Barack uses Indonesia as a model of the “mixed record” of American foreign policy. Our history includes supporting the independence of former colonies as well as supporting tyrannical dictatorships. Our recent record has not won us many friends abroad.
I find this the Bush Administration's major failing: the grand opportunity in the wake of 9-11 for an international consensus was so easily lost. The next president will inherit the worst foreign policy environment in the history of our country!
This will be a difficult mending job. Barack calls for a well articulated foreign policy. A good start would be to emphasize diplomacy before preemptive unilateralism. And since we cannot expect to handle all the problems of the world, America must support international organizations that can do some of the work for us. Lastly, America must lead by example (page 321):
“The unwillingness to make hard choices and live up to our own ideals doesn't just undermine U.S. credibility in the eyes of the world. It undermines the U.S. government's credibility with the American people.”
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