Don't Expect A Change in Foreign Policy

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In The Media

Don't Expect A Change in Foreign Policy

Despite his campaign promises, Obama’s initial foreign policy might not differ dramatically from Bush’s policies of the last two years. After failures during his first six years in office, Bush has struck a more diplomatic tone in recent years. Obama, who has tapped several Bush administration veterans for his own national security team, is likely to continue on this increasingly diplomatic path.

By John Judis

Published on Dec 10, 2008

Source: The New Republic

Despite his campaign promises, Obama’s initial foreign policy might not differ dramatically from Bush’s policies of the last two years. After failures during his first six years in office, Bush has struck a more diplomatic tone in recent years. He has, to name a few examples, sent an envoy to a meeting with Iranian officials, taken North Korea off the terrorist list, and negotiated a Status of Forces agreement that sets a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq.

Obama appears likely to continue on this path of gradually increasing diplomacy, particularly in light of the fact that he has tapped Bush veterans Robert Gates and James Jones for his national security team. While these appointments do indeed represent some departure from Obama’s campaign rhetoric, they will bring important continuity to U.S. foreign policy, which will turn out to be good for the country as a whole.

Click here to watch the full interview on The New Republic's TNRtv.

About the Author

John Judis

Former Visiting Scholar

As a visiting scholar at Carnegie, Judis wrote The Folly of Empire: What George W. Bush Could Learn from Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson.

Recent Work

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Security Military Foreign Policy North America United States

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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Don't Expect A Change in Foreign Policy