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RFK, Jr’s insights and delusions on foreign policy: He frequently invokes his Uncle's policies
American Thinker ^ | 06/28/2023 | K. Turkalo

Posted on 06/28/2023 9:06:22 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Did you hear Robert F Kennedy, Jr’s recent foreign policy speech? It is embedded at the end of this essay, a 30-minute video. It was a very hopeful speech in the old-time peacenik way. He frequently invokes his president uncle, which is both useful and perhaps overdone. As a candidate, he ought to incorporate ideas into his own policy recommendations. But I’m not here to give him political advice. Apparently, he wants to bring back the 1960s Democrat coalition.

Starting with an anecdote about the Kennedy White House, and JFKs recognition of the dangers of nuclear fallout and what JFK did to try to minimize global damage (make a treaty before he told the State Department), he transitioned to a plea to understand the context of Russia’s current concerns regarding the West’s promise not to push NATO east. Fair enough, but he neglects to say that the war Russia started was begun only after America’s leadership went completely insane.

Nevertheless, he says that "... we would never tolerate..." Russia surrounding us as NATO has surrounded Russia. That's probably true, but why are we tolerating China surrounding us by moving into Cuba, Central and South America, not to mention Canada, even setting up police stations in American cities and indoctrination “institutes" in our universities? He doesn’t mention this either.

Unfortunately, the second part of his speech was a variation on kum-bah-yah, just-give­­-peace-a-chance, neglecting to acknowledge that the leaders of other powers may not be as gently introspective as he secretly thinks they may be. Now see if you can shoehorn the Ayatollah, or the Taliban, or the slave-holder Xi, or any number of others into that peaceful description.

(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 2024; foreignpolicy; rfkjr
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As he rightly notes, however, we should certainly maintain a dialog, but America won't be taken seriously if we grovel and destroy the military in favor of an illusory "peace dividend" (aka, defund the military), as Democrats always do.

The answer is: back to Teddy Roosevelt's “speak softly but carry a big stick.” This does not mean that we should be an international bully. But, then that's a Democrat penchant, too, as their cancel culture proves.

Then he goes into some "despairing people" stuff, reminiscent of Carter’s ‘malaise,’ decrying the fact that America is so divided (which he neglects to say was caused by Marxist-inspired wokeism, that is to say Democrat-inspired wokeism, as taught in our schools for generations through subversive, psychobabble pushing, hate-America-first education).

1 posted on 06/28/2023 9:06:22 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

Nothing matters more than RFK’s rippling muscles. Recall all of the babbling fuss about Paul Ryan’s physique.


2 posted on 06/28/2023 9:15:25 AM PDT by NautiNurse (Don't be obtuse)
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To: SeekAndFind

How about his uncle’s all-time record tax cut?


3 posted on 06/28/2023 9:17:15 AM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: NautiNurse

For the record,€2,500 is around $2,740.18 USD at the current rate of exchange. But more importantly, 1000 meters is just shy of 3281 feet.

That’s a fairly big plot of real estate. And since governments don’t reverse policies, especially those that give it power, those zones are liable to increase long before they decrease or disappear entirely. And as has been made crystal clear in the States, Leftists would rather see an entire country burn before ceding anything to anyone.


4 posted on 06/28/2023 9:18:08 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

I suspect that Robert Kennedy’s reason for invoking his uncle’s foreign policy is, he believes (as I do) that John Kennedy was the last Democrat president with any type of coherent foreign policy. You know, one that did not involve the use of American troops.
Johnson: Vietnam
Carter: Iran
Clinton: Bosnia
Obama: Iraq
Biden: Afghanistan

This is not in any way to suggest the Republicans have done much better.


5 posted on 06/28/2023 9:24:04 AM PDT by Tupelo (A House Divided Against Itself Cannot Stand)
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To: NautiNurse
Recall all of the babbling fuss about Paul Ryan’s physique.

Yep. And endorsed judge Katanji Jumanji Brown and force FoxNews to dutifully call Dylan Mulvaney "she".

6 posted on 06/28/2023 9:30:27 AM PDT by montag813
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To: montag813

I don’t remember JFK endorsing Castro!
RFK Jr endorsed the Castro wannabe Hugo Chavez & his successor Maduro.

Good strategy on his part to bring up Uncle JFK, got to keep them fantasizing about Camelot!


7 posted on 06/28/2023 9:39:33 AM PDT by Reily (!!)
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To: Reily

“RFK Jr endorsed the Castro wannabe Hugo Chavez & his successor Maduro.”

Amazing how many here admire this left-wing nut.


