Wild, Mackenzie differ on U.S. foreign policy
Wild, Mackenzie differ on U.S. foreign policy
Editor’s note: This is part of a series that examines four issues in the 7th Congressional District race between incumbent Democrat Susan Wild and her Republican challenger Ryan Mackenzie, a state representative in the 187th District.
Besides foreign affairs, the other issues are abortion, immigration and the economy. The 7th Congressional District covers all of Lehigh, Northampton and Carbon counties and a tiny part of Monroe County. The Nov. 5 election is considered a toss-up by national political analysts.
In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine, which defended itself in a war that continues.
In the Middle East, Hamas attacked Israel a year ago, beginning a war that has expanded beyond Gaza, where Hamas is based.
And China’s growing influence in the world, economically and militarily, poses a challenge for the U.S.
The 7th District congressional candidates – three-term incumbent Democrat Susan Wild, who sits on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, and Republican state Rep. Ryan Mackenzie – offer differing perspectives on U.S. foreign relations.
“What is going on right now with Susan Wild and Joe Biden in office is we see chaos around the world,” Mackenzie said during a debate broadcast on WFMZ’s “Business Matters” in September. “Not just in Ukraine, but we see it in the Middle East. We see us on the verge of war in Asia as well where China is rattling its saber. And so all of the things that they have done have not solved these problems.”
In response, Wild said, “it's not just about Ukraine, it is about our allies. It's about Eastern Europe. The next country is Poland. And if you think that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's going to stop at Ukraine, I am proud of the fact that the United States has supported Ukraine in this horrible war, this unjustified war. And I think everybody needs to understand that it's about democracy. The Ukrainian people have fought so hard for their democracy and to keep their democracy.”
Israel
Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 and taking more than 250 hostages. About 150 of the hostages have been released, rescued by the Israeli military, or have been killed while in captivity. Roughly 100 remain with Hamas although the Israeli government believes about a third of them are dead.
After the invasion last October, Israel attacked Gaza, seeking to destroy Hamas, which is known to operate from residential areas. More than 41,000 Palestinaians have died, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health, which is run by Hamas.
Both candidates agree that Israel has an absolute right to defend itself and that the hostages must be returned.
But Mackenzie blames the Biden administration and Wild for those hostages, including some Americans, remaining in captivity.
“I think it's just very clear that Joe Biden and Susan Wild have failed,” Mackenzie said on the “Business Matters” debate. The hostages “need to be returned before anything else can happen.”
Wild, who is Jewish, said, “I understand that Israel absolutely must eradicate Hamas, and I think that the United States is in a good position to help make that happen. But we cannot forget the hostages.”
She added, “To hear my opponent, you would think that President Biden singlehandedly has the ability to bring an end to this war. May I remind my opponent that the prime minister of Israel is a very big player in this. And I think that the administration and Secretary [of State] Blinken have done a lot in terms of trying to bring about an end to this war through diplomacy. But they don't get to call the shots.”
During a Blue Ridge Cable debate, also in September, Mackenzie accused Wild of supporting both sides when responding in separate letters to a mother and daughter who had written to the congresswoman about the war. The Washington Free Beacon, a conservative online news organization, published a story in August about the two letters, which were sent to Wild’s office in May.
Mackenzie attacked Wild, saying “she is trying to take both sides of this issue.”
One letter from Wild began, “As I’ve watched unbelievable tragedy unfold in Israel, I have been outraged, devastated and heartbroken. I stand with Israel and all fellow Jews around the world during this time of terrible danger, fear and worry.”
In the other letter, she mentioned “the unspeakable tragedy in Gaza. I am outraged, devastated and heartbroken, and I want to be clear: No human life is worth more than any other.”
She also wrote that the “vicious terrorist attacks launched by Hamas are unforgivable, and Hamas must be brought to justice for their horrific terrorism.” She noted that Israel’s military has “inflicted devastation on staggering numbers of innocent Palestinians,” and that she has been “urging” the Biden administration to “secure an agreement that leads to an immediate ceasefire and the release of all hostages.”
