Mike Pence Proud of Trump White House for Not Getting Into New Wars: ‘Peace Through Strength’
Vice President Mike Pence reflected on the Trump administration’s foreign policy during his last public address as vice president.
While speaking at Fort Drum, New York, on Sunday, Pence thanked troops from the 10th Mountain division, which has gone to Afghanistan and Iraq 46 times since Sept. 11, 2001, North Country Public Radio reported.
After the event, Pence tweeted how proud he was that the administration did not get into any new wars.
“I’m proud to report with just a few days left in our Administration, our Administration is the first in decades that did not get America into a new war. That’s Peace through Strength,” he wrote.
I’m proud to report with just a few days left in our Administration, our Administration is the first in decades that did not get America into a new war. That’s Peace through Strength. pic.twitter.com/uiSNxi67aT
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) January 18, 2021
While President Donald Trump’s legacy may be partially defined by a rise in domestic terrorism, his foreign policy certainly went against the narrative during the 2016 election that Trump would turn the United States into a war zone.
Troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan have been declining throughout the administration, with 5,000 currently stationed in the two countries combined.
These are the lowest levels since military involvement began in 2001, and a major decrease from the 98,000 troops in 2011, according to the Department of Defense.
Regardless of your opinion of Trump, the administration needs to be given credit for taking tangible action to wind down the deadly cost of foreign wars. Too many American men and women have been lost overseas since 9/11, and putting an end to the carnage is long overdue.
Former President Ronald Reagan’s principle of peace through strength truly came to fruition under Trump, as the United States maintained a strong national defense while also prioritizing diplomacy.
In addition to troop withdrawals, Trump and his team were able to negotiate several peace deals between some African and Middle Eastern nations and Israel.
Normalization agreements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco used to seem impossible, but they are now a reality because of the outgoing administration.
President-elect Joe Biden may come across as more diplomatic in his personal nature, except Americans should not expect his White House to have a similar approach to global affairs.
Ideally, Biden will continue to pull troops out of the Middle East and finally end the wars that have been ongoing for nearly two decades, but that is far from a guarantee.
Outside of the Middle East, there are concerns that Biden will be weak on China based on statements from the Chinese government.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said earlier this month that the communist nation is hopeful about a new president.
“China-U.S. relations have come to a new crossroads, and a new window of hope is opening,” he said in a Jan. 2 interview.
Whether it is the Middle East or China, the United States’ drastic foreign policy shift is sure to have an impact on Americans and the world as a whole.
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