Ask 20RP12 Anything

[Donerail]

Israel
I am a strong and unabashed supporter of Israel. As could also be in my doctrine- I do NOT believe in proportional response and I believe when a nation has a stated policy of proportional response, it becomes calculated in others' decision to strike that nation as a necessary sacrifice. Israel was founded on legal grounds and supported by the world's leading powers at the time...it is the nation in the Middle East where Jews are free and where Christians are virtually free of persecution. Its one million law-obeying Muslims have full democratic rights and a high quality of life (I will address Gaza later). When dealing with Israel- as I have discussed with Ben- I would split Gaza and the West BAnk. From what I understand- the West Bank is largely urbanized and becoming a destination for tourists. There are movie theaters, department stores, restaurants- and of course the basics. This is due to a moderate government there mostly geared to peace. Gaza is an example of what happens when Hamas is placed in charge. I will stand by Israel as they deal with terror from within and threats such as Iran in their neighborhood. I believe in a two-state solution but one which defends Israel's territorial integrity.

I believe a two-state solution is the only real way to at least calm the tension. Israel was indeed founded on legal grounds and was supported by the world's superpowers at the time...but it was really only because of the recent occurrance of the holocaust. For quite a bit of time, the land belonged to Muslims and was called Palestine. The land was promised to both Jews and Muslims by Britain after WWII, but only Israel got a peace of the land. I believe the two can co-exist in peace, and a two-state solution would help.

If you believe that the two (being Israelis and Palestinians) can co-exist in peace, would you also support a binational solution, unifying the nation into one federal state modeled after Belgium, Bosnia, or Switzerland? Also, do you think a three-state solution, where we go back to 1967 borders with 1967 control over land (Jordanian-Egyptian solution) would be feasible?

And related to that, what is your position on the Golan Heights/Sheeba Farms conflict? Give to Israel? Give to Syria? Split the difference? Make Jabal al-Druze?

[Donerail]

I don't think a bi-national solution is what Palestinians or Israelis want in order to solve this conflict. Each side wants their own independent nation. I don't think a three state solution would be best either. I believe a two state solution is what is most necessary to resolve the conflict. Also, I believe the Golan Heights/Shebaa Farms should be split between Israel and Syria.

Reasonable, but what is your position specifically on the Shebaa Farms? Lebanon claims it, and 1920-30 reports consider it Lebanese, but it was administered by Syria 1948-67. It's currently occupied by Israel as part of the Golan Heights, while Lebanon claims it and Syria vaguely accepts the claim until Israel withdraws.

[Donerail]

What is your position on the Tuareg revolt currently taking place in the Azawad region of Northern Mali?

What's your position on the Somalia-Somaliland-Puntland dispute?

As President, would you recognize any/all of the following: Abkhazia, Taiwan, Northern Cyprus, Palestine, Western Sahara, and/or South Ossentia?

[Donerail]

What is your position on the Tuareg revolt currently taking place in the Azawad region of Northern Mali?

What's your position on the Somalia-Somaliland-Puntland dispute?

As President, would you recognize any/all of the following: Abkhazia, Taiwan, Northern Cyprus, Palestine, Western Sahara, and/or South Ossentia?

I believe the Tuareg people are fighting for their rights as humans, which is great to see and I'm glad to hear that a ceasefire and subsequent recognization of the people has occured in Niger.

I believe the Somaliland-Puntland dispute should be resolved through diplomatic talks and without international military intervention.

I would recognize every nation and territory that seeks recognization. We should offer equal opportunity to every nation and territory around the world.

Even when that recognition might alienate important allies (Georgia, China, Cyprus, Israel, Morocco)?

[Donerail]

What is your position on the Tuareg revolt currently taking place in the Azawad region of Northern Mali?

What's your position on the Somalia-Somaliland-Puntland dispute?

As President, would you recognize any/all of the following: Abkhazia, Taiwan, Northern Cyprus, Palestine, Western Sahara, and/or South Ossentia?

What about Transnistria?

Huh, I forgot Transnistria and Nagorno-Karabakh...

[Donerail]

What is your position on the Tuareg revolt currently taking place in the Azawad region of Northern Mali?

What's your position on the Somalia-Somaliland-Puntland dispute?

As President, would you recognize any/all of the following: Abkhazia, Taiwan, Northern Cyprus, Palestine, Western Sahara, and/or South Ossentia?

I believe the Tuareg people are fighting for their rights as humans, which is great to see and I'm glad to hear that a ceasefire and subsequent recognization of the people has occured in Niger.

I believe the Somaliland-Puntland dispute should be resolved through diplomatic talks and without international military intervention.

I would recognize every nation and territory that seeks recognization. We should offer equal opportunity to every nation and territory around the world.

Even when that recognition might alienate important allies (Georgia, China, Cyprus, Israel, Morocco)?

I believe, through diplomacy, we will not alienate any ally.

If Atlasia recognizes Taiwan (just for one example) as a sovereign state, a military response from the PRC  would most likely occur (and a blockade of Taiwan would almost definitely occur), and recognition would possibly be considered as a act of war by Atlasia against the PRC (recognizing part of their sovereign territory as part of another nation). This, needless to say, is undesirable.

