I Was a Haley Co-Chair in Vermont. A Strong Foreign Policy Would Clinch My Vote for Harris.

I was a Co-Chair of the Haley Vermont State Leadership Team. Haley’s only victory over Trump was here in the Green Mountain State.   

I am often a Republican but always an American. I voted for Trump in 2016 to a large degree because he wasn’t Hillary Clinton and voted for Biden in 2020 because he wasn’t Trump. Although I disagree with her on many domestic issues, I will be happy to vote FOR Harris if she consistently articulates a strong foreign policy.

I appreciated Kamala Harris’s foreign policy speech at the Democratic National Convention supporting the United States world-leadership role.

But she can do more — specifically on Iran. Vice President Harris can help both the world at large and her own electoral chances by announcing that Iran’s worldwide war by proxy will no longer be tolerated. Here are a few of my recommendations for what she could propose:

1. Iranian ships will not be allowed in international waters so long as the Iranian-backed Houthis are attacking shipping in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. The same goes for shipping to and from Iran.
2. Iranian targets, starting with its offshore oil rigs, will be destroyed whenever there is an attack on U.S. forces or U.S. allies by Iranian-backed militias or with Iranian-supplied weapons.
3. Iran’s nuclear facilities will be destroyed if there are any significant attacks by Iran on the U.S. or its allies or further progress towards building a nuclear weapon or if Iran does not immediately cooperate with UN weapons inspectors.
4. The United States will stop funding any UN human rights organization which has Iran as a member state until Iran’s treatment of its own women substantially improves.
5. The United States will do everything possible in accord with international law to help suppressed and oppressed groups in Iran including both women and Kurds.

Iran is the head of the snake whose venom poisons much of the world. Both Gazans and Israelis are suffering because Iran trained, supplied, and encouraged Hamas. Both Lebanese and Israelis are suffering because Iran supplies and supports Hezbollah. Syrians have Iran, Hezbollah, and Russia to thank for the continued bloodthirsty reign of Bashar al-Assad. 

Ukrainians are being attacked by Russia with Iranian weapons. Yemenis, world trade, and the environment are all suffering from Iranian support of the Houthis. Iran’s own citizens are victims of its government, especially women. Punishing the proxies like Hamas, the Houthis, and Hezbollah helps Iran because it further incites hatred. It’s time to cut off the head of the snake.

Vice President Harris has the benefit of knowing that the Biden administration’s well-intended policy towards Iran didn’t work. Learning from experience and changing policy as necessary are both qualities the next president should have. It will help, not hurt Harris if she sees the world as it is and is willing to pivot to meet a real and present danger.

Harris is a strong supporter of a woman’s right to control what happens to her body and has campaigned effectively as a champion of women. It is just past the two-year anniversary of the murder of Mahsa Amimi by the Iranian morality police because some of her hair was showing. It is absolutely consistent with Harris’ principles to show support for women like her who fall vulnerable to evil, authoritarian regimes. Standing for women’s rights around the world would speak volumes to persuadable Republicans stateside.

My ballot won’t change Vermont’s three electoral votes, but many of the Haley voters I speak to in swing states feel the same way. As a member of the Haley Voters Working Group, I directly told the Biden campaign that after seeing January 6th, I couldn’t vote for President Trump again and that, after seeing the debate on June 27th, I couldn’t vote for President Biden either. 

American elections aren’t usually decided based on foreign policy. However, this year the election may well be decided by independents and former Haley supporters. Many of us supported Haley because of her experienced tough foreign policy. Many of us would like to cast a positive vote for Harris. A strong specific foreign policy statement will go a long way to winning our vote.