=== Foreign Policy ===
Helms believed that America should stand against dictators [[dictator]]s and [[human rights]] abusers and help bring its values of freedom and democracy to the world. This belief caused Helms to stand against "[[Most Favored Nation]]" status for China (which the Reagan and Nixon Administrations supported). At the same time, Helms stood for a strong national defense and strongly opposed Communism and would occasionally compromise on the humanitarian part of his policy when it suited those aims, such was the case in his support for the dictator Augusto Pinochet.<ref>http://www.jessehelmscenter.org/principles/default.asp</ref> Helms opposed arms control and nuclear test-ban treaties even when some of these measures were supported by Reagan himself.<ref name=freep />
=== Liberal opposition ===