The Hon. Chris Coons on U.S. Diplomatic Strength | 2024 Concordia Annual Summit
Summary
TLDRIn this discussion, Senator Chris Coons covers a range of global and political issues, focusing on the Middle East conflict, Israel's relations with Iran and Lebanon, and U.S. foreign policy under President Biden. He discusses the implications of domestic Israeli politics, Biden's efforts toward peace in Gaza, and the future of U.S. policy depending on the upcoming election. The conversation also touches on U.S.-China relations, the Quad alliance, and Ukraine's resilience against Russia. Coons concludes on a hopeful note about bipartisan efforts in conservation and environmental security.
Takeaways
- 🗣️ Senator Chris Coons discusses the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, highlighting Iran's involvement in funding and equipping Hamas and other groups.
- 🇮🇱 The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon poses a significant threat, with Hezbollah having a larger and more precise missile arsenal compared to Hamas.
- 🇮🇷 Iran directly attacked Israel with drones and missiles, though American-Israeli coordination prevented significant damage.
- 🕊️ The Abraham Accords and efforts toward Israeli-Saudi normalization are seen as potential paths to regional stability, though progress is hampered by Israeli domestic politics.
- 🇺🇸 US domestic politics, including the upcoming presidential election, could significantly impact foreign policy, particularly regarding Israel and Ukraine.
- 🇵🇸 The Israeli-Palestinian conflict remains unresolved, with ongoing disputes about Palestinian self-governance and a two-state solution.
- 🇺🇦 Ukraine’s war with Russia continues, with significant strategic wins in the Black Sea but ongoing challenges at the front lines.
- 🛡️ Bipartisan support in Congress is seen as essential to maintaining US aid to Ukraine and standing against Russian aggression.
- 🌍 Senator Coons expresses optimism about the bipartisan conservation efforts aimed at addressing biodiversity loss and climate change.
- 👨👧👦 On a personal note, Senator Coons shares that his children give him a sense of optimism about the future.
Q & A
What did Senator Chris Coons say about the root cause of the conflict between Israel and Hamas?
-Senator Chris Coons stated that the conflict is driven by Iran, which has been a principal supporter, funding, and equipping Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and militias in Iraq.
How has the United States responded to the October 7th attacks according to the senator?
-According to Senator Coons, President Biden responded quickly and strongly by deploying military assets to the region and warning Iran not to escalate the situation into a wider war.
What is Hezbollah’s role in the conflict as mentioned in the script?
-Hezbollah has been involved throughout the conflict, firing rockets into Israel, and its missile arsenal is more advanced and precise than those of Hamas or the Houthis, making the situation on Israel's northern border increasingly concerning.
What did Senator Coons say about Israeli domestic politics impacting peace efforts?
-Senator Coons emphasized that Israeli domestic politics, especially the influence of extremist elements in Netanyahu's governing coalition, complicates efforts for peace, including a two-state solution and a ceasefire.
How does the senator view the relationship between the U.S. and Israel in terms of security?
-Senator Coons believes that the United States is a critical security partner for Israel, as shown by coordinated efforts to defend against attacks, and hopes for continued cooperation, though challenged by Israeli political decisions.
What role does the senator believe Congress plays in U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East?
-Senator Coons highlighted that Congress plays a crucial role in shaping U.S. foreign policy and is an important entity, particularly as the world anticipates the outcome of the U.S. presidential election.
What did Senator Coons mention about the U.S. presidential election and its significance?
-Senator Coons mentioned that the U.S. presidential election will greatly influence U.S. foreign policy, particularly in areas like the Middle East and Ukraine, and predicted a close race with Kamala Harris as the likely winner.
What are Senator Coons' thoughts on Kamala Harris and Tim Walz as the Democratic nominees?
-Senator Coons praised Vice President Kamala Harris for her experience and leadership and called Tim Walz, her running mate, a capable leader from the heartland of America with deep public service experience.
What did Senator Coons say about the importance of the Quad alliance?
-Senator Coons discussed the significance of the Quad alliance between the U.S., India, Australia, and Japan, emphasizing President Biden’s success in strengthening this partnership through personal diplomacy and shared democratic values.
What is Senator Coons' stance on the Ukraine conflict?
