US presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders has just proposed what for some will be his best idea yet, live on a TV debate.

The US president has a key role in determining foreign policy. And Sanders is a longstanding critic of his country’s record of terrorising other countries so they don’t challenge the interests of US elites. As a result, he proposes a big break from the past, starting with honesty about this dark record:

His opponents have recently sought to attack him over past comments about countries the US sought to crush. But as award-winning journalist Jeremy Scahill stressed, Sanders can easily turn this assault to his favour:

The attacks on Sanders on Cuba, Nicaragua, Latin America, etc. are meant to distract & they’re pathetic attacks. But if that’s the debate they insist on having, then let’s have a real, honest debate on the murderous US policies that Sanders was opposing. — jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) February 24, 2020

This cherry picking, ahistorical, red-baiting attack on Sanders we are seeing from Bloomberg, Buttigieg, Biden, Never Trumpers and certain Democratic elites and media figures is propaganda. It is rooted in lies and is banking on ignorance of history. — jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) February 24, 2020

Bernie Sanders came of age in an era where the CIA was being revealed as a criminal enterprise, overthrowing governments, backing death squads, actively spying on Americans, assassinating people. And he had the courage in real time to oppose it when it mattered. — jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) February 24, 2020

Award-winning colleague Mehdi Hasan also praised Sanders’s “groundbreaking answers” on US foreign policy, tweeting:

Bernie Sanders killing it on foreign policy. What an answer. "Occasionally it might be a good idea to be honest about American foreign policy," says Sanders, before going on to mention the coups and regime change wars carried out by the US around the world. #DemDebate — Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) February 26, 2020

Bernie Sanders called the prime minister of Israel a "racist" on the Democratic presidential debate stage. The best and strongest argument for a Bernie Sanders presidency is the historic and progressive change in *foreign policy* that he'd bring about. #DemDebate — Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) February 26, 2020

Women-led human rights group CODEPINK also seemed impressed:

"America has overthrown governments all over the world." Was there a glitch in the system? Or did we just hear a presidential candidate condemn US-backed coups?#DemDebate2020 #DemDebates — CODEPINK (@codepink) February 26, 2020

US state terror

Oil-rich Iran is one country that has faced brutal US interference for many decades. As The Canary detailed previously, the US has consistently terrorised the nation, starting in earnest with a coup in 1953. The US government has also:

Maintained close alliances with countless terror-supporting dictatorships, supporting or turning a blind eye to massive humanitarian crises and war crimes in the process.

Made regular efforts to overthrow independent governments around the world, via invasions or coups.

Killed numerous civilians via drone strikes.

It has also:

Sought dominance in Latin America, backing state and non-state terrorists to prevent any kind of social progress or functioning democracy. In doing so, it has contributed to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people (at least). And it’s still killing tens of thousands of people today via brutal sanctions.

hundreds of thousands of people (at least). And it’s still killing tens of thousands Launched a disastrous ‘war on terror’ to deal with a situation that grew, in part, from decades of the US backing ultra-conservative extremists (whom Washington itself would now call ‘terrorists’).

Caused severe refugee crises through its decades of terror.

Trampled all over international law.

Celebrated the war criminals responsible for much of the above as if they were heroes.

Sanders’s best idea yet

The current Democratic Party frontrunner to take on Donald Trump in the presidential election later this year, Sanders has numerous progressive policies. But his honesty about the US record of global terror is massive. And it could mark a highly significant shift in US foreign policy. It would also be the first step to honouring all the people who have died and suffered from US terror over the years.

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