8 posted on 06/28/2023 9:42:37 AM PDT by TexasGator
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To: SeekAndFind

On TR, malaise, wokeism and peace dividends, as I see it, all that is well and good shorthand for past times and past policies. What we have now is a new and different beast - more like a coven of vampires that have captured the Dept. of State, DOD, DOJ, CIA. FBI, etc. They all feed upon a federal cow dependent upon an unconstitutional tumorous growth in tax and spend and commerce power that has now matured following a disastrous 1930’s Supreme Court, e.g. US v Butler and Wickard v Fillburn, etc.

.y sole test in deciding who to vote for to hold federal office is which candidate is more likely to take a wrecking ball to federal power. Kennedy sounds good, but he will be eaten alive in my estimation. I hope he gets the nomination and the debate will be be about wrecking balls.


9 posted on 06/28/2023 9:45:24 AM PDT by frithguild (The warmth and goodness of Gaia is a nuclear reactor in the Earth's core that burns Thorium)
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To: Tupelo

Tupelo wrote: “I suspect that Robert Kennedy’s reason for invoking his uncle’s foreign policy is, he believes (as I do) that John Kennedy was the last Democrat president with any type of coherent foreign policy. You know, one that did not involve the use of American troops.”

“In May 1961, JFK authorized sending an additional 500 Special Forces troops and military advisors to assist the pro Western government of South Vietnam. By the end of 1962, there were approximately 11,000 military advisors in South Vietnam; that year, 53 military personnel had been killed. The president would soon send additional military advisors to support the South Vietnamese Army. By the end of 1963, the numbers had risen to 16,000. “

For the reconrd, JFK was assinated on 22 Nov 1963.


10 posted on 06/28/2023 9:56:21 AM PDT by DugwayDuke (Most pick the expert who says the things they agree with.)
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To: TexasGator

Given today’s choices. It really isn’t all that amazing.


11 posted on 06/28/2023 9:57:33 AM PDT by Dandy (Drain the swamp baby!!!)
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To: SeekAndFind

If he can weaken the Rat Party’s nominee (whoever he/she/it might be) then he’s OK in my book.


12 posted on 06/28/2023 9:58:18 AM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Two Words: BANANA REPUBLIC!)
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To: TexasGator
RFK Jr endorsed the Castro wannabe Hugo Chavez & his successor Maduro.

OTOH, he is against the vax, he's for a strong border and against illegal immigration, and he's against the U.S. getting involved in global conflicts.

Gotta take the good with the bad, I guess.
13 posted on 06/28/2023 9:59:46 AM PDT by Signalman
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To: frithguild

” Kennedy sounds good,”

Kennedy is a left-wing authoritarian global-warming ambulance chasing nut that would destroy the US if allowed to.


14 posted on 06/28/2023 10:00:03 AM PDT by TexasGator
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To: TexasGator

Well despite that the whole country can’t think how TexasGator thinks. I know that’s difficult for a blowhard to accept. Maybe there’s value in compromise for the sake of the survival of the country. RFK Jr seems to represent the best moderate that won’t piss off and alienate entirely the other side for both sides. Nobody is completely happy. That’s how compromise works.

..or would you rather start taking pot shots at F16s?


15 posted on 06/28/2023 10:05:24 AM PDT by Rural_Michigan
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To: TexasGator
Kennedy is a left-wing authoritarian global-warming ambulance chasing nut that would destroy the US if allowed to.

Somebody will get the Democrat nomination, so Kennedy or Biden?

16 posted on 06/28/2023 10:07:07 AM PDT by frithguild (The warmth and goodness of Gaia is a nuclear reactor in the Earth's core that burns Thorium)
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To: Signalman

“OTOH, he is against the vax,”

He blames the 1918 flu on the vax. Whatever lines his pockets.

The guy is a total conspiracist.

“he’s for a strong border and against illegal immigration,”

Not a peep till he started the fight against Biden.

” and he’s against the U.S. getting involved in global conflicts.”

See above. Full campaign mode.


17 posted on 06/28/2023 10:14:41 AM PDT by TexasGator
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To: Rural_Michigan

“RFK Jr seems to represent the best moderate “

Moderate? ROTFLMAO! He sure has you fooled!


18 posted on 06/28/2023 10:16:34 AM PDT by TexasGator
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To: frithguild

“Somebody will get the Democrat nomination, so Kennedy or Biden?”

I am registered republican. I have no say.


19 posted on 06/28/2023 10:18:30 AM PDT by TexasGator
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To: frithguild
Somebody will get the Democrat nomination, so Kennedy or Biden?

Doesn't matter. Do you think Congress will pass different laws depending on which one is in the White House? (Ditto Harris, Newsom, Fetterman, Unameit.) Do you think the bureaucracy will act differently if Kennedy is Prez instead of Biden?

20 posted on 06/28/2023 10:21:18 AM PDT by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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