The Importance Of Bill Clinton's Experience In Foreign Affairs

Bill Clinton did not have much experience in foreign affairs prior to his presidency. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the unpredictability of the world after the Cold War produced a number of foreign policy crises. Many of these problems challenged Clinton's abilities as a politician. Several weeks before Clinton took office, President George Bush sent American troops into Somalia, a country located in eastern Africa. In October of 1993, the humanitarian mission to combat poverty grew into a gruesome military conflict. The public was concerned, and so in March 1994, Clinton announced a full withdrawal of U.S. forces out of Somalia. The failure of American troops to be properly equipped for the mission created the impression that President
Clinton poorly prepared for foreign affairs.