I believe in the use of soft power and diplomacy in the Middle East. The militarization of foreign policy has served those economic interests in our nation that have privatized war. Its time to improve relations abroad, not our image, relations, build cultural bridges that will lead to long term peace and security.
I have two goals post June 8, primary–if I win the Democratic nomination: I will visit Gaza and Israel, and second–I will visit Greece where Iraqi war refugees flock to try to find safe haven. I would like to draw attention to their plight of wanting democracy in their land and paying a heavy price for aspiring to freedom: they are largely rejected and abandoned by the very Western powers that have plunged their homeland into perpetual war.