Obama On Foreign Policy

[sixdogsmom]

  Barack Obama on Foreign Policy
Democratic Jr Senator (IL)




Meet with Cuban leaders only with agenda of US interests
Q: [to Clinton]: Would you meet with Raul Castro or not?
CLINTON: I would not meet with him until there was evidence that change was happening.

Q: [to Obama]: Presumably you would be willing to meet?

A: That's correct. Now, keep in mind that the starting point for our policy in Cuba should be the liberty of the Cuban people. And I think we recognize that that liberty has not existed throughout the Castro regime. And we now have an opportunity to potentially change the relationship between the US & Cuba after over half a century. I would meet without preconditions, although Sen. Clinton is right that there has to be preparation. It is very important for us to make sure that there was an agenda [including] human rights, releasing of political prisoners, opening up the press. And that preparation might take some time. But I do think that it's important for the US not just to talk to its friends, but also to talk to its enemies. In fact, that's where diplomacy makes the biggest difference.

Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin Feb 21, 2008

Cuba: Loosen restrictions now; normalization later
Q: Do you support normalizing relations with Cuba now?
A: As a show of good faith that we're interested in pursuing a new relationship, I've called for a loosening of the restrictions on remittances from family members to Cuba, as well as travel restrictions for family members who want to visit their family members in Cuba. And I think that initiating that change in policy as a start could be useful, but I would not normalize relations until we started seeing some progress.

Q: But that's different from your position back in 2003, when you called US policy toward Cuba a miserable failure.

A: I support the eventual normalization. And it's absolutely true that I think our policy has been a failure. During my entire lifetime, Cuba has been isolated, but has not made progress when it comes to the issues of political rights and personal freedoms. So I think that we have to shift policy. I think our goal has to be ultimately normalization. But that's going to happen in steps.

Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin Feb 21, 2008

Important to undo the damage of the last seven years
The Bush administration has done so much damage to American foreign relations that the president take a more active role in diplomacy than might have been true 20 or 30 years ago. If we think that meeting with the president is a privilege that has to be earned, that reinforces the sense that we stand above the rest of the world at this point in time. It's important for us in undoing the damage that has been done over the last seven years, for the president to be willing to take that extra step.
Source: 2008 Democratic debate at University of Texas in Austin Feb 21, 2008

Never negotiate out of fear, and never fear to negotiate
As commander-in-chief, all of us would have a responsibility to keep the American people safe. That's our first responsibility. I would not hesitate to strike against anybody who would do Americans or American interests' harm. What I do believe is that we have to describe a new foreign policy that says, for example, I will meet not just with our friends, but with our enemies, because I remember what Kennedy said, that we should never negotiate out of fear, but we should never fear to negotiate. Having that kind of posture is the way we effectively debate the Republicans on this issue. Because if we just play into the same fear-mongering that they have been engaged in since 9/11, then we are playing on their battlefield, but, more importantly, we are not doing what's right in order to rebuild our alliances, repair our relationships around the world, and actually make us more safe in the long term.
Source: 2008 Congressional Black Caucus Democratic debate Jan 21, 2008

Ok to postpone Pakistani elections, but not indefinitely
Q: Do you believe the elections scheduled for January 8th in Pakistan should be postponed due to Benazir Bhutto's assassination?
A: The key is to make sure that there's legitimacy to those elections. And given the enormous tragedy that has happened, I think that it is understandable if those elections are delayed slightly. But it's important that this is not used as an excuse to put off, indefinitely, elections. My main concern is making sure that the opposition parties feel comfortable that they have the opportunity to participate in fair and free elections. That also means that we reinstate an independent judiciary in Pakistan, that there is a free press, that the campaigning can proceed. Because our primary interest is making sure that whatever government emerges in Pakistan is viewed as legitimate. The vast majority of the Pakistani people are moderate and believe in rule of law. That's who we want as allies in the fight against Islamic extremism.

