When it comes to the biggest geopolitical threat facing the United States, the Democratic candidates are divided. In contrast to the Iran issue, where the Democrats are united, the threat issue
In the first debate, moderator Chuck Todd put the question point blank to the ten candidates. “Who is the geopolitical threat to the United States?” World issues figured less in the second’s night discussion but several candidates spoke to the issue, and the party’s tendencies are evident.
Democrats, as a group, are moving away from the traditional view that nation states are the chief threat to the United State, and the from the post-9/11 belief that non-state terrorist groups are the chief threat to the country. A plurality of the 2020 candidates cited climate change as the biggest threat to the country. Because the deployment or use military power is not a solution to climate change, this threat assessment points to a trend: Democratic foreign policy is becoming less militaristic.
America’s traditional rivals, China or Russia, are cited by several candidates as the chief threats. But even here, the use or threat of military force, is less relevant.. The threat of China is economic, low-wage competition and theft of intellectual property. The threat of Russia is political–electoral interference and disinformation–
Meawhile, the perception of terrorism as the chief threat has all but vanished under the reign of Trump.
Climate
If you believe climate change is the biggest threat to America, then you might consider voting for Cory Booker, Kamala Harris Beto O’Rourke, Julian Castro, or Elizabeth Warren. O’Rourke, the former Texas congressman, called climate change an “existential threat.” Harris, the California Attorney General, recast the issue as the “climate crisis.”
Cory Booker, junior senator from New Jersey, qualified his response, “Nuclear proliferation and climate change,” while Castro, the former cabinet secretary, said, “China and climate change.“
China
If you think China is the biggest threat, you’ll want to look at Castro, John Delaney, Pete Buttigieg, or Tim Ryan. They all made a priority talking about taking action to counter China’s influence on the U.S. economy and the world. This too, is a new trend, highlighting the emergence of global trade–and its impact on American workers–as a foreign policy issue.
Russia
If you think that Russia is the biggest threat, then Michael Bennett, Bill DeBlasio, and Andrew Yang may appeal to you. All but Biden said Russia is the biggest threat to the United States, citing interference in the 2016 election as the reason.
This trend is something of a surprise. While Russia looms large in the cable TV/Twitter discourse around the Mueller investigation and, to a lesser extent, impeachment, Russia is not a big issue on the Democratic campaign
Authoritarianism
Bernie Sanders didn’t address the threat issue in debate but in his speeches he has emphasized the threat of “oligarchic authoritarianism,” which encompasses both Russia and China. The authoritarian axis,” says Sanders:
“is committed to tearing down a post-World War II global order that they see as limiting their access to power and wealth, it is not enough for us to simply defend that order as it exists. We must look honestly at how that order has failed to deliver on many of its promises, and how authoritarians have adeptly exploited those failures in order to build support for their agenda. “
Former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper has sounded a similar theme about rising authoritarianism.
Trump
While calling for action on the climate crisis, Inslee and Harris both described Trump as the biggest national security threat. Biden didn’t address threats in the debate but he has said Trump is “an existential threat” to the country.
As the planet warms, terrorism has receded as a perceived threat and Trump has emerged.
