During visits to St. Albert High School, Treynor Junior and Senior High School and a stop at Treynor State Bank's annual ag seminar, Brownback outlined his concerns and hopes for the United States and the world.
With an established record on traditional marriage, opposition to abortion and holding the line on taxes, Brownback focused on agriculture and other issues, including Iraq.
"The toughest issue we have in front of us today," he said.
Brownback said he supports a three-state, one nation solution in Iraq, with Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds each having their own state and Baghdad a central, federal city. He also expressed his hope that Democrats will come to support something and not simply state their opposition to the current policy.
|
|
Having recently visited Iraq, Brownback said he believes a victory is still possible, but added "it's not moving in the right direction."
A politicized form of Islamic fundamentalism is a concern that the United States will be concerned with for years to come, he said, and America should work with Muslim counties that are willing to engage with the U.S. to help move them forward.
Brownback said he believes Iran is a leading sponsor of terrorism in Iraq and an exporter of terrorism.
"I believe we can be more confrontational with the Iranians," he said.
He suggested attacking Iran's human rights record as an initial response to the nation, something Brownback said can unite people in that country in support of the U.S., rather than unite them by threatening to take away their weapons.
This week's diplomatic breakthrough with North Korea was encouraging, he said, despite hoping for more.
"The key thing to look at now is we've got the Chinese on board," Brownback said.
It is his feeling that "tremendous impact" could be made if China pulls back on its energy supplies to North Korea and accepts North Korean refugees.
Brownback, who formerly was secretary of agriculture in Kansas, said he thinks the nation is on the verge of a Golden Age in ag, with ethanol and other products that may allow farmers to capture a portion of the energy market.
That will, he said, allow the nation to, "depend more on the Midwest than the Middle East."
On other issues, Brownback said the human genome project has advanced science to the point where he hopes cancer deaths can be eliminated in 10 years, calling it an, "American-sized goal."
Restating his belief that human life in all forms must be protected, Brownback said that means not just the unborn, but also people living in poverty and those whose lives are at risk in troubled areas or the world like some parts of Africa.
While scientific advances have been made through stem cell research, Brownback said he remains opposed to embryonic stem cell research as part of his belief in protecting human life in all forms.
"Every time in human history when we have taken weaker people and subjugated them to the will of stronger people, we have regretted it. Always," he said.
He expressed his desire to strengthen the family structure in the United States and called on everyone to play a role, but declined to point a finger at anything other than to express some concerns about the welfare system.
"Don't hear me casting stones at anybody," he said. "I've got my problems. I think we can do better."
Brownback's Iowa trip also took him to Glenwood for a meet-and-greet at Rachelle's Eatery and back to Council Bluffs for a similar event at the TS-Bank Solutions Center.
){kind=link}