Don't Expect US Foreign Policy to Change in January (?)

[Pangloss]

Interesting op/ed in the Wall Street Journal today by Timothy Lynch and Robert Singh, authors of a new book called "After Bush: The Case for Continuity in American Foreign Policy". The basic point is that our foreign policy is not likely to change dramatically after the election.

 

- Neither candidate has disavowed the war on terror

- In fact they all claim they would do a better job fighting it

- Administrations historically inherit foreign policy and situations

- Bill Clinton committed more troops to foreign conflicts than any previous president since WW2

- European complaints are unlikely to have a dramatic impact, since they need us as much as we need them

- Much of the anti-Americanism sentiment in the world is more or less immune to changes in policy anyway

 

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121236518042636485.html?mod=djemEditorialPage

 

I think they have some interesting points, but I think the authors miss the overall point of people's objections to Iraq (for example). The objection isn't that we're fighting a war on terror, it's the specific actions that we're taking in that war. And of course the only way to ultimately express your displeasure over those actions is with your vote in the next election.

 

What do you all think?

[ecoli]

I agree with the premise, but not with the conclusions, like you say.

 

OTOH, Public opinion right now is turning against Iraq, but all it takes is another 9/11 type incident, and it'll probably swing back the other way. Even with a democrat in office (or especially with one in office?) the war would continue, or at least move elsewhere.

[john5746]

- Neither candidate has disavowed the war on terror

- In fact they all claim they would do a better job fighting it

 

I thought Barrack Hussein Obama was going to embrace the terrorists.

 

- Administrations historically inherit foreign policy and situations

 

yep, they don't magically disappear

 

- Bill Clinton committed more troops to foreign conflicts than any previous president since WW2

 

News to me. I guess that's why GW wanted to quit all that nation building and overstretching nonsense.

 

- European complaints are unlikely to have a dramatic impact, since they need us as much as we need them

- Much of the anti-Americanism sentiment in the world is more or less immune to changes in policy anyway

 

Interestingly, as France moves conservative, we might move liberal. I think Obama can really set a different tone with foreign policy. I am actually more concerned about his domestic policy. Vice-versa with McCain

[Pangloss]

Nicely done.

 

I don't know about France moving right, though -- I was reading today that the Cozy Czar's approval ratings have fallen from 53% to 20% in a single year.