Source: Meet the Press: 2007 "Meet the Candidates" series Dec 30, 2007

Pakistan crisis: secure nukes; continue with elections
Q: What would you do if you were confronting the current crisis in Pakistan?
A: The first thing we want to do is to contact the Pakistani government to get assurances from them that the nuclear stockpiles are secured. The second thing is to make sure that Musharraf is sending a clear message to the family of Bhutto and her supporters that he recognizes this is a tragedy and express sympathies to try to keep tempers cooled in the capital cities and major urban areas. And the third thing that we have to do is to make sure that elections continue. If they're not going to continue as planned on January 8th, then shortly thereafter, but there has to be a clear message from the Musharraf government that in fact this won't be used as an excuse to subvert democracy.

Source: CNN Late Edition: 2007 presidential series with Wolf Blitzer Dec 30, 2007

President must abide by international human rights treaties
Q: Under what circumstances, if any, is the president, when operating overseas as commander-in-chief, free to disregard international human rights treaties that the US Senate has ratified?
A: It is illegal and unwise for the President to disregard international human rights treaties that have been ratified by the United States Senate, including and especially the Geneva Conventions. The Commander-in-Chief power does not allow the President to defy those treaties.

Source: Boston Globe questionnaire on Executive Power Dec 20, 2007

Obama Doctrine: ideology has overridden facts and reality
Q: How will future historians describe your foreign policy doctrine?
A: The Obama Doctrine is not going to be as doctrinaire as the Bush Doctrine because the world is complicated. Bush's ideology has overridden facts and reality. That means that if there are children in the Middle East who cannot read, that is a potential long-term danger to us. If China is polluting, then eventually that is going to reach our shores. We have to work with them cooperatively to solve their problems as well as ours.

Source: 2007 Des Moines Register Democratic debate Dec 13, 2007

China is a competitor but not an enemy
Q: Given China's size, its muscular manufacturing capabilities, its military buildup, at this point--and also including its large trade deficit--at this point, who has more leverage, China or the U.S.?
A: Number one is we've got to get our own fiscal house in order. Number two, when I was visiting Africa, I was told by a group of businessmen that the presence of China is only exceeded by the absence of America in the entire African continent. Number three, we have to be tougher negotiators with China. They are not enemies, but they are competitors of ours. Right now the United States is still the dominant superpower in the world. But the next president can't be thinking about today; he or she also has to be thinking about 10 years from now, 20 years from now, 50 years from now.

Source: 2007 Des Moines Register Democratic debate Dec 13, 2007

Willing to meet with Fidel Castro, Kim Jung Il & Hugo Chavez
Q: In July, you were asked if you were willing to meet separately without pre-condition during your first year with Fidel Castro, Kim Jung Il, Hugo Chavez. You said yes. You stand by that?
A: I do. Now, I did not say that I would be meeting with all of them. I said I'd be willing to. Obviously, there is a difference between pre-conditions and preparation. Pre-conditions, which was what the question was in that debate, means that we won't meet with people unless they've already agreed to the very things that we expect to be meeting with them about. And obviously, when we say to Iran, "We won't meet with you until you've agreed to all the terms that we've laid out," from their perspective that's not a negotiation, that's not a meeting.

Q: You're not afraid of being used in a propaganda way?

A: You know, strong countries and strong presidents speak with their adversaries. I always think back to JFK's saying that we should never negotiate out of fear, but we shouldn't fear to negotiate.

Source: Meet the Press: 2007 "Meet the Candidates" series Nov 11, 2007

Wrote 2006 law stabilizing Congo with $52M
Obama wrote the law signed in 2006 that provided $52 million in US assistance to help stabilize the Congo, and he worked to approve $20 million for the African Union peacekeeping mission. Obama also worked with Sam Brownback (R-Kans.), writing an op-ed in the Washington Post criticizing the Bush administration's failure to stop genocide in Darfur.
Source: The Improbable Quest, by John K. Wilson, p.160 Oct 30, 2007

No Obama Doctrine; just democracy, security, liberty
Obama's failure to condemn all military action has led to criticism from some on the left. One critic noted: "He accepts the Bush Doctrine. He accepts the doctrine of preemptive strikes."
The key part of the Bush Doctrine is the focus on unilateral action and the use of force to spread democracy around the world. And the worst part of the Bush administration is not the Bush Doctrine but Bush's implementation of it.

As Obama famously declared in 2002, he did not oppose all wars, but he did oppose a "dumb war." Isolationism must not be the reaction to a dumb president and a dumb war.

