Chris Christie: Obama Has ‘Over-Promised and Under-Delivered’ on Foreign Policy
Kate Scanlon /
MANCHESTER, N.H.—During a forum today hosted by Americans for Peace, Prosperity, and Security, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said that President Obama has “over-promised and under-delivered” on foreign policy.
“I’m about to have an historic moment in front of you,” Christie said. “In fact, one of the only times you’ll hear me say this in my political career: I am about to quote Jimmy Carter.”
Christie said former President Carter was asked about Obama’s foreign policy in an interview and responded that “I cannot think of one country that we have a better relationship with today than the day he became president.”
“That came from a president of his own party,” Christie said. “The world has become a more complicated and difficult place because of the lack of American leadership as personified by this president and his conduct.”
Christie reiterated his criticism of the Obama administration’s nuclear agreement with Iran by saying “the president lied” when he told the American people that the deal with Iran included “anytime, anywhere inspections.”
He said that under the terms of the deal, it could take up to 24 days to inspect Iran if there is a suspicion they are in violation of the deal.
Giving Iran 24 days’ notice is like giving a criminal 24 days’ notice that you are coming to his house with a warrant, Christie said.
“Now listen: even the stupidest criminal in New Jersey, if I gave them 24 days before I was coming back to look for the evidence, would be able to figure out how to get it out of there before I came back. By the way, just as an aside, we pride ourselves in New Jersey in having some of the stupidest criminals in America.”
“But the Iranians are far from stupid,” Christie continued. “There is no commonsense reason why you should give these folks nuclear power.”
He said the next president must repair U.S.-Israeli relations, and that Israelis should have been included in nuclear negotiations with Iran.
“It is amazing to me that the Israelis were not at the table[.] … It is shameful that this president has decided that the only world leader he is willing to stand up to, and berate in public, is the prime minister of Israel.”
He believes America must be the world’s leader rather than the world’s police force, but that there are conflicts that merit American involvement.
“Americans have an interest in preventing genocide,” Christie said.
Asked by an audience member about immigration, Christie said his party is not anti-immigration, but must provide the opportunity to immigrate to the United States to those “who want to do so on a legal basis.”
He said that the proposal to build a fence across the entire Southern border is merely a “chest-pumping, false sense of security.”
He proposed using technology such as drones and cameras, and building fences in areas where law enforcement thinks it is prudent to do so.
His grandfather, he said, was “born on a boat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean” as his great-grandparents journeyed to America.
His family story is indicative of the stories of many American families, he said.
“His grandson is running for president,” Christie added. “Two generations from the guy who was born on a boat.”
.@ChrisChristie talks about his foreign policy views in Manchester, NH #FITN pic.twitter.com/V0cTMBoXQJ
— Kate Scanlon (@scanlon_kate) July 29, 2015