Foreign policy daydreams

My pie-in-the-sky list of American foreign policy goals.

Daydreaming is a universal pastime. What would I do if I won the lottery? What far-off places would I visit? Is this the year the Hawkeyes win the NCAA football playoffs, and the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series? Will the weeds disappear voluntarily from our yard, flowering plots, and hedges, and the grass stop growing at a height of three inches?

When those dreams don’t seem to be going anywhere, I sometimes pivot to more weighty issues. For instance: what would I like to see happen with U.S. foreign policy?

Here’s where I am on that daydream:

First of all, how about free and fair elections in every country in the world? They don’t have to follow the American model of a tripartite federal government, but people should have confidence that they can cast a vote that will be counted, and that majority rule prevails.

Then I’d like to see U.S. tariff policy return to what it was before the wild veer we’ve taken under the current administration. Tariffs have a place in American foreign policy, to maintain a fair balance with our trading partners. Trotting them out as a punitive weapon on unrelated matters doesn’t make sense.

And America’s military strength should not be unleashed on other nations for the primary benefit of America’s super-wealthy and their business enterprises, oil or otherwise.

Here’s are my “dreams” by region. Take it or leave it, it’s your call - it’s my own daydream.

NORTH AMERICA AND THE ARCTIC

—Leave Canada alone. The U.S. and Canada have enjoyed a close family relationship across our long, long border for many, many years. Trump’s daydream of United States dominance over Canada doesn’t wash with me. He can keep that to himself. Leave Canada to the Canadians.

—Leave Greenland alone too. We have no claim to that autonomous Danish protectorate. Making such claim even less compelling, Denmark has offered to let us enhance our defense installations there if we think it necessary. And what legitimacy can we possibly find to thieve Greenland’s natural resources? If we need them, why not buy them at an agreed upon price, the way capitalism has always operated?

—With global warming weakening the arctic sea ice, develop the northwest passage between Canada and the North Pole as a trade route. Build more heavy icebreakers to facilitate the project, in order to keep up with China and Russia.

—Respect and protect the arctic environment and its unique wilderness areas, at least outside acceptable restricted development areas.

AFRICA

—Restore American humanitarian aid to fight AIDS and ebola, provide better nutrition, and promote contraception.

—Work to counter genocide and other horrific crimes in South Sudan and other African nations where life is becoming unbearable.

EAST ASIA

—Defend Taiwan militarily and economically. Leave no doubt that China will undergo serious repercussions if it tries to take over the island militarily. The status quo is worth defending, especially considering Taiwan’s dominance in computer chip production.

—Impose sanctions on Asian nations that refuse to conduct fair elections and/or that violate internationally recognized human rights.

—Maintain an American military capable of protecting our Asian allies, as well as those elsewhere in the world.

LATIN AMERICA

—Insist on fair elections everywhere in the Western Hemisphere, under penalty of sanction where dictators rule.

—Refrain from interfering with democratically elected governments.

—Assist Latin American governments in their fight against drug manufacture and transport. Destruction of Latin American drug cartels would make life safer there and reduce the incentive for people to emigrate to the United States.

—Leave Latin American resources under the control of those nations. We have no legitimate claim to Venezuelan oil, for instance, other than to buy it on the open market.

EUROPE

—Support NATO 100 percent, with reassurance that we will come to the aid of any NATO member under threat or attack.

—Strongly support Ukraine against Russian aggression, with military, economic, and humanitarian aid. Impose punishing sanctions on Russia where they can be effective.

—As mentioned above, restrict American tariff policy for Europe to bringing trade relations into balance.

MIDDLE EAST

—Insist on Israeli acceptance of a two-state solution with Palestine. That means Israeli stops building settlements in the West Bank and recognizes the inviolability of its neighboring nations’ borders. The dream of Greater Israel must be put to bed.

—End massive civilian deaths and destruction in Gaza at the hands of Israel.

—Sharply reduce American military aid to Israel unless it complies with these requirements.

—Pursue recognition of Israel by Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern nations as Israel complies with these requirements.

—Pursue democratic elections in all Middle Eastern nations. That includes Israel.

—Insist on strict international inspection of Iran’s nuclear program to assure that it is used only for peaceful purposes, with no uranium enrichment beyond the level necessary for those needs.

—Impose heavy sanctions on nations that buy Iranian oil until Iran ceases its aggression against Israel and other Middle Eastern nations.

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Doing all that should take—channeling Donald Trump—about a couple of weeks. I’ll plan to come up with a similar daydream list for domestic policy. In the meantime, someone get busy on this one. I shouldn’t have to do all the work.