There is no Obama Doctrine because Obama is not a doctrinaire kind of leader who operates according to fixed policies. Instead, Obama believes in a set of principle (democracy, security, liberty) for the world and tries to come up with practical measures for incrementally increasing US security and global freedom. He rejects isolationism and he tries to steer clear of unilateralism.

Source: The Improbable Quest, by John K. Wilson, p.117-118 Oct 30, 2007

Invest in our relationship with Mexico
Making sure that we are investing in our relationship with Mexico so that people in Mexico feel as if they can raise a family and have a good life on the other side of the border is going to be critical; making certain that we have strong border security is important; a pathway to citizenship is something that I've been committed to since I came to the US Senate.
Source: 2007 Democratic primary debate on Univision in Spanish Sep 9, 2007

Strengthen NATO to face 21st-century threats
Barack Obama will restore America's leadership abroad, reform and enhance international organizations and strengthen our alliances. He will strengthen NATO to face 21st-century threats, forge a new and lasting framework for collective security in Asia, and work with other countries around the world to combat global climate change.
Source: Campaign website, BarackObama.com, "Resource Flyers" Aug 26, 2007

$50B annually to strengthen weak states at risk of collapse
Barack Obama believes that strengthening weak states at risk of collapse, economic meltdown or public health crises strengthens America's security. Obama will double U.S. spending on foreign aid to $50 billion a year by 2012.
He will help developing countries invest in sustainable democracies and demand more accountability in return. Obama will establish a $2 billion Global Education Fund to eliminate the global education deficit. He will reduce the debt of developing nations and better coordinate trade and development policies.

Obama also will reestablish U.S. moral leadership by respecting civil liberties; ending torture; restoring habeas corpus; making the U.S. electoral processes fair and transparent and fighting corruption at home.

Source: Campaign website, BarackObama.com, "Resource Flyers" Aug 26, 2007

No "strategic ambiguity" on foreign policy issues
Q: [to Clinton]: You said Sen. Obama's views on meeting with foreign dictators are "naive and irresponsible."
CLINTON: A president should not telegraph to our adversaries that you're willing to meet with them without preconditions.

OBAMA: Strong countries and strong presidents meet and talk with our adversaries. We shouldn't be afraid to do so. We've tried the other way. It didn't work.

Q: [to Dodd]: You've called Sen. Obama's views "confusing & confused, dangerous & irresponsible."

DODD: I disagreed with Obama on a hypothetical solution that raised serious issues within Pakistan. I thought it was irresponsible to engage in that kind of a suggestion. That's dangerous.

OBAMA: We should describe for the American people in presidential debates & in the presidency, what our foreign policy is and what we're going to do. We shouldn't have strategic ambiguity with the American people when it comes to describing how we're going to deal with our most serious national security issues.

Source: 2007 Democratic primary debate on "This Week" Aug 19, 2007

At college, protested for divestment from South Africa
Obama became involved in a popular campus movement of the day--urging divestment of university money from South Africa because of its policy of apartheid. It was through this activism that Obama first learned the power of words--and his own power with the spoken word. "I noticed that people had begun to listen to my opinions," he wrote. "It was a discovery that made me hungry for words. Not words to hide behind but words that could carry a message, support an idea." His first public-speaking moment occurred when he opened a staged rally in which he was to begin talking to an afternoon crowd only to be yanked from the stage in a physical metaphor for the voiceless black South Africans.
Source: From Promise to Power, by David Mendell, p. 57 Aug 14, 2007

Increased aid to Republic of Congo
[Obama had planned his trip to Africa since 2005]. Conversations I had with Obama along the 2004 campaign trail made it abundantly clear that the atrocities of Darfur's civil war were a deep source of concern for him. Also, as a senator, Obama was successful in passing an amendment to a 2006 Iraqi spending bill that increased aid to the Republic of Congo.
The 15-day trip to Africa was organized to include visits to 5 countries, but the bulk of the journey was to be spent in South Africa and then Kenya. After Kenya, Obama had planned brief visits to the Congo, Djibouti and the Darfur region of Sudan, site of the bloody conflict that was killing thousands of Sudanese a month and displacing millions more.

But Kenya, the homeland of his father, was the physical and emotional centerpiece of the trip. Kenyans had adopted him as one of their own, and had made him a living folk hero in the East African nation.

