Obama spells out foreign policy

Today, Barack Obama released details on his foreign policy plans for his administration:

• Bring a responsible end to this war in Iraq and refocus on the critical challenges in the broader region
• Modernize our overstretched armed forces, building the first truly 21st century military and show wisdom in how we deploy it
• Marshal a global effort to secure, destroy, and stop the spread of weapons of mass destruction
• Rebuild and construct the alliances and partnerships necessary to meet common challenges and confront common threats
• Invest in our common humanity to ensure that those who live in fear and want today can live with dignity and opportunity tomorrow

On the question of foreign aid to developing countries, Barack told the Chicago Council on Global Affairs:

"I know that many Americans are skeptical about the value of foreign aid today. But as the U.S. military made clear in Camp Lemonier, a relatively small investment in these fragile states up front can be one of the most effective ways to prevent the terror and strife that is far more costly – both in lives and treasure – down the road. In this way, $50 billion a year in foreign aid – which is less than one-half of one percent of our GDP – doesn’t sound as costly when you consider that last year, the Pentagon spent nearly double that amount in Iraq alone."