THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, April 23, 1996 TAG: 9604230004
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A16 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Editorial
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines
It's been assumed that foreign policy won't count for much in the presidential race, and if it does Bill Clinton's record will count against him. Last week's globe trotting suggests both assumptions may have been wrong.
Though America has turned inward since the Cold War, the world won't go away. We depend on trade and are at risk if foreign economies founder. Instability abroad can threaten us at home. Terrorism knows no borders, and disruptions can stimulate waves of unwanted immigration. And, like it or not, much of the world still looks to us for leadership.
So President Clinton visited Japan, where there's disenchantment with American troops after unfortunate incidents in Okinawa. Yet Japan sees the need for a continuing U.S. presence. It realizes the last thing emerging Asian economies need is a draining arms race. Clinton recommitted the United States to regional security arrangements.
North Korea is Asia's odd man out, a potential nuclear power with an economy in tatters and an irrational leadership. Clinton proposed enlisting China to take part in four-way talks with the two Koreas. If the idea bears fruit, it could be a twofer, modifying the behavior of both North Korea and China.
Clearly, China remains the 800-pound gorilla of the region, and its arms sales to pariah states, bad faith on trade arrangements and bad behavior vis-a-vis Taiwan are not encouraging. Clinton is inviting China into the community of nations on the one hand and shoring up security arrangements to contain it on the other. A little more toughness on arms deals and broken trade promises wouldn't hurt.
Clinton next visited Russia to tacitly endorse Boris Yeltsin, who's in an uphill election. He's the most viable horse in the race, but Russia is a deeply troubled society. The United States can only encourage progress toward democracy while keeping arms-reduction plans on track and trying to prevent proliferation.
Finally, the Middle East peace process has reverted to a terror process. Clearly, Israel cannot permit itself to be whipsawed by Hamas and Hezbollah. PLO chief Yasser Arafat has appeared incapable of controlling the former, and Syrian President Hafez Assad has shown no willingness to control the latter. A way must be found to make peace more attractive to them than terror. But Israel couldn't wait. It has acted.
Some believe it has overreacted, in part because Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres needs to demonstrate toughness as he approaches election against the harder-line Likud party. Be that as it may, Israel, Lebanon and Syria all look for us to play peacemaker.
That places President Clinton at the center of the world stage. The Republicans may fault his policies, but they are being reminded of a lesson Democrats learned under Nixon, Reagan and Bush. In foreign policy there's only one president at a time, and he gets the limelight.
The White House will be mindful of the fate of Bush, who won triumphs overseas but lost the presidency because disengaged at home. But Clinton knows he has no peer and, hence, little competition abroad. Expect to see him devote attention to it between now and November.
Politics aside, it's his job. by CNB