During a Democratic debate last October, Hillary Clinton advocated a no-fly zone in Syria, even though Russian jets patrolled the skies. It’s also important to note that ISIS doesn’t have an air force, therefore American planes would be forced to defend this no-fly zone against both Russia and Syria. The subjects of Iraq (including Clinton’s vote), American military quagmires, and other topics related to decision-making as commander-in-chief were also addressed by Bernie Sanders and other Democrats. During a recap of the televised debate, Dr. Jill Stein gave her view of the former Secretary of State’s misguided statements during a Democracy Now interview:
AMY GOODMAN: There you had Hillary Clinton; before that, former Senator Chafee of Rhode Island, Martin O’Malley and Bernie Sanders. Dr. Jill Stein, your response?
JILL STEIN:Yeah, I mean, I had to laugh when Hillary said—you know, as if being appointed secretary of state somehow vindicated her bad decision about Iraq, you know, because she just then went on to make all kinds of other really horrific decisions. And she also tried to justify, you know, her regime change in Libya, creating the failed state that it is, you know, and her position was just defenseless. And it felt like we need to acknowledge what an incredible series of catastrophes Iraq initiated. They’re not over yet. And Senator Clinton and, actually, all of the Democrats on the stage continue to support basically the same failed policy. We need an immediate weapons embargo to—particularly to Syria. Clinton was calling for, essentially, an air war. You know, in calling for a no-fly zone, she’s saying, “Let’s have an air war with Russia,” you know, and now we’re talking about a nuclear-armed power. You know, it just felt like she was saying all the wrong things.
AMY GOODMAN: That was the exchange between them on the no-fly zone. Jill?
JILL STEIN:Yeah, to say the least, I mean, it could lead to a nuclear war, because if you’re talking about a no-fly zone, it’s not that you might have an accident bumping into a Russian plane, it’s that you’re saying Russian planes, no other planes may fly there. So, you know, that’s going head-on with an armed power.
Dr. Stein correctly states that any confrontation with a Russian plane could lead to a catastrophic war, and while Clinton did her best to sound hawkish, her no-fly zone strategy is yet another potentially poor decision. Even the debate moderator stated “ISIS doesn’t have aircraft…Al-Qaida doesn’t have aircraft…So would you shoot down a Syrian military aircraft or a Russian airplane?”
This debate last October highlights how Clinton would use the Authorization for Use of Military Force. The AUMF gives an American president power to wage endless war, as well as the ability to deploy American ground troops and bomb countries, without Congressional approval for a limited time. The Atlantic writes “The AUMF has become the modern-day equivalent of a declaration of war.” Therefore, do you trust Hillary Clinton or Donald Trump with this kind of power? In addition, the most frightening aspect of this election is that George Bush’s neoconservative advisers have written an open letter against Trump, and have already sided towards Hillary Clinton.
I trust Dr. Jill Stein with the AUMF infinitely more than Hillary Clinton, who will be advised by Henry Kissinger and Bush’s neoconservative advisers.
If Bernie Sanders doesn’t manage to wrestle the Democratic nomination from Clinton at the Democratic Convention, Dr. Jill Stein of the Green Party is the perfect option for Americans longing for systemic change. Endless war, perpetual quagmires, and failed policy decisions have been the legacy of Bush, Clinton, and Obama’s battle against global terror. There’s been a fivefold increase in terrorism fatalities since 9/11, and our foreign policy has made the world, and America, less safe. While Bush started our path towards endless war, and Clinton helped him, President Obama has witnessed the rise of ISIS under his tenure.
Dr. Jill Stein gives every American a choice. Without choices in life, there’s no hope; the future is dependent upon hope and a belief that things can get better. During another interview with Democracy Now’s Amy Goodman, Dr. Stein separates herself from Clinton, Bush, and Obama on foreign policy, immigration, and other issues:
JILL STEIN:Yes, exactly. I’d say putting another Clinton in the White House is only going to make that right-wing extremism greater. We will see more of these neoliberal policies, like Wall Street deregulation, like the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which Hillary has always supported. She’s changed her tune a little bit, but Hillary has walked the walk. Look at the walk and not the talk. In fact, you know, Trump says very scary things—deporting immigrants, massive militarism and, you know, ignoring the climate. Well, Hillary, unfortunately, has a track record for doing all of those things. Hillary has supported the deportations of immigrants, opposed the refugees—women and children coming from Honduras, whose refugee crisis she was very much responsible for by giving a thumbs-up to this corporate coup in Honduras that has created the violence from which those refugees are fleeing…
And it’s not only the militarism that Trump talks about, it’s Hillary’s massive record of militarism: the rush into Libya, which was really—you know, she was the prime mover behind that campaign, which the military advisers were largely against; her approval for the war in Iraq and so on; you know, her threat to bomb Iran; and, you know, she—and her demonization of Russia and China, and the pivot against China. We are rushing towards war with Hillary Clinton, who has a track record…
So, the terrible things that we expect from Donald Trump, we’ve actually already seen from Hillary Clinton. So I’d say, don’t be a victim of this propaganda campaign, which is being waged by people who exercise selective amnesia. They’re very quick to tell you about the terrible things that the Republicans did, but they’re very quick to forget the equally terrible things that have happened under a Democratic White House, with two Democratic houses of Congress. It’s time to forget the lesser evil, stand up and fight for the greater good.
Condemning lesser evil politics, Dr. Stein offers a perspective Clinton lacks, and a viewpoint that is popular among millions of Americans. From Stein’s opposition to the TPP, to her analysis that Trump and Clinton share a great many policy objectives, the Green Party’s candidate for president provides a choice not linked to “evil.”
As Stein eloquently states, “Don’t be a victim of this propaganda campaign, which is being waged by people who exercise selective amnesia.” Hillary Clinton voted for Iraq, pushed for regime change in Libya, and along with pushing for the arming of Syrian rebels, wants to institute a no-fly zone. Contrary to the facts, and recent history, Clinton ignores the limits of U.S. power, while Trump is actually the less hawkish of both New York politicians.
We’ve entered a frightening era in American democracy when The New York Times publishes a piece titled Donald the Dove, Hillary the Hawk.
Leading the U.S. Armed Forces requires wisdom and the ability to learn from past mistakes. Clinton repeated the tragedy of Iraq with Libya and Honduras. Furthermore, while Trump might be less hawkish, only Dr. Jill Stein offers a truly toned down U.S. foreign policy that isn’t susceptible to massive blowback.
This election has seen Bernie Sanders create a powerful political movement, and if he doesn’t become Democratic nominee, Jill Stein will continue to keep the flame alive. Dr. Stein is now the most powerful woman in American politics, and I explain why in this YouTube segment. In fact, I explain here that Bernie’s endorsement of Clinton was essentially an endorsement of Dr. Jill Stein.
If Democrats lose to Trump, it wouldn’t be Jill Stein’s fault, and it wouldn’t be Bernie’s fault. I discuss in this segment that Clinton is barely above Trump in an average of polls. Look in the mirror Clinton supporters, and take a good look at Jill Stein. Clinton’s experience as Secretary of State resulted in a year-long FBI email investigation, so Dr. Stein’s wisdom overshadows questions regarding experience. We don’t need no-fly zones in Syria, or cataclysmic engagements with Russian MIG’s. For this reason, and more, Dr. Jill Stein is far better suited to be commander-in-chief than Hillary Clinton.
