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Gaetz Slams Forever Wars, Praises President Trump’s America First Foreign Policy

June 29, 2020
FIREBRAND Press Room

In today's episode of "Hot Takes with Matt Gaetz," Congressman Gaetz applauded President Trump's foreign policy approach of placing America first and not entangling the United States in an endless, unfocused forever war.

 

Gaetz cited New York Times reporting that "…Russia had given bounties to Taliban-linked groups to target and kill coalition forces in Afghanistan," and noted the liberal media was questioning whether President Trump has responded aggressively enough toward Russia or not.

"Let's keep in mind," Gaetz responds, "The Trump Administration has been way tougher on Russia than the Obama Administration. The Trump Administration has expelled diplomats, they have had an energy policy that has put pressure on Russia economically, we have had a geopolitical strategy that has extended America to such an extent that Russia is able to take advantage of our, just the breadth of our global presence."

"President Trump is the first president in my lifetime not to start a new war and with us getting essentially out of the Syrian Civil War . . . If he is able to do that and execute on an America first foreign policy, I think we ought to stand with the President."

Congressman Gaetz reminds listeners that "a resurgent Russia justifies all of these cold war tendencies that seem to only be good for Washington . . . cooperation doesn't really pay as much as competition and conflict if you're part of the military industrial complex, if you're part of the overall hawkish, uniparty consultatory that seems to be in favor of wars all over the globe."

Gaetz asserts that "we are all well-aware that Russia is not our friend. They're not this great big bear of a global superpower that they used to be . . . But Russia does engage in mischief . . . they exacerbate our problems, they go into contested areas like Afghanistan and try to cause mischief."

 

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"So does this mean we ought to go to war with Russia?" Gaetz asks. "No. It means we ought to get out of Afghanistan."

The congressman says that the Bush Administration did not go into these conflicts with the drive and clear objectives to win. Instead, they opened the door to nations like Russia "to capitalize on the fog of war that seems to surround these places that have always seen conflict and war as part of their national identity."

Gaetz proposes that instead conflict and war, the answer is to "continue to make our country stronger and more resilient," and to "get on with putting the interests of our people and our nation first."

"It means being the best version of ourselves and it means ending the war in Afghanistan," he concludes.

 

You can hear more about Congressman Gaetz's foreign policy views and other news clips in today's episode of "Hot Takes with Matt Gaetz."

Issues:Foreign AffairsMilitaryVeterans