About | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline Law Journal Library | HeinOnline
LOG IN
LOG IN

100 Foreign Aff. 128 (2021)
Strategies of Restraint: Remaking America's Broken Foreign Policy

handle is hein.journals/fora100 and id is 994 raw text is: Strategies of Restraint Remaking America's Broken Foreign Policy Emma Ashford For nearly three decades after the end of the Cold War, U.S. foreign policy was characterized by a bipartisan consensus: that as the world's indispensable nation and with no com- petitor, the United States had little choice but to pursue a transfor- mational agenda on the world stage. Over the last few years, however, that consensus has collapsed. A growing chorus of voices are advocat- ing a strategy of restraint-a less activist approach that focuses on diplomatic and economic engagement over military intervention. And they have found a receptive audience. In that, they have undoubtedly been helped by circumstance: the United States' failed war on terror, the rise of China, and growing par- tisan polarization at home have all made it clear that U.S. foreign policy cannot simply remain on autopilot. Even those who continue to argue for an interventionist approach to the world typically acknowledge that their strategy must be shorn of its worst excesses. Where restraint was once excluded from the halls of power and confined largely to academic journals, now some of its positions have become official policy. Although President Donald Trump's record was defined by dys- function more than any coherent strategy, he did wind down the war in Afghanistan, raise doubts about the value of U.S. alliances in Eu- rope and Asia, and question the wisdom of military intervention and democracy promotion. President Joe Biden, for his part, has begun withdrawing U.S. troops from Afghanistan, has initiated a review of the United States' global military posture, and has taken steps to stabilize the U.S.-Russian relationship. In 2019, Jake Sulli- van, now Biden's national security adviser, wrote, The U.S. must get better at seeing both the possibilities and the limits of American power. That this sentiment is now openly embraced at the highest EMMA ASHFORD is a Senior Fellow at the New American Engagement Initiative at the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security. 128 FOREIGN AFFAIRS

What Is HeinOnline?

HeinOnline is a subscription-based resource containing thousands of academic and legal journals from inception; complete coverage of government documents such as U.S. Statutes at Large, U.S. Code, Federal Register, Code of Federal Regulations, U.S. Reports, and much more. Documents are image-based, fully searchable PDFs with the authority of print combined with the accessibility of a user-friendly and powerful database. For more information, request a quote or trial for your organization below.



Short-term subscription options include 24 hours, 48 hours, or 1 week to HeinOnline.

Purchase Access

Contact us for annual subscription options:

Contact Us

Already a HeinOnline Subscriber?

Log In

profiles profiles most