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Candidates positions and views on other Issues where information is available: |
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The report below lists the candidate responses to Middle East issue questions. The responses were provided by Newt Gingrich, Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Buddy Roemer, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum or were obtained from their websites. The candidates select the issues and questions for which they want to provide a response. The first link is a report of all the issues and questions made available to the candidates. Many issues and questions had no responses - links are only provided where we have information. If there are many candidates for this office, you may have to scroll down to compare all responses. |
| Middle East |
Newt Gingrich - R
Website
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No Running Mate Selected |
| These are available issue topics for which there were no responses. |
| Middle East Policy, a General Statement |
| Syria |
| Arab Spring |
| Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia |
| Israel |
| Palestinian Statehood |
| Israeli and Palestinian Conflict |
| Recognition of a Palestinian State |
| Palestinian West Bank and Gaza |
| Palestinian Death Toll |
| War in Lebanon |
| Hizbullah and Hamas |
| Saudi Arabia |
| Turkey |
| Middle East |
Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. - R
Website
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No Running Mate Selected |
| These are available issue topics for which there were no responses. |
| Middle East Policy, a General Statement |
| Syria |
| Arab Spring |
| Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia |
| Israel |
| Palestinian Statehood |
| Israeli and Palestinian Conflict |
| Recognition of a Palestinian State |
| Palestinian West Bank and Gaza |
| Palestinian Death Toll |
| War in Lebanon |
| Hizbullah and Hamas |
| Saudi Arabia |
| Turkey |
| Middle East |
Ron Paul - R
Website
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No Running Mate Selected |
| Middle East Policy, a General Statement |
Paul: The best thing we can do for the Middle East region is to allow them to be in control of their own affairs once more.
To put this in a proper perspective, consider how Americans would feel if the Gulf of Mexico were patrolled and protected by warships of a foreign power, say the Russians. What would we then think if that same power patrolling the Gulf built air bases in Texas and Florida with our government's complicity with the argument that this was necessary to protect "their" oil? This would anger many Americans and this anger would be directed to both the foreign occupiers of our territorial waters and our own government that permitted it. Yet this is exactly what has been happening in the Persian Gulf region. For religious, historic and sovereignty reasons, the Muslim people harbor great resentment toward us.
With American forces either occupying, threatening, or subsidizing nearly every country in the Middle East, we have unintentionally made it easier for Islamic terrorists to recruit followers to their radical ideologies.
Our long term goal should be trade and diplomacy with all Middle Eastern nations, along with a complete cessation of any interference in their internal affairs.
Source: Ron Paul (02/26/2008) |
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| Israel |
Paul: I support free trade and friendship with all nations, meaning that my administration would treat Israel as a friend and trading partner. Americans would be encouraged to travel to and trade with Israel.
I do believe that our current policies toward Israel are doing more harm than good to those we profess to support. Our foreign military aid to Israel is actually more like corporate welfare to the U.S. military industrial complex, as Israel is forced to purchase only U.S. products with this assistance. We send almost twice as much aid to other countries in the Middle East, which only insures increased militarization and the drive toward war.
We have adopted a foreign policy that has left Israel surrounded by militaristic nations while undermining Israel's sovereignty by demanding that its foreign and defense policies be essentially pre-approved in Washington. That is a bad deal for Israel, as sovereign nations must determine on their own what is a most appropriate national defense. On foreign policy as well, the U.S. steps in to prevent Israel from engaging in dialogue with nations of which the U.S. administration disapproves -- even though achieving a lasting peace in the region is the best guarantor of Israel's safety. The United States should take care of its own sovereignty while at the same time respecting the sovereignty of nations like Israel. That is the best way to preserve security and prosperity for all.
