Is Trump sane on (non trade) foreign policy?

[The Free North]

From what I have heard in his speeches/interviews he seems to believe:

-The Iraq War was a mistake
-Have a large military but 'hopefully never use it'
-Putin is not an existential threat to our security
-We shouldn't pick a side in Syria (we lose either way)
-We shouldn't keep defending Korea/Japan/Germany/Saudi Arabia
-We shouldn't be paying for the defense/nation building of foreign countries
-Bomb ISIS
-Broadly seems to favor the 'Powell Doctrine': Don't get involved in conflicts often, but when we do, commit 100% and win decisively


Honestly he sounds like a *gulp* pretty reasonable non-interventionist. I actually find my self agreeing with him, especially in regards to policing the world. The only thing I think is totally irrational is his calls for a massive military buildup, which seems a bit unnecessary.

Perhaps his foreign policy and IR talking points just sound better in comparison to his nonsense trade and economics?

[Darthpi – Anti-Florida Activist]

He is vaguely reasonable on the things you have listed, though he clearly oversimplifies some of the issues, but he is also calling for killing the families of terrorists, which is a war crime, and for taking the oil of Iraq and Syria, which reeks of colonialist expansionism.

He isn't so much sane as he is just making it up as he goes along and occasionally derping into a decent idea.

[○∙◄☻¥tπ[╪AV┼cVê└]

Better than Hillary I guess

[Mr. Morden]

He's a Jacksonian.  His reticence to get too involved in the Middle East is directly tied to the fact that he has such a dismal view of the Muslim world.  (Whereas, in contrast, folks like McCain and Graham think that there's hope for the political situation in the Middle East to improve, if only we use the US military to impose our desired outcomes.)  But he uses fear of the external Muslim threat to rationalize his immigration policies.  Peter Beinart has a good take on his foreign policy instincts:

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2015/11/donald-trumps-formula-for-success-in-foreign-policy/417456/

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[Bigby]

That list makes me realize that I'm probably the closest to Trump (Well, with what he's saying for now) than any other candidate on foreign policy, especially with the Powell Doctrine. I also agree that it's pointless to try and fix every single, or even most, issues in the Middle East. So yes, foreign policy is probably his sanest field.

[Trapsy]

Add
Kill the families of terrorist
bring back waterboarding and severe torture tactics.

Still sounds less aggressive than my girl Hillary.

[indysaff]

I just keep hearing "Bomb oil, take oil" and I can't him seriously.

[rob in cal]

   Another example of Trump as the true GOP centrist candidate, albeit one capable of wandering way off the deep end at any time on any subject.

[Lyin' Steve]

Trump's position on taking ISIS' oil isn't sane.  It isn't ISIS' oil, it's Iraq/Syria/Lebanon's.  He wants to use the threatened presence of a rebel group in an area to strip a sovereign nation of its natural resources in that area.  Imagine if France had dropped into California during the Civil War and taken all our gold on the pretense that the south might be about to take it over.  Not sane.  Especially in the case of Iraq, where it's in our best interests for the country to become a stable nation-state and oil is its most valuable resource.

[RaphaelDLG]

I just keep hearing "Bomb oil, take oil" and I can't him seriously.

[ElectionsGuy]

Yes.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

No, but who is?

[Cruzcrew]

Foreign policy is his best part

[Leinad]

Closer than some, and it's one of his sanest areas.

No, but who is?

From my vantage point, the Libertarian Party. Although that may be outside of many people's definition of "sane."

Certainly no one in the Republican Party since Rand's departure.

[komodozer]

No.  He simply realizes that both the GOP and Dems are tired of meddling in the Mideast, so he is on an active search for "another monster to destroy" (as John Quincy Adams so wisely warned us 200 years ago on the dangers of domestic demagoguery in foreign policy). 

Just wait until Mexico refuses to build his wall....

[whanztastic]

Trump doesn't actually have any policies. He is just pure id.

[President Johnson]

Yes, he made some good points. I think he's even better than Hillary on most foreign policy issues. I just hope won't (if elected) give Putin that mich room. We have to get along with Russia, but Putin is not trustworthy. He only understands strength.

[Torie]

No. I want to replace Obamacare with something that everybody will just LOVE, it is just going to be GREAT, just unbelievably FANTASTIC, and yes, under a Trump Presidency, America will be great again.

