupy a foreign nation without a
declaration of war. Although the War Powers Act authorizes the
president to deploy limited numbers of troops for limited times, the
president cannot authorize attacks or strikes without the approval of
the American people through Congress, unless there is imminent danger
to the United States.
The
U.S. military should primarily be focused on defending
the American people rather
than acting in a militant manner and spending as much on so-called
defense as the next 15 to 20 nations combined. Our military and
intelligence forces should not intervene in the domestic affairs
(including elections) of national governments unless refraining from
doing so enables such a government's official apparati to inflict
imminent harm upon America, and upon law-abiding American people and
agencies abroad.
Although
I will to promote diplomacy, trade, and peace with all nations, I do
not believe that this should involve formal military alliances, as I
believe that we should heed George Washington's advice avoiding
entangling alliances with foreign nations. I will support efforts to
end formal military alliances with all nations, and to end U.S.
membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
I
believe that our membership in N.A.T.O. - and our close relationships
with the State of Israel and Saudi Arabia – only increase the
chance of the United States fighting in more wars without
congressional approval, and of the U.S. being expected by the
international community to fight other nations' battles for them.
This only diminishes the independence and military strength of such
nations, while allowing them to fund their governments while the U.S.
bears much of the costs of their protection.
I
will vote to cut foreign aid completely, but until that time, any
foreign aid budget the federal government maintains should not
reflect the kind of favoritism towards particular governments and
peoples which has been suggested by the recent trends of vastly
disproportionate disbursements to Israel and Egypt (which combined
contain just over one percent of the world's population).
Additionally,
the U.S. military should not use drone planes to spy in other
countries (either to collect information or to attack enemies of the
United States) without the approval of Congress and without the
authorization of the nation within whose borders and air space the
use of such drones occurs.
For
more entries on military, national defense, and foreign policy,
please
visit:
http://www.aquarianagrarian.blogspot.com/2010/10/american-sovereignty-restoration-act-of.html
http://www.aquarianagrarian.blogspot.com/2010/10/american-sovereignty-restoration-act-of.html
