The Trump Phenomenon and the Future of US Foreign Policy

Description

Donald Trump has called for a turnaround in the foreign policy of the United States (US). A key reason is that US foreign engagements have in recent decades proved of little benefit to the US middle and working classes. Trump's opponents have challenged him to prove that he can offer a better alternative to the foreign policy which has been pursued by the US since the Second World War. This volume shows that a sane US foreign policy that adjusts US postwar trajectory can be accomplished if leaders have the courage and integrity to do so. The principles and many details of an alternative policy based on democratic nationalism are described in this book. Democratic nationalism presumes that the US is a large family in which the needs of members of the family have a certain legitimate priority over those of people abroad. While Donald Trump has raised the level of discussion of these ideas in US public life, he does not have a monopoly on them. The shifts in the US foreign policy which are envisioned in this book can be made by any president and any political party. The shifts and the considerations which motivate them are deserving of careful attention by any US chief executive. This is not a Republican agenda, nor a Democratic one. We believe that it is a US agenda. Contents Executive Summary Foreword Preface Part I A Successful American Foreign Policy Chapter 1 A Challenge To Us All The Debate Over Nationalism And Cosmopolitanism Uncertain Americans What Does It Mean To Be An American Democratic Nationalist? A Special Role For The United States Keeping America Safe Cosmopolitanism As Practiced By The Obama Administration A Brief History Of Modern American Cosmopolitanism A Realist Perspective Cosmopolitan Over-Commitment Trying To Identify And Focus On The Key Issues Two Choices Chapter 2 Th e Best Path Toward National Security Sound Policy Illusions About What Prevents War Why Technological Advance Does Not Guarantee Peace When Dogs Quarrel — Should The Lion Care? Retiring The Western World Order What The United States Stands For In The World — A Plea For Modesty The Post-Nation-State Era And The Failing Western Order Stabilizing The Middle East A Cold-Peace With Russia Hope For The Future Chapter 3 Key Elements Of An American Policy For Today Summarizing The World Situation Eleven Points For American Policy The Risk Of Our Current Course: Provoking Our Rivals To War Chapter 4 Th e Six Characteristics Of A Desirable Policy For America Complete Comprehensive Coherent Consistent Credible Compliant Chapter 5 Underlying Principles Of An American Policy 1. Build Policy Strictly On The Principle Of Core National Interest — Not Insider Interest Nor Domestic Politics 2. Work For These Objectives Diplomatically; We Should Resort To Force Only If Necessary — That Is, For Defense Against Armed Aggression 3. Engage Only One Major Adversary At A Time, Not All Potential Adversaries At Once 4. Promote Benefi cial Government Abroad, Not Our Form Of Democracy 5. Quit Appearing On The International Stage As If We Were No More Than Platitude-Spouting Hypocrites 6. Assert Our National Interests In Preference To Those Of Other Nations 7. Conduct Any Foreign Interventions Well, Including Having An Exit Strategy And Using It 8. Keep Our Eyes On The Major Things And Do Not Get Distracted 9. We Should Never Lose Sight Of Our Most Dangerous Potential Adversary 10. Be Clear About Our Objectives, Not Muddle-Headed 11. Do Not Compartmentalize Too Much 12. Be Prepared To Pay For Power Summary Of Underlying Principles Chapter 6 More About Th e Most Important Principles Of A Successful Policy Number 3. Engage Only One Major Adversary At A Time, Not All Potential Adversaries At Once Number 4. Promote Benefi cial Government Number 6. Assert Our National Interests In Preference To Those Of Other Nations Number 7. Conduct Any Foreign Interventions Well, Including Having An Exit Strategy Number 8. Keep Our Eyes On The Major Things Number 11. Do Not Compartmentalize Too Much Chapter 7 Seizing Opportunities And Avoiding Entangling Alliances America Should Seize Opportunities To Secure The Future The Myth Of Collective Security An Increasingly Pacifi cist Electorate And Allies Collective Security As A Political Fig Leaf The NATO Illusion The New Anglo-Saxon Bloc Part II Today’s Dangers Chapter 8 Increasing Nuclear Risk Doomsday Approaches Nuclear War Is More Imminent Because Our Adversaries Are Better Able And More Willing To Endure It How Not To Be Concerned About The Risk Of Nuclear War Nuclear Protection For Vicious Regimes Asia As A Nuclear Hotbed Today’s Greatest Nuclear Threat Chapter 9 Russia: A Drunk Soccer Hooligan? Russia As A Military State Russia’s Endangerment And Its Defensive Aggressiveness The Magnitude Of The Russian Threat To America Russian Conventional Military Capability Key Points From Von Mellenthin Russia At Risk The Global Political Course Over The Next Two Decades — The Russian Opportunity Three Alternatives Russia As A Friend Confronting Russia Russia As A Frenemy The Weak Get Beaten Chapter 10 Th e United States And Militant Islam Dynamics Of Today’s Islamic Expansion ISIS America’s Iran Gamble Why The Iran Nuclear Deal Passed In The United States Russia And Iran Israel Failing In National Defense Policy Islamic Extension Measured Military Response And Bad Results Chapter 11 Our Rivalry With China American Rationales For There Being No Likelihood Of Confl ict With China What Should The United States Do? How China Will Respond To A Strengthening Russia South-East Asia: Where China Meets Militant Islam Chapter 12 Germany’s Geo-Political Ambitions Underestimating Germany German Success The Fate Of The EU And Why The Difficult Future Of Europe Where Brexit Takes America Consequences For The United States Chapter 13 What Th e Politicians Are Off ering As Choices For America And Our Alternative ISIS As A Rattlesnake The Opposites In American Policy America As A Hegemonic Power An Imperialist America? American Politicians With Military Backgrounds Part III Th e Decay of Post-World War II Cosmopolitanism Chapter 14 Lions Led By Donkeys: Th e Record Of Today’s Cosmopolitans Inconsistency, Contradictions, Muddled-Thinking, Pretensions, And Willful Ignorance Inconsistencies And Contradictions In American Policy No Urgency With Respect To The War On Terror Muddled-Thinking Pretensions Willfull Ignorance: How America Lost Its Understanding Of Russia Under Bill Clinton’s Leadership The Triumph Of The Round People American Leadership — Inept Negotiators Or Something Else? Policy Diverted To Private Agendas Cosmopolitanism In An Age Of Culture War Everything Must Be Politicized Politics Without End Chapter 15 Hitler’s Legacy: Modern Political Spin Spin In China Spin In America Our Partisan Media — How It Spins Spin Is Hitler’s Legacy The New York Times Endorses Spin Chapter 16 Overestimating Our Strength: American Decay Americans Greatly Overestimates America’s Strength American National Decay The Erosion Of American Military Strength America’s Situation Is Now The Opposite Of What It Was Before The Second World War The United States Can Win Battles But Not A War From Decay To Disaster Abnormal Immigration In America The Rule Of Democratic Failure Chapter 17 More Sleepless Nights: Ineff ective Policy A Man Of Talk A Key Principle Of Modern Politics — Persistence Reveals Intent President Obama’s Comments On Key Issues Of American Policy On Global Power Politics On The Record Of Cosmopolitan Policy Obama’s Characterization Of His Opponents The Status Of Dictatorships Intervention Abroad Principles Of President Obama’s Policy Chapter 18 Th e Next Step: A New Politics The Establishment Rallies Bibliography Index About the Authors