In response to Mackenzie at the debate, Wild said, “We don't have a one-size-fits-all letter that we send to all constituents on any given subject. We try to address the concerns that are actually being voiced in whatever communication that we get.”
Wild has pointed out that has voted for every bill authorizing aid to Israel.
Ukraine
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the first major attack on a European country since World War II and setting off a war between the two nations. Since the start of the war, more than 13 million Ukrainians have been forced to leave their homes; 57,000 Ukrainians have died and 250,000 wounded, according to U.S. assessments. Russia suffered even more casualties – 115,000 dead and 500,000 wounded. The U.S. has provided more than $170 billion in military and humanitarian aid since the invasion.
Wild and Mackenzie differ on whether the U.S. should continue sending military aid to Ukraine.
Wild supports continued funding for Ukraine; Mackenzie, during a GOP primary debate in the spring, said “we should not be providing additional aid to Ukraine.”
During the September debate on Blue Ridge Cable, Wild mentioned that the Lehigh Valley area has a significant Ukrainian population.
“Ukraine has fought very hard to be a democracy,” Wild said during the “Business Matters” debate. “We need to make sure that Ukraine wins this war. This is Putin's war. He would love to take over Ukraine and then move into Poland and the rest of Eastern Europe. And we can't let that happen. We will end up with World War III on our hands, and all of our European allies will be greatly affected.”
In April, Wild was among a group of Democrats who helped ensure passage of a $95 billion aid bill, primarily for Ukraine and Israel, through the House over objections of some Republicans who held up consideration for several months because they opposed additional aid to Ukraine.
Mackenzie said, “What Vladimir Putin is doing is an atrocity, and we need to call that out.”
In the “Business Matters” debate, he said U.S. stockpiles of weapons have been depleted with what’s been sent to Ukraine and other countries, “leaving us weak and vulnerable. … We are not ready for major conflicts around the world if they are about to impede on American interests.”
Wild said U.S. weapons manufacturers have been building new weapons to replace older systems that go to Ukraine and other countries. A munitions factory near Scranton has pumped up production of 155 millimeter howitzer rounds, which have been vital for Ukrainian defenses, according to Pennsylvania’s Department of Community and Economic Development. New employees have been hired to keep up with demand, NPR reported.
“Our weapons manufacturers actually have thrived since the Ukraine war, by the way. We are absolutely not drawing down to the point that the United States is unable to defend itself or unable to take action as it needs to in the world. It's a complete fallacy,” Wild said.
In a statement to Armchair Lehigh Valley, Mackenzie said, “I continue to believe that diplomacy is necessary in order to achieve the peaceful resolution we all desire. We are now approaching three years of a bloody stalemate despite hundreds of billions of dollars being spent by American taxpayers.”
U.S. foreign policy has led to “chaos around the world, not just in Ukraine, but we see it in the Middle East. We see us on the verge of war in Asia as well where China is rattling its saber. And so all of the things that they have done have not solved these problems … because we are not exhibiting strength, which would lead us to peace.”
China
”Susan Wild and the Biden administration have talked tough when it comes to China, but their record tells a different story,” Mackenzie said in a statement to Armchair.
“They’ve completely failed to counter China’s growing influence on the world stage, and they’ve enabled Chinese companies to receive money from American taxpayers. When they have taken steps to try and shore up American industry, like with the CHIPS Act, they have largely failed. Today, companies like Intel are receiving billions of taxpayer dollars while simultaneously laying off thousands of employees, including right here in Allentown.”
Wild in a statement said, "We need to stand up to the Chinese threat to our economy, including their theft of our innovation. I helped pass the bipartisan CHIPS Act that is going to boost our competition with China by investing in semiconductor manufacturing here. This will shore up our domestic supply chains, bring jobs home, and greatly reduce our reliance on China. I also support taking steps to boost cybersecurity in their country so we can protect intellectual property from Chinese state actors that want to steal American innovations."
Included in the April foreign aid package package was approximately $2 billion for Taiwan and other Pacific-area allies for weapons purchases to “counter looming threats from China.”