According to U.S. Senate candidate Alex Snitker, the recent tensions between Turkey and Israel underscore the need for America to return to the non-interventionist foreign policy that we embraced during the first century after our founding.
Snitker is the Florida Libertarian competing with Governor Charlie Crist, Marco Rubio and Kendrick Meek for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by George LeMieux. Snitker supports a strong national defense, but like the Founding Fathers, warns against entangling alliances with other nations.
While the tensions leading up to the Turkish-Israeli dispute have been evident for some time, Israel's boarding of ships in a flotilla bound for Gaza -- and the ensuing skirmish -- sparked an international incident.
“Taking a side between two allies [Turkey and Israel] in this dispute is a no-win situation,” said Snitker. He says that the U.S. should not have supported the U.N. condemnation of Israel, and said that Israel was within their right under the Oslo Accords to blockade Gaza, and to board any vessel that breached the blockade. However, he adds that the U.S. should not support Israel, nor condemn Turkey, for this action.
“What purpose could it possibly serve to stand upon the world stage and choose a side in this conflict,” Snitker asked. “Whichever side we choose, there will be consequences for the U.S. I believe both sides would respect our neutrality in this dispute.”
From most indications, pro-Palestinian activists, with assistance from Turkey, attempted to challenge Israel's long standing naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) warned the flotilla not to continue, and advised them to change course to nearby Ashdod Port where their humanitarian supplies could be offloaded and delivered by land to Gaza. When the flotilla failed to comply, IDF soldiers boarded the ship wielding paintball guns. The soldiers were immediately attacked with clubs and pipes by those on board. The soldiers responded by using their sidearms to fire on their attackers. Both sides took casualties.
Snitker points out that it would be easy to point blame at either party in this event, but advised that it would not be prudent to do so.
Turkey supporters might say that Israel attacked an unarmed humanitarian aid convoy without provocation, bound for the democratically-
Israel supporters might say that the flotilla was a planned attempt by Turkey and Hamas to instigate a response from Israel for propaganda purposes, and that the supplies would benefit terrorist elements within Hamas.
Snitker says that America must always act in her own self-interest. “It's difficult for many Americans to look at this situation objectively, especially given the potential religious undertones,”
A non-interventionist foreign policy is a key plank of Snitker's platform. However, he points out that his policy is also to maintain America's military might and defensive capabilities. For example, Snitker, a U.S. Marine veteran, is a strong proponent of fully developing and deploying missile defense shield technology. He is also in favor of radiological monitoring systems at U.S. ports and points of entry, to identify and intercept unconventional delivery methods for nuclear or “dirty” bombs.
Where he differs from current and past U.S. foreign policy is with the continuous projection of force for police actions, U.N. missions, and conflicts without a Congressional declaration of war. “We continue to shed American blood and squander American treasure for conflicts that have dubious cause, unclear objectives, and questionable results,” said Snitker. “Our Founders would be outraged.”
