I have a new article in Comparative Strategy: was Obama a realist? many have said this, approvingly or critically; I evaluated his policies in the Middle East to test the claim.
Answer: Only partly. His policy was somewhat prudent and restrained... (1/5)
tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10…
Answer: Only partly. His policy was somewhat prudent and restrained... (1/5)
tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.10…
..., especially in comparison with his immediate predecessor, but it also featured much continuity with the past.
He exercised restraint in the use of force, notably in resisting pressure to intervene in Syria. His policy towards IS was mostly sound. He recognized the threat...
He exercised restraint in the use of force, notably in resisting pressure to intervene in Syria. His policy towards IS was mostly sound. He recognized the threat...
as complex but far from existential; in response, he progressively ramped up until he reached a calibrated and proportional response, keeping a light footprint. His achievement of the JCPOA with Iran was also consistent with realism. In other areas, however, the gap between...
...his policies & realist prescriptions was wide. The US remained too close to Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Israel, at great cost, while its regional military presence remained too important. The intervention in Libya also proved mistaken.
In the article, I assess the consequences of these gaps, and sugests ideas for the way ahead.
Contact me if you want a PDF of the article.
Contact me if you want a PDF of the article.