That is about the intellectual depth of Trump on most issues. He just doesn't know, and frankly, I don't think he gives a damn. Details bore him.

[President Johnson]

No. I want to replace Obamacare with something that everybody will just LOVE, it is just going to be GREAT, just unbelievably FANTASTIC, and yes, under a Trump Presidency, America will be great again.

That is about the intellectual depth of Trump on most issues. He just doesn't know, and frankly, I don't think he gives a damn. Details bore him.

Oh I don't think so. Otherwise, he wouldn't be such a sucessfull businessman. Merely the electorate, and especially the GOP base, doesn't really care about details too much, so TRUMP is telling them what they want to hear. But I'm sure he will change a little on that as soon as he's nominated and even change more if he ends up as president.

[Torie]

No. I want to replace Obamacare with something that everybody will just LOVE, it is just going to be GREAT, just unbelievably FANTASTIC, and yes, under a Trump Presidency, America will be great again.

That is about the intellectual depth of Trump on most issues. He just doesn't know, and frankly, I don't think he gives a damn. Details bore him.

Oh I don't think so. Otherwise, he wouldn't be such a sucessfull businessman. Merely the electorate, and especially the GOP base, doesn't really care about details too much, so TRUMP is telling them what they want to hear. But I'm sure he will change a little on that as soon as he's nominated and even change more if he ends up as president.

How reassuring. So far, he's not given me one f'ing detail on anything, other than he wants to repeal the estate tax, and slash corporate tax rates. Yeah, I know, he wants to deport all the Mexicans, and then let most of them right back in, but that's just jive. Even he is not that dumb. He hires people to do the details for him. He just moves on from deal to deal. The man is superficial. Please write that down for future reference.

I want get to trade policy because we were asked to assume that he is insane on that one, so everybody seems on the same page when it comes to that issue.

By the way, what is Trump going to do when if and when his good buddy Putin tries to take over the balance of the Russianized portion of the Ukraine? Will they stop exchanging Christmas cards? Is he going to try to create a safe zone in Syria? I mean, since he doesn't want any Syrian refugees going anywhere, if he does not do that, is his plan just to trap them all like rats in Syria, and watch them all die or something?

[Ljube]

No. I want to replace Obamacare with something that everybody will just LOVE, it is just going to be GREAT, just unbelievably FANTASTIC, and yes, under a Trump Presidency, America will be great again.

That is about the intellectual depth of Trump on most issues. He just doesn't know, and frankly, I don't think he gives a damn. Details bore him.

Oh I don't think so. Otherwise, he wouldn't be such a sucessfull businessman. Merely the electorate, and especially the GOP base, doesn't really care about details too much, so TRUMP is telling them what they want to hear. But I'm sure he will change a little on that as soon as he's nominated and even change more if he ends up as president.

How reassuring. So far, he's not given me one f'ing detail on anything, other than he wants to repeal the estate tax, and slash corporate tax rates. Yeah, I know, he wants to deport all the Mexicans, and then let most of them right back in, but that's just jive. Even he is not that dumb. He hires people to do the details for him. He just moves on from deal to deal. The man is superficial. Please write that down for future reference.

I want get to trade policy because we were asked to assume that he is insane on that one, so everybody seems on the same page when it comes to that issue.

By the way, what is Trump going to do when if and when his good buddy Putin tries to take over the balance of the Russianized portion of the Ukraine? Will they stop exchanging Christmas cards? Is he going to try to create a safe zone in Syria? I mean, since he doesn't want any Syrian refugees going anywhere, if he does not do that, is his plan just to trap them all like rats in Syria, and watch them all die or something?

Come on, Torie. He will work with Putin to pacify both Ukraine (by installing a pro Russian Government) and Syria (By restoring it to Assad, fully). That's the cheapest way and you get a very powerful friend (Putin).

[Maxwell]

In a Republican Party that has espoused air striking Russian planes? Absolutely! It's all relative.

[Beet]

In a Republican Party that has espoused air striking Russian planes? Absolutely! It's all relative.

Bush did invite Putin to his ranch, looked into his soul and found a good man. So it wouldn't be unprecedented.

[Clark Kent]

Is Trump sane

No

[Fuzzy Bear]

In a Republican Party that has espoused air striking Russian planes? Absolutely! It's all relative.

What he said.