-Senator Coons expressed admiration for Ukraine’s resilience in the face of Russian aggression, urging continued U.S. support through military aid, economic assistance, and international partnerships to ensure Ukraine's sovereignty.
Outlines
🎭 Discussion on Middle East Conflict and Iran's Role
The speaker opens by acknowledging Senator Chris Coons and introduces a conversation on the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, touching on Iran's involvement in funding and supporting various militant groups like Hezbollah and Hamas. The discussion highlights President Biden's prompt response to the conflict and ongoing efforts to avoid a wider war involving Iran.
🚀 Hezbollah's Role in the Regional Conflict
Senator Coons explains Hezbollah’s significant military capabilities and its involvement in the ongoing conflict on Israel's northern border. He discusses recent escalations and the potential for a larger regional conflict involving Israel and Lebanon, driven by both internal and external forces in the Middle East.
⚖️ Israeli Politics and the Two-State Solution
The conversation shifts to the internal dynamics of Israeli politics, focusing on how Prime Minister Netanyahu's fragile political coalition with extremist factions complicates efforts toward peace. Domestic politics are identified as a barrier to achieving a two-state solution, which is supported by the U.S. but opposed by key figures in Netanyahu's government.
🗳️ U.S. Domestic Politics and the Global Impact
The discussion explores how the upcoming U.S. elections could influence global affairs, particularly in the Middle East. Senator Coons discusses the potential outcomes of the race and the role Vice President Harris may play in shaping U.S. foreign policy, along with the importance of Congress in decision-making.
🤝 President Biden's Diplomatic Efforts with the Quad
Senator Coons reflects on President Biden’s hosting of the Quad leaders (India, Australia, Japan, and the U.S.) at his residence, emphasizing the importance of personal diplomacy in fostering international partnerships. The announcement of the cancer moonshot initiative in the Pacific Islands was one significant outcome of the meeting.
🌍 U.S.-China Relations and Regional Security
The conversation touches on U.S.-China relations, highlighting President Biden's strategic diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific region. Senator Coons mentions Biden's summits with Japan and South Korea, as well as his personal engagement in improving ties with the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia.
🇺🇦 Ukraine's Resilience and Global Alliances
The focus shifts to the Ukraine conflict, with Senator Coons praising Ukraine’s determination in its fight against Russia. He highlights the significance of U.S. and allied support in terms of technology, military aid, and economic assistance, underscoring the Biden administration’s diplomatic success in rallying global allies.
🌱 Bipartisan Conservation Initiative
To conclude, Senator Coons shares his optimism about a bipartisan bill aimed at addressing biodiversity loss and climate change through a public-private partnership. The initiative, which has already seen significant progress, is designed to invest billions over the next decade to support conservation efforts globally.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Middle East conflict
💡Iran
💡Hezbollah
💡President Biden
💡Netanyahu
💡Two-state solution
💡Abraham Accords
💡Ukraine conflict
💡Vice President Kamala Harris
💡China and the Quad
Highlights
Introduction of U.S. Senator Chris Coons as a leading mind in foreign policy.
The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has escalated tensions in the Middle East, with concerns about its spread to Lebanon.
Iran's involvement in supporting groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis is highlighted as a key driver of regional instability.
President Biden's response to the conflict is noted, particularly his efforts to prevent Iran from using the situation to launch a wider war.
Concerns about Hezbollah's missile capabilities and the conflict on the Israeli-Lebanese border are raised as particularly dangerous.
The importance of U.S. diplomatic efforts, especially in building alliances and pursuing a hostage-for-ceasefire deal, is emphasized.
Saudi-Israeli normalization talks and the unresolved issue of Palestinian self-governance are mentioned as crucial for regional stability.
Israeli domestic politics, especially the role of extremists in Netanyahu's coalition, are complicating peace efforts.
The world is closely watching the U.S. election, as its outcome will shape future U.S. foreign policy, particularly in the Middle East and Ukraine.
Vice President Kamala Harris is predicted to win the upcoming presidential election by a narrow margin, according to Senator Coons.
The Quad alliance between the U.S., India, Australia, and Japan is discussed as a significant part of President Biden's foreign policy.
