This is called retrenchment
We all anticipated this State of the Union speech would not focus on international issues, but here is my short list of more important things not mentioned or glossed over:
- West Bank settlements (or Palestinians)
- North Korea
- Euro crisis
- Africa or Latin America (not even Cuba),
- Bahrain or Saudi Arabia, virtually no Egypt, Tunisia or Yemen
- China (except as an unfair competitor)
- Turkey, Mexico, Brazil, India or even Russia (except as an emerging market)
- Pakistan (except as an Al Qaeda haven)
- Strait of Hormuz
That’s a pretty spectacular list, even without noting the absence of NATO, Japan, allies, Europe, the UN…
A few notable items that were mentioned:
- Strong on regime change in Syria (putting Assad in the same sentence with Qaddafi could have implications) and on exporting democracy and free markets in general
- Positive about peaceful resolution of the dispute with Iran over nuclear weapons, while keeping all options on the table
- Trade agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia
- Burma as the hope of the Pacific!
Of course the President also mentioned withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan, security cooperation with Israel, blows delivered against Al Qaeda, and the troops (no mention of civilians serving abroad this time around I’m afraid).
If this is a prelude to the campaign, as rightly it should be, it presages an ever more economically focused foreign policy, with security issues narrowed to a few top priorities and little focus on diplomacy except on a few specific issues. This is a vision for restoring American economic strength at home, not increasing–or perhaps even maintaining–its commitments abroad. This is called retrenchment.
PS: I should have mentioned that Richard Haas calls it “restoration.” That’s a more positive word, but the substance is the same.
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2 thoughts on “This is called retrenchment”
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He mentioned successful diplomacy in talking about Iran and the camera turned to Hillary, who seemed to agree. Anyway, diplomats are like flight controllers – nobody thinks about them until something goes badly wrong.
I realized I’m spending entirely too much time on matters Balkan when I noticed that the only congressman I recognized during Obama’s walk down the aisle to the podium was Eliot Engel. That’s how it will probably be reported in the Albanian papers tomorrow: “Congressman Eliot Engel and other members of Congress listened to President Obama’s annual speech on the condition of the United States last evening.”
My apologies – you did note that he mentioned Iran.
On the other hand: it’s his third year, he’s running for reelection, and talking to Americans about foreign countries is a good way to lose their attention, fast. Maybe next year?