Source: Ron Paul (02/26/2008) |
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| These are available issue topics for which there were no responses. |
| Syria |
| Arab Spring |
| Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia |
| Palestinian Statehood |
| Israeli and Palestinian Conflict |
| Recognition of a Palestinian State |
| Palestinian West Bank and Gaza |
| Palestinian Death Toll |
| War in Lebanon |
| Hizbullah and Hamas |
| Saudi Arabia |
| Turkey |
| Middle East |
Rick Perry - R
Website
|
No Running Mate Selected |
| These are available issue topics for which there were no responses. |
| Middle East Policy, a General Statement |
| Syria |
| Arab Spring |
| Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia |
| Israel |
| Palestinian Statehood |
| Israeli and Palestinian Conflict |
| Recognition of a Palestinian State |
| Palestinian West Bank and Gaza |
| Palestinian Death Toll |
| War in Lebanon |
| Hizbullah and Hamas |
| Saudi Arabia |
| Turkey |
| Middle East |
Buddy Roemer - R
Website
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No Running Mate Selected |
| These are available issue topics for which there were no responses. |
| Middle East Policy, a General Statement |
| Syria |
| Arab Spring |
| Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia |
| Israel |
| Palestinian Statehood |
| Israeli and Palestinian Conflict |
| Recognition of a Palestinian State |
| Palestinian West Bank and Gaza |
| Palestinian Death Toll |
| War in Lebanon |
| Hizbullah and Hamas |
| Saudi Arabia |
| Turkey |
| Middle East |
Mitt Romney - R
Website
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No Running Mate Selected |
| Middle East Policy, a General Statement |
Romney: As President, Governor Romney will call together our Middle East allies and the major nations of the developed world to establish a "Partnership for Progress and Prosperity." This Partnership will assemble the resources of all developed nations to assure that threatened Islamic states have public schools, micro-credit and banking, the rule of law, human rights, basic health care, and competitive economic policies. Resources would be drawn from public and private institutions, and from volunteers and NGOs.
Source: www.mittromney.com (12/03/2007) |
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| Syria |
Romney: The United States must recognize Syrian strongman Bashar al-Assad for what he is: an unscrupulous dictator, a killer, and a proxy for Iran. For far too long, the Obama administration held out hope that it could negotiate with Assad to stop his violent crackdown on pro-democracy protestors. It even labeled him a "reformer" while he was turning heavy weapons on his own people. Mitt Romney holds no illusions about Assad's character or about Iran's interest in maintaining a client regime in Damascus.
Mitt Romney believes the United States should pursue a strategy of isolating and pressuring the Assad regime to increase the likelihood of a peaceful transition to a legitimate government. We should redouble our push for the U.N. Security Council to live up to its responsibilities and impose sanctions that cut off funding sources that serve to maintain the regime's grip on power. We should work with Saudi Arabia and Turkey to call on Syria's military to protect civilians rather than attack them. This effort would aim to drive a wedge between Assad and his military, minimize violence, and increase the possibility that the ruling minority Alawites will be able to reconcile with the majority Sunni population in a post-Assad Syria. And we should make clear that the United States and our allies will support the Syrian opposition when the time comes for them to forge a post-Assad government.
Source: www.mittromney.com/issues/middle-east (08/07/2012) |
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| Arab Spring |
Romney: The Greater Middle East is experiencing the most dramatic change since the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. The protests that have broken out across the Arab world bespeak a generational yearning for a better life and for human dignity, and present an opportunity for profoundly positive change. History may show that the individual who moved the Arab world from autocracy to the path of freedom was not a head of state, but a humble Tunisian street vendor.
But the ongoing revolution is doubled edged. The region is riven by tensions, and Iran and Islamist extremists are seeking to influence events and expand their control. The future of democratic institutions in the region -- and the security of the United States and its allies -- hangs in the balance. Mitt Romney believes that the United States cannot be neutral about the outcome.
To protect our enduring national interests and to promote our ideals, a Romney administration will pursue a strategy of supporting groups and governments across the Middle East to advance the values of representative government, economic opportunity, and human rights, and opposing any extension of Iranian or jihadist influence. The Romney administration will strive to ensure that the Arab Spring is not followed by an Arab Winter.
Source: www.mittromney.com/issues/middle-east (08/07/2012) |
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| Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia |
Romney: Nations in the Middle East in transition to new governmental structures face serious pitfalls on the road to more representative forms of government. Already, destabilizing jihadist forces and Iranian-backed elements, often better funded and organized than their democratic counterparts, are seeking to exploit the upheaval to make political inroads. A Romney administration will support those individuals and groups that are seeking to instill lasting democratic values and build sturdy democratic institutions that will sustain open societies in countries that have been closed for too long. Mitt will make available technical assistance to governments and transitional bodies to promote democracy, good governance, and sound financial management. He will convene a summit that brings together world leaders, donor organizations, and young leaders of groups that espouse the principles of representative government, religious pluralism, economic opportunity, women's and minority rights, and freedom of expression and conscience in the Arab world. And in his first 100 days, Mitt will engage Congress and relevant executive branch agencies and begin organizing all diplomatic and assistance efforts in the greater Middle East under one regional director. Unlike recent "special envoys" or regional "czars," this official will possess unified budgetary and directive authority, and therefore real ability to create results. One official with responsibility and accountability will be able to set regional priorities, craft a unified regional strategic plan, and properly direct our soft power toward ensuring the Arab Spring realizes its promise.
