How Sarah Palin and the McCain Campaign Should Address Foreign Policy

Alaska Governor Sarah Palin has been the subject of intense discussion since being named as Sen. John McCain’s running mate. Much of this discussion has focused on her apparent lack of foreign policy experience. The response of the McCain campaign thus far has been inadequate to quell these concerns. This need not be the case given the strategic importance of Alaska.

Alaska’s Fort Greely is the main base of operations for National Missile Defense, which is aimed at countering the threat posed by the development of intercontinental ballistic missiles in rogue states such as North Korea. The base is widely considered to be the “tip of the spear” for missile defense and, to that end, boasts at least eight ground-based interceptors capable of being launched at a moment’s notice. The interceptors are supported by a network of sophisticated radar systems located throughout Alaska. The centerpiece of this network is a $900 million radar on a floating platform just off the coast that is responsible for providing surveillance, target acquisition, tracking, and kill confirmation. A significant portion of Alaska’s state budget is directed toward providing support services and infrastructure for the entire missile defense initiative. Ft. Greely and the State of Alaska have played and will continue to play a leading role in the nation’s foreign policy through the development of the NMD program. It is obvious, then, that Gov. Palin would be well versed in the importance of the program and its international implications.

In addition to missile defense, Alaska’s reserves of oil and natural gas are of global importance. The current debate over how best to deal with the energy crisis has highlighted the global nature of the oil market, and that any domestic decisions will have wide-ranging international implications. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline runs nearly 800 miles connecting the oil fields of northern Alaska to the southern seaport where the oil is transported to refineries in the lower 48 states. Since its completion in 1977, the pipeline has transported over 15 billion barrels of oil – a figure that is likely to increase significantly if Congress finally authorizes drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). As governor, there is little doubt that Palin is well aware of the international significance of her state’s natural resources will have on the energy crisis.

McCain has been surprisingly candid about enjoying his status as the underdog in this campaign. By keeping expectations low, the campaign has been able to generate greater amounts of political capital from their successes than they likely would be able to as the frontrunner. This strategy may be the reason why they have not made a strong effort to highlight these aspects of Gov. Palin’s experience. By allowing the Obama campaign and the pundits raise concerns about her foreign policy credentials in the weeks leading up to the first debate, the McCain campaign can capitalize on a stellar performance by Gov. Palin when she squares off against Sen. Biden. If she comes out and speaks convincingly about matters relating to foreign policy, McCain will have yet another “I told you so” moment. However, by allowing the narrative to continue, the possibility exists that the doubts about Palin created in the minds of voters will have already taken root by the time the debates roll around.

The McCain campaign should take control of the story by having Gov. Palin speak extensively on her involvement with missile defense and her state’s oil and gas reserves. Emphasizing the work that she has lead in connection with these two issues as well as demonstrating her understanding of their international implications will ease the doubts of voters and dull the Obama campaign’s attacks.