Whoever becomes the next President of the United States will immediately become Commander and Chief of the most potent and technologically advanced military in the world. Last year, The U.S spent around $600 million on military expenditures, more than three times the nearest competitor (China), and accounted for about 37% of the world’s military spending. We currently have over 1.3 million military personnel worldwide and 150,000 stationed in foreign countries. Of these 150,000, only 35,000 are in the middle east and Germany and Japan holding the most with 80,000 combined. The U.S also has the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, currently housing 1,900 active warheads.

Without a doubt, the President of the United States plays a giant role in global policy. In order for us to ensure a stable United States and a stable World order, we need to elect a President with a comprehensive and forward looking foreign policy.

There’s only one problem.

During this election, there has been almost no conversation about foreign policy.

Since 1945, the U.S has been known for its strong leaders and its decisive foreign policy. FDR and Harry Truman successfully led us through World War II, establishing us as one of the world’s great superpowers. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, JFK prevented us from participating in a devastating nuclear war. Ronald Reagan and George H.W Bush helped facilitate the fall of Soviet Union, establishing the U.S as the great superpower of our time. All of these men came into with a specific foreign policy to bolster their decision making, but no candidate in this election has come up with a comprehensive plan to conquer America’s most pressing international conflicts.

Trump has mostly avoided foreign policy questions by touting American superiority or calling for the end of international organizations. In an interview with the New York Times, Trump mostly babbled and even considered the use of nuclear weapons. Ted Cruz has frequently mentioned ISIS, but has seemingly offered no comprehensive plan to beat them other than carpet bombing, but even this is more comprehensive than his plan to deal with other major powers like Russia or China. John Kasich has made some attempt to mention foreign policy, but quickly gets carried away with his talking points of budget planning and bipartisanship. Hillary Clinton has mostly avoided foreign policy as to not relive her controversial days as Secretary of State, and Bernie Sanders hardly mentions issues outside of domestic politics.

The problem isn’t a lack of qualified candidates. Clinton has spent years in the international arena, most notably as Barack Obama’s Secretary of State. Even John Kasich has spent time in foreign policy, spending 18 years as a member of the House Armed Services Committee.

The problem is that foreign policy does not sell news, but domestic policy does. Immigration, income inequality and campaign finance have dominated the conversation during this election cycle. Talk of domestic issues is popular, but in all reality the President has no real authority over them. Too many voters choose their President based on domestic or social issues, as if the President is Legislator in Chief. Yes, the President can be a positive force in driving his domestic policy into law, but the real power lies in Congress.

These issues are easier to understand, unlike the complex world of global politics.

The only major foreign policy issue commonly mentioned is the rise of ISIS, but the only real debate is which candidate hates ISIS more. This is important, but it pales in comparison to the rise of China, Russia’s advance into Ukraine, and North Korea's new nuclear capabilities.

More often than not, Presidents are remembered for the role they played in foreign policy. If America wants to keep their standing as the world's greatest superpower, then they elect a President with a strong foreign policy. The President of the United States is truly the most powerful individual in the free world, and we need to elect a person who can handle this type of pressure. Not only should they have the right policy, but the level-headed demeanor to represent America among world leaders like Xi Jingping and Vladimir Putin.

In an election plagued by empty rhetoric and political fanfare, no real attempt has been made to talk about the future of American foreign policy. Given that the United States remains the most powerful military in the world, some form of foreign policy is necessary to guide us in an uncertain time. If nothing happens soon, we could end up electing a leader with an untested foreign policy, or worse, no foreign policy at all.