Source: www.mittromney.com/issues/middle-east (08/07/2012) |
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| Israel |
Romney: Israel is the United States' closest ally in the Middle East and a beacon of democracy and freedom in the region. The tumult in the Middle East has heightened Israel's security problems. Indeed, this is an especially dangerous moment for the Jewish state. It has deteriorating relationships with Turkey and Egypt. It faces longstanding dangers from Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, a violent and highly unstable Syria, and a nuclear-aspiring Iran whose leadership is openly calling for Israel's annihilation.
To ensure Israel's security, Mitt Romney will work closely with Israel to maintain its strategic military edge. The United States will work intensively with Turkey and Egypt to shore up the now fraying relationships with Israel that have underpinned peace in the Middle East for decades. The United States must forcefully resist the emergence of anti-Israel policies in Turkey and Egypt, and work to make clear that their interests are not served by isolating Israel.
Source: www.mittromney.com/issues/israel (08/07/2012) |
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| Israeli and Palestinian Conflict |
Romney: President Obama and his administration have badly misunderstood the dynamics of the region. Instead of fostering stability and security, they have diminished U.S. authority and painted both Israel and ourselves into a corner. President Obama for too long has been in the grip of several illusions. One is that the Israeli-Palestinian dispute is the central problem in the region. This has been disproved repeatedly by events, most recently and most dramatically by the eruption of the Arab Spring. But it nonetheless led the administration to believe that distancing the United States from Israel was a smart move that would earn us credits in the Arab world and somehow bring peace closer. The record proves otherwise. The key to negotiating a lasting peace is an Israel that knows it will be secure.
The administration's errors extend in other directions as well. President Obama has repeatedly and unilaterally created new preconditions for restarting peace talks. The result has been to encourage Palestinians simply to hold out and wait for Washington to deliver more Israeli concessions on a silver platter. Why, after all, should the Palestinians even negotiate with Israel if the White House is pressuring Israel without extracting any price from the Palestinians in return?
With regard to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Mitt's policy will differ sharply from President Obama's. As president, Mitt will reject any measure that would frustrate direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. He will make clear to the Palestinians that the unilateral attempt to decide issues that are designated for final negotiations by the Oslo Accords is unacceptable. The United States will reduce assistance to the Palestinians if they continue to pursue United Nations recognition or form a unity government that includes Hamas, a terrorist group dedicated to Israel's destruction.
Source: www.mittromney.com/issues/israel (08/07/2012) |
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| Recognition of a Palestinian State |
Romney: Tell the Palestinians to drop their terror campaign and recognize Israel's right to exist.
Source: www.mittromney.com (12/03/2007) |
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| Hizbullah and Hamas |
Romney: Stop the financial and weapons flows to Hamas and Hezbollah
Source: www.mittromney.com (12/03/2007) |
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| These are available issue topics for which there were no responses. |
| Palestinian Statehood |
| Palestinian West Bank and Gaza |
| Palestinian Death Toll |
| War in Lebanon |
| Saudi Arabia |
| Turkey |
| Middle East |
Rick Santorum - R
Website
|
No Running Mate Selected |
| Middle East Policy, a General Statement |
Santorum: In 2003, Rick authored and successfully fought for the passage of the "Syria Accountability Act" to combat the terrorist threat posed by Syria. By 2005, Rick was one of our nation's first leaders to understand the threat posed by Iran, so he authored and passed the "Iran Freedom and Support Act" in the face of Democratic and Bush State Department opposition, which authorized Federal monies to support pro-democracy movements in Iran and keep the tyrannical dictator Mahmoud Ahmadinejad from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Source: www.ricksantorum.com/
believer-american-exceptionalism (11/06/2011) |
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| Syria |
Santorum: In 2003, Rick authored and successfully fought for the passage of the "Syria Accountability Act" to combat the terrorist threat posed by Syria.
Source: www.ricksantorum.com/
believer-american-exceptionalism (11/06/2011) |
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| These are available issue topics for which there were no responses. |
| Arab Spring |
| Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia |
| Israel |
| Palestinian Statehood |
| Israeli and Palestinian Conflict |
| Recognition of a Palestinian State |
| Palestinian West Bank and Gaza |
| Palestinian Death Toll |
| War in Lebanon |
| Hizbullah and Hamas |
| Saudi Arabia |
| Turkey |