EDITORIAL: Foreign Policy ANSWERING'sensible QUESTIONS
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RIPON RE N EW TODAY MAY 1, 1976 VOL. XII No. 9 so. CENTS EDITORIAL: Foreign Policy ANSWERING'SENSIBLE QUESTIONS In discussing foreign policy in a presi Criticism of Kissinger, however, has become an dential campaign, it is not enough to rattle accepted alternative to formulation of realis sabers and mouth cliches. As John F. Kennedy tic policy alternatives. If critics as di demonstrated with his ill-informed talk of a verse as Reagan, Jackson, former Georgia Gov. "nss1e gap" in the 1960 presidential campaign, Jimmy Carter, and Arizona U.S.Rep. Morris numerical comparisons of American and Soviet Udall all are criticizing Kissinger, sureiy warhead strength can be as politically enlight the sum total of their criticisms is not a ening as coun~ing the number of angels who can cohesive foreign policy. Henry Kissinger dance on the head of a pin. Former California serves a useful function in this year's pres Gov. Ronald Reagan and Washington Sen. Henry dentia1 campaign. The debate over Kissin M. Jackson(D) are among the foremost ange1- ger's personality and policies has obscured counters on the American scene, but the con the shallowness of presidential campaign duct of foreign policy requires more sophisti rhetoric. Whether one agrees or disagrees cated thinking than the "bodycount" mentality with the details of Kissinger's foreign poli displayed in the Vietnam War. As Mark Twain cy, his conception of a tripartite balance of observed, there are t~ree kinds of lies: lies, power among the United States~ the Soviet damn~d lies, and sbatistics. Union and China is still the name of the world game. Strengthening that balance of President Ford has had an unsett1ingdi power is in the interest of every American. lemma in campaign for the Republican presiden Providing incentives for Russia and China tial nomination. On the one hand, he is the to strengthen the balance and pena1ities or only President the country's got; Henry Kissin .disincentivesfor weakening it is the busi ger's the only Secretary of State'we've got; ness of foreign policy. and Kissinger's conception of the internation al balance of p,ower is the only operative no Both Democratic and Republican presi tion acting to reenforce world peace. And dentia1candidates have ducked the hard though Kissinger, according to polls such as questions of ~erican foreign policy. How one taken recently by CBS News and the New strong America's defense capabiiities now York Times, maintains'much of his popularity are and will be in the near future'is fuel with the electorate, there is a large segment for endless debate. The question is not of conservative Republican opinion which would unimportant, but thelmore important one is like to see Kissinger sink 'slowly in the Pana whether it is strong enough to accomplish ma Canal. As a result, the President has ' American foreign policy objectives. John tried to back the Secretary of State as Pres '~. Kennedy proved ,you could get elected ident, it seems, and undercut Kissinger in pis President by saying the United States is role as presidential candidate. The result number two. He also proved it didn't mean has been confusing for the e1ect,orate and much. undoubtedly equally confusing in foreign cap itals. Ronald Reagan has injected ,the bunker house mentality into the presidential c~ Criticizing Kissinger has not been con paign. He says he would never give up pos fined to conservative Republicans. Criticism session of the Panama Canal, as if physical of the Secretary of State spans the political possession rather than guaranteed access is spectrum and both political parties. In that the real issue on the Panama Cana1 ••• and as respect, Kissinger very much resembles his if the Panama Canal did not have dangerous mentor. Vice President Nelson Rockefeller. po~entia1 for reviving memories of gunboat diplomacy in Latin America. Ronald Reagan * What adjustments should the federal may play the ostrich and stick his head government be prepared to make in t~ade agree in the sand, but the American. people cannot ments involving Alnerica' s market economy and afford that luxury. They have the right to the planned economies of foreign governments, spect that presidential candidates ven e.g., the grain deals between the United States ture out of the desert of personality poli and the Soviet Union. tics onto an occasional oasis of issue de cussion. * What policies ought the United States to take regarding extraterritorial possessions' There is no dearth of issues to dis and bases whose continued 'presence in. foreign cuss. It would be foolish to expect that countries arouses nationalist antagonisms? any presidential candidate would cover them all. But by examining a