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Voter's Survival Kit: Iraq & Beyond


  • Iraq remains a costly, controversial war. According to government estimates, the U.S. has spent about $640 billion on fighting terrorism since September 11 with most of the money going to the war in Iraq.

  • The U.S. has about 140,000 troops in Iraq and another 23,500 in Afghanistan, and the combined operations have strained the U.S. military. To meet the demands of fighting the two wars, the military has repeatedly extended tours of duty for active personnel and called on members of the reserve to serve abroad.

  • Very few mourn Saddam Hussein, but Americans differ on whether Iraq actually posed a serious threat under his leadership. No meaningful evidence of weapons of mass destruction was ever found in Iraq, nor was Hussein implicated in the attacks of September 11.

  • Osama bin Laden, the al Qaeda leader behind 9/11, remains at large. Most experts believe he is hiding in the mountainous region between Afghanistan and Pakistan, but they are divided over the degree to which bin Laden still plans and directs terrorist activity.






For the past five years, the questions about the Iraq war – was it the right decision? Are we winning? How long will it take? – have dominated foreign policy and the public's attention. And the Iraq war is still going on, with 140,000 American troops engaged. But it is only one of the many challenges facing the United States worldwide.

This year, the world's problems continue to push in on the United States, even on issues that most people would consider "domestic." The high price of energy is closely linked to the use of foreign oil, and the United States depends on unstable parts of the world to get it. The mortgage crisis and credit crunch at home are spreading to markets worldwide. The war in Afghanistan continues, and may, in fact, be getting more difficult to win. And Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda terrorist network still exist and still pose a potential threat.





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The Iraq war has been the main foreign policy topic in this year's election, but there are lots of international challenges that voters may want to factor in to their decisions. There are many ideas about what to do about foreign affairs, but here are three different directions a lot of politicians talk about. Consider the pros and cons and see what makes sense to you.



Focus on the home front
Use persuasion and diplomacy to make us more secure
Use our power to promote stability
The United States can't solve all of the world's problems and we shouldn't try. We're overstretched and over-committed around the world. We need to worry about problems at home first, including protecting our jobs and homeland security. The best way to keep the U.S. secure is to focus much more on what we can do right here at home and less on trying to fix problems worldwide. We need to play stronger defense: tighten rules on immigration and border security to keep terrorists and criminals out of the country, achieve energy independence so we're not dependent on foreign oil, and make trade agreements that protect American jobs instead of sending them abroad.
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The United States' influence is enormous, but in recent years we've relied too much on our military to get our way. This aggressive strategy has entangled us in two wars and, as a result, ourmilitary is spread way too thin. Even worse, the war in Iraq and our treatment of prisoners in the war on terrorism has hurt our image abroad. But there are lots of other ways we can influence the world, one that is still dominated by American products, entertainment and values. We should use these "soft power" tools of economics and culture to build a more secure world.
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We live in a dangerous world, and the United States is the only nation with the clout to provide international leadership and ensure global stability. The threat of terrorism means we're not at risk just from hostile countries but also from fanatical groups. In addition, civil wars, ethnic violence and a host of deteriorating political situations could spiral out of control, engulfing our allies and threatening our interests. We're the world's military and economic superpower and we need to use our power to promote stability and prevent chaos worldwide. Sometimes, but not always, that's going to mean using military force to protect our interests. And sometimes, but not always, that's going to mean acting alone to solve problems the world is unwilling to face.
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Here’s a sampling of what some influential people have said about American foreign policy, past and present.


"And we must face the fact that the United States is neither omnipotent or omniscient—that we are only 6 percent of the world’s population—that we cannot impose our will upon the other 94 percent of mankind—that we cannot right every wrong or reverse every adversity—and that, therefore, there cannot be an American solution to every world problem."

-- President John F. Kennedy

"History teaches that wars begin when governments believe the price of aggression is cheap. To keep the peace, we and our allies must be strong enough to convince any potential aggressor that war could bring no benefit, only disaster."

-- President Ronald Reagan