Senator John Kerry (D-MA) is likely to be confirmed today as the next Secretary of State after sailing through a Senate hearing last week. What does this mean for America and its foreign policy?
As Heritage’s Helle Dale wrote after last week’s hearing:
The bad news for the United States is that Kerry is President Obama’s ideological twin and can be expected to enthusiastically embrace the Obama doctrine and continue the Administration’s pursuit of arms control, international treaties, and climate-change agreements. This is a classic liberal agenda, which will only lead to a further erosion of American global leadership.
Though Kerry talked tough on Iran, The Wall Street Journal described Kerry’s stance as a “vision to wind down America’s military operations in the Islamic world and to pursue a foreign policy more driven by aid, economics and environmental issues.”
Kerry, a former presidential candidate who served in Vietnam and then protested the war, has chaired the Senate Foreign Relations Committee—the committee where his confirmation hearings take place—since 2009. He has been a Senator since 1985. Some of his key positions:
- He has stated that when the U.S. undertakes military action, it must first pass a “global test.”
- He has been a cheerleader for various international treaties, such as the Law of the Sea Treaty and the Arms Trade Treaty, that infringe on U.S. sovereignty.
- He is one of the greatest supporters of President Obama’s “reset” policy with Russia.
- He has supported the idea of “fruitful talks between the U.S. and North Korea.”
His Senate colleagues have failed to press Kerry on any meaningful issues, which is unsurprising but still a negative for the country and U.S. allies.
The Secretary of State’s priorities should be defending American sovereignty, promoting economic freedom, and restoring American leadership in the world. Kerry’s track record and his fidelity to Obama’s worldview give us little hope for those priorities.
Guide to the Hearings:
Heritage experts have put out a guide to the confirmation hearings for Kerry, former Senator Chuck Hagel (R–NE) for Secretary of Defense, and White House chief counterterrorism advisor John Brennan for director of the CIA. See their analysis of major issues facing each nominee in these categories:
Middle East and North Africa Issues
U.S. Policy on Sub-Saharan Africa
U.S. Policy on Arctic Security
U.S. Policy for the Western Hemisphere
Cybersecurity and Internet Freedom
Quick Hits:
- President Obama is flying to and from Las Vegas today just to give a speech on immigration. The Weekly Standard reports that the flight and photo op will cost taxpayers more than $1.6 million.
- Christian pastor Saeed Abedini has been sentenced to eight years in a notoriously brutal Iranian prison for his leadership in house churches in Iran.
- The Boy Scouts of America is likely to give sponsors of local troops the decision to accept gay scouts and scout leaders.
- This morning on Istook Live!, Ernest and co-host C.J. Wheeler will be talking about New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s support for gun control. Tune in online from 9 a.m. to noon ET.
- Looking for a summer internship, or know someone who is? Check out The Heritage Foundation’s Young Leaders Program! The deadline to apply for this summer is coming up on February 1.
