Thursday, November 24, 2016

Donald Trump's Big 10 Foreign Policy Pledges -- WILL HE STICK TO THEM?

Photo: Rob Schumacher, The Arizona Republic
During his campaign, Donald Trump outlined numerous foreign policies that depart dramatically from those of President Obama — and long-standing U.S. positions in some cases.
Now as president-elect, Trump and his transition team are sticking to some of those promises, while retreating from others.
1. WALL ALONG MEXICO
Trump pledged to build a wall along the southwest border — and make Mexico pay for it, possibly by withholding remittances that Mexicans in the U.S. send back home. But Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, who met with Trump in August, has said flatly that Mexico won't finance such a project.
Photo: John Moore, Getty Images
In an interview that aired Sunday on CBS' 60 Minutes, Trump said the wall with Mexico was still part of his plan.
When asked if he would accept a fence, as has been discussed in the Republican-controlled Congress, Trump said, "For certain areas I would, but certain areas, a wall is more appropriate. I’m very good at this, it’s called construction."
Trump also said in the interview that he would deport 2 million to 3 million people who are in the U.S. illegally and suspected of having criminal records. More than half are estimated to be Mexican, and sending so many back would create a logistical challenge for the U.S. and an economic and humanitarian crisis for Mexico.
2. ISRAEL
Trump said he would move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to the contested city of Jerusalem, breaking with a half-century of U.S. policy that says the future of Jerusalem must be decided in talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
Israel has occupied the West Bank and East Jerusalem since the 1967 Middle East war. Last week, Trump adviser Walid Phares told the BBC that moving the embassy would happen under "consensus," not right away.
Trump also has said he would support the continued existence of Israeli settlements built on land claimed as well by Palestinians, a reversal of bipartisan U.S. policy that considers the settlements illegal.
3. IRAN NUCLEAR DEAL
Trump has repeatedly mocked and derided the nuclear deal the Obama administration negotiated with Iran and five other world powers.
In September 2015, Trump said he would “renegotiate” the agreement, which limits Iran’s nuclear program to peaceful activities in return for lifting crippling sanctions. In October, Trump said Iran "should write us a letter of thank you" for "the stupidest deal of all time." Vice President-elect Mike Pence said the deal would be “ripped up” after consultation with U.S. allies.
State Department spokesman Mark Toner said officials will explain the merits of the deal to Trump’s transition team, though any decision about sticking to the terms of the agreement would be up to the next administration.
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