President Biden's personal diplomacy with global leaders and his focus on shared values among democracies are highlighted as key strategies.
The importance of U.S. alliances, particularly in countering Russia and supporting Ukraine, is emphasized as a cornerstone of Biden's approach.
Senator Coons expresses optimism about bipartisan efforts to address global issues like biodiversity loss and climate change.
A bipartisan conservation bill is highlighted as a key initiative that could have a significant impact on environmental and security issues worldwide.
Transcripts
[Music]
I love these tables this is new for
looks like a little dinner theater
doesn't it yeah are we doing a little
rou team yeah we are singing you're up
first um well listen uh it's an honor to
be here with Senator Chris Coons uh I
will take precisely 10 seconds to
introduce him as a US senator from
Delaware one of the finest Minds in
foreign policy in this country uh a very
close uh Ally of the current president
and and an allaround great person um
with that we have 15 minutes want to get
into it um I want to ask you uh a timely
question about um yeah you're
not inside joke um about what's going on
in the Middle East uh the wars between
uh the Israelis and Hamas uh seems to be
spreading as we speak to Lebanon um it
seems to be at least to my view the most
dangerous time since October 7th for a
wider conflict maybe it is even a wider
Conflict at this point yes what uh what
can you Enlighten us with well first
it's worth always reminding ourselves
that this conflict began with Iran and
Iran has been a principal driver uh of
funding and training and equipping Hamas
Hezbollah the houis um militias in Iraq
uh and President Biden responded
promptly strongly to the October 7th
attacks uh deployed American Military
assets to the region made it clear to
Iran that they should not take this
opportunity to launch a wider war and
nearly a year later the conflict grinds
on in Gaza at enormous human cost no one
has worked harder for or or put more
effort into um President Biden and his
senior team trying to secure a hostage
for ceasefire deal and the consequences
for the people of Gaza uh for the
standing of Israel uh and for security
in the region have been very very
difficult as I suspect everyone here
knows um there's been conflict with
Hezbollah the whole time they've been
firing rockets in the Israelis have been
responding and it's gone up and down
Hezbollah has a dramatically larger and
more precise and more capable missile
Arsenal than either the houis or Hamas
uh and so some of the recent
developments uh in the northern border
of Israel Southern border of Lebanon are
very concerning um Almos Hawkin has been
very engaged pulled off a remarkable
feat in delineating the boundary between
Israel and Lebanon and we thought had
gotten to a place of constructive uh
relationship building um but there there
are drivers um in both countries that
seem to be gradually accelerating the
potential for real conflict and a
regional configration this is something
President Biden and his senior team are
personally quite Eng actively engaged in
and is that re does that
Regional configration include
Iran quite possibly I'll remind you uh
for the first time ever Iran directly
attacked Israel now months ago launching
roughly 300 drones and missiles uh none
of which effectively struck population
centers in Israel in no small part
because of American coordination uh with
our regional partners and allies um in
my view that should have been enough a
demonstration to prime minister
Netanyahu that the United States is a
critical security partner uh there's
been a lot of work done to try and build
the next stage of the Abraham Accords uh
which were achieved under the previous
president under President Trump uh and
to get Saudi Israeli normalization done
the key piece of that deal left undone
is any path towards Palestinian
self-governance um prime minister
Muhammad bin Salman or MBS has recently
said that he will move forward with that
if there is a Palestinian state with
East Jerusalem as its capital um this is
the prize for regional stability and
security a group a bipartisan group of
10 Senators that I was a part of went to
the region soon after October 7th to
meet with CC in Cairo MBS in Riyad and
the whole leadership of the senior
Israeli team including the prime
minister in Tel Aviv I continue to hope
and believe that this is possible but
Decisions by Netanyahu and his
government particularly in the West Bank
have made it harder and harder it
remains elusive but it is something that
I think is in the security interest of
the region literally what would be a
dozen State solution yeah just one one
more question on this topic at the risk
of being a bit controversial what role
do you think is domestic Israeli
politics play in the lack of a deal huge
um look prime minister Netanyahu is in a
very uh tenuous political position his
governing Coalition relies on F I view
as extremists smotrich and Ben gavier uh
and their views and their actions are in
direct conflict with um a widely held
American view not just by me not just by
our president but a long-standing
bipartisan commitment to a two-state
solution which they oppose and they have
threatened to bring down the Netanyahu
