When reworking US foreign policy becomes the need of the hour

Last updated on March 1st, 2023 at 07:00 am

Under Donald Trump’s presidency the US seemed to have lost a lot ranging from some allies, American supremacy in international economic and political order, the trust of its people, millions of lives to the deadly pandemic and above all, the knack of maintaining diplomatic ties and a balanced foreign policy. It seems that the country is in dire need of great leadership which can put some order in the ongoing chaos, including migration crisis, Covid crisis, trade war, Cold War, racial discrimination and diplomatic crisis.

Withdrawing US troops from the nations still combatting terrorism, instigating arms race in Middle East for economic gains, supporting annexation plans to wipe out two-state solution, carrying diplomacy of repression and sanctions to denuclearise the world, and turning tariff negotiations into an unending trade war, these are some of the examples of the US misguided foreign policy under Trump administration. Besdies, at home front, Trump’s flagship campaign “America First” got reduced to only Trump first, leaving behind Americans on their own.

To get things rights, US leaders need to re-assess American priorities and influence. Probably the nation needs to focus more on managing threats and differences instead of focusing on vanquishing challenges all together erupting from other nations like China, Russia, European powers, and Iran. Moving away from its currently adopted policy of repression could help it win allies and deals back. Repression has only pushed US towards isolation.

One cannot lead in isolation. No one can explain it better than Willian J. Burns, the President of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, who in article ‘The United States Needs a New Foreign Policy’ published in the Atlantic said, “Isn’t there a danger of the United States becoming an island power in a world inhospitable to islands—with China gradually dominating the Eurasian landmass, Russia a weakening accomplice, and Europe an isolated appendage?”

May be repression needs to be replaced with compassion and dialogue. What defines the revival of America primacy is how open is US leadership in fighting not only its own battles but also of its allies for a common cause. But it by no chance means that America should dictate the world events, rather the opposite. It needs to drop its paternalistic altruism and acknowledge itself as just another big country, letting go off any race which existed and was exhausting its resources. Along with building a unified front on a global level, the US needs to put in equal amount of work at home to remove polarisation in political, racial, and economic scenario in order to get rid of unnecessary tensions. Astrong and successful foreign policy begins from home with stable economy, democracy and society. It will help US regain a clear sense of purpose and priorities, which would eventually help it in regaining its alliances, partnerships and choosing the right tool in terms of global engagement.

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