We Must Return to a ‘Peace Through Strength’ Foreign Policy

 

Radical Islamic terrorism reared its ugly head once again in the horrific attack outside of Moscow with a death toll of 139 lives and counting. Many would argue these lives would not have been taken had there been stronger leadership in Washington. 

While some may ignore an attack on an adversary, we must understand that the resurgence of ISIS, a terror organization once eliminated under President Trump, is a severe threat to the United States. As terrorist groups are constantly proliferating and radicalized illegal immigrants from all over the world invade our wide-open borders, all Americans should be highly concerned that somewhere between our beautiful mountains and prairies, the next attack could come to our home sweet home. 

ISIS was quick to claim responsibility in the aftermath of the attack on the popular concert hall outside of Moscow. Radical Islamic terrorists know too well that with the current regime in Washington, there will be no backlash, no consequences, and the opportunities for future acts of aggression will continue to grow. 

The rising threat of terrorism is yet another example of President Joe Biden’s failed foreign policy. It is abundantly clear that the Biden Administration is more focused on reversing successful policies designed by Donald Trump rather than the most important mission: keeping Americans safe. 

Under the Trump Administration, ISIS was crushed geographically and within four weeks, the evil organization and their control of contiguous land assets and growing population of fighters was completely eliminated.

When the United States is weak, terrorism prospers. Where there is no stability – stability obtained through strength, there can be no peace.

Senator Tom Cotton described the Moscow attack as a “very dangerous echo” of Biden’s disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. As also highlighted by US military leadership, the poor planning and evacuation has created a power vacuum in the Middle East that our adversaries see as an opportunity to create chaos in the region.

With the signing of the Abraham Accords, Saudi Arabia was close to normalizing relations with Israel which would have created a new path to stability in the region. As a longtime board member of the Republican’s Jewish Coalition who lost family members in the Holocaust, one thing is very clear: when there is peace in Israel, there is peace in the Middle East. 

Alarmingly, it appears that the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan was the genesis, horror in Israel and Moscow followed and without a swift reversal of this dangerous pattern – there will undoubtedly be another target.

I served as President Trump’s Ambassador to Iceland. From day one, my team and I were tasked with the mission to create strength, and more importantly, stability in the High North amidst a growing power struggle. 

Leading the United States mission in the High North, we knew that to create and foster stability we must work with our allies to improve communication and coordinate strength. This included improving our relationship with NATO. We took a peace through strength approach and the completion of the new American Embassy in Reykjavik served as a symbolic and indispensable platform to build the U.S.-Icelandic relations and strengthen the United States’ position in the High North. 

The art of diplomacy has been shattered, and our allies and adversaries have a front row seat to the United States foreign policy failures on the international stage.

The solution is simple: we must return to a peace through strength approach in our foreign policy. The policy of appeasement and cowering to our adversaries puts every single American at risk.

Peace prospers where stability is present, and the world looks to the United States to lead this effort. It is time we end the trench warfare, crush radical Islamic terrorists, and solidify a lasting peace on the world stage once again. 

In less than ten months, we can only hope that President Donald J. Trump will be inaugurated as President of The United States and as someone that has worked alongside him, and on day one, President Trump will make sure one message is received loud and clear on the world stage: The reign of terror is once again over and American prosperity is back.

And this time, it’s here to stay.