It is unsurprising when prominent Republicans advocate highly confrontational
policies toward both Russia and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Sen. Ted
Cruz (R-TX), for example, stalled
the confirmation of multiple presidential appointees for months until the Biden
administration agreed to impose additional sanctions against Moscow because
of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. Former national security adviser and longtime
neoconservative luminary John Bolton thunders that the United States and NATO
must “stand
up” to Vladimir Putin without delay – presumably even at the risk of
nuclear war. Both Cruz and Bolton, along with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) also push
for hardline
policies toward the PRC. Other leading GOP members of the Senate, such as
Mitch Romney (R-UT), Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Rick Scott (R-SC), have led efforts
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