A Side-by-Side Comparison of Bernie, Biden, and Current International Humanitarian Crises
With a potential end in sight, this is where presidential candidates Senator Bernie Sanders and former Vice President Joe Biden line up when it comes to a short selection of current humanitarian crises, foreign policy to address each, and foreign aid.
This article serves as a brief collection of information, comparing the main points (or lack thereof) surrounding six issues concerning humanitarian relief and security of each presidential candidate.
In a time with Coronavirus at the forefront of American public health concerns, a large amount of funding has been taken from humanitarian aid coming from the United States.
Syria
Joe Biden, in a 2018 interview with Foreign Affairs, described the situation in Syria as “a classic example of the biggest conundrum that we have to deal with.” Biden emphasizes the need to stabilize the region in Syria, including a multi-billion dollar investment to rebuild the city of Raqqa.
Biden has also stated that Trump’s abandonment of the Kurdish troops in Syria is one of the most shameful actions ever taken by a president in terms of foreign policy.
He has broadly stated that the time has come to stop “endless wars” in the Middle East, with some caveats, carefully stating that military force will always be an option when it comes to US presence in the region.
While Biden would not prefer a military solution, he has suggested that as president, US military involvement in Syria would be a viable option in his White House.
Bernie Sanders has three main components of his policy in Syria: “address the humanitarian crisis created by the war; end ISIS; and phase-out Assad, the main party responsible for starting and continuing the war.”
Sanders opposes Republican-led efforts to block and limit the number of Syrian refugees admitted to the United States. He claims that the United States has an obligation to admit refugees to the United States.
Main Conclusions: Neither supports the ongoing war in the region, both heavily weight the situation in Syria in their foreign policy plans. Bernie Sanders is the candidate that has been more vocal about the need for humanitarian aid in the region.
Yemen
Joe Biden believes it is time to end United States involvement in the war in Yemen, largely citing Donald Trump’s coziness with the Saudi Arabian government as a driver.
I would end U.S. support for the disastrous Saudi-led war in Yemen and order a reassessment of our relationship with Saudi Arabia.
— Biden in an interview with the Washington Post.
Bernie Sanders has a similar attitude to Joe Biden, broadening by stating that the United States should not be involved in this war or any similar conflict, referring to US involvement as dangerous and catastrophic. Bernie was one of the leading forces behind the promotion of the utilization of the War Powers Act to get the US out of the conflict in Yemen.
Main Conclusions: For Biden, Yemen is about distancing from cuddling up with Saudi Arabia. Bernie Sanders feels similarly but has spoken more about the need to pull out of Yemen from a moralistic standpoint. They align well here. Neither has spoken much about humanitarian aid in the region.
Families at the Border
Joe Biden’s plan to address the influx of migrants at the southwestern border emphasizes focusing on the root causes that drive individuals to seek asylum in the United States. He cites his involvement in securing generous aid packages tackling corruption, violence, and endemic poverty in El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala as evidence of his commitment to the region.
I will secure our borders while ensuring the dignity of migrants and upholding their legal right to seek asylum.
— Joe Biden in his essay written in Foreign Affairs
His priority: end the separation of families at the border and holding children in for-profit prisons.
Biden additionally plans on strengthening screening practices at legal ports of entry to the United States, while working alongside Mexico and Canada to improve the quality of border technology.
Bernie Sanders wants to completely revamp and change the immigration system, breaking up ICE and CBP, giving power back into the hands of what he refers to as the “proper authorities.” He also plans to reunite families that have been separated.
Main Conclusions: Both candidates plan to end the separation of families, which is crucial. Neither is okay with the Trump administration’s border policy.
Ebola and Health Crises in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo
Joe Biden has cited action taken to address Ebola in West Africa as a diplomatic success of the Obama-Biden administration. There is no quick-to-find and notable address of the crisis in Central Africa specifically.