candidate's posi What is the future function of NATO tion on a few of the truly important ques * forces? What adjustments in American and NATO tions facing foreign policy makers, the Am policy should the U.S. be prepared to take if erican people will be able to gain some in Communists are included in coalition govern sight into the way the candidate thinks. That ments in Italy or France? is a good deal better than the sloganeering currently engaged in by both Republicans-and * What policies should the United States Democrats. be prepared to take to improve relations with China and keep Sino-Soviet relations at a The list of problems is undoubtedly end level of low-key antagonism? Should the less, but the Ripon Society has a list of ques United ~tates be prepared to renege on its tions which suggest the variety: commitments to Taiwan? * What compromises between purely nation * What policies should the United States al interest and international ones should the take on the export of American arms and tech United States be prepared ~o make regarding .nical assistance to belligerent nations in the law of the seas, particularly as it applies areas such as the Middle East? to fishing, territorial boundaries, and deep sea mnitig? * What action should the United States take to regulate and control the export of * To what degree should the federal gov peaceful nuclear assistance to potentially ernment involve itself in the regulation of' belligerent nations? activities of U.S.-based multi~tional corpora tions beyond U.S. borders? * What strategic capabilities and weapons systems ought to be priorities for * What factors---e.g., domestic employ the United States defense system? ment, consumer price levels, the balance of payments, infla~ionary pressure---should be Most importantly, however, presidential paramount in determining tariff and quota de candidates ought to be prepared to answer the cisions affecting imports of products whose question: What does the 'United States, do to American counterparts are in economic trouble, convince the Soviet Union that it is in that e.g., the shoe industry? country's best interests to pursue the goals' of continued detente? Call it "peace through * To what extent should the United States strength" or "Ford has a better idea," the be· prepared to enter into new bilateral or name of the game is still detente. It is multilateral defense agreements? To what ex time presidential aspirants discussed the tent should existing U.S. commitments to na rules •• tions like South Korea be altered? * What forces and governments should the United States be prepared to abet or thwart in volatile sections of the world such as southern HAVE A FRIEND WHO MIGHT LIKE TO RECEIVE - Africa? THE FORUM? * What actions or policies should the United States pursue regarding gross violations Why not send his/her name(s) to: of human rights in the. internal affal.rs of al lies like Chile, neutrals like India, and ad Ripon FORUM versaries like the Soviet Union? To what ex Box 226 tent should trade polici~s be controlled by Charlestown, Mass. '02129 the Secretary of State and foreign poligy considerations? SENATOR BROCK'S HOUSING IDEA tOMMENTABY: THE CITY by Ralph E. Thayer In January 1973. the Ripon FORUM publish , Bro~k' s plan is aimed at the "working ed a very provoca~ive article exploring the class family," which although not specifically idea of the shared-value mortgage. As Gibbs defined would 'be typified by one with an an LaMotte explained in the article, the "shared nual income of $12,400. Assuming this to be value mortgage" would empower a loan guarantor the average of the target group, the income such as the Federal Housing Administration or range of the working class would be about the Veterans Administration to provide an in $10-15,000. The maximum mortgage under the terest subsidy to the home purchaser which plan is $35,000 while Sen. Brock's own figures would be repaid when the house was sold. In show the average new home price to be $41,000. effect, both the government'and the home-owner Either the buyer must come up with about a would share in the carrying costs of'the house '$6,000 down payment (which is not mentioned -and settle accounts at the time of the sale. in the bill) or buy a home in an area where land costs, etc. are low and no-frill;houses Sen. William Brock(R-Tenn.) has apparent are selling in the $30-35,000 neighborhood. ly pursued the idea and has now introduced a Sen. Brock's program will build a lot of bill(S-3l93).calling for amendment of Section houses in Texas and Arizona if that is its 2, Title III of the National 1I0using ACt by intent. adding a new section. "housing Incentive Invest ment Interest Payments." A companion bill was The down payment is only one hurdle to introduced in the Houae by U.S.Rep.