[Donerail]

ASK MOAR QUESTIONS

Foreign policy is kinda my thing, so here's moar questions... a lot moar:

-What do you propose as a settlement to disputes over the Spratley and Paracel Islands in the South China Sea?

-What's your position on arms control (specifically on nuclear weapons like START?)

-What's your position on the Law of the Sea Treaty?

-As President, would you ever find a situation in which you would need to act as Commander-In-Chief without approval of Congress?

-How do you feel about restrictions on free trade between Atlasia and certain nations, namely Azerbaijan, Belarus, Fiji, Liechtenstein, Russia, Brunei, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, CAR, Chad, Congo, DR Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Syria, Gabon, Somalia, Sudan, Swaziland, Uganda, Zimbabwe, and Uzbekibekibekibekistanstan? Specifically, are you of the opinion that sanctions are an act of war?

-What is your position on the export of "dual-use" technologies?

-How would you reform the foreign aid system?

-What, if any, actions would you take to combat piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Strait of Malacca?

-What, if anything, would you do to "promote democracy" around the world?

-Your position on the ICC?

-NATO?

-Your position on the NPT?

-What would be a 20RP12 Administration's position towards the Balkans? Burma? India? Sudan? China?

-What are your feelings on debt relief for Third World nations?

-What, if anything, would your administration do to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis?

-What was your stance on the Dubai Ports World controversy (included to give an idea of future policy stances)?

-What would you do to combat drug trafficking in Central/South America?

-What would your administration do to try to deal with the Soviet Union Russia?

-What is your position on immigration both to Atlasia and to Europe (and what some people are calling the Hispanization and Islamization of those areas, respectively)? Is this a concern or is this blown out of proportion?

-What would your administration's stance be towards Thailand?

-What would you do to address climate change?

-What steps would your administration take to reduce dependence on foreign energy?

Have fun...

[Donerail]

Now's when I try to tie the questions/answers together...

-If you support the Law of the Sea treaty, does that mean that you back claims made by Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei to portions of the Spratly/Paracel Islands over those made by the ROC, PRC, and Philippines, due to those three nations basing their claims based on the Law of the Sea's allowance of nations to claim islands on their continental shelf?

-As part of your support of arms control, would you ratify the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty, the Fissile Material Cutoff Treaty, the Space Preservation Treaty, the Program of Action produced by the UN Conference on the Illicit Trade in SALWs, or even a ban on nuclear weapons like the current ones on biological and chemical weapons?

-On dual-use items, you would basically support the current aims of the Wassenaar Arrangement, correct?

-In your support of the NPT, would you cease exports of technology with nuclear uses to India, Pakistan, and Israel, as they have not signed it?

-(Rephrased) What, if anything, would you do to stop drug trafficking from Central/South America to Atlasia?

-What would be your administration's stance on emissions standards? Emissions trading?

-(I think this is the only bit I sharply disagreed with) Is the benefits gained from domestic oil drilling outweighed by the costs of cleanup of spills and the loss of tourism revenues due to the tourist areas being covered with petroleum?

-By "Atlasia's elected officials serve on behalf of The People", do you mean the people or The People?

[Donerail]

Dude, are you in Model UN by any chance?

I founded my school's Model UN chapter and am current President. Plus I'm going to a 3-week summer camp on trends towards both democratization and polarization in Middle Eastern politics. So yes.

[Donerail]

I'm a little worried by your response on HIV/AIDS, malaria etc etc... there's plenty we can do.

The problem is the countries that foreign aid needs to be given to to fight those diseases are also the one who really shouldn't be getting foreign aid (Zimbabwe, Angola, and Swaziland, to name a few); countries where foreign aid is likely to be used on guns & tanks and other things dictators like instead of its intended purpose. Maybe the answer is to remove all aid and instead fund NGOs; maybe it's to increase aid by a whole lot; maybe it's to only give to democracies; maybe it's to make aid conditional on reforms. I'd be interested to see a response here too.

[Donerail]

Dude, this guy really needs to get into national politics both in the game and IRL ASAP.

I semi-seriously considered running for FL State House a few months ago, just cause I live in a battleground-type district and the Democratic challenger to the 2-yr Rep. incumbent just had a quarter where he raised $20 (and I know at least 2 people with $20 they'd give me), but FL age limit is 21+.

[Donerail]

Sjoycefla 2020!

Sjoycefla 2032! (Have to remember about that pesky Article II, Section 1, Clause 5).

[Donerail]

Sjoycefla 2020!

Sjoycefla 2032! (Have to remember about that pesky Article II, Section 1, Clause 5).

Dude, I'd move to Florida just to vote for you.

The SJoyceFla 2032 campaign does encourage supporters to move to Florida... We also encourage moving to Arizona, Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

[Donerail]

How about Massachusetts or Jersey?

New Jersey, Montana, Oregon, Indiana, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Wisconsin, South Carolina, and Georgia are all also encouraged but to a lesser extent. We do not encourage moving to Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, West Virginia, Wyoming, California, Connecticut, Delaware, DC, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, or Washington. These recommendations may all be updated as electoral geography changes.