Source: From Promise to Power, by David Mendell, p.322-323 Aug 14, 2007

Visited largest slum in Africa, to publicize its plight
[Obama's African trip] would take us to one of the bleakest places on the planet. Kibera is recognized as the largest single slum in all of Africa, and thus in all the world. Over 700,000 impoverished souls are packed into a tract of urban land that is just 2.5 square kilometers. Situated in the southwest quadrant of Nairobi, Kibera was first settled extensively in the 1920s by an ethnic group called Nubians.
Many residents lacked basic services, such as clean running water and plumbing. Sewage and garbage were dumped into the open; dwellings were made of canvas and tin with corrugated roofing; and some children appeared less than fully nourished.

The inhabitants, however, were positively gleeful at Obama's visit. Obama grabbed a bullhorn. "Everybody in Kibera needs the same opportunities to go to school, to start businesses, to have enough to eat, to have decent clothes," he told the residents, who madly cheered his words. "I wants to make sure everybody in America knows Kibera.

Source: From Promise to Power, by David Mendell, p.367-369 Aug 14, 2007

My critics engineered our biggest foreign policy disaster
Q: [to Dodd]: You said that Sen. Obama's "assertions about foreign and military affairs have been confusing and confused." You added, "He should not be making unwise categorical statements about military options." What in your opinion has been confusing?
DODD: Words mean things. When you raise issues about Pakistan, understand that while General Musharraf is no Thomas Jefferson, but he may be the only thing that stands between us and having an Islamic fundamentalist state in that country.

OBAMA: I find it amusing that those who helped to authorize & engineer the biggest foreign policy disaster in our generation are now criticizing me for making sure that we are on the right battlefield and not the wrong battlefield in the war against terrorism. Sen. Dodd obviously didn't read my speech. Because what I said was that we have to refocus, get out of Iraq, make certain that we are helping Pakistan deal with the problem of al Qaeda in the hills between Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Source: 2007 AFL-CIO Democratic primary forum Aug 8, 2007

China is a competitor, but not an enemy
Q: Is China an ally or adversary?
A: China is a competitor, but they don't have an enemy, as long as we understand that they are going to be negotiating aggressively for their advantage, and we've got to make sure that we're looking after American workers. That means enforcing our trade agreements; it means that if they're manipulating their currency, that we take them to the mat on the that issue; it means that we are also not running up deficits and asking China to bail us out.

Source: 2007 AFL-CIO Democratic primary forum Aug 8, 2007

Meet with enemy leaders; it's a disgrace that we have not
Q: Would you be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea?
OBAMA: I would. And the reason is this: the notion that somehow not talking to countries is punishment to them--which has been the guiding diplomatic principle of this administration--is ridiculous. Ronald Reagan constantly spoke to Soviet Union at a time when he called them an evil empire. He understood that we may not trust them and they may pose an extraordinary danger to this country, but we had the obligation to find areas where we can potentially move forward. And I think that it is a disgrace that we have not spoken to them.

CLINTON: I will not promise to meet with the leaders of these countries during my first year. I don't want to be used for propaganda purposes. I don't want to make a situation even worse. But I certainly agree that we need to get back to diplomacy.

Source: 2007 YouTube Democratic Primary debate, Charleston SC Jul 23, 2007

No-fly zone in Darfur; but pay attention more in Africa
Q: Darfur is the second time that our nation has had a chance to do something about genocide in Africa. The first came in Rwanda in 1994, when we did nothing.
RICHARDSON: What I would like to do is, one, a no-fly zone. Get economic sanctions backed by the Europeans; we should use the levers on China. We need to find ways to stop the massive rapes.

OBAMA: The no-fly zone is important. Having the protective force is critical. But we have to look at Africa not just after a crisis happens; what are we doing with respect to trade opportunities with Africa? What are we doing in terms of investment in Africa? What are we doing to pay attention to Africa consistently with respect to our foreign policy? That has been what's missing in the White House. Our long-term security is going to depend on whether we're giving children in Sudan and Zimbabwe and in Kenya the same opportunities so that they have a stake in order as opposed to violence and chaos.