government if he moves forward uh with a
hostage ceasefire deal on reasonable
terms and those domestic politics have
been right complicating yeah and it
seems to a certain extent
that the world is waiting for the US
election um in many different areas in
lots of areas in in Ukraine um which
I'll ask you about in a minute um but
also in the Middle East um because who
whoever wins that election is going to
dictate the future of US policy to put
it simply so there there is a role for
this other entity called Congress yes of
course uh very important entity um so to
sort of switch gears and and talk about
us politics for a second obviously it's
been a momentous summer uh Joe Biden is
no longer the nominee of the party uh
the vice president is um you are known
and have been a a staunch friend and
supporter of Joe Buton you come from the
same state you um thank you yeah I got a
golf clap you
know but thank you yeah um tell us how
you see the race today and I'm not going
to ask you who's going to win because
you don't know and I don't know and no
one knows but uh what do you think is
you know the like likeliest outcome as
of this minute today as of this minute
KLA Harris will win the presidential
election but it will be achingly thin
and every poll suggests that every one
of the key seven states is within the
margin of error which means really
either candidate could win um I think
KLA Harris vice president Harris with
whom I served in the Senate on the
Judiciary Committee with whom I've
worked uh in her role as vice president
uh gave a remarkable demanding speech at
our convention I think our convention in
Chicago I'm speaking now as a Democrat
went as well as it possibly could have I
think President Biden got the respect
and the thanks that he richly deserved
for doing an almost unprecedented thing
in National politics to step aside um
from not just the power of the
presidency but being our nominee um and
recognizing the capabilities and the
strength and the global experience of
our vice president she chose a
remarkable running mate in Tim wals who
I think reinforces do you know him I do
I one of those
coincidences um I was a County elected
official for a decade and a Blue Earth
County Commissioner U from Mano
Minnesota called me whatever it was 20
years ago or 14 16 years ago and said
there's this great guy here in Mano I
want you to give a contribution to his
first campaign I like I look forward to
meeting him it was Tim walz uh and uh as
head of the governor's Association I've
interacted with him recently I did not
expect he would suddenly be our nominee
for vice president but he's very capable
well- grounded represents I think the
best of Public Service in the United
States uh as a sergeant in the National
Guard my father was a sergeant in the
first infantry as a high school football
coach as someone who is every bit from
the heartland of America um but has also
been a congressman and a governor uh and
led a state that is um going through the
same sorts of challenges in terms of
manufacturing and um being part of our
industrial Heartland that lots of the
country lots of the states that are at
the core of our country Michigan
Wisconsin Pennsylvania and will be
outcome determinative for our election
also face so I think he has a good
grounding in those he's also been to
China many times and I think has a
cleare eyed sense of the challenges uh
and the opportunities in the US China
relationship so uh we have just a few
days left until our election early
voting has already started in several
States um and you know frankly I've been
campaigning all over the country mostly
in Pennsylvania
given both its proximity and its
centrality uh and I think the
presidential debate was striking uh I
think vice president Harris did a
remarkable job was cleare eyed firm
about foreign policy about domestic
policy and about values got it um you
mentioned China I want to sort of draw
your uh attention back to something that
happened this weekend uh this past
weekend in your home state yes which is
uh there was a meeting hosted by
President Biden of the Quad leaders
that's India Australia the United States
and um
Japan
Japan uh
and it's an important Alliance that
President Biden has really um you know
made a Center Point center point of his
foreign policy um what did you see come
out of that was it important that he
hosted it at his house and you know all
of that so uh President Biden hosted in
his home each of these three prime
ministers which we were talking about
backstage is a an important part of
global diplomacy not just the official
and the formal but the personal uh and
and having relationships built on
personal relationships as well as shared
values as Nations these three great
democracies he has um pulled them from a
concept to an actual uh partnership and
one of the deliverables was the
announcement of a cancer moonshot to
combat cervical cancer in the Pacific
island nations um one of the most
preventable forms of cancer uh I'm quite
familiar with a great work that a doctor
friend of mine has been doing in Kenya
in preventing cervical cancer through
vaccinations through um uh testing and
um early awareness um but I think this
is just an inspiring way for our
president to build on his cancer
moonshot initiative um I also recently
