Peter Feaver Says Presidents Obama and Bush Have the Same Foreign Policy | Big Think

TL;DR

Obama largely continued Bush's foreign policy, emphasizing soft power over hard power.

Transcript

if you look at actual policies decisions that have to be implemented or are being implemented right now as opposed to promises of how what they'll do in the future there's far more continuity than change let's just go down the list when it comes to iraq many people probably many people who voted for president obama thought that he was going to get ... Read More

Key Insights

• 💱 U.S. foreign policy under Obama largely continued Bush's trajectory with a focus on continuity rather than drastic changes.
• 🌐 Soft power assets like Obama's global celebrity status didn't lead to major policy shifts in international relations.
• 🥶 Post-Cold War grand strategy aimed to avoid another Cold War scenario, focusing on preventing a rival peer competitor.
• 😮 Accommodating rising powers like China was a central challenge in U.S. foreign policy, aiming to avoid hostility and maintain stability.
• 🤩 Continued military strength and appeasement of potential rivals were key elements of post-Cold War grand strategy.
• ✊ The challenge for U.S. grand strategy is to manage global power dynamics without creating new threats or conflicts.
• 😫 Obama's approach to foreign policy in his early administration largely followed the accommodative path set by the Bush administration, particularly regarding China.

Questions & Answers

Q: How did Obama's foreign policy decisions compare to Bush's?

Despite campaign promises, Obama's administration largely followed the trajectory set by Bush, from Iraq withdrawal to Guantanamo Bay.

Q: What was the focus of Obama's foreign policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan?

Obama's emphasis on these regions largely mirrored Bush's plans, showing continued strategies rather than drastic shifts.

Q: What role did soft power assets play in Obama's foreign policy?

While Obama had more soft power assets than Bush, like global celebrity status, they did not result in significant policy changes abroad.

Q: How did grand strategy play a role in shaping U.S. foreign policy?

Post-Cold War grand strategy focused on avoiding a return to a Cold War scenario, with efforts to manage U.S. power without creating a rival peer competitor.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• President Obama mostly upheld Bush's foreign policy plans, such as the withdrawal from Iraq and the focus on Afghanistan and Pakistan.

• Despite promises, Guantanamo Bay remains open as Obama's administration largely followed Bush's trajectory.

• Obama's use of soft power assets like global celebrity status hasn't translated into significant policy changes abroad.