22 WebMemo Published by No. 2911 May 21, 2010

Four Key Principles for a Conservative British Foreign Policy Nile Gardiner, Ph.D.

New Prime Minister David Cameron has a major defense, necessitating a significant increase in opportunity to transform and rejuvenate British defense spending above its current historically low leadership on the world stage. As the world’s fourth- level of just 2.1 percent of GDP. biggest military force and sixth-largest economy, the 1. Advance the . The may not be a superpower, but it heart of a Conservative-led foreign policy must be remains a world power. the Special Relationship, the most important and There can be little doubt that the domestic successful partnership of modern times. It is the agenda will be the Conservative-led coalition gov- beating heart of the free world and the engine that ernment’s main focus—a stagnant economy, rising drives the global war against Islamist terrorism. unemployment, and a spiraling budget deficit Under Obama and Brown, the Anglo-American remain U.K. voters’ primary concerns. Cameron alliance has been weakened through a combination should not, however, back down from advancing of Washington’s indifference and a series of strate- powerful British leadership on the world stage. He gic errors by London, including the appalling will have a strong foreign and security team at his release last year of Libyan Lockerbie bomber disposal, with William Hague as Foreign Secretary Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi. Disappointingly, the and Liam Fox as Defense Secretary. U.S. President has never even mentioned Britain in After three years of lackluster helmsmanship a single major speech, both before and since enter- from Gordon Brown, Britain’s international pres- ing the White House. ence needs to be revitalized. At the same time, The next Prime Minister should make the full Barack Obama’s failure to assert powerful U.S. lead- restoration of the alliance with the United States a ership offers the Conservative leader a major oppor- top priority. He should also ensure that Britain’s tunity to flex British muscle. The new government freedom to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with should not be afraid to aggressively assert a British America is not constrained by the Treaty of Lisbon footprint, both in Europe and across the globe. and the relentless drive toward ever-closer union A conservative foreign policy should rest on four in Europe. key principles: (1) the preservation of the Anglo- American Special Relationship and the transatlantic alliance, (2) the defense of British national sover- eignty, (3) the firm projection of military power in This paper, in its entirety, can be found at: the defense of the national interest, and (4) the http://report.heritage.org/wm2911 Produced by the Center for Freedom advancement of freedom and liberty. All four prin- Published by The Heritage Foundation ciples should be underwritten by a strong national 214 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Washington, DC 20002–4999 (202) 546-4400 • heritage.org Nothing written here is to be construed as necessarily reflecting the views of The Heritage Foundation or as an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any bill before Congress. No. 2911 WebMemo May 21, 2010 2. Stand Up to the Rise of a European Super- who are fighting for freedom, from Moscow to state. The rise of a European Union superstate, with Harare to Tehran, and studiously avoid the appease- a common foreign and security policy as well as a ment of tyrants. A Conservative administration European security and defense policy, directly should also advance a free trade agenda that sup- threatens both British and American interests. The ports the growth of economic freedom across the Obama Administration should be sent the message world and confronts protectionist policies on both that its strong support for a federal Europe is mis- sides of the Atlantic. placed and that a Conservative government will Cameron Should Look to Churchill and fight against any efforts by Brussels to take further Thatcher as Role Models. Though largely untested powers away from London. This statement should in the foreign policy arena, Cameron has the poten- include a complete rejection of an EU defense iden- tial to be an international statesman of significant tity and a supranational EU foreign policy as well as stature. In order to realize this promise, however, he any dilution of the NATO alliance. should be prepared to advance an agenda that 3. Invest in Defense and Be Prepared to Use projects strength—not weakness—and allocates the Force Where Necessary. Under the Conservatives, military resources required for Britain to operate Britain should be prepared to wield military might successfully as a world power. He should look not independent of the EU—and with the appropriate to Barack Obama as a role model but to Winston level of defense spending to back it up. Cameron Churchill and Margaret Thatcher, two decisive and has shown a strong commitment to the 10,000- iron-willed leaders who took great pride in their troop British mission in Afghanistan, rejecting the country’s past while unashamedly advancing the notion of a timetable for the withdrawal of NATO national interest. troops. He should also be prepared to use force if The world needs strong British leadership, espe- necessary alongside the U.S. to halt the rise of a cially at a time when Washington is hesitating to nuclear-armed Iran, in addition to pressing for a take a strong stand on several critical fronts. Britain range of tougher European and has a vital role to play in blocking the rise of a Security Council political, economic, and military nuclear Iran as well as winning the war in Afghani- sanctions against Tehran. stan. A Conservative government should strengthen 4. Support the Cause of Freedom on the Britain’s alliances with the U.S. and NATO while World Stage. Finally, a Conservative government enhancing strategic partnerships with rising friendly should pursue a foreign policy that, at its core, sup- powers such as India. ports freedom across the globe. Such a commitment Under Gordon Brown, Great Britain punched includes supporting the aspirations of opposition well below its weight as an international actor, with movements in tyrannies such as Iran, Burma, and the exception of its role in Afghanistan. For a nation Zimbabwe and standing up to dictatorial regimes with a proud history of global leadership and a rich that suppress their own people and in some heritage that spans much of the world, now is the instances also act as state sponsors of terrorism. time for that to change. Cameron should avoid embarking down the same —Nile Gardiner, Ph.D., is Director of the Margaret engagement path traveled by President Obama, Thatcher Center for Freedom, a division of the Kathryn which has succeeded only in emboldening Amer- and Shelby Cullom Davis Institute for International ica’s enemies and weakening U.S. strategic power. Studies, at The Heritage Foundation. He should forthrightly defend political dissidents

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