u.s. foreign policy (6do encyclopedia)



U.S. foreign policy is the set of principles and strategies that the United States of America (U.S.) government employs in its interactions with foreign governments, international organizations, and other entities around the world.

Historically, U.S. foreign policy has been shaped by various factors, including geography, economics, political ideology, and security concerns. Throughout its history, the U.S. has pursued a mix of isolationism and internationalism, depending on the circumstances of the time.

Isolationism

In the early years of U.S. history, the country’s foreign policy was primarily focused on isolationism – the idea that the U.S. should stay out of foreign affairs and avoid becoming entangled in the affairs of other nations. This approach was influenced by the idea of “Manifest Destiny,” which held that the U.S. was destined to dominate the North American continent, and by the Monroe Doctrine of 1823, which declared that the U.S. would oppose any attempt by European powers to colonize or interfere in the affairs of independent countries in the Western Hemisphere.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, however, the U.S. began to expand its economic and military influence beyond its borders. U.S. businesses sought new markets and resources in foreign countries, and the U.S. military became involved in conflicts such as the Spanish-American War and the Boxer Rebellion in China.

Internationalism

After World War I, the U.S. became more involved in international affairs, particularly through the establishment of the League of Nations, which aimed to promote international cooperation and prevent future wars. However, the U.S. Senate refused to ratify the Treaty of Versailles, which would have committed the U.S. to membership in the League.

During the interwar period, the U.S. pursued a policy of neutrality and non-interventionism, although it did provide economic and military aid to some countries. This changed with the onset of World War II, when the U.S. entered the war on the side of the Allies and became a major global superpower.

After World War II, the U.S. emerged as the dominant power in the world. The U.S. played a leading role in the establishment of the United Nations (UN) and other international organizations. The U.S. also took a leading role in the reconstruction of Europe through the Marshall Plan, which provided economic aid to help rebuild war-torn countries.

The Cold War

During the Cold War, the U.S. pursued a policy of containment, aimed at preventing the spread of communism and promoting democracy around the world. This policy led to a series of conflicts, including the Korean War and the Vietnam War.

The U.S. also developed a vast network of alliances around the world, including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO), aimed at containing Soviet influence and preserving U.S. global dominance.

In addition to military and political efforts, the U.S. also used economic tools to advance its foreign policy goals. The U.S. provided economic assistance to countries that aligned with its interests and imposed economic sanctions on countries that challenged its influence.

Post-Cold War

After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the U.S. faced a new set of challenges in its foreign policy. The U.S. became the world’s sole superpower, but it also faced new threats from terrorism and instability in regions such as the Middle East.

The U.S. responded with a range of policies, including military interventions in Afghanistan and Iraq, efforts to promote democracy and human rights around the world, and economic and diplomatic sanctions against countries such as Iran and North Korea that were deemed hostile to U.S. interests.

Criticism of U.S. Foreign Policy

Despite its dominant role in global affairs, U.S. foreign policy has been criticized for a variety of reasons. Critics argue that the U.S. has often acted unilaterally and without sufficient regard for the interests and sovereignty of other countries.

Critics also question the U.S. military interventions in various countries, arguing that they have often had unintended consequences and have failed to achieve their goals. Critics also charge that U.S. support for authoritarian regimes, or its lack of action on human rights issues, has undercut its claims to promote democracy and human rights around the world.

Conclusion

U.S. foreign policy has evolved over time as a response to changing global circumstances and U.S. interests. The U.S. has used a variety of tools, including military force, diplomacy, economic aid, and sanctions, to promote its goals around the world. However, U.S. foreign policy has also been the subject of criticism for its perceived lack of consideration for the interests of other countries and its failure to achieve its stated objectives.


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Why America Is Struggling to Stop the Fentanyl Epidemic

Foreign Affairs

23-05-15 04:00


The US government is struggling to stem the flow of fentanyl into the country as the synthetic opiate continues to cause drug overdose deaths. More than 100,000 Americans have died in the year to August 2022. Fentanyl kills around 200 Americans daily. While the US Department is deploying law enforcement personnel to tackle drug smuggling, the majority of the drug is produced abroad, so controlling its manufacture is essential. Nearly all of the world's fentanyl, and its precursor chemicals, are produced in China and Mexico, which have made it difficult for the US authorities to take effective action.

China has appeared to avoid action against Chinese drug traffickers. Meanwhile, López Obrador, the President of Mexico, believes the way to solve the drug distribution dilemma is through social and economic reform. The government has also strengthened the military to deal with drug issues and reduced cooperation with US law enforcement, while threatening to expel US agents from the country.


https://www.foreignaffairs.com/mexico/why-america-struggling-stop-fentanyl-epidemic

Where the U.S. Went Wrong in Sudan

Foreign Policy

23-05-14 10:00


Sudan is facing the prospect of civil war after a coup by the country's generals in late 2021 and warring factions emboldened by the US not following through with its empty threats. However, other factors, including the misguided integration of the Rapid Support Forces into the Sudanese Armed Forces, have contributed to the current situation. The US and other Western powers, including the UK, have been accused of putting short-term interests ahead of Sudan's longer-term needs. Governments and aid agencies were also said to be guilty of self-delusion and negligence by enabling a transition to democracy to fail.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/05/14/sudan-conflict-civil-war-democracy-transition-us-west-policy/
The West Versus the Rest

Foreign Affairs

23-05-09 15:00


An article in Foreign Affairs highlights how Russia's war in Ukraine has not unified the world's democracies as U.S. President Joe Biden may have hoped. Instead, it has highlighted how differently much of the world sees the conflict and the broader global landscape. Foreign Affairs has published a series of articles from policymakers and scholars from regions such as Africa, Latin America, and South and Southeast Asia, exploring the dangers and opportunities that the war and the broader return of great-power conflict present for their countries and regions.

