THE Biden-Harris administration has restored international America's reputation as a nation committed to democracy and human rights and committed to our allies. Harris-Walz, unlike donald drumpf / trump, will continue to support our soldiers, sailors and airmen in all branches of our military in active duty as well as our veterans. Our diplomatic corps and military will continue our commitment to Canada and Europe and the defense of our allies in NATO, Israel, the Middle East, Africa, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific and the Americas. The Harris-Walz administration will strengthen these alliances and commitments, will NEVER cower before or kowtow to putin and russia, communist china, north korea, iran or the terrorist these countries foster and support. Harris-Walz will continue our support of Ukraine against putin's russia. Harris-Walz will do everything possible end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and implement a two state solution with Israel and the Palestinian government in the West Bank and Gaza. Harris-Walz will pass and implement the immigration / border legislation donald drumpf / trump instructed republican legislators to kill to help his 2024 campaign for president. This endorsement of the Harris-Walz campaign by Leon Panetta from the Washington Post.....
Just ask former secretary of defense Leon Panetta.
August 26, 2024 at 7:45 a.m. EDT
Many viewers might not have known who he is. His speech won’t go viral. But in many ways former CIA director and secretary of defense Leon Panetta (someone in the grand tradition of foreign policy wise men such as James A. Baker III and George C. Marshall) delivered one of the most critical speeches of last week’s Democratic National Convention.
Vice President Kamala Harris would be our first woman to serve as commander in chief, prompting some to question whether a woman can fulfill that role. More rationally, because to date she has followed President Joe Biden’s lead in foreign policy, it is essential for her to define her own views. Seeking the stamp of approval from a respected national security figure admired across the political spectrum helped her do that.
Panetta made clear up front that Harris is a committed internationalist. “Our warriors need a tough, coolheaded commander in chief to defend our democracy from tyrants and terrorists,” he declared. “We need Kamala Harris behind the Resolute Desk.”
Praising her experience on the Senate Intelligence Committee and as vice president, Panetta attested that “she has looked our allies in the eyes and said America has your back. Trump would abandon our allies and isolate America.” Quoting Ronald Reagan (at the DNC!) and analogizing to the 1930s, Panetta said we tried isolationism once. “It was foolish and dangerous then, and it is foolish and dangerous now.”
But Donald Trump is worse than an isolationist. He’s a fanboy of dictators. “Trump tells tyrants like Putin they can do whatever the hell they want,” Panetta observed. “Kamala Harris tells tyrants the hell you can. Not on my watch.”
There is no doubting Harris’s position on Ukraine, he said. “She has worked with President Zelensky to fight back against Russia. She knows that protecting their democracy protects our democracy as well.”
Panetta also stressed what we all know: Trump has no idea how the world works; the presidency for him is all about his seeking adulation and getting to pal around with strongmen. He does not understand nor care about democracy and alliances, nor does he respect the troops. The Army veteran Panetta, flashing some anger, declared, “Our fallen veterans are not suckers. They are not losers. They are our heroes.”
And now, he warned, is no time for a foreign policy dunce. “Kamala Harris understands this moment. It is a moment of danger and a moment of opportunity.” And then he linked up military preparedness, respect for our troops and democratic values: “She will keep America’s military the strongest in the world, the strongest ever known, and she understands what our military is for. The role of our military is to defend us from foreign enemies. It is not to threaten Americans, and it sure as hell is not to put immigrants in camps.” Put that way, he said there is no real choice between “someone who stands with our military and stands up for democracy or someone who will disrespect our heroes and undermine our democracy.”
In less than seven minutes, Panetta made three critical points. First, democracy is interlinked with national security; one cannot sneer at the former while expecting to keep the latter. Survival of our own country and “way of life” requires not only military readiness but identification with American values and adherence to the military code of duty, honor, country.
Second, Trump is a dupe. Few can forget episodes such as the cringeworthy spectacle of U.N. delegates laughing at him; his bragging about love letters from Kim Jong Un; and his praising Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine as “smart.” Trump insists he’s a genius, but Panetta convincingly argued he is played for a fool.
Finally, Panetta made clear no one is going to call Democrats weak on national security.
In her acceptance speech, Harris drove the point home: “I will never waver in defense of America’s security and ideals, because in the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand and I know where the United States belongs.” She aligned herself not only with Biden and both Clintons, but with John F. Kennedy, Harry S. Truman and every president during the Cold War who faced down threats to democracy in Europe and around the world. (“We must decide whether or not we will complete the job of helping the free nations of Europe to recover from the devastation of the war,” Truman said in his Marshall Plan speech.)
Harris’s words echoed Kennedy’s inauguration speech: “Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty.”
Harris is faced with aggressive Russia and a dangerous rival in China. The choice remains the same — democratic collective security or surrender to totalitarian foes. Trump does not even understand which side America is on.
As Panetta said, this election offers a clear choice between a long tradition of bipartisan American policy and values, and a failed past of isolation and appeasement.
WATCH: Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta speaks at 2024 Democratic National Convention
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