Last month’s Republican debate was a lot of things — frustrating, embarrassing, and entertaining to name a few. What it certainly was not was a good demonstration that anyone on the stage had a reasonable foreign policy. 

 The headline of the debate’s segment on foreign policy had to be Vivek Ramaswamy’s plan for Ukraine. Ramaswamy called for cutting aid and negotiating with Russia, proposing to accept Russia’s annexation of Ukrainian territory in exchange for Putin cutting military ties with China. 

In regards to Taiwan, Ramaswamy has suggested moving the United States to a stronger stance against China. He has also said he is okay with abandoning Taiwan once we have enough domestic superconductor production. Like in Ukraine, Ramaswamy’s foreign policy toward Taiwan seems designed around offering up non-Americans' lives to warmongers, as long as it serves American geopolitical interests.

 Thankfully the other candidates on the stage that night had comparatively sane takes on Ukraine. Unfortunately, the rest of their foreign policies fell apart.

 Mike Pence spat back at Ramaswamy’s isolationism, saying “Anybody that thinks that we can’t solve the problems here in the United States and be the leader of the free world has a pretty small view of the greatest nation on earth." It always feels wrong when I find myself agreeing with Mike Pence.

 But like Ramaswamy, Pence’s motivation seems to be more about serving American interests than anything virtuous like supporting a sovereign democracy against invasion. His concern about Ukraine is not for the sake of Ukrainian lives that are being destroyed by Russian imperialism, but out of fear that the same force might invade a NATO country and endanger American lives.

 Ron DeSantis supported giving aid to Ukraine, but he demanded that Europe and our allies increase their own aid. This was shockingly coherent and morally respectable opinion from Florida’s aspiring autocrat. He also wants to send U.S. special forces into Mexico to assassinate cartel leaders. 

 Asa Hutchinson similarly suggested designating cartels as terrorist organizations and treating them as such. The idea of sending special forces into Mexico — one of our largest trade partners — is so devoid of geopolitical judgment it should be disqualifying. 

 With Burgum and Scott barely getting a word in, the only two candidates who seemed to have any sense of foreign policy were Chris Christie and Nikki Haley. But like the rest, both turned conversations toward a hawkish attitude with China, who we need to be cooperating with on issues like climate change.

The presidency requires not only strong domestic plans, but a tactful and experienced hand at foreign policy. The United States is not alone in the world. While we can disagree on the extent it should act as a global police force or interfere in other nations’ affairs, it can not be understated how important U.S. influence is on global affairs.

In one of the highlights of the debate, Haley chastised Ramaswamy by saying “You have no foreign-policy experience and it shows.” I’d like to extend that criticism to the rest of the candidates.

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