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/world/west-versus-rest
The Path to a New Iran Deal

Foreign Affairs

23-05-08 04:00


As attempts to restore the 2015 nuclear deal with Iran falter, policymakers are calling for a new diplomatic approach. Iran is now one short step from operating a nuclear weapon, increasing the urgency for Western powers to devise an alternative strategy. While previous American administrations had sought “narrow, transactional deals” with Iran, future negotiations must address regional tensions as well. A largescale agreement could simultaneously discourage Iran’s meddling in the Arabian Peninsula and its nuclear development, while drawing in buy-in from surrounding nations. The Arab Monarchies of the Persian Gulf and Iran have been forging stronger ties in recent years, to deter attacks and promote economic growth. If Iran can commit to the global community that it will not support non-state actors on the Arabian Peninsula and all nations on the rim of the Gulf agree to joint inspections and joint ventures in nuclear fuel, as well as Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty restrictions, a lasting diplomatic settlement to the nuclear issue could be crafted. The world is watching for new developments in such a global partnership.

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/iran/path-new-iran-nuclear-deal-security-jcpoa-washington
How Biden Lost the Balkans

Foreign Policy

23-05-04 17:09


Despite Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the US has deepened its commitments to Serbia's near-autocratic president, Aleksandar Vucic, according to an article in Foreign Policy. While the US insists on the principle of “nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine,” in which Ukrainians must be involved in any and all negotiations regarding the war, that principle does not apply in the Western Balkans. It appears that the US is immediately discounting Bosnia, Kosovo and Montenegro, despite all three being avowedly pro-Western in orientation.

The Biden administration has concluded that it needs partners who can deliver on their promises; in the Western Balkans, that generally means relying on the least pluralistic regimes or opposing parties in the region. The US government consistently treats Belgrade as the indispensable player on the major questions facing the Western Balkans, according to the Foreign Policy piece, despite Serbia being a Kremlin satellite state that sows discord through a network of regional proxies with the aim of expanding its own quasi-imperial machinations and, in coordination with Moscow, halting NATO and EU membership aspirations of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Montenegro.

The Biden team’s posturing towards the Balkans is likely to result in electoral consequences, according to the article. The small but electorally significant pockets of Bosnian-Americans in swing states such as Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, and Arizona, could throw the next U.S. presidential election to the Republican candidate.


https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/05/04/biden-balkans-policy-serbia-vucic-bosnia-kosovo-montenegro-russia/

Does America Still Need Europe?

Foreign Affairs

23-05-22 04:00


The United States and Europe should shift their defence priorities to address threats in Asia rather than Europe, according to an op-ed in Foreign Affairs. The rise of China and the intensification of the Chinese-U.S. rivalry have increased the risks of combat and the prospect of deterrence failure in Europe or Asia, wrote Emma Ashford, Joshua R. Itzkowitz Shifrinson and Stephen Wertheim. The US would gain little by being the primary security provider for European countries who could afford to fund their own defence against Russia. However, many policymakers in Washington believe that any significant US military drawdown from Europe would sever US ties with the continent and the world by validating China and Russia’s self-interested pictures of the US.

The US is not capable of conducting full-scale operations against China and Russia simultaneously, and acts as a primary security provider to European countries that can afford to fund their own defence against Russia. Transferring most of the responsibility for defending Europe to European states themselves would allow the United States to shift to a supporting role, wrote Emma Ashford, Joshua R. Itzkowitz Shifrinson and Stephen Wertheim. The European Union had a GDP more than nine times larger than that of Russia in 2021, even its much-maligned military spending is already almost four times greater than Russia’s, and it has roughly three times the population of Russia.

Russia cannot become a European hegemon, and the United States would remain a constructive NATO ally with a largely offshore troop presence, according to the article. If Russia were to attack a member of NATO, the United States would retain a spectrum of retaliatory options. In order to develop realistic policy options commensurate with the threat posed to US interests, Washington needs to gauge the Russian threat accurately, according to the authors.


https://www.foreignaffairs.com/responses/does-america-still-need-europe

China’s Port Power

Foreign Affairs

23-05-22 04:00


China's global port network provides the country with crucial power projection capabilities for its military, according to two defense analysts. China's dominant position in global port infrastructure has given rise to economic and strategic benefits, as the facilities are used to transport crucial commodities to and from the country and support global trade. However, the country's maritime industry also supports emerging signs of Chinese military power projection, with the People's Liberation Army regularly and reliably using Chinese-operated terminals to resupply and refurbish overseas naval forces. Observers say the international port network is now allowing China to project its military power far beyond its shores and will help the country to compete with the US on a global scale.

https://www.foreignaffairs.com/united-states/chinas-port-power