Source: 2007 Democratic Primary Debate at Howard University Jun 28, 2007

Europe & Japan are allies, but China is a competitor
Q: What are America's three most important allies around the world?
A: The European Union as a whole has been a long-standing ally of ours, and through NATO we've been able to make some significant progress. We also have to look east, because increasingly, the center of gravity in this world is shifting to Asia. Japan has been an outstanding ally of ours for many years. But, obviously, China is rising and it's not going away. They're neither our enemy nor our friend. They're competitors.

Source: 2007 South Carolina Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC Apr 26, 2007

Palestinian people suffer-but from not recognizing Israel
Q: You said recently, "No one is suffering more than the Palestinian people." Do you stand by that remark?
A: Well, keep in mind what the remark actually, if you had the whole thing, said. And what I said is nobody has suffered more than the Palestinian people from the failure of the Palestinian leadership to recognize Israel, to renounce violence, and to get serious about negotiating peace and security for the region. Israel is the linchpin of much of our efforts in the Middle East.

Source: 2007 South Carolina Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC Apr 26, 2007

FactCheck: Palestinian suffering from stalled peace effort
Obama defended his remark that "nobody is suffering more than the Palestinian people," a statement attacked by some pro-Israel activists. His version differed in tone if not in substance from the way it was originally reported, however. Obama claimed in the debate that he meant "the Palestinian people from the failure of the Palestinian leadership to recognize , to renounce violence, and to get serious about negotiating peace and security for the region." That's somewhat different from the way Obama was quoted March 12. As reported, Obama attributed Palestinian suffering to "the stalled peace efforts with Israel" and not so narrowly to failures by Palestinian leadership only. However, the Des Moines Register also reported that Obama praised Israel as an important US ally and urged the Palestinian government to recognize Israel and renounce terrorism. So far as we can tell, the Register had the only reporter present at the event and no full transcript exists.
Source: FactCheck.org on 2007 South Carolina Democratic debate Apr 26, 2007

Protested South African apartheid while at college
[While at college in the '80s] Obama became involved in the movement to demand that colleges divest themselves of financial interests that helped support apartheid in South Africa.
At a rally, Obama rose to speak in public for the first time: "There is a struggle going on. It is happening an ocean away. But it is a struggle that touches each and every one of us... a struggle that demands we choose sides. Not between black & white. Not between rich & poor. No, it is a choice between dignity & servitude. Between fairness & injustice. Between commitment & indifference. A choice between right & wrong."

By prearrangement, he was dragged off by students dressed as soldiers to dramatize the lack of rights in South Africa. He did not want to give up the microphone. The audience was "clapping and cheering, and I knew that I had them, that the connection had been made. I really wanted to stay up there, to hear my voice bouncing off the crowd and returning back to me in applause. I had so much left to say.

Source: Hopes and Dreams, by Steve Dougherty, p. 58-59 Feb 15, 2007

Focus on corruption to improve African development
During Obama's trip to Kenya, at an Aug. 28 2006 speech in Nairobi, he stung some Kenyan officials enough that they sent Obama a scathing official complaint, because Obama pointedly encouraged Kenyan officials to do more to fight corruption:
Like many nations across this continent, where Kenya is failing is in its ability to create a government that is transparent and accountable One that serves its people and is free from corruption. The reason I speak of the freedom you fought so hard to win is because today that freedom is in jeopardy. It is being threatened by corruption.

Corruption is not a new problem. It's not just a Kenyan problem, or an African problem. It's a human problem, and it has existed in some form in almost every society. My own city of Chicago has been the home of some of the most corrupt local politics in American history. But while corruption is a problem we all share, here in Kenya it is a crisis that's robbing an honest people of opportunities.
Source: Should Barack Obama Be President?, by Fred Zimmerman, p.29 Oct 17, 2006

Supports Israel's self-defense; but distrusted by Israelis
The Israeli newspaper "Haaretz" convened a panel of experts to assess and track 2008 presidential candidates and evaluate "whom they consider best for Israel." In Sept. 2006, Obama came in dead last, 18th in a field of 18. However, Haaretz also notes that during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon war, Obama was careful to defend Israel's right to defend itself against Hezbollah's attacks.
Pro: Obama will be uniquely positioned to resolve the Israeli-Arab conflict.
A liberal Democrat who is not trusted by Israeli experts is exactly what the US and the world needs. Only by treating Palestinian rights with dignity can the Middle East problem be resolved.

