More than 50 people gathered at the IUS Library on Monday, Sept. 8, to hear Susan Rice, former assistant secretary of state and member of the National Security Council under President Clinton, speak at a forum on foreign policy and the current state of American politics.

She was assisted in the discussion by former Democratic Congressman Tim Roemer of Indiana, who served as a member of the 9-11 Commission.

The forum was co-sponsored by Barack Obama’s Campaign for Change and the IUS College Democrats. Thomas Wolf, professor of political science, moderated the forum.

Roemer opened the forum by talking about his Indiana background in Indiana and his 12 years in Congress. He mentioned the window of opportunity that he felt that America had after the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001 to end its addiction to oil.

 “I feel the Bush Administration failed us by refusing to seriously explore other avenues for energy,” Roemer said.

Roemer said he believes the Bush presidency has been one of failure and lost opportunities.

“Hurricane Katrina is one example of this,” Roemer said. “Because it was so terribly handled by the federal government, even the impoverished nation of Bangladesh offered to send New Orleans aid.”

 Roemer said he believes the November elections are very important and Americans should pay close attention to it.

He said he supports Obama in the election because of his economic and foreign policy ideas.

“While he was a state legislator in Illinois, Obama worked for tax cuts for the middle class,” Roemer said. “If elected president, Obama will see there are no taxes on senior citizens making $50,000 or less a year.”

Former Assistant Secretary of State Rice then addressed the forum.
“It’s been seven years since Sept. 11, and President Bush is going to leave the next president in a terrible situation,” Rice said. “A war in Iraq that never should’ve happened, more of our soldiers being killed in Afghanistan, aggression by Russia, genocide in Darfur and our military stretched to the breaking point.”

Rice told the audience that America has to clean up its image as a nation that has been associated with torture during the Bush presidency.

“The question before us: do we want to continue these failed policies?” Rice said. “Senator McCain has said he would vote to do the Iraq War all over again.”

 She said Obama doesn’t just want to be a house-keeper behind George Bush.

“Obama wants to take this country to a higher level of civility,” Rice said.

She said the citizens of Iraq want a time-table for removal of American military personnel.

“Unfortunately, Senator McCain rejects that,” Rice said. “McCain wants an indefinite stay of troops, perhaps up to 100 years.”

Rice said foreign relationships have declined during the Bush years.

“Whatever happened to diplomacy?” Rice said. “Iran was almost pushed into its nuclear capabilities after being labeled a part of the Axis of Evil.”

Rice said foreign policy under Obama would follow a middle course between military belligerence and acquiescence.

“In dealing with countries like Iran, Obama would use diplomacy coupled with pressure from our  European allies,” Rice said.

The former assistant secretary of state criticized how some Bush supporters, like Senator McCain, called European allies like Germany and France “adversaries” because they didn’t support the invasion of Iraq.

Another issue Rice addressed was the American addiction to oil.

“Saudi Arabia is getting rich from our dollars that we borrow from China to pay for the Saudi oil,” she said.

Rice cautioned against the hope of alleviating the price of oil by offshore drilling.

“Offshore oil is just a fraction, there’s not enough of it in the long run,” Rice said. “We should invest in renewable energy instead.”

“How many of you have ever heard Senator McCain say anything about reducing our need for oil?” Rice asked.

Rice said McCain represents more of the status-quo: alienating our allies, more dependence on big oil, more trade agreements that hurt workers and the shoot first and ask questions later mentality.

“Remember when McCain was singing, Bomb Bomb Bomb Iran?” Rice asked.

She said this election might be the last chance that America has to regain its credibility among the world community.

“The entire world will be watching on who puts his hand on the Bible to take the oath of office next Jan. 20,” Rice said. “Will it really be a change from the previous eight years, or just more of the same? We might not get another chance.”

Several members of the audience had an opportunity to ask both Roemer and Rice questions about foreign policy, the economy and the presidential campaign.

Bryan Shepherd, philosophy teacher at Jefferson Community College, asked about the legalities of the Patriot Act.

“I’m worried one day I’m going to wake up and the U.S. has been turned into a police-state,” Shepherd said.

Rice said the Patriot Act needs to be amended.

“It’s presently written like America is in a constant state of war,” she said.

Barbara Anderson, of Haven House Services, said she was insulted as a woman and a former supporter of Hillary Clinton, by McCain’s selection of Sarah Palin as his vice presidential pick.

Rice said Obama is a scholar in constitutional law and believes it sad when our own government betrays the Constitution.

“Senator McCain criticized the Supreme Court for restoring habeas corpus to prisoners at Guantanamo,” Rice said. “He said it was the worst Supreme Court decision ever made, and here I thought the Dred Scott decision was.”

John Doyle, assistant professor of computer science, said he was concerned about how this country was treating it foreign guests.

Roemer answered that Homeland Security has been set up like a bureaucracy.

“The Bush Administration has not followed with the correct priorities,” Roemer said. “We need to treat our Muslim neighbors not as pariahs, but as fellow Americans among us.”

By RICHARD CLARK
Staff Writer
clarkrj@ius.edu