The Changes the Obama Adminsitation Has Made in Foriegn Policy
The US has received criticisms due to its post-9/11 foreign policy. Its policy created shifts in alliances and became a polarizing issue both domestically and internationally.
The US has had a significant shift since Barack Obama took office, moving away from the foreign policy that was in place under George W. Bush.
• Discuss the major changes the Obama administration made to US foreign policy.
• Analyze these changes in the context of the international system level, state level, and individual level.
It is arguable that the Bush doctrine, in 2002, was a necessary evil. While it was a proclamation of the right to self-defense through pre-emptive attack, it was not perceived that way by the majority of the world. It seemed to be an excuse to use strategic and military action to impose extensions of the United States system of government and principles. At first this was thought to be a rumor of conspiracy theorists but the military operation in Iraq in 2003 proved that there was validity to the theory that America was prepared and perfectly willing to use its military might to push other states into accepting their imperialistic agenda. Not only was it obvious that the U.S and the UN were at an impasse but it was noticeable that America seemed to only assist in strategic areas that had some stake in the evolution of its own state. Between the Bush doctrine and military actions throughout the Middle East, the rest of the world had become wary and suspicious of the political behavior of the United States.
In 2010 the National Security Strategy dramatically shifted from the philosophy of the Bush administration’s views on international security. It announced the obvious concern of the United States’ role in the increasing globalization of the world. The Obama administration places more emphasis on cementing traditional allies as well as creating new alliances with other states. This way the responsibility of world security would be more shared rather
The US has had a significant shift since Barack Obama took office, moving away from the foreign policy that was in place under George W. Bush.
• Discuss the major changes the Obama administration made to US foreign policy.
• Analyze these changes in the context of the international system level, state level, and individual level.
It is arguable that the Bush doctrine, in 2002, was a necessary evil. While it was a proclamation of the right to self-defense through pre-emptive attack, it was not perceived that way by the majority of the world. It seemed to be an excuse to use strategic and military action to impose extensions of the United States system of government and principles. At first this was thought to be a rumor of conspiracy theorists but the military operation in Iraq in 2003 proved that there was validity to the theory that America was prepared and perfectly willing to use its military might to push other states into accepting their imperialistic agenda. Not only was it obvious that the U.S and the UN were at an impasse but it was noticeable that America seemed to only assist in strategic areas that had some stake in the evolution of its own state. Between the Bush doctrine and military actions throughout the Middle East, the rest of the world had become wary and suspicious of the political behavior of the United States.
In 2010 the National Security Strategy dramatically shifted from the philosophy of the Bush administration’s views on international security. It announced the obvious concern of the United States’ role in the increasing globalization of the world. The Obama administration places more emphasis on cementing traditional allies as well as creating new alliances with other states. This way the responsibility of world security would be more shared rather
References: Harding, Harry, July 4, 2009, “Change and Continuity in the Obama Administration’s Foreign Policy”, Think About Asia, http://thinkingaboutasia.blogspot.com/2009/07/change-and-continuity-in-obama.html Jones, D. Bruce, Forman, Shepard, Gowan, Richard, 2011, “Cooperating for Peace and Security, Evolving Institutions and Arrangements in a Context of Changing US Security Policy”, European Journal of International Law Vol. 22 no. 3, http://ejil.oxfordjournals.org/content/22/3/912.extract