WHY FOREIGN POLICY IS IMPORTANT
Foreign policy is important because world events do affect the individual. When there is a war, not only are there emotional consequences, there are economic consequences as well. When a county is exposed to bad acts committed by an enemy, the individual suffers. To put it simply, we are often affected by the good or bad will our leaders experience.
The alliances that our leaders secure can assure national stability or chaos. When our leaders are able to show strength, it inhibits aggressors from taking action that have bad consequences. Theodore Roosevelt said, “Walk softly, but carry a big stick” Ronald Reagan also believed in peace through strength. Even our first president , George Washington said, “If we desire to secure peace, it must be known that we are at all times ready for war.” The good intentions and the intelligence to secure security for our country depends on whoever is sitting in the oval office. Who we choose to sit in that special chair is up to us, the voters. It is important that we understand the capabilities of the person we elect so that the power we vest reflects our values.
To be ignorant of the foreign policy attributes of a candidate for president is to be exposed to a multitude of unexpected consequences. We always hope that a president is not predisposed in a particular direction that might bring harm to the country. We hope, like one bets on a fighter in the ring, that our president is going to make us proud of his or her actions. We also hope that he or she will always be thinking of the good of the country and leave his ego at the door when negotiating. Wars have been fought because leaders considered their ego more important than the good of the country. The character of a candidate and his or her love of the country is paramount.
When a president is compromised by ill intent, instability results. Citizens need to be confident that their leader makes all of his or her decisions based upon the good of the country-not the good of the political party he represents. A president must shed his personal alliances in favor of the good of the country. Power is like fire. It can be used for good or evil. To wield that power takes a person of strong will, good character, intelligence and that X quality that determines when a leader is great or just mediocre.