Republican Task Force Offers Strategies for National Security Rooted in American Values

Republican Task Force Offers Strategies for National Security Rooted in American Values
President Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping speak to business leaders at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on Nov. 9, 2017. (Thomas Peter-Pool/Getty Images)
Masooma Haq
6/11/2020
Updated:
6/11/2020

The Republican Study Committee (RSC), released its National Security Proposal, which is grounded in the American values of freedom, human rights, the rule of law, and open markets. The RSC proposes strategies to secure the United States from threats posed by three key adversarial countries.

Reps. Mike Johnson (R-La.) and Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), led the House’s largest GOP caucus to create a proposal (pdf) which aims to mitigate the national security threat from countries like China, Russia, and Iran to promote a foreign policy that advances America’s prosperity and peace.
“We must put #AmericaFirst and address the threats facing our country. The new @RepublicanStudy strategy includes 130 suggestions on how we can craft policy to keep America safe. Number one on the list: Countering the threat of #China’s Communist Party,” said Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.).

Out of the many foreign nations, the task force has found that China’s Communist Party (CCP) poses the greatest threat to American security.  The decades-long policy of integrating China into the global market and fostering vigorous trade relations with Beijing failed to steer the CCP away from Communism and authoritarian rule.

Instead, the committee found ample evidence that China has taken advantage of the United States’ openness to accumulate huge economic and military strength.

The RSC proposal outlines strategies to stop the CCP global take over.

“The strategy offers the toughest package of sanctions ever proposed by Congress on the CCP. It would specifically sanction the entire United Front Work Department and senior CCP leaders, including members of the Politburo for their malign influence campaigns, internment of Uyghurs, and assault on Hong Kong. The strategy proposes targeted measures rather than broad-based tariffs that may hurt the U.S. economy,” the proposal states.

Their strategies also include, updating the Foreign Asset Registration Act (FARA), enhancing U.S. laws that safeguard intellectual property (IP), prevent the CCP from spreading propaganda, and stop the transfer of critical technology to China.

Fostering bilateral free trade agreements with countries, like Taiwan, Indonesia, the Philippines, India, Brazil, Kenya, who are facing increased threats from China, would be another important strategy to secure democracy.

The task force has also identified Russia as a major U.S. adversary that uses aggressive means to advance its control over its own citizens as well as supporting other authoritarian regimes. They found Russia’s disinformation campaign has sought to undermine U.S. democracy as well as other democracies around the world.

The Republicans’ proposal aims to put “sanctions on Russian oil and gas projects, sanctions on Russian sovereign debt, sanctions on Russian proxies in other countries, and designating Russia as a State Sponsor of Terrorism.”

The committee proposes a strategy to communicate directly with the Russian people to find out how they feel about democracy and human rights.

The third major opponent to U.S. national security is Iran. The committee outlined Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons, its seeking Israel’s destruction, and sponsoring terrorism as the factors that make Iran a threat to national security.

They suggest thorough sanctions on “Iran’s regional proxies, including its militias in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, the Assad regime in Syria, as well as Hezbollah in Lebanon.”

The strategy would “prevent U.S. taxpayer dollars from funding Iran’s proxies in Lebanon and Iraq by ending aid to the Lebanese Armed Forces and the Iraqi Ministry of Interior; offer for consideration a new AUMF that would allow the President to go after any State Department designated Foreign Terrorist Organizations and prevent the creation of Salafi-jihadi safe havens and cut off financing and state support for associated groups.”

This new Proposal will strengthen human rights sanctions and codify the Ministerial on Religious Freedom with the goal of protecting liberty, security, and prosperity; oppose China and Russia’s efforts to control international organizations, like the UN, and hold the UN accountable.

The proposal would realign and restructure key agencies in the state department, including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. Information Agency (USIA).

The committee writes: “[a] strong America is essential because our strength enables us to counter threats, oppose tyrants and terrorists, and advance the ideals of peace, freedom, and prosperity around the globe. By contrast, the Russian and Chinese governments seek to dominate their own people and assert control over the other countries of the world.”

Masooma Haq began reporting for The Epoch Times from Pakistan in 2008. She currently covers a variety of topics including U.S. government, culture, and entertainment.
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