Con: President Obama will be widely detested in the Muslim world.
If Obama comes to power, it will be on the basis of blending authentic Christian religiosity with an inspiring message of tolerance and diversity. Unfortunately, this message runs exactly opposite to the core values of fundamentalist Islam.

Source: Should Barack Obama Be President?, by Fred Zimmerman, p.64-5 Oct 17, 2006

Visited Africa in 2006; encouraged HIV testing & research
Pro's and Con's: Obama visited African in 2006 and went to South Africa, Chad, and Kenya.
Pro: He is a mensch. Here on a few things he did on his summer vacation:

Attended a ceremony for the 200 people who died in the 1988 bombing of the US Embassy.
Encouraged the South African government to respond more effectively to HIV.
Urged Kenya's government to end corruption.
Along with his wife, took a public HIV test.
Visited a malaria research institute.
Visited a program helping children orphaned by AIDS.
Visited his grandmother.
Con: Who cares? It is Africa. If we are going to go with a President from a non-European background, let's go with one whose relatives are from a country whose friendship will help us, like China or India.

Pro: Kenyans love him.

Con: Who cares? It's Kenya.

Source: Should Barack Obama be President, by F. Zimmerman, p. 27-28 Oct 17, 2006

Never has US had so much power & so little influence to lead
American leadership has been a mighty force for human progress. The steady march of democracy and free enterprise across the globe speaks to the steadfastness of our leadership and the power of our ideals. Today we face new and frightful challenges, especially the threat of terror. Never has it been more important for American to lead wisely, to shrewdly project power and wield influence on behalf of liberty and security. Unfortunately, I fear our once great influence is waning, a victim of misguided policies and impetuous actions. Never has the US possessed so much power, and never has the US had so little influence to lead.
We still have the chance to correct recent missteps that have put our principles and legacy in question. Indeed, it is imperative to our nation's standing and security to do so. It will take a change of attitude and direction in our national leadership to restore the values and judgment that made and kept our nation the world's beacon of hope and freedom.

Source: Speech to Chicago Council on Foreign Relations Jul 12, 2004

US policy should promote democracy and human rights
In every region of the globe, our foreign policy should promote traditional American ideals: democracy and human rights; free and fair trade and cultural exchanges; and development of institutions that ensure broad middle classes within market economies.
It is our commonality of interests in the world that can ultimately restore our influence and win back the hearts and minds necessary to defeat terrorism and project American values around the globe. Human aspirations are universal-for dignity, for freedom, for the opportunity to improve the lives of our families.

Let us recognize what unites us across borders and build on the strength of this blessed country. Let us embrace our history and our legacy. Let us not only define our values in words and carry them out in deeds.

Source: Speech to Chicago Council on Foreign Relations Jul 12, 2004

Sponsored aid bill to avert humanitarian crisis in Congo.
Obama sponsored increasing aid to avert humanitarian crisis in Congo
OFFICIAL CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY:

A bill to promote relief, security, and democracy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Obligates a specified minimum amount under the Foreign Assistance Act, the Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act, and the Arms Export Control Act for bilateral assistance programs in the DRC.
States that the US should work with other donor nations to increase international contributions to the DRC.
Expresses the sense of Congress that the DRC government should exercise control over its Armed Forces, stop the mass rapes by its armed forces, and hold those responsible accountable before an appropriate tribunal; and
Expresses the sense of Congress that the US should withhold assistance if the government of the DRC is not making sufficient progress towards accomplishing the policy objectives.
SPONSOR'S INTRODUCTORY REMARKS: Sen. OBAMA: There is a country embroiled in conflict that has not yet received the high-level attention or resources it needs. It's the Democratic Republic of Congo, and right now it is in the midst of a humanitarian catastrophe.

31,000 people are dying in the Congo each month and 3.8 million people have died in the previous 6 years. The country, which is the size of Western Europe, lies at the geographic heart of Africa and borders every major region across the continent. If left untended, Congo's tragedy will continue to infect Africa.

