Week 2, Item 2

By Jared Behrend

The Second Presidential Debate this week once again brought up foreign policy questions, including a question from an audience member regarding Iran and their seeking of nuclear arms, and how this relates to our ally Israel.

The question: "If, despite your best diplomatic efforts, Iran attacks Israel, would you be willing to commit U.S. troops in support and defense of Israel? Or would you wait on approval from the U.N. Security Council?"

McCain's answer:

"Let -- let -- let me say that we obviously would not wait for the United Nations Security Council. I think the realities are that both Russia and China would probably pose significant obstacles."

McCain again states his intentions to act outside of the international community's established forum of the UN Security Council, asserting his assumption that in such an extreme case of actual Iranian aggression on Israel that Russia or China would not support U.S. or coalition involvement. McCain's view, as well as Obama's view is that we cannot provide ultimate veto power to the UN Security Council. This is an obvious and not surprising view for the candidates, as each country's sovereignty is important to maintain. Later in McCain's response, he again mentions the key part of his policy on Iran, which creates a "league of democracies." It is here that McCain reveals his realist perspective, maintaining that a rising nuclear power in Iran will upset the region and balance of power in the world, stating "It's a threat to the stability of the entire Middle East." By depriving Iran of economic means of survival as a country, McCain hopes Iran's aims of nuclear proliferation will be discouraged. With Israel the one real democracy in the Middle East, its existence surrounded by non-democratic nations is seen by realists as a force of change and potential "game-changer" in the region.