traveled to Japan and South Korea
President Biden's Summit at Camp David
uh with prime minister kashida and
president Yun went a long way towards
pulling these close treaty allies of the
United States into a more meaningful
partnership over coming the Deep
historic animosity between South Korea
and Japan is a critical strategic step
forward I also several months ago
traveled on a bipartisan delegation that
went to Taiwan and to Singapore and I
went to the Philippines and Indonesia
our relationship with the Philippines
has steadily improved our relationship
with Vietnam has steadily improved with
Indonesia has steadily improved
President Biden and vice president
Harris have visited the region
repeatedly have invested in personal
diplomacy their Vision that our nation
is safer and stronger in a world knit
together by shared values I believe in
deeply and I think has been proven out
by events in the world um our former
president's view that America should go
go It Alone that America First really
means putting American interest first
and putting the interests of our
partners and allies to the side I
disagree with I understand and respect
that the former president was really
making a point of making our NATO allies
uh step up to meet their financial
commitments but NATO is not a a
protection racket uh and his comments
that uh if they don't pay up he'll let
Russia do whatever the hell they want
with our allies should shock anyone who
understands the foundation of respect uh
and treaties and alliances around the
world and that we only have a few
minutes so that gives us a nice segue
into the Ukraine situation um you know I
think I mean my personal view is that uh
President Putin is waiting to see what
happens in the election absolutely um
has been for a while and that'll
determine his next steps but not knowing
what's going to happen there although
you said the vice president's going to
win as of today uh what do you think I
mean maybe you can talk about the
incursion that they made into Russian
territory which is incredible first time
Russia's been invaded since 1943 I think
I mean and the the specific site of K
which was the site of the largest tank
battle in human history uh was an
interesting point just historically as
well as geogra submarine that sank in
2000 so yes
um so a couple of things uh look the
ukrainians continue to show uh agility
determination uh ferity in their fight
for their sovereignty and their
independence um few predicted that they
would survive the first few days or
weeks of Russia's full scale invasion in
early 2022 yet they have um they
achieved a significant strategic success
uh in the Black Sea and pushing the
Russian Black Sea Fleet back around
Crimea and opening up an export Lane for
um their grain which is critical to
revive and sustain their economy the
incursion into KK which has taken a
decent amount of territory was a way to
to show some capacity to counterpunch
still the the front lines in the south
and east are under enormous pressure
from the Russians um we need to step
forward and we need to step forward we
need to continue what has been a
masterful job by the Biden Harris
Administration to pull together 50
allies which include Korea and Japan um
to provide support for the government of
Ukraine economically for Ukrainian
refugees throughout Europe and the world
and more than anything to provide
technology material encouragement and
support president zilinski will be
meeting with President Biden soon um I
believe is here today um and is
presenting a path forward towards
Victory um in my view this will impact
how the world sees the willingness of
democracies to stand up and to fight um
for a world that respects boundaries uh
and a world that refuses to go back to
great power spheres of influence and
conflict as Putin would have us do so I
always like to end these discussions on
which are pretty depressing at times on
something positive for everyone so what
is something that makes you optimistic
uh in the morning um either in you know
in any aspect of your life in foreign
policy and politics well I saw my son
for lunch yesterday and my youngest
child late last night my children give
me a sense of optimism but I'll conclude
on a substantive policy matter um I've
been working very closely with Lindsey
Graham senator from South Carolina uh
and with Mike McCall republican from
Austin Texas uh chair and ranking on the
relevant committees U for foreign
relations and Appropriations on a
bipartisan conservation Foundation Bill
we've already appropriated $100 million
for it we've already got the bill
through the two relevant authorizing
committees it would build a new
institution um public private
partnership that would invest something
like2 to3 billion dollar over the next
decade in fighting biodiversity loss in
fighting climate change in improving
Security in conserved spaces in national
parks and in protected areas of
indigenous communities um around the
world it will be a modest contribution
relative to the scale of the challenge
but it's bipartisan by Camal and I'm
confident it's going to move forward and
when I talk to my kids that's what I
talk about go thank you Senator very
much for joining us
than
[Music]
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