I believe that the United States can make a profound difference in this crisis. According to international aid agencies, there are innumerable cost-effective interventions that could be quickly undertaken--such as the provision of basic medical care, immunization and clean water--that could save thousands of lives. On the political front, sustained U.S. leadership could fill a perilous vacuum.

EXCERPTS OF BILL:

LEGISLATIVE OUTCOME:Became Public Law No. 109-456

Source: Congo Relief, Security, and Democracy Promotion Act (S.2125) 05-S2125 on Dec 16, 2005

Urge Venezuela to re-open dissident radio & TV stations.
Obama co-sponsored urging Venezuela to re-open dissident radio & TV stations

WHEREAS for several months, the President of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, has been announcing over various media that he will not renew the current concession of the television station "Radio Caracas Televisión", also known as RCTV, which is set to expire on May 27, 2007, because of its adherence to an editorial stance different from his way of thinking;
WHEREAS President Chavez justifies this measure based on the alleged role RCTV played in the unsuccessful unconstitutional attempts in April 2002 to unseat President Chavez, under circumstances where there exists no filed complaint or judicial sentence that would sustain such a charge under Venezuelan law;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Senate--
(1) expresses its profound concern about the transgression against freedom of thought and expression that is being committed in Venezuela by the refusal of the President Hugo Chavez to renew the concession of RCTV
(2) strongly encourages the Organization of American States to respond appropriately, with full consideration of the necessary institutional instruments, to such transgression.
Source: Radio Caracas Resolution (S.RES.211) 2007-SR211 on May 21, 2007

Let Ukraine & Georgia enter NATO.
Obama co-sponsored including Ukraine & Georgia in NATO
Congressional Summary: A resolution expressing strong support for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization to enter into a Membership Action Plan with Georgia and Ukraine:

reaffirming support for enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to include democratic governments that are able to meet the membership responsibilities;
that NATO's expansion contributes to its relevance;
that Georgia and Ukraine are strong allies that have made important progress in the areas of defense and democratic and human rights reform;
that a stronger relationship among Georgia, Ukraine, and NATO will benefit those countries and NATO member states; and
that the United States should take the lead in supporting the awarding of a Membership Action Plan to Georgia and Ukraine.
Legislative Outome: Resolution agreed to in Senate without amendment and with a preamble by Unanimous Consent.

Source: S.RES.439 & H.RES.997 2008-SR439 on Jan 31, 2008

Condemn violence by Chinese government in Tibet.
Obama co-sponsored condemning the violence by Chinese government in Tibet
A resolution condemning the violence in Tibet and calling for restraint by the Government of the People's Republic of China and the people of Tibet. Calls for:

a dialogue between the government of China and His Holiness the Dalai Lama on religious and cultural autonomy for Tibet within China; and
release of peaceful protesters.
Calls on the PRC to:
respect the right of the people of Tibet to speak of the Dalai Lama and possess his photograph;
respect basic human rights;
allow international journalists free access to China; and
provide a full accounting of the March 2008 protests in Tibet.
Urges that the agreement permitting the PRC to open further diplomatic missions in the United States should be contingent upon establishment of a U.S. government office in Lhasa, Tibet.
Source: S.RES.504 2008-SR504 on Apr 7, 2008

Sanction Mugabe until Zimbabwe transitions to democracy.
Obama co-sponsored sanctioning Mugabe until Zimbabwe transitions to democracy
A resolution expressing the sense of the Senate regarding the political situation in Zimbabwe. Expresses the sense of the Senate:

supporting the people of Zimbabwe;
that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission should immediately release the legitimate results of the presidential election and ratify the previously announced results of the parliamentary elections;
that President Robert Mugabe should accept the will of the people of Zimbabwe in order to effect a timely and peaceful transition to democratic rule;
that the U.S. government and the international community should impose targeted sanctions against individuals in the government of Zimbabwe and state security services and militias who are responsible for human rights abuses and election interference;
that the U.S. government and the international community should work together to prepare an economic and political recovery package for Zimbabwe;
that regional organizations should play an active role in resolving the crisis; and
that the U.N. Security Council should support efforts to bring about a peaceful resolution of the crisis and impose an international arms embargo on Zimbabwe until a legitimate democratic government has taken power.
Source: S.RES.533&H.RES.1230 2008-SR533 on Apr 24, 2008