As a former member of the United States Senate, John Edwards has some foreign affairs experience. In fact, he has much more experience than candidates like Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani. But his foreign policy is very specifically focused.

Like much of the rest of his campaign, John Edwards' foreign policy agenda that is unique among all of the other candidates. Like the others he has spoken out against the Iraq war (he voted for the use of force in 2003) and has called for a withdrawal of most troops by early next year. Edwards also advocates more direct U.S. intervention in the conflict in Darfur, as well as the need to end the ongoing civil war in Uganda.

But Edwards' main focus internationally is the same as his focus domestically: poverty. This is where he sets himself apart from his competitors. To achieve an end to global poverty, Edwards proposes a $5 billion initiative that contains a multitude of measures. One calls for enrolling every child in school, with particular emphasis on ensuring that girls receive a quality education. He endorses a goal of universal primary education by 2015.

He would also focus on investing in preventative healthcare, with a focus on the three most deadly diseases affecting those in developing countries: HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis. He would work with pharmaceutical companies and aid organizations to reverse the spread of the three deadly diseases and provide universal access to preventive and treatment drugs by 2015.

Other initiatives include more funding for clean water, more investment in immunizations, promotion of microfinance in developing nations to help people start businesses, and the promotion of labor and property rights. Edwards has pledged to create a cabinet-level post on global poverty.

Of all the candidates, John Edwards has laid out the most detail about what he would do not only to fight terrorism, but also to take the actions necessary to lift people around the world to a position, economically and politically, where terrorism is not an attractive option. It is a unique position, and one that warrants further investigation.

Learn more about this author, Bruno Somerset.
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