Main Conclusions: This is something I’d like to hear more about, seeing as health and security crises in DRC are considered some of the most troubling in the world. While the United States contributes vast amounts of aid to the region, why is it not being discussed more as a part of Biden and Sanders promoted foreign policy plans?
Central America
Joe Biden supported the Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI) as a member of the Obama Administration. During this period (2008 and 2011) the U.S. State Department provided Central American countries a total of $361.5 million. Providing funds under CARSI was a substantial effort in foreign aid and policy under the Obama-Biden administration.
At the time of the 2014 Central American Child Migrant Crisis, Biden backed and promoted a $1 billion economic aid package, citing that the security of Central America as a region is “ inextricably linked with our own.”
Biden has proposed a $4 billion regional strategic plan which “requires countries to contribute their own resources and undertake significant, concrete, verifiable reforms.”
Bernie Sanders believes that the United States should be uninvolved with the governments of other countries, including those in Latin America.
Additionally, Sanders generally believes that free-trade agreements harm the U.S. working class and that the U.S. can provide and receive aid from countries in Latin America even when we may not agree with everything they do.
Sanders has been criticized in the past for his relationship with the Venezuelan government, with economic trade-offs between the country and Vermont, importing low-oil heating.
Main Conclusions: Both support aid to the region, with Biden citing more experience in providing humanitarian assistance in Central America, making it a large facet of his foreign policy.
Conflict Between Israel and Palestine
Joe Biden is a self-described Zionist, stating that he believes one does not need to be a Jew to be a Zionist. He believes Israel is a crucial ally of the United States and has long been a friend of Israel.
Biden supports a two-state solution to the conflict, criticizing the Bush administration’s approach to handling tensions between Israel and Palestine, and co-sponsoring the Palestinean Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006.
Bernie Sanders has referred to current US action in Palestine as inhumane, unacceptable, and unsustainable. On the same note, he has described the US has complicit in the illegal occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. He proposes to leverage US military aid to Israel to pull them out of Gaza.
“My solution is to say to Israel: You get $3.8 billion every year. If you want military aid, you’re going to have to fundamentally change your relationship to the people of Gaza.”
— Bernie Sanders on Israel and Palestine to Pod Save the World hosts Ben Rhodes and Tommy Vietor
Sanders goes further, positing that a portion of the aid given to the region should go towards humanitarian aid in Gaza.
Main Conclusions: Biden is a friend of Israel, supporting backing their military support with prioritizing holding on to them as an ally, and not wanting the change the current level of military aid. Sanders, on the other hand, is very much a vocal supporter of Palestinean human rights, coming under attack from many pro-Israel groups as well as American conservatives. That said, he still conditionally would lend military and economic support to Israeli forces.
Some Foreign Policy and Humanitarian Aid Fast Facts About Biden and Sanders
- HIV/AIDS: Biden co-sponsored the HIV Prevention Act. This act would end President George W. Bush’s mandate that 1/3 of all aid combatting HIV/AIDS in Africa be earmarked for abstinence-only programming.
- Future Plan: Biden has announced one of his first foreign policy priorities in office will be the organization and hosting of a Global Summit for Democracy, bringing the world’s democracies together in an effort to strengthen democratic institutions.
- Military Force: Biden and Sanders both support the use of military force as a vehicle for humanitarian intervention. On the topic to the New York Times, Biden stated: “ We do have a moral duty, as well as a security interest, to respond to genocide or chemical weapons use. Such cases require action by the community of nations, not just the United States. But the United States has a special ability and responsibility to mobilize others to such collective action.”
- Priorities: Biden’s top priority for his Secretary of State is to push back on global authoritarianism, reasserting America’s global leadership on climate change, and restoring international alliances harmed by the Trump administration.
- Priorities: Sanders’ top priority is an implementation of foreign policy that focuses on democracy, human rights, environmental justice, and economic fairness.
- Climate Refugees: Sanders is vocal about refugees displaced by climate change, putting refugee rights, particularly those of climate refugees, at the forefront of his immigration and asylum policies.
