Advertisement

LeMieux: U.N. speech reflects the Trump Doctrine

 
Published Sept. 20, 2017

President Donald Trump gave a big, brazen speech to the United Nations this week. It was the best foreign policy moment of his presidency.

Under President Barack Obama, America's engagement with the world was one of modesty and apology. His view of foreign affairs was seemingly that all nations' values were equal, that our country as a member of the community nations deserved no greater role than any other, and that we as Americans had more to be ashamed about than proud of.

That vision of America's place and role in the world was vastly different than the view of his predecessors.

John F. Kennedy told the world in his inaugural address that America would "pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." Ronald Reagan famously described America as a "shining city on a hill," called out the Soviet Union as an "evil empire," and demanded that President Gorbachev tear down the Berlin Wall. George H.W. Bush, in preparing the nation for the first Gulf War, intoned, "No one, friend or foe, should doubt our desire for peace; and no one should underestimate our determination to confront aggression." Bill Clinton similarly rallied the United States to the use of force in the Balkans. He claimed that deploying our military against Bosnian genocide was vital to our American interest "because we care about saving innocent lives; because we have an interest in avoiding an even crueler and costlier war; and because our children need and deserve a peaceful, stable, free Europe."

More recently, George W. Bush labeled Iran, Iraq, and North Korea as an "axis of evil" for promoting terrorism and seeking weapons of mass destruction. He committed American troops to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and established the Bush Doctrine declaring the United States would hold nations politically and militarily accountable for harboring terrorists.

Trump restored the mantle of American leadership in the world with his speech to the United Nations. He called out thug nations like Iran, Venezuela and, most importantly, North Korea with a line Churchill would be proud of: "The scourge of our planet today is a small group of rogue regimes that violate every principle on which the United Nations is based. They respect neither their own citizens nor the sovereign rights of their countries. If the righteous many do not confront the wicked few, then evil will triumph. When decent people and nations become bystanders to history, the forces of destruction only gather power and strength."

He described the leadership of North Korea as a "band of criminals" and declared that the United States would "totally destroy" the rogue nation if it gained the technology to deploy its nuclear arsenal on ballistic missiles. Then he challenged the United Nations to do something it has not done in a very long time — lead: "The United States is ready, willing and able, but hopefully this will not be necessary. That's what the United Nations is all about. That's what the United Nations is for. Let's see how they do."

Trump's speech was principled, tough and to the point. When rogue states employ nuclear weapons that could kill millions of our people or our allies, and when those states threaten to use them, the world must take action. If it won't, America will act unilaterally. This is the Trump Doctrine.

The lesson of history is that appeasement in the face of aggression invites disaster. Trump put the world on notice, especially Russia and China, that international solutions must be found to confront bad actors who seek nuclear weapons. The two recent unanimous votes of the U.N. Security Council to impose sanctions against North Korea are a good start. Sanctions worked to force Iran to the negotiating table to confront its nuclear program.

Spend your days with Hayes

Spend your days with Hayes

Subscribe to our free Stephinitely newsletter

Columnist Stephanie Hayes will share thoughts, feelings and funny business with you every Monday.

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

Explore all your options

If the United Nations will keep up the pressure and lead, success is possible. If not, the United States will be forced to do what it must to keep our people and our allies safe.

George LeMieux served as a Republican U.S. senator, governor's chief of staff and deputy attorney general.